Amp wires smoking

[Racur96]

Hi guys, my 29 pu has been doing great. I let the truck set about a week and got back in it and I didn't want to start, the wire on starter was loose. I snugged that up and started down the road and it started smoking from behind the gauge panel. I pulled the panel off when I got stopped and everything looked good. I left it loose and tried going again, after i went a 1/2 mile or so the wires on amp gauge started getting really hot and smoking. I did have the cut out jumped as it went bad but I undone the jumper wire and it still did the same thing. The amp gauge was jumping around everywhere when u had the cutout jumped. It's a pos ground 6v system. And ideas of where to check first. Couldn't find any naked wires. Thanks

[Brentwood Bob]

un hook the battery cables
check the connections on the back of the ammeter. sounds like they are loose. What condition is the wiring harness in? New, or old? I would look for condition of the wire harness. If it is marginal you could have multiple frayed wires, bad connections. We need a little more information. What was the last thing you did to the car before this problem? Bob

[Mike V. Florida]

Is the ammeter reading high, is the needle pegged?

You definitely have a short somewhere.

[txturbo]

It's probably that connection on the starter you snugged up. I've been having trouble with a new starter switch I just installed. When I tighten the cable nut it twists the contact inside the housing and it shorts out on the cover.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Hot wires can be caused by a short so the wire is carrying too many amps, or heat from a high resistence at a connection. I'd make sure the connections are clean, tight, and well insulated from ground. This is mainly the ammeter, the terminal box, and the starter switch. Also be sure to get a good cutout because any disconnect in the charging circuit (such as a bad cutout) can make the generator put out high voltage.

A good wiring harness will have the terminals soldered to the wires.

[Mitch//pa]

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isolate the short by disconnecting the circuit at strategic locations and reapplying batt voltage.

[Racur96]

Harness is old but looks great and to have been replaced at some point. When I shut the truck off last time I drove it did fine, the only thing I did was tighten cable when I tried starting it this week and it wouldn't start. After I tightened it it did fine starting but started smoking while driving. Amp gauge would max out on charge side and bottom out on discharge. It was jumping all over the place.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Originally Posted by Mitch//pa

isolate the short by disconnecting the circuit at strategic locations and reapplying batt voltage.

Racur, LISTEN to the "Kid", you WILL locate it with his system. Theres only a very few circuits to check in a Model A.
Note: If only 1 amp guage wire is smokin', the short is IN the guage, if both wires are smokin', it's PAST the guage. REMEMBER, stop light switches are NOTORIOUS for shorting out INSIDE them. Bill W.
(Once you locate the problem, the "FIX" is usually easy!)

[Racur96]

Hi bill, I'm gonna try that when I get a chance & thanks for the heads up on one or two amp gauges smoking or hot, I didn't know that, I believe both of mine were so ill try that. Thanks

[JackA]

Check the wire going to the dash light and the light itself.