Podtronics, Shindengen, Mosfets .....installs

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I was thinking of doing the same, is there anything I should know in doing so that could trip me up?
 
Hortons Norton said:
I was thinking of doing the same, is there anything I should know in doing so that could trip me up?
Click to expand...

I did it for the sake of being able to use standard LED's. Electronic ignition wiring changes, and any solid state gizmos like flashers or warning lights must be checked. The zener must go. Other than that, you have to remember that red wires are no longer positive.
 
Every modern day reg/rec I have seen to date has a positive and negative cable, and doesn’t rely on earthing through it’s casing at all.

That makes it suitable for positive earth (Norton Commando standard) or negative earth as per modern vehicles.

I recommend that you think very carefully before you convert your bike to negative earth.
Doing so means:
1) every red cable on the bike becomes a negative wire
2) every manual and diagram out there no longer matches your bike
3) anyone that tries to help you by the roadside can no longer assist as easily, as everything is different to standard.


If the sole reason for converting is for LEDs, then considering looking at a specialist supplier like Paul Goff http://www.norbsa02.freeuk.com/ who specialises in lighting for older vehicles.

This means you can keep everything else as per the standard workshop manual.

If you are concerned about other electrical items like electronic ignitions, usb accessories etc, then fear not - just like the reg/rec units, most of these do not need to be grounded through their casings.
 
Maybe I should just stay with the positive ground as my other bikes are original, and the new wiring harness. Thanks for all the info. from you guys. I'm not that good with electrical things and hooking up red to red is easy. Thanks again, Chuck.
 
Sorry to bend your ear on that point - but I think that’s the right choice...

...even more so if you have other bikes in the shed!
 
Most of the main headlamp leds are not fussed what polarity is fed to them, they have bridge rectifier in them. It's the single led bulbs that need to be positive earth including the rear bulb.
 
When I did my conversion there were not as many polarity insensitive LEDs available. It was a big decision and it does bug me that red is now negative.
 
That's what worries me, when I did my own harness on my 72 everything went well until I hit the horn button. When I did a puff of smoke came out of the brand new left side switch gear. I thought I may be able to fix it but it melted some things in there so I had to get another one, I guess I forgot it was positive ground when I was wiring it up. Still trying to wrap my head around why they made it that way. But it would be better to leave the Norton's as they are. lol Thanks again guys. Chuck.
 
@Hortons Norton electrical engineers came up with the idea of ‘cathodic protection’

With the positive side of the battery wired to the frame it meant the copper wiring would corrode less rapidly than when wired the other way round.

I don’t know if there is any truth in it, but some say that the steel frame components are less prone to rust too.

On a bike, with the small currents and low powered batteries involved, I would think the difference is negligible to be honest.
 
Read an article that was US based that basically said over here it was GM Vs Ford thing.
In the 6v days, Fords were positive ground, GM was negative. In the 50’s when 12v became the norm, standardization grounding was implemented, GM won because of the their size at the time.
My undersandng is electrons run from negaitve to positive.
I’ve also read about the the frame becoming a cathode on positive ground. Gets a little confusing.
However, from this Layman, it seems positive ground is better.
 
It beats me how putting a current through parts of the frame in one direction is supposed to stop corrosion but current in the other direction doesn’t stop corrosion. Sounds like bullshit.
 
@Triton Thrasher when you anodise an aluminium component, why does the component get the coating, and not the tank it's in?
When you chrome something, how come the plating sticks to the component even though it's in a tank of liquid?
When you nickel plate something, how come the zinc is attracted to the part you are coating?
When you powdercoat something, how come the dry powder sticks to the product you are coating?
How can one tiny piece of zinc/magnesium alloy be stuck to the huge hull of a boat and protect it against salt water corrosion?

Isn't electricity magical stuff?!? :rolleyes:
 
Gtiller - Immerse your Commando in electrolyte and you may get great benefit from sacrificial anodes.

But back to polarity:
The battery + is connected to the back of the frame; the headlight return is connected to the front of the frame. Electrons flow into the front of the frame, out at the back of the frame, to the battery. People are saying that prevents corrosion.

Seems unlikely, but ok I’m no expert.

We go negative earth and turn the battery round and connect the - post to the back of the frame, having made the necessary rectifier changes etc. Electrons now flow into the back of the frame and out at the front, to the headlight return terminal. People say corrosion is now not prevented.

Can you see why I’m dubious?

Both negative earth and positive earth systems have been vaunted as somehow helping against corrosion.

I have owned many bikes, cars and vans with + and - earth electrics and they all rusted the same.
 
In direct current, physicists generally consider current to flow from + to - whereas in electronics, we consider it to flow from - to +. It's easy to prove to yourself that both are correct! Draw a simple circuit with a battery and light bulb. Mark the battery + and -. Starting at the battery -, follow the circuit. When you get to the battery, keep going and notice that you were going - to + and are now going + to -.

In AC current, the direction is continuously switching (60 times a second in the US, 50 times a second most other places).
 
SH775 mounted on a homemade plate which replaces the passenger peg / muffler mount inner plate.

Podtronics, Shindengen, Mosfets .....installs


Podtronics, Shindengen, Mosfets .....installs
 
negative ground , i don't have a problem with +gnd but when upgrading the wiring it just made sense for continuity sake. (my continuity) and all my norton hassles were with the ancillary electrical components which failed in the first 1.5 yrs of ownership. the shindengen was a good change.
 
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