Electrical short

Rick Remmert · Nov 4, 2017

I went to install my changed over to 12v starter yesterday. I got it all hooked up and went to hook the - cable up. I had sparks everywhere. I took it back off and everything looked fine. I thought maybe I got the + up against the frame. I put it back on, hooked up the - cable and touched the + to the starter switch. Everything was fine. Unhooked the - cable hooked the + back up and went to hook the - back up and sparks again. I took it off and got my ohms meter out. It checked out fine. For some reason I put the hold down nut back on and tightened it down. It had a dead short in it. It was also brand new. I had a spare one, put it on and it worked fine. I guess you should never trust new stuff.

gab · Nov 4, 2017

Those switches are flimsy junk. Look in the back, the insulators are like gasket paper, at least mine are. You have to make sure the contact is centered and have to hold the cable while gently snugging it up.

Jim Becker · Nov 4, 2017

One of the insulators gab spoke of may be missing.

Brownie450 · Nov 5, 2017

Your meter should be on 200 Ohms
instead of diode check.
Jim

BarnyardEngineering · Nov 6, 2017

There wasn't much insulation even on the "good" old ones. Just a little plastic washer around the stud, and a piece of heavy gasket paper or phenolic between the head of the stud and the body of the switch.

Jim Becker · Nov 6, 2017

I was referring to the "other" insulators (as I thought gab was). Turn the switch over and their should be 2 more or less triangular insulators, one on each side between the movable contact and the housing. Usually, these are free to fall out whenever the switch isn't screwed in place.

Electrical short

Rick Remmert

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gab

Well-known Member

Jim Becker

Well-known Member

Brownie450

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BarnyardEngineering

Well-known Member

Jim Becker

Well-known Member

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