Battery cable replacement

Discuss everything about Honda GoldWing. Feel free to ask any question related to GoldWing.

Moderators: CYBORG, Oldewing, robin1731, Forum Moderators

Post Reply
Sinahogol
Brass Member
Brass Member
Posts: 29
Joined: Mon Jul 17, 2017 8:09 am

Battery cable replacement

#1

Post by Sinahogol »

Hi,

I am currently working on the electrical circuit (not my favorite part though) of my 1976 GL1000 and noticed the positive cable from the battery to the starter switch has seen much better days. While taking it off the isolation around it just fell off, so need to replace it. I don't want to replace it with some NOS (even if I could find it), cause these have also been lying around for more than 30 years. Decided to replace it with some brand new cable and solder the connectors on it.

Now my (possibly dumb) question is: I've noticed the new cables are all copper wired and the old one doesn't seem to be copper, will this be a problem? I guess the copper has a lower resistance than the braided wiring of the old cable, is that only a positive thing or should I be worried?
Old battery cable
Old battery cable
20210304_080658.jpg (193.67 KiB) Viewed 391 times
pjlogue
Billet Alum. Member
Billet Alum. Member
Posts: 278
Joined: Thu Jun 07, 2018 8:30 am

Re: Battery cable replacement

#2

Post by pjlogue »

The wire is copper but is coated with tin for corrosion resistance. What you can do is get a length of 4 ga. copper welding wire. It is fine strand so it is extra flexible. Get the appropriate lugs and crimp, then solder them on. I would use glue type heat shrink for each end to make a water-tight seal. Since the cable is always "hot" any water that gets in will, over time, corrode the copper due to electrolysis.

-P.

Edit...4 ga. is probably way overkill. 6 or 8 ga. is better and easier to work. Be sure to bend the wire into its final shape before soldering as the solder will wick up the wire and be very difficult to bend after you solder.

-P.
Last edited by pjlogue on Thu Mar 04, 2021 8:31 am, edited 1 time in total.
toomanybikes
Billet Alum. Member
Billet Alum. Member
Posts: 227
Joined: Sun Oct 27, 2019 6:38 am

Re: Battery cable replacement

#3

Post by toomanybikes »

Mine was greenish and completely uncovered, so i replaced it with one from a CX/GL 500 that I had lying around.
Greater Boston MA, USA
Stable as of 26Dec22: '81 GL1100, '10 Bonnie SE, '86 Yamaha Radian, '83 Suzuki GS650L, '14 Moto Guzzi California, '85 Honda V30 Magna
User avatar
Sandy
Gold Member
Gold Member
Posts: 1012
Joined: Tue Jun 17, 2008 9:15 am
Location: Barrie, ON, Canada
Contact:

Re: Battery cable replacement

#4

Post by Sandy »

The cable looks good. Just the insulation got brittle and fell off. I'd just slide a couple of layers of heat shrink over the cable and reuse it.
Sinahogol
Brass Member
Brass Member
Posts: 29
Joined: Mon Jul 17, 2017 8:09 am

Re: Battery cable replacement

#5

Post by Sinahogol »

Thanks for the replies. Good to know this is also copper. There's no corrosion on the wire or the connections at all, might try your option Sandy. Couple of heat shrinks will be good enough for insulation you think?

Edit: actually found something called "cold shrink", seems like I can use that. Looks a bit thicker than normal heat shrink.
User avatar
Sandy
Gold Member
Gold Member
Posts: 1012
Joined: Tue Jun 17, 2008 9:15 am
Location: Barrie, ON, Canada
Contact:

Re: Battery cable replacement

#6

Post by Sandy »

Sinahogol wrote: Thu Mar 04, 2021 1:23 pm Thanks for the replies. Good to know this is also copper. There's no corrosion on the wire or the connections at all, might try your option Sandy. Couple of heat shrinks will be good enough for insulation you think?

Edit: actually found something called "cold shrink", seems like I can use that. Looks a bit thicker than normal heat shrink.
I've used 2 sleaves in the past.
Install one, shrink it down then slide the next one over and shrink it down.
The cable should not be touching anything negative anyway.
Don't know cold shrink.
Sinahogol
Brass Member
Brass Member
Posts: 29
Joined: Mon Jul 17, 2017 8:09 am

Re: Battery cable replacement

#7

Post by Sinahogol »

Ok, I'm going to try to find out a bit more about this cold shrink and otherwise I'll use your method. Thanks!
redglbx
Gold Member
Gold Member
Posts: 1116
Joined: Tue Jun 02, 2020 8:39 am
Location: NW Indiana,

Re: Battery cable replacement

#8

Post by redglbx »

I have done the multiple heat shrinks in a pinch along with a piece of appropriately sized fuel line cut, fit over and reglued. I have also used lawn care, garden tractor cables adapted with good results. Just need to insulate things well. Insulation is your friend along with copper wire. My .02
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
User avatar
Track T 2411
Honored Life Member
Honored Life Member
Posts: 8482
Joined: Thu May 29, 2008 9:37 pm
My Album: http://www.ngwclub.com/gallery/v/wingmans/Track+T+2411/
Location: Prairie du Sac Wisconsin

Re: Battery cable replacement

#9

Post by Track T 2411 »

https://ngwclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=59948
Here's a link that lists a PN for a John Deere lawn tractor cable that works great...
"I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein

"He that is good with a hammer tends to think everything is a nail" - Abraham Maslow

"If you can't take the time to do it right the first time, how are you ever going to find the time to do it over?" -Unknown

Current Rides:
'Grumpy' - '81 Standard, now fully dressed.
'Layla' - '81 Standard w/dealer installed fairing and Hondaline bags.
'Scarlett' '76 'Survivor' nekkid as a j-bird!

Under Construction:
The 'Jalopy' '78-'79 Mash-up
'Quikie' '81 gl1100I back on the lift, project with the step-son!

In The Shed:
'81 gl1100I barn find aka "Josie, the farmer's daughter." (almost comatose build)
'77 gl1000, roller parts bike.
'82 gl1100I, 'Old Crusty' titled roller parts bike (free!)
'82 gl1100I, My first 'Wing, and an expensive lesson!
New2U Bike? Read Me.
Sinahogol
Brass Member
Brass Member
Posts: 29
Joined: Mon Jul 17, 2017 8:09 am

Re: Battery cable replacement

#10

Post by Sinahogol »

That's great! I've got the cold shrink tube coming in first. Will try that, and if that doesn't work I'll have enough other options now. Will post the result of the cold shrink if it that's any good!
User avatar
Sidecar Bob
Honored Life Member
Honored Life Member
Posts: 7630
Joined: Sun Jun 11, 2006 10:14 pm
Location: Kawartha Lakes, Ontario

Re: Battery cable replacement

#11

Post by Sidecar Bob »

A quick search found that cold shrink is actually an insulating tube stretched over a plastic inner sleeve. You put it in place, remove the inner sleeve and the insulating tube shrinks back down to form around the wire. I can see places where that may be advantageous but I can also see places where it wouldn't be anywhere near as easy to use.
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....
Sinahogol
Brass Member
Brass Member
Posts: 29
Joined: Mon Jul 17, 2017 8:09 am

Re: Battery cable replacement

#12

Post by Sinahogol »

Sidecar Bob wrote: Fri Mar 05, 2021 1:58 pm I can see places where that may be advantageous but I can also see places where it wouldn't be anywhere near as easy to use.
Yeah, hope I can shorten the cold shrink and I'm able to pull it over connectors. Guessing it's not very flexible, but thought I'll just give it a try.
Explorer
Titanium Member
Titanium Member
Posts: 329
Joined: Sun Feb 02, 2014 1:00 pm
Location: Texas

Re: Battery cable replacement

#13

Post by Explorer »

I would remove the negative from the battery and put it back on the bike as is, to get an idea how it bends and then take it off again and try to heat shrink it into that position, heat shrink sleeving is pretty pliable until it cools right off.

Just my 2 cents.
User avatar
Sidecar Bob
Honored Life Member
Honored Life Member
Posts: 7630
Joined: Sun Jun 11, 2006 10:14 pm
Location: Kawartha Lakes, Ontario

Re: Battery cable replacement

#14

Post by Sidecar Bob »

Good point. When we built the harness that feeds the electrical stuff at the front of my 'Wing's sidecar we shrunk the parts we knew would be straight fully but left the bends a bit loose so they could be shrunk in place after installation. Of course, some of the bends in that are longer than the entire cable involved here.

BTW: I used heat shrink on my battery cables, but they aren't exactly stock (why I needed cables like this here)
Image
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....
Sinahogol
Brass Member
Brass Member
Posts: 29
Joined: Mon Jul 17, 2017 8:09 am

Re: Battery cable replacement

#15

Post by Sinahogol »

Should have gone with the heat shrink right away. The cold shrink was no success, didn't shrink enough to be tight around the wire. Description said it would shrink more, but already had a slight suspicion when the cold shrink arrived :lol:
20210309_180713.jpg
20210309_180713.jpg (123.15 KiB) Viewed 224 times
The heat shrink worked well! Thanks for the last two tips, they were really helpfull as well.
20210309_202855.jpg
20210309_202855.jpg (123.31 KiB) Viewed 224 times
20210309_203911.jpg
20210309_203911.jpg (136.28 KiB) Viewed 224 times
Post Reply
  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post

Return to “GoldWing Tech Discussions”