Should this be HOT?

[Dynamohum]

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I was doing a bit of cleaning and adjusting my rear brake switch with the key on but engine off. I noticed the top wires to the left of the arrow were too hot to touch. None of the other wires were hot but this one was. Any ideas?

[daves79x]

Well, your headlight, instrument lights, tail light were all on, drawing current. Certainly the wire will warm. By the looks of your fuse circuit there, it has not gotten overly hot (many do) due to corroded or weak connections. Check and clean all your connections, install a new strip fuse, install the fuse holder correctly, you should be good.

Dave

[Dynamohum]

Well I ran the motor for a few minutes after the wires were cold. They did get hot but not too hot until I touched them for a few seconds, then I had to let go. I was only running around 2,000 revs so the alternator hadn’t kicked in (still drawing current w/o any charging). So, could it be that it gets hot when not being charged but’s ok when riding? BTW, I have the full Dyna ignition. What’s incorrect about the fuse holder?

[Jeff Bennetts]

That top connection doesn't look seated to me, pull the connectors apart and have a good look at both male and female spades, inside and from the back where the wires enter the connector and are crimped to the spade. The wire from the 30 amp fuse holder is suspect to corrosion and gets hot from resistance, so hot it can melt the connectors.

[Dynamohum]

I ran it with the alternator charging but the wires still get hot. I’ve never checked this before so I’m assuming it’s hot the entire time I’m riding. I popped the connector open and gently wire brushed the contacts, didn’t look bad but likely the first time it’s been apart. The connectors popped back together firmly. Is the 30 amp fuse holder the black box where the red wires originate?

[Rick Pope]

Slightly off topic, but relevant, when the motor is running, that alternator is charging. Well, it's putting out current, but at low speed it may not be making more amps than the lights are drawing. Don't rely on the volt meter as a diagnostic tool. It's just not that accurate, and not an indicator of current flow. Think of it as a gauge of how full the battery is. An ammeter will show if current is actually flowing, and which way.

Imagine you're using a garden hose to fill a bucket. The volts are the pressure in the hose, and amps are the gallons/minute of flow. Sorta.

[hondaman160mph]

What is the best way to clean the spade connections in the electrical connectors?

[Jeff Bennetts]

What is the best way to clean the spade connections in the electrical connectors?

I can't stress how important it is to inspect the spade connection at the wire crimp, that area of the connector is subject to the battery acid fumes and residue from overflowing batteries.

Any hot connection to the touch is suspect to resistance or some other problem.

To remove the spades you need a dental pic or a small blade flat screw driver, from the front of the connector slip the pic or flat bade under the spade, push the flat blade forward while pushing the corresponding wire from the rear, forward, then pull the wire backwards, this will be depresse the clip upward and then release the spade.

[hondaman160mph]

I checked all of my connectors, they are clean and look like new. Removed the main 30A fuse to clean where the mounting screws contact it and when I reinstalled it it broke into 3 pieces,very gray and brittle. The spare fuses in the holder under the main fuse are very shiny compared to the one that was installed. Old age and 36 years of use apparently degraded the original fuse. Better changed here in the basement than on the side of the road somewhere.
25 inches of snow yesterday and today and it's still snowing, riding is a little way off yet.

[daves79x]

Now you know why I say every chance I get, to keep the 30 amp fuse fresh, as well as the spare.

Dave

[hondaman160mph]

Lesson learned, I will now be changing the fuse every couple of years as part of routine maintenance.

[NobleHops]

We replaced all of that on the 79 we are finishing now, crimped new terminals onto new 14ga wire, soldered the two wires to a 30 amp inline ACT fuse holder, and put a ring terminal on the other end of it to connect up to the battery. At the very least, you want to ensure that the spades within both sides of that red connector are spotless.

As above, we opted to replace the ones on the end from the fuse holder, as the wires were melted and corroded where they were crimped. If your insulation and crimps are OK you can make up a brew of white vinegar and salt, then dunk the connector into it for 3-5 minutes, swishing it around a few times. Shake it off and rinse then dunk it in another solution of water and baking soda for a few moments to neutralize the acid. Shake that dry or better yet a blast of compressed air to blow the solution out, one last rinse and blow dry. That should leave those spades looking like new pennies.

When you reassemble, take a pea of dielectric grease and smear/press it into the female connector, and a wipe little down the exterior. Remake the connection and wipe off any dielectric grease that squeezed out.