Bill Seward
Well-Known Member
I took the plate that previously held the coils (I've got COPS now) off to put the battery back in the bike. Stupidly, I misplaced one of the 6mm bolts that hold the plate in place, and after tightening the remaining bolt down well with a 10mm socket, promptly forgot about it.
I'm riding to work a couple days ago, and I noticed the headlight was flickering when I hit a bump. My gas light was on, so I pulled into a station. I've got a recovered Corbin seat that no longer has the porthole to get at the filler, so I take the seat off to fill up.
The seat just lifts off, and when I got it off, I noticed a couple sparks by the positive battery terminal. You guessed it, the plate came loose and was grounding to the battery terminal. Then, the sparking became a dead short, and the whole bracket started glowing red! The rubber grommet holding the 30A fuse block started burning, and the small ground wire off the negative battery cable flamed out. I got the short circuit broken by moving the plate away from the battery terminal, and the small fire was put out with a puff of breath - like blowing our a birthday candle.
A cop pulls up beside me, and asked if my bike was on fire, he was a bit concerned because I was at a gas pump. I assured him it was out, and he lent me a pliers to bend the bracket away from any possible contact with the battery. A quick check of the lights, and I was on my way, after getting gas.
Got a 6mm bolt from work, and immediately replaced the missing bolt. I fixed the burnt ground wire and all is well....
Moral: If something is held on with 2 bolts, use 'em both!
I'm riding to work a couple days ago, and I noticed the headlight was flickering when I hit a bump. My gas light was on, so I pulled into a station. I've got a recovered Corbin seat that no longer has the porthole to get at the filler, so I take the seat off to fill up.
The seat just lifts off, and when I got it off, I noticed a couple sparks by the positive battery terminal. You guessed it, the plate came loose and was grounding to the battery terminal. Then, the sparking became a dead short, and the whole bracket started glowing red! The rubber grommet holding the 30A fuse block started burning, and the small ground wire off the negative battery cable flamed out. I got the short circuit broken by moving the plate away from the battery terminal, and the small fire was put out with a puff of breath - like blowing our a birthday candle.
A cop pulls up beside me, and asked if my bike was on fire, he was a bit concerned because I was at a gas pump. I assured him it was out, and he lent me a pliers to bend the bracket away from any possible contact with the battery. A quick check of the lights, and I was on my way, after getting gas.
Got a 6mm bolt from work, and immediately replaced the missing bolt. I fixed the burnt ground wire and all is well....
Moral: If something is held on with 2 bolts, use 'em both!
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