Electrical Fire

[Sleekster]

At the Rumble, I was trying a 21p Laser II and the motor died. Wouldn't start, pulled the cover and smoke-n-smoldering at the starter main wire from the selenoid. Killed the power from the battery.....let the smoke clear and a tow back via Brad Collins.

The motor is a 1996 Evin 225

I got home last night and changed the starter and selenoid. It starts fine now.

My questions are:

1. What would cause this?

2. Is there anything else I should check/change to ensure safety?

3. Any modifications recommended?

4. Is this a common thing? I've never heard of it before.

[Karl817]

I had a car starter do this to me once - never heard of it happening to anyone else in my 25 + years of driving.
Starter shorted out.

[Jeff_G]

If there is a short in the starter each time you attempt to start the positive wires all the way to the battery will heat up. You can even melt the battery. If the short is from the battery to the solonoid then it will happen all the time. See it in corroded brush wires inside starters and lose connections at the starter it'self. Recently ran into a customer that brought in a 75hp and it wouldn't start. The starter would just click and cables melted. Battery too. Found he had the starter rebuilt and they left off the insulating washer on the starter. Direct to ground.

[B.Leonard]

Sounds like a short in the starter.

Did the solenoid drop the connection when you let off the key? Or was it stuck/welded up and kept running juice to the starter when you let off the key?

You could run one of those 300 amp fuses off your battery, but they're expensive ($50) for something that just doesn't happen that often and you could break it with your main switch like you did.

-BL

[Sleekster]

maybe i should have started a on-the-water-welding service.

84 exciter just nick-named me Smokester....I like it better than Flamester.....

What else doesn't happen that often so I can prevent that?

I'm wondering if the key switch coulda played a part in the conspiracy......

Worked fine yesterday.........but.

Thank God I had the presence of mind to install the switch. Touching melting wire even at the battery, if that woulda happened, would not have been fun. I might even relocate the battery switch so its next to the extinguisher.....

300 amp fuse......hummmmmmm maybe. Course its like closing the barn door afterward......

Made a mess of the inside of the belly pan, nothing a little cleaning won't cure. he stud to the starter wasa all wobbly! Can you say COOKED?

[84exciter]

did you change the starter too or just the soleniod?:D

[Sleekster]

wanna buy it? :D

[Tom D.]

Could have been a bad or loose connection between the battery and starter.:confused: