Intermittent bad ground?
- offcenter
- Posts: 1301
- Joined: Sat Sep 22, 2012 2:10 pm
- Location: Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey
- Motorcycle: 99 Gl-1500 SE
76 GL-1000
77 Honda Trail 90
Intermittent bad ground?
On my '99 Gl 1500....
I have a problem that comes and goes.
I will lose all tail lights and brake lights, and when
this happens, the dashboard directional indicators will
both light, as well as front directional signals. (but not the rears)
The dash lights and front lights do not flash. They just all stay
on until the problem goes away, then the tail lights come back
on.
I suspect a bad ground, but where do I look? Where is everything
grounded on this bike?
Thanks in advance, gang.
I have a problem that comes and goes.
I will lose all tail lights and brake lights, and when
this happens, the dashboard directional indicators will
both light, as well as front directional signals. (but not the rears)
The dash lights and front lights do not flash. They just all stay
on until the problem goes away, then the tail lights come back
on.
I suspect a bad ground, but where do I look? Where is everything
grounded on this bike?
Thanks in advance, gang.
George in Jersey.
99 Goldwing GL-1500 SE
76 Goldwing Gl-1000
77 Honda CT-90 "Trail 90"
99 Goldwing GL-1500 SE
76 Goldwing Gl-1000
77 Honda CT-90 "Trail 90"
- virgilmobile
- Posts: 9102
- Joined: Sun Sep 19, 2010 5:39 pm
- Location: Denham Springs,La.
- Motorcycle: 1988 GL1500 I
Previously owned
78 GL1000
81 GL1100
82 GL1100 I
83 GL1100 I
83 GL1100 standard
84 GL 1200 I
Re: Intermittent bad ground?
There's a ground lug under the seat area.Also inspect the big plug with all the wires in it for corrosion.
- dingdong
- Posts: 4183
- Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2010 8:35 am
- Location: Oklahoma City
- Motorcycle: 1976 gl1000
1993 gl1500A
2004 NRX1800 Rune SOLD
Re: Intermittent bad ground?
Follow this link. I found the exact same on my 1500 that is described here.
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=19901
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=19901
- offcenter
- Posts: 1301
- Joined: Sat Sep 22, 2012 2:10 pm
- Location: Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey
- Motorcycle: 99 Gl-1500 SE
76 GL-1000
77 Honda Trail 90
Re: Intermittent bad ground?
That link describes my problem exactly!
Thanks very much.
I'll report back when I have a chance to take the seat off
and look at that 21 pin connector.
Thanks very much.
I'll report back when I have a chance to take the seat off
and look at that 21 pin connector.
George in Jersey.
99 Goldwing GL-1500 SE
76 Goldwing Gl-1000
77 Honda CT-90 "Trail 90"
99 Goldwing GL-1500 SE
76 Goldwing Gl-1000
77 Honda CT-90 "Trail 90"
- Charlie1Horse
- Posts: 808
- Joined: Mon Sep 16, 2013 9:35 pm
- Location: Jacksonville, Florida
- Motorcycle: 1986 GL1200A Aspencade
1992 GL1500I Interstate
2002 GL1800
Re: Intermittent bad ground?
Always keep some dielectric grease with you, and anytime you disconnect a connector, coat the connections with some grease. It promotes good connectivity, keeps moisture out, and helps keep the connector cooler by dissipating any heat from any previous corrosion.
Russell
Those who say it cannot be done should try not to interrupt those who are doing it.
Russell
Those who say it cannot be done should try not to interrupt those who are doing it.
Those who say it cannot be done should try not to interrupt those who are doing it.
- offcenter
- Posts: 1301
- Joined: Sat Sep 22, 2012 2:10 pm
- Location: Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey
- Motorcycle: 99 Gl-1500 SE
76 GL-1000
77 Honda Trail 90
Re: Intermittent bad ground?
Sorry this is a bit late, but.....
I finally got around to pulling the seat and looking at the 21 pin connector
in the plastic box.
Sure enough, the ground wire was all burnt and had blackened the plastic
plug.
I installed a new ground wire parallel to old one in the box.
The problem seems to be solved.
Thanks to all who clued me in on the problem.
I never would have found that on my own.
I finally got around to pulling the seat and looking at the 21 pin connector
in the plastic box.
Sure enough, the ground wire was all burnt and had blackened the plastic
plug.
I installed a new ground wire parallel to old one in the box.
The problem seems to be solved.
Thanks to all who clued me in on the problem.
I never would have found that on my own.
George in Jersey.
99 Goldwing GL-1500 SE
76 Goldwing Gl-1000
77 Honda CT-90 "Trail 90"
99 Goldwing GL-1500 SE
76 Goldwing Gl-1000
77 Honda CT-90 "Trail 90"
- ct1500
- Posts: 1618
- Joined: Wed Nov 10, 2010 8:09 pm
- Location: Glastonbury,CT
- Motorcycle: 1988 GL1500
Re: Intermittent bad ground?
Common enough problem especially if added electrical loads use the bikes OEM wiring for grounding. When adding electrical loads mid to back of MC I run a separate ground wire to frame ground lug under the seat.
Nothing leaves my shop till its' perfect
This is what I do
This is what I do
- AZgl1800
- Posts: 2932
- Joined: Thu Oct 30, 2008 2:46 pm
- Location: Lake Oologah Indian Territory USA
- Motorcycle: 2009 Piaggio MP3 250cc https://imgur.com/foGDjgv
'02 GL1800 lives in Dawsonville, GA now.
My son is going to enjoy it for many years to come.
Re: Intermittent bad ground?
agree.
I always run a separate Ground Wire to the frame grounding bolt for the Battery's Negative terminal.
I do NOT trust the frame "as a ground".....
I have come to that attitude from working in Communications services since 1958, retiring in 2010.
A Ground is NOT a Ground, unless you created it yourself, and it is clean and Solid as a Rock.
My dad taught me that with a 1949 Plymouth showing me that the only "ground connection" to the frame, was a single wire to a bolt on the motor itself.... the frame relied on a fuzzy copper strap from the engine block to the firewall of the car. both of those connections were corroded....
He pulled them loose, used Baking Soda, a bit of water, and a tooth brush to clean them up.
wallah! the Headlights got bright again!!!
- aj1500
- Posts: 486
- Joined: Fri May 29, 2015 8:05 am
- Location: Savannah Ga
- Motorcycle: 02 ABS 1800
CSC F3 sidecar
USCA# 8913
96 Aspy 1500 W Lehmann trike
Re: Intermittent bad ground?
never-mind, I see the problem was found excellent
- MikeB
- Posts: 4135
- Joined: Fri Dec 04, 2009 12:54 pm
- Location: Tacoma, WA
- Motorcycle: Current
1998 - GL1500 Aspencade
205K Miles
2017 - GL1800 Audio Comfort
46K Miles
Previous
SOLD 1999 - GL1500, 161K Miles
SOLD 2003 - GL1800 ABS w/117K - Sold
SOLD 2003 - GL1800 w/67K Miles
SOLD 2001 - ST1100 w/33K Miles - Contact:
Re: Intermittent bad ground?
Actually, the dielectric grease is an insulator and does not promote good connectivity. If anything, it hampers good connectivity. The purpose of the dielectric grease is to keep out dirt and moisture and should be applied to the rear of the connector's body.Charlie1Horse wrote: ↑Tue Jul 23, 2019 6:56 pm Always keep some dielectric grease with you, and anytime you disconnect a connector, coat the connections with some grease. It promotes good connectivity, keeps moisture out, and helps keep the connector cooler by dissipating any heat from any previous corrosion.
Russell
Those who say it cannot be done should try not to interrupt those who are doing it.
To clean the connector pins and promote good connectivity, use something like Deoxit https://caig.com/deoxit-d-series/ on the pins in the connector. We used it exclusively in our military aircraft radio when I was an aircraft communications technician. Back then it was also made my Caig Labs but it was called Cramolin.
MikeB
1998 - GL1500 w/205,500 miles ~ 2017 - GL1800 w/46,000 miles
USAF Avionics Communications Tech - 1968 - 1986 / Flight Engineer C-130E - C-141B - 1986 - 1992. Retired
Industrial Maintenance Tech - 1992 - 2014
Retired in Tacoma, WA
1998 - GL1500 w/205,500 miles ~ 2017 - GL1800 w/46,000 miles
USAF Avionics Communications Tech - 1968 - 1986 / Flight Engineer C-130E - C-141B - 1986 - 1992. Retired
Industrial Maintenance Tech - 1992 - 2014
Retired in Tacoma, WA
- WingAdmin
- Site Admin
- Posts: 23874
- Joined: Fri Oct 03, 2008 4:16 pm
- Location: Strongsville, OH
- Motorcycle: 2000 GL1500 SE
1982 GL1100A Aspencade (sold)
1989 PC800 (sold)
1998 XV250 Virago (sold)
2012 Suzuki Burgman 400 (wife's!)
2007 Aspen Sentry Trailer - Contact:
Re: Intermittent bad ground?
Correct. Many people mistakenly think the dielectric grease is to give you good connectivity, when in fact it is the opposite. It's supposed to stop corrosion from oxidation and moisture. The best way to use it is to clean the contacts with a quality contact cleaner (Deoxit is an excellent one), put the connection together, then pack the connectors with dielectric grease from the backs of the connectors, to seal them up.MikeB wrote: ↑Thu Jul 23, 2020 4:23 pmActually, the dielectric grease is an insulator and does not promote good connectivity. If anything, it hampers good connectivity. The purpose of the dielectric grease is to keep out dirt and moisture and should be applied to the rear of the connector's body.Charlie1Horse wrote: ↑Tue Jul 23, 2019 6:56 pm Always keep some dielectric grease with you, and anytime you disconnect a connector, coat the connections with some grease. It promotes good connectivity, keeps moisture out, and helps keep the connector cooler by dissipating any heat from any previous corrosion.
Russell
Those who say it cannot be done should try not to interrupt those who are doing it.
To clean the connector pins and promote good connectivity, use something like Deoxit https://caig.com/deoxit-d-series/ on the pins in the connector. We used it exclusively in our military aircraft radio when I was an aircraft communications technician. Back then it was also made my Caig Labs but it was called Cramolin.
Find This Item on Amazon:
- CrystalPistol
- Posts: 1421
- Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2010 9:07 pm
- Location: Shenandoah Valley of Virginia
- Motorcycle: 1997 GL1500SE/'98 Lehman Trike
Re: Intermittent bad ground?
Dielectric Grease will only insulate bare metal from corrosion, it will not inhibit contact between two connectors, it will not add resistance. Pack the connectors with it, then plug together, it does not inhibit the flow of smoke, it just seals up to the edge of contact.
Axle grease is a different animal.
Axle grease is a different animal.
Make Courtesy your "Code of the Road" …
… & Have a Safe Trip!
… & Have a Safe Trip!
- 4given
- Posts: 389
- Joined: Fri Jul 17, 2015 6:19 pm
- Location: Danville, PA
- Motorcycle: 1996 Honda GL1500 Aspencade
Re: Intermittent bad ground?
That’s exactly how I’ve been using dielectric grease for years. With great success.CrystalPistol wrote: ↑Fri Jul 31, 2020 10:17 am Dielectric Grease will only insulate bare metal from corrosion, it will not inhibit contact between two connectors, it will not add resistance. Pack the connectors with it, then plug together, it does not inhibit the flow of smoke, it just seals up to the edge of contact.
Axle grease is a different animal.
“Fight the fight and do what is right“
- Swagonmaster
- Posts: 504
- Joined: Sun Apr 16, 2017 3:30 pm
- Location: Stokesdale, NC
- Motorcycle: 1990 gl1500 SE
Re: Intermittent bad ground?
I use the dielectric grease as much as a heat transfer medium as moisture seal and installation lubricant, sometimes those higher current connectors can be messed up royally due to the effects of heat.
Try to learn from the mistakes of others..... you won't live long enough to make them all yourself!
-
- Posts: 23
- Joined: Sun Aug 15, 2021 9:37 pm
- Location: Wasaga Beach ON Canada
- Motorcycle: 1992 GL1500 SE Canadian Edition
Re: Intermittent bad ground?
Just noticed this post and it's helped me with planning my next move with my 92 GL1500 with similar problems.Charlie1Horse wrote: ↑Tue Jul 23, 2019 6:56 pm Always keep some dielectric grease with you, and anytime you disconnect a connector, coat the connections with some grease. It promotes good connectivity, keeps moisture out, and helps keep the connector cooler by dissipating any heat from any previous corrosion.
Russell
Those who say it cannot be done should try not to interrupt those who are doing it.
I wanted to clarify on the above post.
Please avoid coating the connections with dielectric grease. Dielectric grease is an INSULATOR not a conductor.
Make sure your connections are good and reasonably tight and have good connectivity, THEN coat the entire thing with the grease. This ensures that they stay that way.
Coating the connections with dielectric grease has been known to cause connectivity issues because.. well, it's an insulator.
DIELECTRIC, insulating material or a very poor conductor of electric current. When dielectrics are placed in an electric field, practically no current flows in them because, unlike metals, they have no loosely bound, or free, electrons that may drift through the material. Instead, electric polarization occurs.
Cheerio!
- DenverWinger
- Posts: 2441
- Joined: Thu Jun 23, 2011 2:20 pm
- Location: Denver, CO
- Motorcycle: (s)
'80 GL1100 STD Vetter (2005-)
'93 GL1500 Aspencade (2017-)
'83 Trav-Lite Camper (2010-)
Past rides
'72 CL350 (1980-1988) sold
'78 Suzuki GS550 (1985-2005) sold
'77 GL1000 (2002-2006) sold
Re: Intermittent bad ground?
Totally agreed that dielectric grease is an insulator.
Disagree on the usage though. Clean metal contacts coated with grease in halves of a connection plug will scrape against each other displacing the grease with metal-to-metal contact when you push the plugs together, leaving the remainder of the metal contact which did not scrape against it's mate still coated in grease. This grease is thin enough it is easily displaced in the critical places where the physical metal-to-metal contact is made. In fact, this is what a good dielectric grease is designed to do.
Don't expect the same results using axle grease, even though axle grease is equally good an insulator. Axle grease is made to allow metal parts to slide against each other keeping a coating on the contact surfaces.
This is why they invented "Dielectric" grease.
Some types of connectors it is impossible to add grease once they are mated together.
Disagree on the usage though. Clean metal contacts coated with grease in halves of a connection plug will scrape against each other displacing the grease with metal-to-metal contact when you push the plugs together, leaving the remainder of the metal contact which did not scrape against it's mate still coated in grease. This grease is thin enough it is easily displaced in the critical places where the physical metal-to-metal contact is made. In fact, this is what a good dielectric grease is designed to do.
Don't expect the same results using axle grease, even though axle grease is equally good an insulator. Axle grease is made to allow metal parts to slide against each other keeping a coating on the contact surfaces.
This is why they invented "Dielectric" grease.
Some types of connectors it is impossible to add grease once they are mated together.
A local inventor has figured a way to turn a sausage grinder backward to manufacture pigs.
♫ 99 Little Bugs in the Code, ♪
♪ 99 Bugs in the Code. ♫
♫ Take one down, Patch it around, ♪
♫ 127 Little Bugs in the Code. ♫ ♪
~Mark
♫ 99 Little Bugs in the Code, ♪
♪ 99 Bugs in the Code. ♫
♫ Take one down, Patch it around, ♪
♫ 127 Little Bugs in the Code. ♫ ♪
~Mark
- 4given
- Posts: 389
- Joined: Fri Jul 17, 2015 6:19 pm
- Location: Danville, PA
- Motorcycle: 1996 Honda GL1500 Aspencade
Re: Intermittent bad ground?
Could not have said it any better and totally agree.DenverWinger wrote: ↑Sat Jul 23, 2022 4:17 am Totally agreed that dielectric grease is an insulator.
Disagree on the usage though. Clean metal contacts coated with grease in halves of a connection plug will scrape against each other displacing the grease with metal-to-metal contact when you push the plugs together, leaving the remainder of the metal contact which did not scrape against it's mate still coated in grease. This grease is thin enough it is easily displaced in the critical places where the physical metal-to-metal contact is made. In fact, this is what a good dielectric grease is designed to do.
Don't expect the same results using axle grease, even though axle grease is equally good an insulator. Axle grease is made to allow metal parts to slide against each other keeping a coating on the contact surfaces.
This is why they invented "Dielectric" grease.
Some types of connectors it is impossible to add grease once they are mated together.
“Fight the fight and do what is right“
Re: Intermittent bad ground?
I don't use grease on those connections. It makes dust easier to stick. I typically separate and reseat electrical connectors 2 or 3 times every time they are exposed. Been doing that on my bike and truck for years and no electrical issues so far due to burned connections. Did repair a PCB which one would think should never be affected by dirt.