Can cable short without breaking rubber?
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 215
Likes: 27
From: Sydney
The fact that the wires were flattened means they were stressed. More than likely they were pulled in one direction or another which could mean the far end could have had tension place on it resulting in connector pins backing out and touching (momentarily or otherwise.) Perhaps too where they were flattend could have been against a small sharp edge like a burr or flake of chrome making a tiny insulation puncture momentarily to ground. A cheap ohmmeter or continuity tester is your friend in chasing out open or shorted wires.
My homework tonight.
Club Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 66,128
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From: Niles Canyon Ca.
Yup, arcing under load will do it but odds are one or more of the wires has a break in the insulation and something grounded out, you just haven't found it yet.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 16,021
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From: Sandy Eggo's North County
Those wires are permanently damaged. If they are "ok" now, they won't be later. When we can see physical damage to insulation, that is going to be the location of a problem. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but down the road, that is going to be a problem. Fix it now, while you have access to your tools and garaging.
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 215
Likes: 27
From: Sydney
Those wires are permanently damaged. If they are "ok" now, they won't be later. When we can see physical damage to insulation, that is going to be the location of a problem. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but down the road, that is going to be a problem. Fix it now, while you have access to your tools and garaging.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 21,086
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From: The Wasteland
Yes it can. About 10 years ago I had an 02 Super Glide. One day started it up and let it idle for a few minutes while I put on my gloves and helmet. It sat there and idled perfectly for 2 or 3 minutes. Then I got in and dropped it in gear and as soon as I started rolling it died. I fired it back up, hit first gear and when it started moving it died again. This happened several more times until I gave up. A day or so later I tried troubleshooting but got now where so I took it to my indy. This is a guy that at the time was in his mid 50s and has been working on HDs since he was a boy in his dads shop so he knows them inside and out. He had it for a while before he got it figured out. One of the battery cables had broken inside the insulation but had not torn the rubber. So as long as it was sitting still the battery connection was enough to let it idle. Once I put it in gear and got it moving around the connection in the insulation broke and caused the motor to shut off.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2017
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From: Bunola pa
If the conductor is broken inside the insulation amd no longer flowing current youll have an open situation. It wont flow amy current, wont blow fuses, wont do anything. A short is exactly that, it falls short of the designated circuit and goes to ground before it can complete its task. Short amd open are two totally different things. Short will show high current draw, open will show less or none.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 21,086
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From: The Wasteland
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2012
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From: South Carolina
Could be a short to ground through pinched thin insulation or if the strands were broken inside the insulation it could be arcing inside the insulation causing the fuses to pop. Either way, as others have said it’ll need repaired, which apparently you’ve done. I hope if you spliced more than one wire you staggered the repairs so you don’t have a big lump of butt splices all jammed together...
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2014
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From: Tulsa
Could be a short to ground through pinched thin insulation or if the strands were broken inside the insulation it could be arcing inside the insulation causing the fuses to pop. Either way, as others have said itll need repaired, which apparently youve done. I hope if you spliced more than one wire you staggered the repairs so you dont have a big lump of butt splices all jammed together...