Forum

[NickG]

Gentlemen, I intend to replace the battery leads on my 2008 500X, in fact i want to shorten them slightly, getting a bit cramped under the cover, can I use stock H T cable for this. Also I have acquired a replacement battery (thankyou Roger) the terminal posts differ from my old one in fact with the battery fitted the Pos. terminal is very close to the frame, it has been sparking across when running,due in part to the fact the terminal`boot` wont fit correctly in this cramped space; any ideas please, will insulation tape wrapped around this part of the frame suffice.??

[Dennis C]

HT lead is designed to carry high voltage at low current also the modern type is resistor lead, both types are not suitable, tape wrapped around the frame will eventualy wear through and the end result could be a fire if the negative lead is not earthed.

[Dennis C]

Sorry should read if the negative lead is not fused.

[NickG]

Thanks Dennis. I`ll check on that.

[Alan R]

Hello there Nick G---------wouldn't a simple battery box fit the bill ?? Some nice "period" ones available nowadays. As Dennis C says, HT cable is not designed for that type of use. Try }--- www.vehicle-wiring-products.eu for all your automotive electrical needs. Just a thought but }-----carb. + fuel +sparks = ???

[Peter]

Hang on... Neg is NOT fused ... It is the earth for the whole bike..or am I really stupid...

[Alan R]

------Peter, no matey, it's just the time of night (morning). NickG--have a look on E-bay at No. }-----330674697899---Lucas style battery case, made from black polyurethane so is insulated. I'm only doing this 'cos i'm bunged up wiv der flew and can't sleep. Roll on the summer. 

[1950s Bulleteer]

Dennis C makes a very good point about a fuse on the negative side. Having both poles fused is a very good idea, it will increase the protection from electrical fires. Easier to implement on a kickstart-only machine than an electric start one, as the earthing strap is required to carry a far higher current in this instance. It could be implemented on an electric start machine using an extra relay.


Thanks for pointing this out Dennis, it has set me going, hopefully by tommorow night Cleopatra will have a lovely twin fuse system

[Dennis C]

Hi Dan


A lot of the old British bikes had no fuse fitted, hence the jokes about buying cans or replacement Lucas smoke, a trapped wire equals a very hot wire which can cause a fire.


Even some that do have fuses only fit them in the Battery/Ammeter supply lead, which usually leaves the stop lamp and horn wires without protection, I normally leave this fuse in place and fit an additional fuse in the battery earth lead, this fuse of course has to be higher rated to take into account that it carries the current for all the bike.


Modern bikes of course are fused on every individual supply which removes the need to modify.

[Dennis C]

Peter


No you are not stupid, but perhaps you are the reverse of me I only own and ride Reddich made Enfields and other British made bikes and know very little about the modern Indian made ones.


Obviously if the bike in question is electric start then fusing the earth lead would be a problem, but either way it is not a good idea for the battery to be able to short out to the frame, the end result will be either burnt out wires or an exploding battery.


A British bike without fuses usually has three leads to the battery negative (they are usually positive earth) one to the ammeter one the the brake light and one to the horn, the easy way is to put a fuse in the single positive earth wire.