[extremelyhonestjoe]

I recently gave a little TLC to my 85' honda shadow VT700 this winter. I polished her up a bit, took off the carbs and cleaned em and replaced the battery.

Now that I put everything back on when I turn the ignition my bike doesn't get any power. In putting things back together, I forgot where this wire that's on the wiring harness is supposed to be hooked up to. I figure this could be part of the problem.

Does anyone know where it's supposed to go?

 

[swifty2014]

That yellow wire appears to be your main power from the battery positive post.
It goes through a green fuse holder and then to the red wires and out to the main systems. It should be under the bolt on the battery PLUS terminal.
This is not factory stock so all the colors changes are confusing.

 

[John Hopkins]

I can see that the wires are not stock, that is an aftermarket rec/reg and has to be bolted to ground/frame to complete the circuit..

There are three possible answers to this.. First the lesson.. Next time before you undo anything take photographs and label them before storing them on your computer, these days of digital cameras and no waiting for processing it costs nothing.

Second buy a service manual so that you can remove the rec/reg and refit it properly, the three yellow wires go to the alternator, so they are correct, then you should have a R/W wire which goes to the 30a fuse on the starter solenoid, one of the others is ground and the last should go to the fuse box.

Third.. ask if someone on here can recognise the aftermarket rec/reg and give you more information about the wiring.

John.

 

[adlowe]

Does anyone know where it's supposed to go?

Are you asking about the yellow wire in the home-built harness?

That yellow wire appears to be your main power from the battery positive post.

I would disagree with that because an "auxiliary" connection to the battery should not need a bolt & nut -- it should slip under the main battery connection but it does appear to be a nut & bolt from a battery connection. (That yellow wire is way too flimsy to substitute.)

It goes through a green fuse holder and then to the red wires and out to the main systems.

That supports your guess -- if the green thing is a fuse. Only looks like maybe a fuse to me. Need to see more. I don't have any idea why a fuse would be mounted there.

On my bike, the red & red+white wires are the power connection to the stock r/r. There's no telling what's going on with a home-built rig installed. My bike still starts with that connector empty now that I've got my Shindengen r/r direct-wired to the battery.

This is not factory stock so all the colors changes are confusing.

You can say that again!

Now that I put everything back on when I turn the ignition my bike doesn't get any power.

Step 1: Verify that the new battery is charged and putting out between 11.5 and 13.2 volts.

Step 2: Verify that you've got the battery connected properly -- all connections clean and tight.

Step 3: Check your fuses, particularly the main 30 amp fuse. (Mine is NOT located in the fuse box. It's under the seat.)

Step 4: Follow the main positive cable from the battery to the starter relay and make sure everything is kosher.

That's as far as I can take it because I don't know specifics of your bike. If it was mine, I'd be checking the Gonzo harness connections and the start switch next.

 

[extremelyhonestjoe]

Yes, I'm referring to the yellow wire when I say I don't know where it goes.

I hadn't thought that the wiring there wasn't stock, now it makes sense that I couldn't find anything online about it. The battery is brand new and fully charged. So next up is to take your guys advice and go over it with my multimeter and test light.

Also I'm gonna see if I can find the owner who rigged it up (the bike has changed ownership a few times)

 

["Captain D"]

All I can say at this time is Good Luck...
"" "Rewired" can be "FUN" too... ""

 

[John Hopkins]

Start with the meter set to DC volts.

Switch on the ignition.

measure across the battery, call this your reference voltage 12.6V dc.

leave the red meter lead connected to the + of the battery and move the black lead to the metal of the engine, you should still have the reference voltage.

Move the black meter lead to the metal screw hole of the rec/reg, you should still have the reference voltage.

move the red meter lead to the 30a fuse at the starter solenoid, you should still have the reference voltage.

move the red meter lead to fuse #3 the ignition 10a fuse you should still have the reference voltage.

Do that first and then if you haven't found the fault report back and we can go from there.

John.

 

[swifty2014]

I think what is confusing is that he replaced the battery and the nut and bolt is still the pieces off the old battery terminal.
Someone has replaced the old style flimsy 30 amp fuse with this set up.
If the yellow wire is connected to the positive post the all circuits will have power.
The only thing on that post now is the heavy cable to the starter solenoid. It also needs the power to all the ignition and light circuits. My 1983 750 has the same configuration and I replaced the old fuse which had cracked with a new fuse holder. It would be nice to clean that up with a new 10 gauge RED wire and in line fuse.

 

[adlowe]

Someone has replaced the old style flimsy 30 amp fuse with this set up.

Sure seems like a ridiculous spot to put the 30 amp fuse. That sucker should be mounted on substantial wires rather than those skinny little things.

 

[John Hopkins]

I think what is confusing is that he replaced the battery and the nut and bolt is still the pieces off the old battery terminal.
Someone has replaced the old style flimsy 30 amp fuse with this set up.
If the yellow wire is connected to the positive post the all circuits will have power.
The only thing on that post now is the heavy cable to the starter solenoid. It also needs the power to all the ignition and light circuits. My 1983 750 has the same configuration and I replaced the old fuse which had cracked with a new fuse holder. It would be nice to clean that up with a new 10 gauge RED wire and in line fuse.

I'm not quite sure what you are saying there, but I think you might be saying the wire with the big nut and bolt on it looks like a battery connection..

Just going by looks it could also have bolted the rec/reg to the frame..

Note: Please don't just bolt it to the frame without testing, with electricity that is the way to destroy things..

NEXT TIME TAKE PHOTO'S BEFORE YOU UNDO ANYTHING>

John.

 

[extremelyhonestjoe]

I went over it and the rectifier and solenoid fuse, and they're good. But there is no power to the ignition fuse.

 

[swifty2014]

If you touch that yellow wire to the positive terminal I am sure you will then have power to all your circuits.
Those red wires are the main feed wires and so they need to be powered by the battery positive post. The main 30 amp. fuse is there to protect against heavy overloads.
That is the same wiring on my 83 750 .

 

[extremelyhonestjoe]

Thank you swifty2014 this thanks is late in coming but you were correct

 

[swifty2014]

Good to hear you have it figured out. I am no expert myself and I am still learning. But what I have found in the manual I like to help other with.