Only Cub Cadets - Cub 100 Wire Harness Help

Hi all, been awhile. Lyme is kicking my butt, going to
ask for some electrical help here if you don't mind.
I'm not so electrically literate here in PA, to say the least.
Nuts and bolts I'm good with.
So in the fall of 22 I went to start the 100 up and
move it to the front, has chains and plow on it,
my snow designated scraper. I have a 100-watt solar panel
I move around throughout the year to keep batteries charged
so, I was a little perplexed when it didn't start on even click or
make a sound. So, i lifted the hood and put a Noco 5 amp on
it and within a minute showed fully charged. Walked over to the
generator side and saw there were several wires fried and melted,
so, I says well there's your problem DA. :bash2: I reached out to Mike
about getting a harness made but he was battling some serious
health issues and was unable to make me one so
I bought one from CC Specialties. Got ill again so that
brings us to this week. I'm wanting to put the new harness
on but don't want the same thing to happen as I can't afford
another $100 for a harness. So, I thought I'd lean on the
experts here on the cause of said wire BBQ under the 100's hood.
I know not to ASSUME but I'm going to ASSUME that since the
2 wires that run under the starter generator that lead to the
Voltage regulator are melted and severed in several locations
leading up to their connection with the V reg. I'm going to say
that that's the culprit? Of course, I know really nothing about
anything electric other than I almost always get lit up buy
it when I try to work on it. Thanks much, Bryan

EDIT: I wanted to ask this but forgot is it possible a critter chewed the wires and caused a short,
had it happen with the electrical wire that runs up to my streetlight out back?
I have a multi meter not really educated on using it, but how do I go about checking the v reg?