Poof...Big puff of smoke rises

[xlr8tion]

With these Triumphs it is always something. Had my Triumph for two months and have had more issues than all all my Hondas for a decade...Love my Triumph though!

Check this...My Schumacher tender dies...So I run down to the parts store and get an Autolite model that looks just like the Schumacher.... Get it home...Install the battery pigtail and notice...hey no protective cap and it leaves a positive or negative pin exposed. So whenever I unplug and ride I stuff it in a plastic bag behind the battery.

Yesterday I umplugged her and could not find the bag and the engine was not running and I tried to stuff her behind the battery and heard a CRACK the a small puff off acrid smoke arose and I thought...Oscar Sierra....I just blew something electrical from the pin on the pigtail shorting something out.

So the bike started and runs normal...Turn signals and brakes work....But i noticed something odd.

Before the poof pressing the starter button would turn the starter over everytime. Now sometimes pressing the starter button does nothing; release and then pressing the starter button works....I don't think this was the cause pre poof...

Any idea where that Mushroom cloud of smoke came from? What sacrificed itself to cause a small poof of smoke that definitely smelled of burnt electrical?

And ideas of how to troubleshoot this short of taking it to a TRIUMPH STEALERSHIP.?

It is always something with me...

Just asking as I do not want the bike not to start a hundred miles from home...Can tuneECU see anything?

I am blaming autolite on this as they should never make a battery pigtail with out a connected cap!

Thanks....Greg

BTW...Ran out and got a Schumacher with a pig tail with a cap! And a 25' extension cable so I can set the charger on my work bench and not on the drivers right floorboard.

PS....JUST WENT OUT and tried to start the bike in neutral with the kick stand down and clutch in...First press of starter NOTHING....release....second press...NOTHING.....release...third press...Turned right over....So this is definitely connected to the poof! Any ideas....RELAYS BURNT etc?

 

[warp9.9]

With these Triumphs it is always something. Had my Triumph for two months and have had more issues than all all my Hondas for a decade...Love my Triumph though!

Check this...My Schumacher tender dies...So I run down to the parts store and get an Autolite model that looks just like the Schumacher.... Get it home...Install the battery pigtail and notice...hey no protective cap and it leaves a positive or negative pin exposed. So whenever I unplug and ride I stuff it in a plastic bag behind the battery.

Yesterday I umplugged her and could not find the bag and the engine was not running and I tried to stuff her behind the battery and heard a CRACK the a small puff off acrid smoke arose and I thought...Oscar Sierra....I just blew something electrical from the pin on the pigtail shorting something out.

So the bike started and runs normal...Turn signals and brakes work....But i noticed something odd.

Before the poof pressing the starter button would turn the starter over everytime. Now sometimes pressing the starter button does nothing; release and then pressing the starter button works....I don't think this was the cause pre poof...

Any idea where that Mushroom cloud of smoke came from? What sacrificed itself to cause a small poof of smoke that definitely smelled of burnt electrical?

And ideas of how to troubleshoot this short of taking it to a TRIUMPH STEALERSHIP.?

It is always something with me...

Just asking as I do not want the bike not to start a hundred miles from home...Can tuneECU see anything?

I am blaming autolite on this as they should never make a battery pigtail with out a connected cap!

Thanks....Greg

BTW...Ran out and got a Schumacher with a pig tail with a cap! And a 25' extension cable so I can set the charger on my work bench and not on the drivers right floorboard.

PS....JUST WENT OUT and tried to start the bike in neutral with the kick stand down and clutch in...First press of starter NOTHING....release....second press...NOTHING.....release...third press...Turned right over....So this is definitely connected to the poof! Any ideas....RELAYS BURNT etc?

Which side did the smoke come from?
Right side relays are the Starter and Turn signals. Left has Fuel Pump EMS, and Cooling fan. maybe a short arc disturbed the contacts. Try unplugging them and plug them back in I would say clean them but other then some type of spray I would be lost when it comes to the female plug part. The rellay has legs so you might spot a arc spot on them.
Oh an dif you try to clean the female plugs unhook the battery first.

 

[xlr8tion]

Which side did the smoke come from?
Right side relays are the Starter and Turn signals. Left has Fuel Pump EMS, and Cooling fan. maybe a short arc disturbed the contacts. Try unplugging them and plug them back in I would say clean them but other then some type of spray I would be lost when it comes to the female plug part. The rellay has legs so you might spot a arc spot on them.
Oh an dif you try to clean the female plugs unhook the battery first.

Right behind battery so I cannot tell if iw was left or right...the pigtail was HOT. So it took some serious amps for the half second it made contact. Would seem to be the starter relay or do others interface with the start button. I thought these were all or none components? I will check every thing you suggested Warp....Glad this happened before I put the AFR/Ramair/Cyclops and Hyperlites on. Just checked it again and she fired on the first go...hard to diagnose...so I have Burn out to go with the run out!

Cheers..G

 

[RKTNMYPKT]

Currently looking up Poof in my UGLY's book.......

 

[warp9.9]

Greg if you do not have a shop manual for your bike go to post # 4 in this link

Dreadful footrests position on Roadster

Ian aka idk has a PDF Shop Manual on every post he makes you should down a copy to your computer.

 

[xlr8tion]

I am not ruling the Battery out either. I pulled it so I could check all the items warp suggested and brought it inside and put it on a new schumacher speedcharge with a vom reading the Charger output.

The Schumacher was climbing up to 14.14V but when I pulled the clamps off the VOM dropped from 13.68 to 13.44V on a 1 month old AGM battery....So I am not an electrical engineer but does the battery have to "push back" against a tender to get it to switch from charging to charged trickle mode?

I am not sure why the tender did not shut off when the batt was at 13.68 V and why the batt dropped to 13.44V so fast. If the battery was damaged would the Schumacher keep charging it and not go into float mode?

Thanks...G

 

[scot in exile]

Currently looking up Poof in my UGLY's book.......

Let me help---side saddler, light on the loafers, a bit theatrical, you find a lot of them in England(sorry boys could not resist that one)

 

[Triple Trouble]

Let me help---side saddler, light on the loafers, a bit theatrical, you find a lot of them in England(sorry boys could not resist that one)

Not surprised! Apparently it is too cold, dreary and damp up north in their native land where they don't even wear men's clothing.

 

[xlr8tion]

Not surprised! Apparently it is too cold, dreary and damp up north in their native land where they don't even wear men's clothing.

Hey don't leave me out of the GAY THREAD HIJACK.

******(Fagot for you Right Hand Drivers)-A bundle of dried sticks.

Which which burnt in electrical heresy without an unknown etiology.

 

[GPMAZ]

Although this article is related to Triumph automobiles, perhaps it pertains to their motorcycles as well.

Lucas Replacement Smoke Kit