10 gauge wire getting way hot

[Greg McCoy]

Originally Posted by Andy A.

Generaly, hot electrical components suggests a high resistence connection. My first guess is that over time vibrations loosened the screw that holds the wires in the block, and the poor connection caused excess heat. Since it sounds like the heat was highest right around the screw terminal, it's a likely culprit.

I disagree...hot electrical components often sugesst a very LOW resistance connection. A shorted connection where there is very little resistance can cause more current to flow than the wires can handle. Resistors and resistance in general turn electricity into heat, but they reduce current flow at the same time.

I do, however, agree that more information is needed to diagnose the problem. Was everything functioning properly before the "meltdown"? Is the frame grounded?