Miller Bobcat 225g-plus ignition switch

[DaWitcher]

We've got a 1999 Miller Bobcat 225G plus and after using it, it ran out of fuel. So basically I refilled and tried to start it again, it smoked and melted some wires near the ignition switch. The battery cable was a bit tight and I had to twist it to crank. The ignition switch felt stiff between positions, so i was thinking it might be stuck. Im handy but not too great with electrical, should I just replace the switch? Need some advice here

 

[Bumiee]

Why not test the ignition switch with a multimeter before replacing it, it could save you time and money if the real issue's a shorted wire or bad ground instead?

 

[DaWitcher]

Why not test the ignition switch with a multimeter before replacing it, it could save you time and money if the real issue's a shorted wire or bad ground instead?

Problem is, like I said Im not that educated or experienced with electrical stuff. So I'm not a 100% sure if the problem is with the wires (electrical).
But thanks, I will suggest testing the ignition switch.

 

[Phills]

Yeah, replacing that ignition switch is probably your safest bet. Stiff switches and melted wires are a classic sign something's failing. Tweaking cables won't fix underlying electrical stress, it's better to swap it before things get worse.