bad regulator or my bad

[sendaro_99]

well I almost lost my venture today. stopped at a red light and smoke starts pouring out from regulator area, then flames! I ran the light to wind out the flames and got to a place to put out the fire. just replaced the regular a week ago and it tested ok. what would cause this. looks like the regulator melted first then the connector. where can a guy buy one of those connectors. thanks in advance for any help. I did clean the connector very well and even though it has no dielectric grease on the old part l greased up the new one.

[M61A1MECH]

Wow, bad luck, that could have been very bad.

Possibly the RR was bad from factory, you have to be a bit careful with dielectric grease, it protects from moisture , but does not conduct electricity, too much and you will not get enough contact and that will cause a high resistance that will result in temperature increase.

 

Try these two places for the connector, Eastern Beaver is in Japan and has a min order requirement, he ships fast and parts normally arrive in about 5 days if you hit the cycle just right.

 

http://www.cycleterminal.com/index.html

http://easternbeaver.com/Main/Elec__Products/Connectors/connectors.html

[sendaro_99]

thanks for the info and links. I probably caused this by using way to much dielectric grease. Will try a factory regulator and little to no grease after I can get the parts.

[etcswjoe]

I doubt you caused it unless you shorted it out.

[sendaro_99]

really want to thank you for the info. The circumstances of the failure, all the excess ( used way too much) dielectric grease caught fire and melted the connector and the regulator. the original setup had no grease and I really loaded up the new connection thinking I need it to keep out the water under there. Have a new regulator on its way that does not have any connector, just the wires to hard wire it in. going to use the shrink splices and cover them in shrink wrap tubing. Anything else I should do besides check across the battery for 14v when running after install? the bike was still running never shut down until I shut it off.

[Flyinfool]

I have been using Dielectric grease on all motor vehicle connectors since the mid 70's. I have never seen or heard of the grease actually causing an issue. If the grease was conductive it would short all of the pins together, it has to be non conductive to do its job. Even the name "dielectric" means non conductive.

Undamaged connectors have no problem making good contact through the grease, and the grease will then form a seal around the contact point to slow down corrosion.

The auto makers even use dielectric grease on/in the connectors and bulb sockets.

 

My guess is either a bad RR from the start or a bad crimp to the wire on the connector.

Just because a contact "looks" clean does not mean it is free of oxidation. Clean them anyhow. Dielectric grease will not help a dirty connection, it does not fix any kind of existing problem, it is purely to help prevent future problems.

[MikeWa]

I have been using Dielectric grease on all motor vehicle connectors since the mid 70's. I have never seen or heard of the grease actually causing an issue. If the grease was conductive it would short all of the pins together, it has to be non conductive to do its job. Even the name "dielectric" means non conductive.

Undamaged connectors have no problem making good contact through the grease, and the grease will then form a seal around the contact point to slow down corrosion.

The auto makers even use dielectric grease on/in the connectors and bulb sockets.

 

My guess is either a bad RR from the start or a bad crimp to the wire on the connector.

Just because a contact "looks" clean does not mean it is free of oxidation. Clean them anyhow. Dielectric grease will not help a dirty connection, it does not fix any kind of existing problem, it is purely to help prevent future problems.

 

 

What Flyinfool said.

 

Mike

[sendaro_99]

ok I hear what your saying and I'm over 60 and have used dielectric grease on most every connection I've done. this regulator was a real bear to get to go onto the factory connector even with the grease. I snapped it on and then tried to take it loose so I could check the contacts again and could not get it apart so figured it was tight enough. the contacts in the connector looked fine and there was absolutely no dielectric in the setup I replaced. whatever caused the heat did set that grease a burning and the connector and regulator connection are melted. the regulator showed 14v across the battery after install and I put like almost 300 miles on before it made a loud poof sound, had lost of smoke and then the flames came while sitting at a red light. Would a faulty regulator cause enough heat to start the grease fire? Can I expect any other electrical damage from the regulator failure. going to have to hard wire in the replacement, any suggestions. bike ran til I put the side stand down.

[MikeWa]

There is high temperature and regular temperature dielectric grease. That said for the connection to get hot enough to set the grease on fire it would have to be hot enough to melt or ignite the plastic connector. So I doubt the dielectric caused anything. It sounds like a short circuit occurred. Perhaps in the rectifier, the stator or the wiring in between. A careful inspection is in order so as not to repeat the performance.

 

Mike

[sendaro_99]

Thanks for all the useful information. I have a new rectifier on its way now that is supposed to operate cooler than the stock unit but has to be hard wired in because it comes with no connector. After I wire that in, other than the test across the battery for 14v what should I check. sorry, not really up on the electrical end of this but willing to learn. Did not see any other damage from the fire under there, no melted hoses or wires other than the connector for the rectifier.