Hi,

I have a couple of queries about installing my electrical earths.

Not sure how best to earth my fuel pump and fan. My intention is to extend the +12v wire from the loom and earth these components locally on the chassis. Is this ok? I think I read something about a potential problem with engine/chassis earth voltage differences using this approach, but I can't find it again.

As for the main earth wires, how many do I need? Currently I have one going straight from battery -ve to engine block, and plan to fit another from battery -ve onto the chassis. Is this sufficient, or should I have another from a different point on the engine block direct to chassis as a fail safe in case one comes loose and the cranking amps go down a path they're not meant to?

Oh, one last thing, I need to join two small wires (approx 0.5mm^2 each) to one large wire (approx 2.5mm^2). I've tried using a blue butt splice connector, with the two smaller wires pushed into one half, and the large wire in the other, but it doesn't grip the smaller wires very tightly when I crimp it up. Any tips on what to do? One idea I had was to put all three wires into one half of a butt splice and see how that goes? I've got a couple of solder splice connectors to try out too, I'm thinking the solder will hold the smaller wires in place nicely when it melts, though I've never used this type of connector before. My other option is to solder, but I'm not particularly confident in my ability.

Thanks in advance,
Jek

Do you have the OE plugs for the pump etc? I wired it in with them. As for earths Id only put one from the engine block, always found it to be fine. could do another from the chassis though, its not going to hurt.
For joining the wires, just solder them together and cover with some heatshrink, will work very well.

Your pump and fan will be quite happy with the earth going back through the chassis. In fact most things will, with few exceptions - always better to ground the sensors together back to the ECU as it is on the bike.

Twist your earth wires together, solder, slide on some heatshrink.

I run an earth from the battery straight to the chassis. I then earth the engine if it's on rubber bushes, but not always if it's solidly bolted to the frame. Make sure that the rectifier sees a good chassis earth, the standard blade connector that carries the 3 phases and earth does tend to get a bit hot..... some melt, so simply run a cable to a suitable chassis bolt.

Thanks guys, solid advice. Will check my rectifier earth, if I recall correctly, mine is going straight to battery -ve at the moment. Most of the electronics are mounted behind the scuttle, but I plan to have the rectifier infront of the scuttle so that it gets some air rushing past it.

Jek

R1 rectifiers haven't given me too many issues, neither have Suzuki. Honda on the other hand...

Yamaha decided to embed their rectifiers in a heatsink the size of half a housebrick on some vintages, but to reaffirm it's the phase plugs that have caused issues. A bit of resistance (corrosion, whatever) and the plug temperatures go ballistic.