negative side of battery cables getting very hot

[ryr28fan]

I have a 1986 125 hp force . My problem is this . When i am starting motor the negative side of the battery gets very very hot .The cables aren`t to bad but the wing nut that holds my accessorie grounds gets to hot to even touch . I have been told there is a short somewhere but have traced all wiring and cannot find anything . If the motor does not start after about 3 attempts then the bateery acts as if it is dead but if i let it cool down then it will be fine ffor another few attempts . I have searched the forums and cannot find anything related to this . Thanks in advance for your help

 

[roscoe]

Re: negative side of battery cables getting very hot

I would look for a short to ground in the starter or starter solenoid, something that could transfer a large amount of current when the starter is powered up.


Does anything get warm if the key is just in the "on" position?

Try starting for just a couple seconds. Then feel for the cable that is starting to get warm. That will be near the source of the problem.

 

[PuddleJumper]

Re: negative side of battery cables getting very hot

As above. Also dirty connection to battery can generate heat.

 

[chumdingy1]

Re: negative side of battery cables getting very hot

It's always the ground when something gets hot, it's turning whatever is shorting into the heating element or whateveer has the least resistance, anytime you have a problem with a wire, check the ground first...

 

[eurolarva]

Re: negative side of battery cables getting very hot

Disconnect the red wire from the starter solinoid to the starter and crank key like you are going to start it. Keep doing this and see if you can generate any heat. If not keep looking to the starter. Your starter probably has a body ground instead of a wire grounding it. With starter disconnected connect an ohm meter set to 2 ohm setting connect one lead to where the red lead was hooked up and the other to the body. Slowly turn the starter gear by hand and see if you get a dead short at any point while turning it. Starter will have low ohms but it should be around 1 ohm or so. If it drops below .6 ohms chances are your starter needs to be rebuilt.

 

[roscoe]

Re: negative side of battery cables getting very hot

Good job eurolarva.

 

[puddle jumper]

Re: negative side of battery cables getting very hot

Make shure your battery wires are in good shape and are lager enuff to handle the amount amprage you are trying to draw through them. To me warm or hot wire means high resistance in the wire or in the electric motor you are trying to operate . If the battery it self is getting hot you may have a short in it.
good luck finding a electrical problem can be one of the most frustrating things to solve
look there are two puddle jumpers