DB 1490 electrical issues

[difflock]

Having recently fitted a new battery and heater plug a week or so ago, yesterday evening, after working for about 3 or 4 hours, smoke started rising from some of the wires leading to the ignition switch, I figured a short somehow, & got the offending wire pulled away from its neighbour, at which point the smoke stopped.
I drove her home, say 15 minutes, without issue or smoke, checked she would re-start, parked her outside and disconnected the battery.
Started her this morning to reverse into the shed, all seemed good, but on looking forward again, more smoke, from the same wire.
So I pulled the various wires from the back of the ignition switch and then disconnected the battery, before investigating any furthur.
The plastic on the heavy brown wire running from the battery via the solinoid was melted, between the ignition switch and the solinoid connection, but nowhere else.

I have down through the years stripped out all fuses and apart from a solitary freshly run wire from the accessory lug supplying current to a 2 pin socket to work the wee forestry winch(i.e. PTO driven but electric hydraulic valves, so no big current draw) the oil pressure light and the charging light are the only working electrics, aside from the charging/starting circuits.
The single wire to supply the 2 pin socket for the winch controls, shows no signs of excessive current draw or heat, nor does any other wire cept the single melted brown one, and the exposed copper, beneath the melted plastic, is bright and fresh.
So
Why?
What is likely to be the issue?
Obviously I intend to replace the offending wire and connectors, but what could have been causing such a heavy current draw, since it was apparently not a dead short.
marcus, the preplexed

[Will C]

Try here

www.dbtc.co.uk

there is some good people on the forum there who know there stuff

 

[woody paul]

Are you sure the start is not staying engaged with fly wheel turning it in to an alternator, this happened to a tractor I use when being used on a local farm being driven by student burnt the whole wiring loom in the end.