stock radio on gl1100A '83

[dan filipi]

src68 » Thu Jul 11, 2013 10:38 am[/url]":3870xx4q]

zman » Tue Jul 09, 2013 2:57 pm[/url]":3870xx4q]That will work fine. it should have Volts DC and then a range, your bike is 12 volts so choose the setting in that range . Just ground the black wire to the frame or anything that bolts to the frame and the red wire touched to the red wire on the bike with the clam shell fuse open you will see the fuse and at either end of the fuse is a copper clip that snaps on either end of the fuse, touch the red probe from the meter to both ends of the fuse one at a time and your meter should read 12 or there about volts, if no volts check the ground and be sure it is on a grounded surface.
Easier way..Go to the 99 cent store and buy a 12 volt test light for 99 cents , it comes with a wire and an alligator clip, fasten the alligator clip to the frame as you would a ground then take the probe end (usually pointed or screwdriver shaped) and touch the fuse clips at either end just as you would with the multimeter and it should light on both ends, if it lights or meter reads one end only it is a blown fuse...No light either end check for faulty ground first then trace the wire for a break or disconnect somewhere.

i have something that i use to test if a light plug in the house has power to it... is that the same thing. it has a black wire,a dn a red wire and is connected to a little lightbulb that when there was power in teh outlet... (even though the light switch was off) it glowed. (father-in-law said that that means there is a hot wire)... if that is the same thing.. i will try that.

thanks for all the help.

I've seen some of the test lights that work on both a/c house current as well as 12v dc. Give it a try, won't hurt anything.
Test it at the battery first an see if it lights up.