Wire from alternator to battery problem

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wilcoy02

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Started to button up the bike from the knocking problem.
gl1100 with alternator conversion.

I went to put all the pos + lines on to the battery. Never disconnected -
Some what of a big spark when I attached the bolt to the battery. Heard a clicking sound.
Took wires off battery. One by one I touched the battery.
The wire from the alternator to battery was hot to the touch. The clicking came from the resetting fuse I have in line. I unplugged the other wires from the alt and same problem.

Can the alternator NOT touch the carb covers?

I checked the wire and no cuts or breaks. It goes from the b terminal thru the resetting fuse to the battery.

I had no problem before so what am I missing?
 
Not sure I follow. If the charge wire is unplugged from the alternator and it still gets hot and trips the breaker, the wire has to be shorted to ground somewhere along the line.
 
All wires are new as of Feb.

The only wire that gets hot is the alternator to battery.
This wire attaches from the alt (charge wire) thru a resetting fuse and directly to the pos battery.

I just touch the wire to battery and it gets hot -- now. Nothing else touches this wire.

The alt itself touches the carbs. but not where this wire connects.


If I replace this 8 ga wire do I really need a fuse in this line?
 
It sure sounds like a dead short in the wire from the alternator or in the alternator itself, check that the wire lug didn't bend and touch the alternator body, must have been something that happened during reassembly.
 
Normally this happens when the polarity is reversed on the alternator or someone has installed the rectifier inside the alternator incorrectly. Check the insulators on the B+ terminal as this is also a common dead short situation for an alternator especially if it has recently been apart.
 
Problem solved.

Took the alt to the alternator guy, When I put my belt brkt on backwards and tightened the belt. It crushed the back of the alt and shorted itself out. No damage. He hammered the outside cover back into shape and pushed something inside in. Put it back together and put it on the scope and charging at 15 so all is well. Except my pride and wallet.
 
Good you got off easy. Glad it turned out that way.

Some years ago, when I did my Poorboy conversion on an '84 Aspy, I installed an 50A auto reset breaker in that line between the alternator and the battery. It never tripped, but certainly would have in your situation.

Something to consider.
 
[url=https://www.classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=191912#p191912:13ttvca7 said:
wilcoy02 » Fri Jun 16, 2017 9:33 am[/url]":13ttvca7]
[url=https://classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=191899#p191899 said:
wilcoy02 »
This wire attaches from the alt (charge wire) thru a resetting fuse and directly to the pos battery.

The resetting fuse is 50 amp.
Same as an auto/ manual resetting circuit breaker ( fuse).
 
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