6 volt battery post melted

In my opinion, it's not all that essential to check to see if the melty wire is shorted to ground with a meter; obviously it is, or nearly so, since it's clearly been carrying an abnormal current for the generator just sitting there. (One would expect essentially zero current, maybe a couple milliamps at most, when the generator is shut off, and perhaps a couple amps when it's running, and somewhere around maybe 100A when its cranking.)

The solution is to trace along the wire and find where it's shorting to ground. I'd be pretty confident it's somewhere along the wire between the battery and the generator, rather than a problem in the generator, provided there's no obvious evidence of bad things in the generator itself--things like burn marks, or melted insulation on wires, or loose wires on the starter or starter solenoid, etc.

I'm not saying that checking things with a meter is never a useful diagnostic technique, just that in this case the evidence is abundantly enough clear that it's unnecessary. Similarly, if you find a big puddle of oil under your engine, it's probably not too necessary to check the level on the dipstick; you can be pretty sure it'll be low without checking.

BarneyS wrote:

pyrosecur wrote:
Snip...

PS I have no idea why it shows as a new member, maybe because I do not post often (too busy camping :) )

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Barney :)

Thanks for the info

PS do you know where I can see how many posts I have made ?

pyrosecur wrote:
Snip...

PS I have no idea why it shows as a new member, maybe because I do not post often (too busy camping :) )

Number of posts:
0-49 -> New Member
50-199 -> Full Member
200- -> Senior member
Barney :)

pyrosecur wrote:
yes I have a volt meter, what should I check ?
I disconnected the positive cable at the generator

Double check the generator cable you disconnected didnt lean over and rest itself on metal?

Turn your volt meter to the setting that makes a beep when you touch both probes together. Then touch one probe to the red cable that smokes, and the other probe to nice clean metal on the frame.

That should tell you if you need to start searching for the relay youre talking about. I dont understand that part but will keep up with the thread.

1,000 amps will flame anything smaller than 1/0 cable

Exactly my point

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
I have passed 1,000 amps through these terminals

If clean and tight-- yes.

Loose, corroded, copper wire turned into copper oxide-- not so much.

Again, resistance times current= HEAT

I have passed 1,000 amps through these terminals

Take it to a repair shop or call a mobile tech. Its going to be far safer and cheaper than having it catch on fire

Beverley&Ken wrote:


As for the original question, follow the problem positive cable and look for a place where it may be pinched, or worn insulation causing a dead short to ground. It may be where it goes through a metal wall and grommet is broken or missing, or along a frame rail or other metal grounded component.

Ken

Yes this was my first thought as well, I have started to try and follow it but this is quite a task with all the installation and the fact I have to crawl under the motor home and we are still having freezing weather here in Montreal. I'll keep looking....