Electrical Grounding Points?

[lawinter]

I recently installed the rear powerlet socket for the FJR and following the intructions

grounded the sockets to the gas tank pivot bracket bolt.

Checking with my ohm-meter I had a real nice 12 volt's and was thinking I was good.

However when I tried to put a load on the plug IE: heated clothing I had no voltage anymore.

Shit.

I traced the problem to the ground negative going away.

no load good load bad.

I checked and have a very high resistance from the frame to the battery.

I am using the gerbing harness connected directly to the battery for my clothes

Yes it's fused but would really like to use the powerlet plugs.

I soldered all the powerlet harness terminations They where all loose :angry:

and will use that for a battery tender also.

any sugestions?

Is there any downside to running a wire from battery negative to the powerlet neg and removing that wire from the frame?

Shouldn't I have a nice low ohm connection the the frame?

thank's

Larry

 

[BrunDog]

Battery GND is best. Make a ground plate for all of your connections and tie it to the battery GND.

-BD

 

[Mogan]

brundog +1

electriconnection sells a ground block or go to a combo bus unit ala West Marine.

 

[lawinter]

thanks Guys I will do that. I thought that would be the way to go but wasn't sure.

I will be adding more stuff this winter and wanted to get it right

Prolly will be adding a switched 12 volt terminal board too.

Again thanks

 

[Constant Mesh]

The large conductor connected to the negative post of the battery goes directly to the engine block. If you ever have the right cowling off you can see exactly where this conductor bolts to the block. Thus, a good connection to the engine provides an essentially zero resistance return path to the battery.

There are at least three electrical devices on the FJR which utilize the engine as the current return path to the battery-rectifier/regulator. They are:

Starter motor -- high current device

Oil level switch -- low current device

Neutral switch -- low current device

The good operation of these devices depends on the battery-engine block interconnection.

So, a good clean connection to the engine block is equivalent to a connection to the negative post of the battery. There are various accessible unused drilled lugs on the engine block that could be easily used for a permanent electrical connection.