Bad News... The question I have is: How bad?

[Dave_A]

Ok, I got a battery for the bike I was talking about in 'Just got a 450GS that was sitting for a while', and hooked it up to see if the electronics worked ok.... However, it seems (from the other thread I started), that I hooked the battery up wrong, specifically, I connected the heavy black (negative, duh) cable to positive, and a ground wire to negative (not having a red positive wire to connect, I assumed that the wires were just marked differently than a car)...

Well, the bike did power up, and everything worked, except.... TRYING TO START IT BURNED THE INSULATION OFF THE THIN GROUND WIRES!

So, did I toast my entire electrical system, or should I just replace the busted ground wires, and hook up a replacement positive (since I now know I did it wrong)???

[kz]

Are you sure that you got + and - right?

- is connected to the frame (ground) regardless what color.

[hoyterb]

Dave You PROBABLY didn't hurt anything except for the melted wires.Replace the wires and chech the harness to be sure there is no more melted wiring.MAKE SURE all the wires are connected correctly.If it does it again you may have a short in the starting system.Probably the starter drawing too much amps.

[Dave_A]

Ok...

I checked the harness, and the only exposed wire is the busted ground...

I also found where (I think) the positive wire SHOULD have be - there is a red wire with a bullet connector dangling on the left side of the bike... According to the manual I got, there are supposed to be 2 wires (a thin red one and a thick black one (to the starter motor)) on positive. I can't find either

I guess the previous owner had rigged up a 'quick disconnect' positive battery wire...

Oh well, I guess it's time for me to use my RadioShack employee discount on some 12ga black wire and a bag of wire-wrap...

[Anonymous]

Guess it doesn't take much Electronical experience to work at radio shack

Just look on the left side where all the electronics are behind the left side cover the positive connects to a silinoid looing thing there to the battery.

Sounds like that bike must have been rigged or rats ate the wires to peices.

Hope you get it fixed and please don't burn yourself.

[focus frenzy]

OOOPSS electronic ignitions and electronic regulators dont react well to being hooked up backwards. (they tend to fry)

[argonsagas]

Skip the 12AWG wire completely. It is not enough.

Use a heavier one to serve the starter, on both Positive and Negative posts. 8AWG is minimum, 6 or even smaller number/larger wire is better....doesn't hurt at all to have more wire.

The most likely place for damage is between the battery and the charging system, specifically the regulator/rectifier and the stator.

Check the wires...replace them all if ANY melting is visible.

Start the bike and check its charging ability as per the Stator Papers (which you can find on this site)

[Anonymous]

wires connected to battery on GS450

I have a 1982 GS450T.
The battery connections are as follows:

2 wires, one thick and one thin, attach to the negative terminal (right side of bike).

1 "Y" wire attaches to the positive terminal. This wire splits into two short wires. One of these wires goes to a screwpost connector and is secured in place by a nut. The other wire goes to a bullet connector that slides together.

Hope this helps
Tom
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War doesn't determine who's right, only who's left.

[Dave_A]

Thanks again

Thanks again guys...

I figured it out last week, replaced the wires, and everything appears fine...

I'm going to try to start it as soon as I get the clutch cover back on (I need to go pick up a gasket tomorrow)...

[Edit]: It starts (at least it did tonight). Thus the electronic ignition must be OK... I'll be testing the charging system as soon as I verify that it starts reliably... Thanks