Melting Wires During a Jump
- CliffordBRD
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Melting Wires During a Jump
15 Aug 2006 16:53
I have this friend.
Silly guy had a dead battery. From a NON RUNNING car, he attempted to jump his bike. Of course he crossed the leads and the + wires smoked. Lucky for me I'm not wearing the battery. . . I mean him. Not me. Him. Right.
The battery was old, so I replaced it. Charged it. Put it on the bike and after I saw sparks and a puff of smoke somewhere around the battery I disconnected it again. All the fuses are OK of course.
I saw that another person did this (major screw-up...melted wires - 2006/04/26 23:48 )and the recommendation was to disconnect the alternator and if that fixed the problem check the alternator voltage rectifier.
1. Does that still sound like the best solution?
2. What is a rectifier (sorry newbie to electrical)
3. If disconnecting the alternator doesn't help, what else should I check?
Silly guy had a dead battery. From a NON RUNNING car, he attempted to jump his bike. Of course he crossed the leads and the + wires smoked. Lucky for me I'm not wearing the battery. . . I mean him. Not me. Him. Right.
The battery was old, so I replaced it. Charged it. Put it on the bike and after I saw sparks and a puff of smoke somewhere around the battery I disconnected it again. All the fuses are OK of course.
I saw that another person did this (major screw-up...melted wires - 2006/04/26 23:48 )and the recommendation was to disconnect the alternator and if that fixed the problem check the alternator voltage rectifier.
1. Does that still sound like the best solution?
2. What is a rectifier (sorry newbie to electrical)
3. If disconnecting the alternator doesn't help, what else should I check?
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- steell
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Re: Melting Wires During a Jump
15 Aug 2006 17:21
Year and model would help a lot, Kawasaki used different charging systems at various times and on different models.
You probably fried the reg/rec, or one of the two depending on the bike.
You probably fried the reg/rec, or one of the two depending on the bike.
KD9JUR
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- Nevco48
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Re: Melting Wires During a Jump
15 Aug 2006 18:19
CliffordBRD wrote:
Hey, I've got a "friend" like that too. Not a bad guy but "he" can sure do some dumb sh*t now and again!
I have this friend.
Silly guy had a dead battery. From a NON RUNNING car, he attempted to jump his bike. Of course he crossed the leads and the + wires smoked. Lucky for me I'm not wearing the battery. . . I mean him. Not me. Him. Right.
Hey, I've got a "friend" like that too. Not a bad guy but "he" can sure do some dumb sh*t now and again!

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- RomSpaceKnight
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Re: Melting Wires During a Jump
15 Aug 2006 18:46
I have never met CliffordBRD before in my life. I swear I was not there when his "friend" probably fried the rectifier. Any time you pass current backward thru a rectifier it fries. Diodes will only allow current to flow one way, any attempt to do otherwise cooks them. Rectifiers change ac power to dc power by only allowing current to flow one way. Check all fuses and wires. Where there is smoke there is fire or at least smoking wiring insulation. I could be wrong about the rectifier but I had a "friend" who did exactly that.
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- CliffordBRD
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Re: Melting Wires During a Jump
15 Aug 2006 20:17
steell wrote:
1979 650B
Bone Stock.
Year and model would help a lot, Kawasaki used different charging systems at various times and on different models.
You probably fried the reg/rec, or one of the two depending on the bike.
1979 650B
Bone Stock.
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- CliffordBRD
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Re: Melting Wires During a Jump
15 Aug 2006 20:21
RomSpaceKnight wrote:
Is there more than one rectifier?
Regulator?
I really hate asking stupid questions. Almost as much as doing something so blatently stupid to begin with. At least this should prove I've never done this before. Bet it will never happen again too.
Also, based on the responses, it sounds like I can bring it back. That's good.
I have never met CliffordBRD before in my life. I swear I was not there when his "friend" probably fried the rectifier. Any time you pass current backward thru a rectifier it fries. Diodes will only allow current to flow one way, any attempt to do otherwise cooks them. Rectifiers change ac power to dc power by only allowing current to flow one way. Check all fuses and wires. Where there is smoke there is fire or at least smoking wiring insulation. I could be wrong about the rectifier but I had a "friend" who did exactly that.
Is there more than one rectifier?
Regulator?
I really hate asking stupid questions. Almost as much as doing something so blatently stupid to begin with. At least this should prove I've never done this before. Bet it will never happen again too.
Also, based on the responses, it sounds like I can bring it back. That's good.
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- RonKZ650
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Re: Melting Wires During a Jump
15 Aug 2006 20:35
79 650 used a combined rect/reg. If something fried, that's probably it. Pretty common part. Should be in junk yards everywhere because they really never went bad without help.
321,000 miles on KZ's that I can remember. Not going to see any more.
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- CliffordBRD
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Re: Melting Wires During a Jump
15 Aug 2006 20:41
steell wrote:
Looking at the parts diagram on Kawasaki.com, it appears that the wires to the regular took some heat for sure. There are three total; 1 black and two yellow.
I am assuming the rectifier is located near the alternator (the diagram doesn't say).
Positive battery wire also took some.
And a red wire that is with the positive really really got cooked. It is a short wire that disappears quickly into the wiring harness. I have no idea where that one goes.
Year and model would help a lot, Kawasaki used different charging systems at various times and on different models.
You probably fried the reg/rec, or one of the two depending on the bike.
Looking at the parts diagram on Kawasaki.com, it appears that the wires to the regular took some heat for sure. There are three total; 1 black and two yellow.
I am assuming the rectifier is located near the alternator (the diagram doesn't say).
Positive battery wire also took some.
And a red wire that is with the positive really really got cooked. It is a short wire that disappears quickly into the wiring harness. I have no idea where that one goes.
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- CliffordBRD
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Re: Melting Wires During a Jump
15 Aug 2006 20:43
RonKZ650 wrote:
So my best bet is to replace both and any wire that looks less than healthy.
If I follow a bad wire TO the harness and replace it will that do? Or do I need to basically unravel the harness? (gulp)
79 650 used a combined rect/reg. If something fried, that's probably it. Pretty common part. Should be in junk yards everywhere because they really never went bad without help.
So my best bet is to replace both and any wire that looks less than healthy.
If I follow a bad wire TO the harness and replace it will that do? Or do I need to basically unravel the harness? (gulp)
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- wireman
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Re: Melting Wires During a Jump
15 Aug 2006 20:49
RonKZ650 wrote:
sorry Ron,couldnt help myself!
somebody probably repainted the reg/rect with non origional paint causing a chain reaction,or possibly the car he used to jumpstart bike had been repainted at one time!:evil: :whistle: :woohoo: :silly: :woohoo: :silly:79 650 used a combined rect/reg. If something fried, that's probably it. Pretty common part. Should be in junk yards everywhere because they really never went bad without help.


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- OKC_Kent
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Re: Melting Wires During a Jump
16 Aug 2006 08:10
The location of the regulator is under the left side cover, about the size and shape of a pack of smokes.
Oklahoma City, OK
78 KZ650 B2 82,000+ miles
78 KZ650 B2 82,000+ miles
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- CliffordBRD
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Re: Melting Wires During a Jump
16 Aug 2006 10:24
OKC_Kent wrote:
Perfect.
Now I only need to find a new one.
The location of the regulator is under the left side cover, about the size and shape of a pack of smokes.
Perfect.
Now I only need to find a new one.
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