Z800 Cafe Chopper Fighter thing...

[Pigford]

Nice clip - clever camera indeed

[Royalratch]

Next question!

If earth points are at touching the frame at certain places - is that bad? The battery box has an earth bar which I use for all the loads other than Starter and Engine but it is mounted to the battery box by metal tabs - will that be a an issue?

[Pigford]

Next question!

If earth points are at touching the frame at certain places - is that bad? The battery box has an earth bar which I use for all the loads other than Starter and Engine but it is mounted to the battery box by metal tabs - will that be a an issue?

More earth points on frame/engine, the better (within reason)

[Royalratch]

Cheers Pigford.

But I'm not using the frame as earth - everything is running back to the battery -ve.

Just making sure I don;t get any shocks touching the frame or cause gas tanks to blow up lol.

[Pigford]

Still advisable to have a good earth betwix frame & engine.

[jimmock]

Cheers Pigford.

But I'm not using the frame as earth - everything is running back to the battery -ve.

Just making sure I don;t get any shocks touching the frame or cause gas tanks to blow up lol.

An insulated return system?

[Royalratch]

Does that mean that at no point does any Earth wiring touch the frame at all?

What I'm trying to understand is if one of the earth points touches the frame anywhere, is that okay?

I guess the engine has a big fat earth cable running to the battery and the engine is itself touching the frame in many areas so it might be a nonsense question...

[jimmock]

Petrol tankers use an insulated return system.

ie, NO earth uses the chassis as a return path to source (battery).

Everything is brought back to battery via insulated wires.

[Royalratch]

Clear.

But my earth distribution bar is mounted to the battery box via metal studs - so there is a small path - but electricity follows least resistance so the fat earth strap going to battery will probably sort that.

[Pigford]

All the bike kit ain't designed for an insulated earth, so best make sure frame & engine is sound.

[jimmock]

Why are you not using the frame and engine as a return route?

[needaz1100r]

I'm not sure you can avoid it, the body of the starter motor will be the same potential as the battery negative, there's no separate negative terminal on a starter motor, so the motor will have to be earthed, or negative, the motor is bolted to the frame. You may end up with multiple paths, but that doesn't hurt, it's perfectly normal. All you'll en up with is more wire than you need.

No piece of wire will have a lower resistance than the frame.

[Royalratch]

The engine will have a fat earth strap to the battery Neg terminal.

I may have fluffed my question - clearly its okay for various components and earth [points to touch the frame,

But any +12V lines must be fully insulted from the body then correct?

Otherwise you have -ve and +ve both contacting the body - not good?

[Pigford]

But any +12V lines must be fully insulted from the body then correct?

Otherwise you have -ve and +ve both contacting the body - not good?

100% correct

[Crofty]

any +12V lines must be fully insulted from the body

What do you say to insult it Ratch?