Smoking wires electrix stator

[Ranzan]

I`m not sure what would be going with this...... I put a new stator and Rec in the bike when I rebuilt it a few years back the bike ran fine for 2 years... recently pulled it out of storage and had my airbox off to squirt some ether in the carbs. had the bike running for about 5 minutes when I noticed some smoke coming from my connections shut the bike off right away and went to feel the wires. the whole harness coming from the stator was burning hot. anyone had this issue before? I can`t see the stator being shot after only have a few thousand K put on it

[nabrams]

A very common cause of smoking/melting wires is dirty/poor connections which lead to high resistance which leads to heat - been discussed a million times - do a search.
If that is not the culprit, then do the full "stator papers" tests to pinpoint the faulty component.

[bonanzadave]

Use it on every electrical connector on the bike. Also clean all the ground points.

[SPARKSS]

I`m not sure what would be going with this...... I put a new stator and Rec in the bike when I rebuilt it a few years back the bike ran fine for 2 years... recently pulled it out of storage and had my airbox off to squirt some ether in the carbs. had the bike running for about 5 minutes when I noticed some smoke coming from my connections shut the bike off right away and went to feel the wires. the whole harness coming from the stator was burning hot. anyone had this issue before? I can`t see the stator being shot after only have a few thousand K put on it

Your stator is an electrical "source"......just like your battery is. The fact that the wires coming FROM the stator are hot isn't necessarily a bad sign - obviously the stator is developing power. As others pointed out, check or repair the connections from the stator harness to the bike harness IF required.

Other likely possibilities......because your stator is a source, everything else on the bike INCLUDING the battery is part of it's load. Does the bike crank over and start fast? If not, check the battery for a shorted cell (one very common failure mode).....this will significantly increase the stator current (and rectifier power dissipation (heat) - Current from the rectifier will be higher than normal though battery terminal voltage may be just below average (say only 12volts while charging) Keys here that would tell you that it's not just connections are that the rectifier will be hot (and could even be shorted itself)....the regulator may be hot (or shorted.....hard to distinguish if yours is also part of your rectifier assembly). Wiring to the battery "may" be warmer than normal (confirm the shorted cell with an ammeter showing charging current while monitoring terminal voltage.

A shorted cell is more often associated with conventional (cheaper) type lead-acid battery construction whereupon the plates may be warped from excessive charging or boosting or cranking AND/OR shed material as a normal function which, over time, can bridge the plates at the bottom....shorting one or more.

[Ranzan]

Thanks for the info Guys I`ll check it tommorow night ..... I`m thinking maybe from sitting these last few years it might be the connections from the input I got from you guys. I would think dirty or coroded lines

[jbs80106]

Me too!

I too replaced my R/R and Stator last fall. All was working well and then one day my bike died w/dead battery. Checked my charging system and was not seeing any voltage back at the battery from R/R. After riding for a few turn around the block, the R/R was warm to the touch but not 'hot' as I'd expected it to be. Following the stator papers, I got to the part where you need to unplug the plastic connectors between stator/Reg-rect.....when I touched the wires coming off the stator they were hot...one was scorched and the 2 plastic connectors were melted together.

So cutt off the connectors, used butt connectors to rejoin them and then resumed troubleshooting. My wires had a splice in them (old connections so I am guessing they were the trouble cause), which I cut out as well. Still couldn't get the requisite 14.5V out of the R/R so returened to Elextrosport for a new one (that was 3 weeks ago....but save that for a different thread!)

[robertbarr]

Power = I (squared) R = Heat. No R, no heat.

Crimp connectors just delay the problem for a while, and probably cause more problems than they can correct. Discover solder and shrink tubing!

(Ya gotta remember to slide the tubing on first... probably everyone learns that the hard way once or twice).