'Lektrikery always learning

Ok so having had the V1000 for many yrs and all the talk about the “dark arts” left me looking at improving the old V1000.

Soooo as it is a bike that was made with lights ON permanently I thought about time to take the pilot lights off and pop them onto a switch and whilst doing THAT look at the eejit lights that have never been that bright.

Well replacing the worn out wires easy, and re doing some connectors THEN putting an earth post in the dash as there are a cluster of earths basically fitted to the speedo on the screws that hold it in.

Also fitting a proper earth post in the headlamp as the earths are spade terminals onto the headlamp and get corroded.

I added relays to the main/dip ages ago BUT I also replaced this time the flash relay to a more modern higher amp one.

Got it all back together and OH BOY the eejit lights are sooooo bright I may have to fit a dimmer for night use, really they are so inyerface

I re did the spot lamps so they hit you on flash as well anyone flashed at WILL know it.

An afternoons work and so much better just awaiting the new rear stop tail lamp to fit it onto the Givi rack as the OEM fitment is almost hidden by the repositioned back rack and box.

I also ordered one of the new Helmet fitted remote stop/tail and indicators to fit onto the top box… thought it may help.

Maybe I should bring mine up for an afternoon’s rewire while you have the spanners out .

theone&onlymin
x

Well you would be welcome so you would… Mind you some here would be worried as I usually work on bike electrics liveI only tend to use a meter to check for live feed.

Thing is with auto elektrikery it lies to ya if you work on it dead and try to utilise a meter as some circuits only have power when energised like the main/dip when utilising switched relays, there will be loads of false readings.

Took me in total about 6 hrs from taking off the screen to putting it back.

Mind you I do know the wiring in the console and the headlamp as I put modern switchgear on it yrs ago and have swapped THAT 3-4 times.

BUT you can always find a new way of doing something.

I have to re wire the back end to put a new stop/tail light up on the back of the top rack as the OM is hidden by the top rack.

E up with a brill idea, one of the remote helmet mounted stop/tail/indicator lights BUT mounted on the top box, simply brilliant idea.

I want to get some labels made uo to mark the Aux switches, by the way illuminated switches are from Maplins who have a better and cheaper and better range than Hafords

Photos?

don’t DO photo’s , too much hassle bud sorry, got enough to do

And you can always tell the difference between new wire and old, the new looks like copper.

The stuff i replaced was copper “once” now black …the difference in eejit lights is gobsmacking

Also swapping the dash some time ago the old one had coloured flat plastic bits for the eejit lights the replacement has “jewled” plastic coloured but clearer eejit light lenses, I upgraded the bulbs to either led ones OR (for generator) a 2.8 w bulb heck the rear light is only 5w

All those folk who can’t see the eejit lights in daylight , think about looking at a good earth and check out the wiring replace with modern thinsulate wiring …look at Towzatronics e-bay shop you can get the wires in coloures from there , I have just ordered things like connectors in batches of 50 for less than Halfords charge for 10

Good crimp pliers are essential as is time and patience, if not good with wiring do 1 wire at a time …measure …TWICE always cut a bit more wire than you measure, pop the correct connector on the end and only take the existing one off as you put newone on.

This is in the dash by the way.

An earth post is easy use a 6mm bolt, I used a button headed one through thecase from below then the earths all go onto it and are dightened up with a nut do not forget to put a length to the speedo and tacho cases, some heat shrink then fitted over the post to ensure no contace with any +ve resulting in “letting the smoke out”

Also worth silicone grease in the connectors to keep corrosion at bay, solder as well as crimp, and self-amalgamating tape to keep the weather out.

Well yeah but for some that is too much I personally use brass bullets and lead free solder with a mini gas torch, then use the bullet multi sleeves with the brass inserts, they cost more but much better contact, and I then use proper grease , same as Telecom use for outside up a pole all weather connections, but as I said for many that is going too far.

No need for amalgamating tape in the headlamp or console as the console is behind the screen. but I do weather proof all the other connectors on the bike. it is well worth the extra effort.

Of course the other type of connectors I have used are the “jap bike” type ones they are a smaller bullet , brass and in a plastic sleeve THOSE along with the grease keep all the weather out.

The worst ones are the alloy type connectors as they will corrode alot.

It is also worth hunting down fuses with copper not alloy fuse as the alloy ones can cause all sorts of bother on the older Guzzis

But don’t crimp ONTO something tinned with solder. The solder will flow, you get high resistance, then heat, knackered insulation, and premature failure.