Questions about wiring

[jsmith1107]

ok, wiring today in the headlight bucket. I have two wires and with the help of 5twins, I know what they are for. I have also eliminated that little reserve power box under the seat. I am trying to get power to the electric start and 5twins mentioned I need to grind off some powder on my bars---where exactly is the little shiny thing on my switches that need to make contact? I have included pictures.

But here is an issue I am still not clear about. What is the primarily white wire with a green stripe on it for---in fact there is a picture below of it showing a little small light attached to it with a ground. Must be something that goes on the upper thing between the tach and speedo I would assume? Well, first of all I have no tach anymore and just a speedo there. I also eliminated all of those lights in between the speedo and tach and just put in a neutral green light and a red light on my headlight bucket--thinking maybe that red light could be for the charging part that 5twins suggested.

Another issue---I had my headlight working for a little while and then it just died after I switched the switch off and I can't get it to come back on again---why would that happen? Also, my blinkers won't blink, they stay on all the time and I can't get a brake light to come on when I push the brakes either. Ideas?

 

[retiredgentleman]

The small item with the green/white wire used to live inside the speedometer. It was used to measure distance travelled, at which time it would cancel the turn signal. I don't know if they ever worked right, but after all these years, they would cancel randomly. Somwwhat dangerous because they would cancel the turn signals while you are sitting at an intersection. I have my Flasher cancelling unit unplugged.

On my 78SE, I have a black ground wire that runs from the headlight bucket common ground wires to my turn signal switch. It connects to the casing of the switch. The casing in turn grounds the handlebars. The handlebar then grounds the right side switch housing, which supplies the ground for the "Start" push button. Yes, painted bars would cause problems.

Turn signals that stay on but don't flash:
Could simply be low voltage from the battery. The stock flasher relay needs around 13 volts to cause flashing. If the engine is off, and the battery only has 12 volts, then they don't flash.

Headlight wiring varies with different years.................that's why they make wiring diagrams. Use your wiring diagram in your manual, and a VOM, to trace the headlight wiring. Have you checked if the bulb is good in the headlight, and have you checked the headlight fuse (if you have one)?

Brake lights................use wiring diagram/VOM.

 

[jsmith1107]

Retiredgent---thanks a lot for your help. In my haste to get this thing working properly, I remember that before I restored/painted it, the blinkers would stay on when it wasn't running due to just that---low voltage. I do not have it running yet but will check it when running. As far as the headlight, it is strange--it worked and when it was on, my blinkers went very dim and then I turned the headlight off and the blinkers on and they were brighter again. I never did change the battery on this bike from the one it came with. I think I will check the voltage to make sure because all along it could be the culprit for all of these issues---your thoughts? and yeah, I did check the headlight bulb and it is working properly.

 

[jd750ace]

These bikes do not like a weak battery. The correct way to begin electrical troubleshooting on these bikes is with a fully charged battery. If you are unsure of your battery, have it load tested. Many batteries will show acceptable standing voltage with a dead cell.

 

[XSLeo]

The tab mentioned is in your second pic. On the lower half of the housing. Held in with screws. It also holds the wiring in place. Even with the tab any place on the housings that contact the bars is ground.
Leo

 

[5twins]

I think the tab is the intended ground point because many times the housing's paint job will cover much of the area that contacts the bars.

 

[XSLeo]

I can't say that all housings are or are not completely painted, but the ones I have seen the areas that touch the bars and the halves touch each other are bare metal.
If you don't want to clean the paint or powder off the bars you can clean off the paint under the bolt heads that hold the two halves together and run a ground wire from under those bolt heads down into the headlight bucket to the harness ground or under the tank to under a coil mount bolt.
Leo