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Electric Switch Bad? Smoke!

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Anonymous-0

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My M, converted to 12v, quit in my driveway. Won't start, and there's smoke coming out of the switch box.

Seems to be a short somewhere. The coil seemed 'warm' to my touch. The engine had been running only a short time, and everything else felt 'cold'. She's been running like a million bucks, but all of a sudden no go and smoke in the switchbox. When I touch the switchbox metal to the frame metal, it will spark.

I have disconnected the battery, so before I go poking around, is there any sage advice on possible causes? I'm suspicious of the LHBD switch. It is very rusty/cruddy looking. Do these go bad and fail in a 'short' or 'on'
position? Please help! Emmie is sick.
 
I believe that you can remove that switch and disassemble it for cleaning. After you clean it, put it back together and reinstall it. I would watch it closely for awhile after you put the power back to it.
SDE
 
As you take the box apart, carefully not if components are touching the sides. Some can touch each other, and unless they are hooked to the same terminal they should not be connected. If converted to 12v there should be no path to ground in the box. The only thing ever grounded in the box was the field of the generator if it had a cutout relay and 4 position light switch. Good luck, it cannot spark. JimN
 
Thanks for the input!

Ok, so here's what I found: The voltmeter has two 'lugs' or threaded rods for the wires to attach to. These lugs are theoretically insulated from the metal housing and mounts. One of the lugs had corroded and worked itself loose inside the meter housing, which is connected to (grounded to) the metal frame. When I jiggled the wires, it was bumping the metal and grounding itself and causing the heat (Smoke!) and/or sparking. The switch is fine. Blamed falsely. It was the meter.

So, we're back up and running, and I now need a new meter.

Thanks guys. This site is a godsend.
 
Are you sure it is a volt meter!? They almost all have an amp meter. easily purchased at an auto parts store if originality is not important. Buy at least a +30 -30 for a generator based system. Use +60 -60 amp for an alternator. They are not 6volt or 12 volt, they work on either. If you buy one with a light, buy a bulb to match the 6 volts if it is (they usually assume 12v in the kit. JimN
 
You're right - it is an amp meter, not a volt meter. Thanks for the tips on replacement, too. I did find an 'exact' replica on this site, so I'm going to order one from here.

Thanks again!!!
 
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