Issues with electrical

[nriggz]

Hey guys/gals

I am working on restoring a 1979 XS100. I took apart a lot of the wiring just to tuck it, get it out of sight and clean it all up. It's looking really good. I removed the metal plate seen in the photos below.

Putting it back together, I have one issue.

When I connect the positive battery cable, the bike immediately starts trying to start. I just touch the battery cable to the battery and the starter fires up.

I'm assuming I'm hooking up the positive battery cable wrong.

Here are some pictures of how I have it hooked up.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9R...ew?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9R...ew?usp=sharing


Any suggestions? Thank you!

[jetmechmarty]

It looks to me like you have the cable going from the starter to the solenoid and the cable to the battery on the same lug. You're providing a direct path for the electricity to travel from the battery to the starter.

[Arthur_of_Hex]

It looks to me like you have the cable going from the starter to the solenoid and the cable to the battery on the same lug. You're providing a direct path for the electricity to travel from the battery to the starter.

X2. The starter solenoid large bolts should have only one large cable per post. Battery on one, starter on the other.

[cajun31]

What are you

trying to do with the bike? Just asking... heading towards a cafe style or something similar? Curious as to the wiring changes.

[nriggz]

X2. The starter solenoid large bolts should have only one large cable per post. Battery on one, starter on the other.

So where exactly do I attach the battery cable?

[nriggz]

trying to do with the bike? Just asking... heading towards a cafe style or something similar? Curious as to the wiring changes.

I'm going for a cafe style, and I love when you can see through the bike, so I'm deleting everything I can underneath the seat.

[DAVINCI]

Before you rip anything else apart, take a photo so you know how to hook it back up. And keep those bare solenoid posts away from the frame for god's sake. There is no fuse protection on them!

[jetmechmarty]

I'm going for a cafe style, and I love when you can see through the bike, so I'm deleting everything I can underneath the seat.

If you don't have a good understanding of electricity, and you haven't made a new wiring diagram to follow, don't delete anything! You can get a smaller battery and put everything else in a small box under the seat.

[nriggz]

I got the electrical figured out, thanks guys!

@Arthur I got it figured out, thanks. The previous owner had an extra washer in there so the battery cable wouldn't fit, so I thought maybe that was the wrong place to attach it.

@DAVINCI I did take a bunch of photos, but somehow I missed a couple of angles by accident. I do know a decent amount about electrical, so I know not to let anything metal touch metal, we're good there I'm going to build a couple of tabs or a box to put everything in, to keep anything from shorting out.

@jetmechmarty I haven't deleted anything, just relocating some things to clean up the appearance. I actually was planning to build a box to tuck a lot of stuff into, is there a write up anywhere online for something like that? Do you have pictures of how you built yours???? I love it!!!!

[BA80]

Here's a wiring diagram for a 79 Standard. It will be the same except for the fuel guage I think.

[nriggz]

Thanks BA80! Now I just have to figure out how to build a box to get a lot of it hidden in.

[jetmechmarty]

That picture is not my bike. I expect it's the look you're going for. A small box under the seat should do it.