Can loose ground post on key switch arc the battery?

speed3 · #1 (**permalink**) 03-24-2009, 06:51 PM

hooked the positive up and when i went to hook up the negative it arced. touched it one more time just to make sure i saw what i thought i did and sure enough it melted the tip of the post on the battery. i pulled the bike apart this winter to replace the trans. seal but put all the wiring back like it was. the only thing i could find was a loose ground post on the starter switch. the wire is tight but the post itself is loose at the base of the key switch. the switch i have is like a car switch. its not a turn the key and push a button type. could a bad ground on the starter make this happen?

Mr Scary · #2 (**permalink**) 03-24-2009, 07:07 PM

First thing that comes to mind is that you have a draw...assuming the the key was off and nothing was running when you hooked up the neg.

speed3 · #3 (**permalink**) 03-24-2009, 07:22 PM

yeah the key wasn't even in the switch at the time.

Mr Scary · #4 (**permalink**) 03-24-2009, 07:25 PM

Anything wired to the Bat...bypassing the ign sw?

Lights...radio, etc?

speed3 · #5 (**permalink**) 03-24-2009, 07:48 PM

no, all i have is a brake light, rear turn signals, speedo, and horn. i got my wiring harness from scooters and all was good until i took some of the wiring apart this winter and put it back together. i made sure to wire everything up like it was before. thats why i was wondering about the negative post on the ign. switch. i was thinking maybe it broke loose while things where apart and now is causing it to ground out the battery when i hook it up. say everything was good and the negative on the switch was bad could it cause this? or would that have nothing to do with the arcing.

Mr Scary · #6 (**permalink**) 03-24-2009, 07:55 PM

Here's the thing...

You have a draw.

Now...I most certainly do not recommend the touching the neg to the bat thing while you are checking shit out.

Batteries can explode.

Maybe you could hook an ammeter in series...(from the neg cable...to the meter...to the battery)...

And start with disconnecting that key switch...to see if the draw goes away.

speed3 · #7 (**permalink**) 03-24-2009, 08:10 PM

yeah i know what your saying about the battery blowing up. i dont want to hook the battery back up until i know i found the problem. im just trying to figure out where to start. i wired the bike just fine using the instructions but ill be the first to say im not that good at trouble shooting this stuff.

speed3 · #8 (**permalink**) 03-24-2009, 08:18 PM

i guess i have been miss speaking also about the post on the starter. its not a ground post but the starter relay post. ill change the title to help with any confusion