Relay fuse panel feed Mod

dan filipi · Apr 6, 2016

In the last few days I've gotten a couple PM's asking about this mod I did to the 1100, how to hook up a relay to take the load off the ignition switch so I thought a new thread would help out.

Ignore everything in this picture except for the connection diagram in the right corner....

1. Connect a frame ground wire to terminal 85
2. The black wire from your ignition switch connects to terminal 86
3. Fused + from the battery connects to terminal 30/51
4. + power supply to your new fuse box connects to terminal 87

What this does is....the black from your ignition switch supplies + power to close a contact inside the relay. When it closes, + power is continued thru it to supply power directly from your battery to power the fuse box.
This not only takes the load off the ignition switch, my lights got brighter.

You can get a 12 volt relay like this from lots of places like Auto zone, Pep boys, marine supply maybe. Should cost under $10 or so.
I'd use a 20 amp fuse, 15 is a little small for the load.

I'm looking up what the fuse panel feed wire color is on the 1000 and 1200 then I'll edit this post.

Edit: It's black on all 4 cylinder wings.

Rednaxs60 · Apr 7, 2016

Wait was the mod you did? Always looking for mods that make the bike work better. 31 years does take its toll on connections/wires and such.

I have used this relay to install a new fuse block to take care of add-ons, and to deliver "clean" power to the coils and RR. The 12VDC power to the RR and coils comes from the new fuse block on a fused wire.

I have used the wire from the kill switch to the coil to energize the relay (relay takes very little power). The wire from the kill switch ensures everything goes off when the switch is used and/or the bike is shut down. Works a treat.

Cheers

dan filipi · Apr 7, 2016

At the time I felt providing a new direct battery feed to the fuse panel was enough to reduce voltage drop to at least the lights, which it did do rather well. Another relay for the coils may improve that circuit also. I'd have to look at the diagrams if ignition is fed through the fuse panel or not, I don't think it is.

Rednaxs60 · Apr 7, 2016

Will post my mod and schematics.

Cheers

Rednaxs60 · Apr 7, 2016

I modified the wiring on my '85 LTD so that I had a better 12VDC supply to the coils and the sense wire for the RR. I installed a new accessory fuse block and ran these wires from the new fuse block. This also ensured each wire was fused for protection. The new fuse block is powered through a relay that is switched on/off by the wire from the kill switch that was going to the coils.

The ground from the RR (2 green wires) are grounded to a new ground bus that I installed. I installed a new ground bus to allow me to add new accessories, and to ensure that the grounds were "good" since wire and connections after some 30 years can degrade.

I have attached my mod wiring schematic for viewing, as well as the new fuse block and ground bus bar.

Cheers

dan filipi · Apr 7, 2016

Looks good.
Where did you put all that, in the trunk?

Rednaxs60 · Apr 7, 2016

The ground bus is directly under the seat. The new fuse block is mounted on the rear luggage compartment - I intend to move the fuse block inside the rear luggage compartment. The relay is beside the battery under the side panel. All fits nicely. I'm trying to keep the connections on the battery and at other connection points to a minimum, much like a boat where the recommended maximum number of wires on any one connection is four, hence the bus bar and fuse block.

Thinking of putting a ground bus bar under the false tank as well to minimize the number of wires running to the back of the bike. This one would be to relocate the old engine/frame ground connections, and keep any new ground connections localized.

Cheers

OldWrench · Apr 29, 2016

Looking at your schematic I think you came up with a really good idea. Since I had a wire go open in my wire harness I have considered rewiring my 1100 and making some changes, mainly using more relays, less wiring out of the key switch, and mini fuse panel.

chuck c · May 31, 2016

I did the same thing to my 1980 Suzuki GS4-fitty. It did wonders for the lights and starter.

OldWrench · May 31, 2016

I have decided this fall the old girl is going to get completely gone through and painted, I have procrastinated on doing this long enough. Now that I'm retired I have no excuse not to get it done. I'm going to start with the original schematic and begin looking for ways get more power to the ignition, lights, and eliminate primary power through the ignition switch. Thanks to Dan and his beautiful color coded schematic it sure makes it easy to read.

joedrum · May 31, 2016

go for it...

ekvh · Jun 1, 2016

Yeah, about that retired and no excuse for not getting it done thing---- agh- it don't work that way. Seems like it should, but- it don't. LOL

OldWrench · Jun 1, 2016

That is true, excuses and BS have a lot in common.

Andyb · Jun 6, 2016

Good deal, Dan. I have been thinking about ways to help voltage flow. What size wire do you recommend?

Rednaxs60 · Jun 6, 2016

[url=https://www.classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=174570#p174570:28fbwt54 said:
Andyb » 15 minutes ago[/url]":28fbwt54]
Good deal, Dan. I have been thinking about ways to help voltage flow. What size wire do you recommend?

For the sense wire to the RR, 16 gauge would be good.
For the coil 12 VDC signal, 14 gauge would be good.
A new feed to the ignition switch should only need 14 gauge, but 12 gauge is good as well.

If you are going to put in a new accessory fuse block, put in a new ground bus bar as well. The better your grounds the easier on the system as a whole, and it will work better. To hook up a new accessory fuse block so it is switched, use one of the signal wires from the coils, or the sense wire to the RR that you have bypassed - relays use little power, do not care how "clean" the signal is, and are not affected by less than 12 VDC power.

I just pulled the old RR and stator wiring out of the wiring harness on my '85 LTD. The red-white striped wires out of the RR are 14 gauge spliced into a single 12 gauge wire, and spliced into the ignition wire from the starter solenoid. The two grounds are spiced into a single 14 gauge wire. The stator wires are 14 gauge into 12 gauge wires. The sense wire is a 16 gauge wire.

A lot of splices throughout the electrical harness. Interesting challenge once you start.

Cheers

joedrum · Jun 6, 2016

i dont know if this fits here....but onr of the best mods ive done on my bike ....was moving sense wire for RR to the battery.....this kept the battery from being ovrr chatged all the time.....as stock possition seemed to be degraded in voltage over battery.....bike been doing great like this.....

Rednaxs60 · Jun 6, 2016

[url=https://www.classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=174573#p174573:3jgcitzc said:
joedrum » 5 minutes ago[/url]":3jgcitzc]
i dont know if this fits here....but onr of the best mods ive done on my bike ....was moving sense wire for RR to the battery.....this kept the battery from being ovrr chatged all the time.....as stock possition seemed to be degraded in voltage over battery.....bike been doing great like this.....

Did that to mine and I believe it was much better. There are a lot of taps and old splice connections that degrade the 12 VDC signal throughout the system.

Mute point now because my stator went and I'm doing the alt mod. I still recommend it and the coil mod as well.

The coil mod is where you do exactly the same, put in a more direct switched/fused wire to the coils. Coils like as close to battery voltage as possible.

This is the electrical schematic of what I did. I will have to modify and take out the RR after I do the alt mod, and add in the alt mod to the schematic.

85 GL1200 LTD Mod Wiring Schematic 001.jpg

Here is the diagram from a fellow on GWDocs that got me going:

Cheers

dan filipi · Jun 6, 2016

[url=https://www.classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=174570#p174570:1m7owgz5 said:
Andyb » Today, 3:18 pm[/url]":1m7owgz5]
Good deal, Dan. I have been thinking about ways to help voltage flow. What size wire do you recommend?

I used 12 gauge to feed the fuse panel from a relay, 12 gauge from relay to the battery.
A fuse at the battery of course. Then I used the original black wire fuse panel feed from the ignition switch to activate the relay. I never put a relay on the coils because after this mod the coil voltage went up and I was comfortable with it.

OldWrench · Jun 6, 2016

I haven't seen a 1200 schematic but my 83 has a resistor inline to the coils dropping the voltage to 9 volts. speaking of that yesterday I lost my brake lights and turn signals, blowing 15 amp fuse, no shorted bulbs, turn signal relay ok. Checked all the wiring back to the tail lights and no shorts there, it is in the harness somewhere. I now know I'm going to rewire this thing.

Rednaxs60 · Jun 7, 2016

My '85 LTD schematic dos not show a resistor in-line to the coils, nor have I found one. There is a wire from the kill switch to the coils for a 12 VDC signal. This wire also powers other items such as relays, etc.

There are quite a few splices in the wiring harness that you cannot see, and it is possible that these could have come undone, or something of that nature. I stripped out the old stator and RR wiring this past week and found ground and power splices close together. If the tape around these connections comes loose, there could be shorts.

Good luck

Relay fuse panel feed Mod

Help Support Classic Goldwings:

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Attachments

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Join the conversation!

Join today and get all the highlights of this community direct to your inbox. It's FREE!