[Rednaxs60]

Do not use a 12 VDC 3 ended plug. The "IG" terminal needs 12 VDC as does the "S" terminal. The "S" terminal is needed too so that the internal RR can adjust the power output to match the electrical system requirement.

I would not put 12 VDC directly to the "L" terminal. This is a ground terminal used with an indicator light. When used, the 12 VDC power goes to the indicator light, then from the indicator light to the "L" terminal. When you first turn the key on with an indicator light installed the light will be on. When you start the engine and the alternator starts producing power, the indicator light will go off.

As mentioned in my previous post, take a wire from the battery positive terminal to the alternator "IG" terminal, this can be split and connected to the "S" terminal as well. Take the old sense wire from the RR - black in colour - and connect this wire to the "S" terminal. This black wire is at the end of this wire circuit and comes directly from the ignition switch so it will indicate what the electrical system voltage is and the alternator will compensate accordingly. It's better sometimes to remove what is there and install new.

The alternator will work with only the "IG" terminal connected to 12 VDC, but will not work properly - BTDT. This alternator needs to have the "S" terminal connected, otherwise the alternator internal RR has no reference for the power output, in other words it's a crap shoot what you get.

Good luck

 

[ScubaAdkins]

Interesting wiring. My preference would be to get rid of that red wire going to the travel computer connector. Use the sense wire from the original OEM RR - the black wire. This wire is switched and will provide adequate 12 VDC power to the alternator. I would remove the original RR to give you some room. Another option is to use the black sense wire on the "S" terminal and route a wire from the positive battery terminal to the "IG" terminal - 18 gauge wire is good for this. We can discuss an indicator light later if you like.

The stator wires at the RR connector appear to be cut, remove this connector. The larger RR connector with the red, green and one black wire - this black wire is the one I mention as the sense wire, should be disconnected. When you disconnect this connector, the red/white wire in the connector that is part of the wiring harness will still be live at all times. Make sure you protect it from touching anything.

Find the ends of the yellow stator wires that have been cut. Terminate these so that they are protected from touching any part of the bike.

Does the alternator out wire go directly to the battery? Is it an 8 gauge wire size minimum? You can probably use 10 gauge wire, but I use 8 gauge.

What are the other white wires for. Trace these as well. Don't need any surprises.

Did you start the engine and check the battery voltage yet?

Good luck.

I'm going to post some better pics of these things your asking about.
The regulator rectifier has red sticker on it in last picture. The 3 yellow wires from stator has been previously cut & tapped up.

As far as I can tell the original RR is still mounted & wired. & the single wire looks white that comes from alternator runs to single 15a inline fuse & then wrapped in red tape & feeds into the harness wires. & doesn’t actually run into white plug, which plugs into the underside of travel computer on top of faux gas tank.

Those other wires are speaker wires two whites & green. I’ll take better pics & label the ones I know. So I can try one your methods without creating more problems for myself. Thank you.

 

[ScubaAdkins]

Interesting wiring. My preference would be to get rid of that red wire going to the travel computer connector. Use the sense wire from the original OEM RR - the black wire. This wire is switched and will provide adequate 12 VDC power to the alternator. I would remove the original RR to give you some room. Another option is to use the black sense wire on the "S" terminal and route a wire from the positive battery terminal to the "IG" terminal - 18 gauge wire is good for this. We can discuss an indicator light later if you like.

The stator wires at the RR connector appear to be cut, remove this connector. The larger RR connector with the red, green and one black wire - this black wire is the one I mention as the sense wire, should be disconnected. When you disconnect this connector, the red/white wire in the connector that is part of the wiring harness will still be live at all times. Make sure you protect it from touching anything.

Find the ends of the yellow stator wires that have been cut. Terminate these so that they are protected from touching any part of the bike.

Does the alternator out wire go directly to the battery? Is it an 8 gauge wire size minimum? You can probably use 10 gauge wire, but I use 8 gauge.

What are the other white wires for. Trace these as well. Don't need any surprises.

Did you start the engine and check the battery voltage yet?

Good luck.

yellow marked wire battery to alternator, red mark original single wire from alternator plug to singleinline fuse & connected white wire w/blue strip into harness plug to trip computer. Blue marks speaker or Stero wires. White circle is where 3 yellow stator wires have been boned off by previous owners. And the regulator rectifier is still hooked up or so it appears. Hope this helps with clearing the wires. Figured more info you had better help you could probably give. Thanks for comments. I havnt got try your suggestions yet.

 

[Rednaxs60]

yellow marked wire battery to alternator, red mark original single wire from alternator plug to singleinline fuse & connected white wire w/blue strip into harness plug to trip computer. Blue marks speaker or Stero wires. White circle is where 3 yellow stator wires have been boned off by previous owners. And the regulator rectifier is still hooked up or so it appears. Hope this helps with clearing the wires. Figured more info you had better help you could probably give. Thanks for comments. I havnt got try your suggestions yet.

Interesting wiring. I'd remove all the add on wiring, mark what it is for as you may want to hook it up again.

These '85 Limited Edition FI models only need less than 30 amps to operate, a 40 amp alternator is more than sufficient. The stator produced a maximum of approximately 35 amps.

The alternator output wire to the battery is good, only need 8 gauge. I like to use marine grade wire for this as it is more supple than standard automotive wire - bends nicely. I would use as I mentioned a wire from the battery positive terminal to the "IG" terminal and the black sense wire from the original RR for the "S" terminal.

Another option is to replace the alternator with a one wire alternator. This is an alternator that only has a power out connection that doubles as the sense wire and power to the alternator. Simplifies wiring.

Once you get the alternator/power generation fixed, then we could discuss the additional wiring requirements. I'm a fan of installing an accessory fuse block and not splicing into the original wiring harness/electrical system. Simplifies troubleshooting and reduces/eliminates issues. I have my accessory fuse block in the trunk. It is a combined power/ground fuse block powered through a relay. If you want a complete unit that has the relay, and power/ground bus integrated check out the Fuzeblock FZ-1, nice compact unit with 6 circuits that can be switched or not.

If you do add an accessory fuse block, power to the alternator for an indicator light, "S" and "IG" terminals can come from the new fuse block.

I had a bit of a wiring rats nest to contend with, mostly my doing that I cleaned up over the last year. Attached pics - before/after: I use the expandable wire sleeve - I like the black with the red inlay, to keep everything together and I know what I have done and what is not OEM.

My '85 Limited Edition is my retirement project, and I have not finished everything I want to do to it.

Good luck.

 

[ScubaAdkins]

Thank you so much for takin time to discuss this stuff. Nice to hear your an LTD guy too. Thanks for pics. How long you been workin on your 85? Eventually mine will get there. Organized, clean, & gone through like your pics. I’ll let ya know what happens next. Lol

 

[Rednaxs60]

No worries. Sometimes best to remove the old wiring that has been added by others and start fresh. Hard trying to troubleshoot issues that are not your doing.

Still have some issues to deal with and will sort these out. Been working on the old girl since I bought it in 2015. A little at a time, last year was an exception. My work/maintenance philosophy is to decide what I'm going to do, keep it to a 2 week window - rotten weather makes the working more palatable, do the work/maintenance, enjoy the ride - repeat as necessary.

 

[ScubaAdkins]

Ok so I finally got the time to mess with the bike a little & decided before I start splicing wires & creating more issues for myself because of my novice experience with goldwing wiring & already havin bought the new alternator $130, I decided I’d just pull the alternator off & run it in to Autozone for test just to be sure that it wasn’t the problem or I inadvertently fried it some how & take advantage of it being under warranty.

Turns out the alternator was bad.
Not sure if was something I did? Or was bad from get go? So once I get the new alternator hopefully I’ll be ridding again if I’m not to paranoid to wire it up in fear of frying it, if it was something I did wrong first go around?

I’ve learned a great deal this far about the bikes wiring thanks to you guys. I’m very grateful for each of you that responded & tried to help my issue.