Electrical shock

[brackneyc]

Here is a wierd one. Today my son rolled his 250EX over on top of himself (very slow speed) and ended up with mud and water packed on the on/off switch. Once we got it upright, he went to start it, and got a heck of a shock. Once it was started, you could feel a slight shock in the left handgrip, and even a little bit coming through his left foot. After a while, it was fine. Anyone ever had this happen. I never have.

[tedwilley]

Water is a conductor...

[brackneyc]

I understand that water is a conductor. But, in my 20 years of owning/riding atvs, I have never gotten a shock from one of them after getting it wet. I have washed them, flipped them into water, ridden in the rain and been in just about every imagineable type of terrain, and never "not" been able to ride it because I was being electrocuted by the machine.

Guess I'll just make sure not to put the Honda in "all terrain," such as water. :)

[tedwilley]

I didn't mean to sound flippant. Electricity can be unpredictable on how it conducts through our bodies. It was probably one of those times when everything (mineral content of the mud/water, type of clothing, how wet his clothes were, etc) was perfect for leaking current.
You described how the ignition was packed with mud, perhaps that was unusual in the way it was packed into the switch and elsewhere.
Most of the electrical connections on vehicles are protected from water flowing down across them, but are not watertight. So, when he rolled it through the mud it was packed in ways it wasn't designed to protect against.
Glad your boy was okay, too. Mine rolled his down a berm and up against a fence. He couldn't get out from underneath for a long ten minutes. He had the 'deer in the headlights' look for about an hour! LOL

[brackneyc]

I didn't take it as you being flippant. :) I was just a little concerned that maybe we had an issue with the quad (bought used) that we needed to address. Looking back on it, it was pretty packed, which I am sure didn't allow the water to escape as it might have otherwise.

I appreciate the help. :)

[quad4life]

Yup I remember that, I mean it only happend 3 days ago. Man im still in pain from that ride. Im still hurt from the fall and from the shock I got after I fell.:p

[450rJam]

check all your grounding connections, there should be no way for the footpeg or bars to become energized if they are effectively grounded (most circuits are protected by a fuse so that it wont cook your wireing if there is a short to the grounded components)

[bigj250ex]

it happend 2 my friends z250 and a 450r i rode