1978 Battery harness

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tory
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1978 Battery harness

#1

Post by tory »

Previous owner added this inline fuse to the positive battery harness on my 1978 GL1000.
Can anyone tell me why, and should I leave it, or what is the best way to correct it?
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Last edited by tory on Sat Dec 03, 2022 6:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
1978 GL1000
1986 GL1200 Aspencade
With California Sidecar
1965 CA95 Benly
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Lucien Harpress
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Re: 1978 Battery harness

#2

Post by Lucien Harpress »

Normally that runs to the stock main fuse, which is the flat metal strip kind that gets held in with a couple of screws. People like to change it to a bladed fuse because the latter is easier to find.

If you're not concerned with the bike being 100% stock, and the guy who installed it did a good job, there's nothing wrong with it.
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tory
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Re: 1978 Battery harness

#3

Post by tory »

Great, thanks.
1978 GL1000
1986 GL1200 Aspencade
With California Sidecar
1965 CA95 Benly
redglbx
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Re: 1978 Battery harness

#4

Post by redglbx »

That is a better setup than the “flat” horseshoe oe fuse as the oe fuse tends to get cracks in them with age that causes all kinds of weird no power issues, I replace all of mine with the modern blade fuses, much easier to find if you need one and more reliable.
Red 1976 oe owner
1976 LTD restored
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1981 CBX
1977 CB750 K7
2014 FJR OE owner, sold
1980 GL1100
1984 GL1200 naked
1969 CL350, in the que
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Sidecar Bob
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Re: 1978 Battery harness

#5

Post by Sidecar Bob »

That is a low current fuse holder (you can tell by the skinny wires). I think if it was mine I'd replace it with a blade fuse holder that is intended for higher current and do something about the live conductor hanging out of the ring lug's insulation before I used the bike much.
Mr. Honda ('83 GL1100/Dnepr) summer How a motorcycle evolves thread
The Famous Eccles ('84 CX650EI/VeloUral) winter Never Ending Build (CX500forum)
Click: Colour schematics for all GL1000 & GL1100 and GL1200 standard models plus instructions on how to download the full size version
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Re: 1978 Battery harness

#6

Post by low-side »

I agree with Bob. I like the upgrade to an inline blade type fuse, but that setup has a number of issues. I would remake it using heavier components and no quick connects.
redglbx
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Re: 1978 Battery harness

#7

Post by redglbx »

Bob,,, 👍👍👍
Red 1976 oe owner
1976 LTD restored
1980 CBX , in the que, to fix the ignorant heavy handed owner
1981 CBX
1977 CB750 K7
2014 FJR OE owner, sold
1980 GL1100
1984 GL1200 naked
1969 CL350, in the que
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Whiskerfish
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Re: 1978 Battery harness

#8

Post by Whiskerfish »

No matter if you leave it or replace it with a higher rated holder make sure to put it on your annual maintenance cycle. I have seen too many of these melt down and leave you stranded or worse start a fire. Just pull the fuse and clean the holder and the fuse with some contact cleaner and a acid brush. Just takes a couple minutes each year.
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Sidecar Bob
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Re: 1978 Battery harness

#9

Post by Sidecar Bob »

I have fuse holders with waterproof covers like the pic below on my bikes and I've never had a problem with the contacts. IIRC, the one on the winter machine has been in use since 2006, mostly on salted roads and I've never felt the need to clean the contacts in it.
Untitled.png
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Mr. Honda ('83 GL1100/Dnepr) summer How a motorcycle evolves thread
The Famous Eccles ('84 CX650EI/VeloUral) winter Never Ending Build (CX500forum)
Click: Colour schematics for all GL1000 & GL1100 and GL1200 standard models plus instructions on how to download the full size version
"A guy with two sidecars can't be all bad." - Cookie
Another guy with two sidecars..... Hmmmm... must be something to that....
tory
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Re: 1978 Battery harness

#10

Post by tory »

Thanks. It does look like it might have gotten a little toasty at one point. I will replace it with a lower gage as suggested.
1978 GL1000
1986 GL1200 Aspencade
With California Sidecar
1965 CA95 Benly
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Re: 1978 Battery harness

#11

Post by Fred Camper »

A lower gauge wire does help keep the smoke inside the wire, but does not guarantee it, good upgrade for sure.
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