Is it Safe to Hide these Electrical Wires Under my Seat?

[MplsMurr]

Hey everyone,

I have a 1973 TX650 with stock reg/rec and most, if not all, electrical wires. I purchased a new Shorai battery and am planning on making an electrical tray for under my cafe seat. I want that clear frame look where there is nothing under the seat. My question: can I simply remove the wires from the stock battery box and move them into my new tray? I don't know quite what is happening with the wires. I know that I should keep the reg/rec in a cooler place, I was thinking of screwing the reg/rec under the seat so it can get air flow. I have also read that I should look into getting blade type fuses. The bike has been running great and given me no trouble. I just want to hide the wires, make it look cleaner, and simplify the wires. I don't know if this or that need to grounded to the frame, if this/that have to be vertical/horizontal. I have not seen anyone with stock reg/rec and a shorai battery trying to hide the wires.

Anyway, I appreciate all of your help in advance.

 

[fredintoon]

Hi Murr,
no reason you can't re-route the wiring to be wherever you need it so long as you do it carefully.
Some questions though;
Clymer's wiring diagram shows the '73 didn't come with a reg/rect, it had separate units.
You got a later reg/rect combo grafted in?
If so, what else may the dreaded PO have done to the electrics?
for instance, you say "fuses" plural. The '73 should only have a single 20Amp fuse.
And BTW, what A/H rating and physical size is the new battery?

 

[MplsMurr]

Hi Fred,

I plan on doing it carefully. However, I am a bit unsure of what needs to be grounded.

I have the stock reg/rec, which, as you stated are separate units. I used "/" to same typing type haha. I do have the separate units though. I am planning on unscrewing the whole stock electrical box and mounting the reg and rec under my new box, yet to be made, so they can be cooled by the air as I ride.

The PO disconnected the blinkers, neutral light, and taped the ends of many wires in electrical tape. I have not pealed the tape off yet and called them fuses. I will be taking a better view tomorrow. I may have been wrong and there might just be the one fuse.

The battery is Shorai with 14 Ah and 12 V.

I will also head to some stores to see if they have any metal boxes I can use as either a mock-up or the real deal, depending on what I find.

Links below are for the battery and the parts I am most concerned about in regards to placement.

http://shoraipower.com/lfx14a5-bs12-p74

http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/Bp4AAOSwcBhWaN0q/s-l300.jpg

http://thumbs3.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/mRxJifc6mj7Yexr-cwKvufQ.jpg

http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/vVYAAOxysE5Sar5O/s-l300.jpg

 

[MplsMurr]

Hi Fred,

I plan on doing it carefully. However, I am a bit unsure of what needs to be grounded.

I have the stock reg/rec, which, as you stated are separate units. I used "/" to same typing type haha. I do have the separate units though. I am planning on unscrewing the whole stock electrical box and mounting the reg and rec under my new box, yet to be made, so they can be cooled by the air as I ride.

The PO disconnected the blinkers, neutral light, and taped the ends of many wires in electrical tape. I have not pealed the tape off yet and called them fuses. I will be taking a better view tomorrow. I may have been wrong and there might just be the one fuse.

The battery is Shorai with 14 Ah and 12 V.

I will also head to some stores to see if they have any metal boxes I can use as either a mock-up or the real deal, depending on what I find.

Links below are for the battery and the parts I am most concerned about in regards to placement.

http://shoraipower.com/lfx14a5-bs12-p74

http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/Bp4AAOSwcBhWaN0q/s-l300.jpg

http://thumbs3.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/mRxJifc6mj7Yexr-cwKvufQ.jpg

http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/vVYAAOxysE5Sar5O/s-l300.jpg

 

[fredintoon]

Hi Murr,
OK, I was mistaken in my guess. What with you posting that you wanted to give your bike an open look I'd supposed you'd ditched the battery carrier and gotten a mini-battery that could be tucked away out of sight some place.
Those parts you've linked, the bike will need them all or it won't charge.
Although I'm not sure about the last one, all I can see is a wire with a black blob on one end and a connector on t'other.

 

[Brassneck]

You shouldn't have any issues re-routing. I recommend getting the wiring diagram out, and follow each line so you know what it is, where it goes and where you want it to go.

It's pretty simple if you take it one line at a time, and there's not a whole lot of wires...so shouldn't take too much work. I'm pretty sure you'll need to make up extensions for some of the wires/components-- as most of the stock locations are right at the end of the lengths provided. Trying to get them up and out of the way even a few inches can be a challenge depending on where they end up. And if you do make extensions, then make sure you get good at soldering and/or use a quality crimp tool. While you're at it...clean up all the connections and grounds so they're all solid when you get it buttoned up.

Then again, to do it right-- a full re-wire would be best...and heck if you're going to do that, you could really get it down to the bare minimum and really make it clean! (One day, when I'm not so lazy, I plan to do just that...lol!).

Anyways, good luck.

 

[Brassneck]

The last pic is the Rectifier... I'd recommend getting a regulator/rectifier combo unit. Way easier to hide just the one unit, and takes the guess work out of the adjustable regulator...you can pick one up that connects directly to your connectors too (at least it did on mine).

I got one of these...you can probably find them cheaper, but I'm happy with it and it works great (Although I think I may have had to swapped the negative/positive pins as they were opposite from the stock connector...but that's super easy).
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0087Q02PC?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00

 

[XSLeo]

Everything should have a good ground. Either ground to the frame or back to the battery.
Your stock reg and rec have black ground wires these I would ground back to the battery. The other thing can ground through the frame. All ground connections should be to bare clean metal to bare clean metal. A bit of grease to help corrosion prevention.
Poor ground cause more problems than most anything else. Poor connections are #2.
Leo