Stock 78 special main red wire routing

[Patmandu]

Hope to not piss anyone off. Not familiar with how this posting threads works and my question seems basic.
Rhe 20 amp red wire from the harness is hot when ignition is on . Where s it supposed to go . If I connect to batter pos on the start relay it blows fuse . I see the wire diagram .not sure what's going on here .
Looks like goes in this 2nd pic. But that's a red wire grnd to batt. Not sure what for either .anyone with a 78 xs650 s.e have a photo or knowledge please.

 

[Wagner73]

Hmmmm. The red wire typically goes from the positive side of the battery thru the 20A fuse to the ignition switch, thus it would be hot ALL the time. Then, when the ignition switch is turned to "on" it should energize the brown wire which provides switched 12V throughout the bike (or in the case of a Special, probably to one or more of the other 3 three fuses, etc.).

The fused red wire should give no reaction when touched to the starter solenoid source pole (direct wire from the battery), as the circuit is continuous from the battery, just on either side of the fuse. If you touch the red wire to switched pole of the starter solenoid (the side that has the cable going to the starter) the fuse will blow because you are asking that small wire and 20A fuse to try to turn the starter which will draw waaayyy more than 20A!

And you mention "But that's a red wire grnd to batt." AFAIK, no red wire is going to be directly grounded to the frame or - terminal on the battery.

 

[Wingedwheel]

There are some great wiring diagrams in Tech.

 

[Wagner73]

Hmmmm. The red wire typically goes from the positive side of the battery thru the 20A fuse to the ignition switch, thus it would be hot ALL the time. Then, when the ignition switch is turned to "on" it should energize the brown wire which provides switched 12V throughout the bike (or in the case of a Special, probably to one or more of the other 3 three fuses, etc.).

The fused red wire should give no reaction when touched to the starter solenoid source pole (direct wire from the battery), as the circuit is continuous from the battery, just on either side of the fuse. If you touch the red wire to switched pole of the starter solenoid (the side that has the cable going to the starter) the fuse will blow because you are asking that small wire and 20A fuse to try to turn the starter which will draw waaayyy more than 20A!

And you mention "But that's a red wire grnd to batt." AFAIK, no red wire is going to be directly grounded to the frame or - terminal on the battery.

Something just occurred to me...make sure you have an "L" battery i.e. the +/- terminals are on the correct side and polarity hasn't inadvertently been reversed. Positive terminal on the right side, negative on the left, with the terminals on the rear of the battery as installed in the bike.

I know this is simple, obvious and probably fine, but the "But that's a red wire grnd to batt" confuses me.

 

[Wagner73]

So, any feedback, what did you find, et al??!!!

 

[Wagner73]

Hope to not piss anyone off.

Okay.... Apparently another instance of someone flapping in and dropping a load of bird$hit, and then never returning to check for answers, additional help, an interactive conversation, aso. Cool.

 

[danb]

Hope to not piss anyone off. Not familiar with how this posting threads works and my question seems basic.
Rhe 20 amp red wire from the harness is hot when ignition is on . Where s it supposed to go . If I connect to batter pos on the start relay it blows fuse . I see the wire diagram .not sure what's going on here .
Looks like goes in this 2nd pic. But that's a red wire grnd to batt. Not sure what for either .anyone with a 78 xs650 s.e have a photo or knowledge please.

It's for a 75 I have a 78 and it's all different wiring

 

[Wingedwheel]

Is this what you need?

 

[Wagner73]

I have a '78 and the wiring diagrams work. And where is the "red" wire that is connected to ground? What?!

 

[Wagner73]

It's for a 75 I have a 78 and it's all different wiring

If you have a Standard, this '77D diagram is almost identical


Or if a Special, then this one


Or get a factory service manual, all of them have wiring diagrams within.

 

[danb]

No mine is a b and have 4 copies

If you have a Standard, this '77D diagram is almost identical
View attachment 372347

Or if a Special, then this one
View attachment 372348

Or get a factory service manual, all of them have wiring diagrams within.

I have the wiring diagram and the 75 uses 1 fuse while the 79 uses 4

 

[Wagner73]

No mine is a b and have 4 copies

I have the wiring diagram and the 75 uses 1 fuse while the 79 uses 4

Yes, all of the Standards have a single 20A fuse, while the Specials expanded that to a 4-fuse arrangement, separately fusing lighting, etc.

I guess I'm not sure what your question is?