Focus Frenzy rewire??

[Anonymous]

8O I read a post on voltage where Focus said he rewired the power to reduce the drain from everything going thru the ignition switch. So, Sir Focus, could you enlighten me/us reprobate mechanics how you did it? I was surprised when I got my GS to find out that there seems to be a weak point here and unless it's a mega project, I wouldn't mind tackling it. Thanks in advance for your patience and time...

 

[Anonymous]

OK, where did he go? or is my mouthwash not making it?

 

[MichaelHoward]

Send him a pm. He usually checks in around 7pm.

Michael :lol:

 

[shaftzuki]

He's been spending alot of time (aside from work) - trying to help the fire department locate debris from the shuttle.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks, will do, wish I could help.....

 

[Mobetter]

I have the same intrest in this rewire.
Focus or anyone else out there that has done this please
enlighten us electrical novices with some detailed info
on this rewire project.

Peace
Mo

 

[Anonymous]

Here's how I am going to do it.
I've got a spare starter relay. I will mount this to the electric parts holder making sure it has a good ground. Make a jumper wire that goes from the red wire on the starter relay to the same terminal on your new relay. Cut the orange wire (check your manuals here, this is for my '78 GS1000 and I don't know if they're all the same) that feeds the fuse block. Note that there are orange with green stripe, with red stripe and with white stripe wires. These are outputs from the fuse block and would not be the orange wire that we're talking about.
Now with the orange wire cut in half, you have one end going to the fuse block and one end coming in from the ignition switch. The end going to the fuse block is attached to the output of the relay. This is the other large terminal, the one that would go to the starter motor. The end of the orange wire coming from the ignition switch is attached to the last terminal on the relay. This would be the small terminal or the one with the yellow with green stripe wire on the starter relay.
Now if you've got it right, when you turn on the ignition switch the new relay should click and power should come on at your coils, headlight and turn signals.
The question I have for Focus is this. Would it make sense to connect the red output wire from the R/R to the battery instead of having it travel around thru the harness?

Steve

 

[focus frenzy]

sorry for the delay everybody, have been busy here, Wheelie, the starter solenoid wont work, at least not for long, the starter solenoid is designed for short term use, using continuously will cause its magnetic windings to overheat and burn out, you have to use a relay, made for continuous use.
a standard 30 amp automotive relay (those little black ones with four or five spade terminals work just fine) , like can be found on practically all cars, does the job great.
I have acquired a scanner and will post a diagram and description tomorrow as soon as I have the scanner up and running.
sorry, again for the delay.

 

[Anonymous]

Oops!
I forgot about that. Just picked up a couple of Bosch continuous duty 30amp models.

Steve

 

[focus frenzy]

ok here goes, this will be typical of most bikes but not all models, smaller models will be differant but this will give you a idea of how it is done.

first get some wire of a gauge heavy'er then ste gauge used in the stock harness, also pick up a inline fuse holder and a "potter& Brumfield" VF4-15F11-Z01 relay or equivilant, these can be purchased at any auto parts/spares dealer for under $10 US you will need a 15 amp fuse for the inline relay (I am using a 20 amp fuse) and a 7-1/2 amp fuse to take the place of the 15 amp fuse in the stock fuse holder, you will also need several but conectors and four female spade connectors.

you will first have to disconnect the ground wire from the battery, to prevent shorting out any wires while rewiring it.

find a good location to mount the relay, if you get a relay for driving/fog lights they will come with a mounting ear, or if the relay you have does not have a mounting ear you can just use a nylon zip tie to secure it.

first cut the red wire coming out from the regulator and using a extension if nessisary run it to where it can reach the "30" terminal on the relay.
you will run a wire from the positive terminal on the battery and run it to the relay and splice it and the red wire from the regulator usind a female spade connecter and plug it in to the "30" terminal on the relay, this will provide the relay with power and give the regulator out put a easy'er path to the battery.
next locate the orange wire that comes back from the ignition switch and splits to three wires before intering the fuse box.
cut this wire and splice on extensions to extend both ends to the relay.
the end that came from the ignition switch will conect to the "85" terminal of the relay, this is the terminal that energizes the relay.
the other end that goes into the fuse box will connect to the "87" terminal of the relay, make sure not to connect it to the "87a" terminal, if your relay has it, this will make every thing stay on till you turn on the key.

you will now need to run a wire from the "86" relay terminal to a good ground sorce, like at the mounting ear for the starter relay.
make sure the wire end where you cut the regulator red wire is sealed up to provent it from shorting on any thing, reconnect the battery ground and give it try!!
here is a rough diagram of the changes, my brother is a CAD draftsman and is going to draw up a better design for me on his computer at work, I willput that up as soon as he is done with it.

 

[focus frenzy]

I can also put up how to use a relay to kill power temporarily to the headlight while starting your bike, if any body is interested, this frees up 55-60 watts for spinning over the starter and firing the coils.

 

[Anonymous]

Yes, we're interested!

 

[focus frenzy]

Yes, we're interested!

ok this is simpler, you will need to get a 20 amp mini relay and pull out the headlight to get at the wires, cut the black with white stripe wire going to the headlight and splice in enough wire so that both ends will reach the relay, hook one wire to terminal 30, and the other to terminal 87A.
now trace the two wires that go to the starter button, the wire you need should be green with eather a yellow, or white stripe, it will be the wire that goes from the starter button to the starter solinoid, splice in a wire and run that wire to the 85 terminal on the mini relay, run a wire from the 86 terminal on the relay to a separate good ground.
wired this way, when you push the starter button, the relay will energize and cut off the ground to the headlight, freeing up 55-60 watts for the starter, the light will come back on when you reliese the starter button.

 

[Anonymous]

Bosch relay link, another light idea

Bosch relay link, another light idea

I have had a hard time finding a relay locally and ended up paying $11 because I was tired of running around. I then found this site which has the Bosch brand for $1.99 and an off brand for$.99 they also have a pre-wired plug to fit the relay for $1.50:

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshowdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=330-070

I also ran across what I think is a great idea on a hot rod site. You can use a Bosch relay to make the low beam stay on when you switch to high beam. I have noticed that when running high beam, you lose a lot of visibility closer to the bike. This should be a nice solution for that.

 

[Anonymous]

Re: Bosch relay link, another light idea

Re: Bosch relay link, another light idea

I have had a hard time finding a relay locally and ended up paying $11 because I was tired of running around. I then found this site which has the Bosch brand for $1.99 and an off brand for$.99 they also have a pre-wired plug to fit the relay for $1.50:

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshowdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=330-070

I also ran across what I think is a great idea on a hot rod site. You can use a Bosch relay to make the low beam stay on when you switch to high beam. I have noticed that when running high beam, you lose a lot of visibility closer to the bike. This should be a nice solution for that.

Cool. Always like finding those competitive prices.

And in case your like me want to know just what all of the terminal terminology means - http://jdmfan.com/technical/other/relay_basics

 

[Anonymous]

"I also ran across what I think is a great idea on a hot rod site. You can use a Bosch relay to make the low beam stay on when you switch to high beam. I have noticed that when running high beam, you lose a lot of visibility closer to the bike. This should be a nice solution for that."

I would ask advice from a few people before doing that dual filament mod.

 

[Hap Call]

"I also ran across what I think is a great idea on a hot rod site. You can use a Bosch relay to make the low beam stay on when you switch to high beam. I have noticed that when running high beam, you lose a lot of visibility closer to the bike. This should be a nice solution for that."

I would ask advice from a few people before doing that dual filament mod.

Scotty is right...that mod could be hazardous to your charging system.

Hap

 

[Anonymous]

Focus, did you get the CAD diagram yet? I do not know if it is my eyes or my monitor but I can barely make out your schematic.
Thanks,

 

[Anonymous]

Drop in a bucket!!

Drop in a bucket!!

I can also put up how to use a relay to kill power temporarily to the headlight while starting your bike, if any body is interested, this frees up 55-60 watts for spinning over the starter and firing the coils.

I'm afraid a headlight disconnect relay would really just be like a "drop in bucket "approach.
Put in a different prespective a headlamp draws perhaps seven amps of power whereby a starter in the act of turning the motor over draws around eighty amps or so. The headlamp dimming while cranking is solely because of the immense draw of the starter.
Rick........

 

[SqDancerLynn1]

Good price but shipping and handeling is double what the parts cost