Smoke in the hole

[spooky]

My Honda cd90 was running fine until it wasn`t. When I stopped to investigate there was a lot of smoke coming from under the battery cover. After disconnecting the fuse i decided best course of action was to push it to a house to leave it and collect later. By this time wires were cold enough to touch and trace and no more smoking.   On getting it home from the friendly Morgan/Humber and Raleigh Trade van owner  (that`s another story) I set to with my spectacles on. Long story short, after a couple of hours I remade new connections and the main source of the short appeared to be the ignition switch wiring.   so.... could the two wires getting cosey together cause the short and why didn`t the fuse blow ?  It all appears ok now and smells better !!  prior to the smoking the switch was occasionally a bit dicky.

[johnr]

fuse is only going to blow if its between the battery and the short circuit. if the power iisnt going through the actual fuse on its way from the battery to the short then its not going to be overloaded. perhaps put an additional fuse in the main battery feed out to the ignition and lighting circuits so that any future short will have the fuse in it.

[iansoady]

I usually put a fuse in the earth lead from the battery after once frying half a wiring loom due to an errant screwdriver. Not much use with electric start of course.

[Richard]

Fuse in the earth lead?  Thats an old MZ wiring habit that is.

[iansoady]

I'm an old (and one-time* MZ owner) person......

*actually I've had 2 - no idea as I didn't like the first one....

[spooky]

Fixed problem with smoke in the hole permanently....sold the bike !!

[mthee]