[mkldl]

1984 GL 1200 Aspencade. It has been a great runner. Kentucky Bourbon run and back and Bute Montana and back. Have made many improvements. Enough history for now.
Started it and came right up and ran fine and after a bit of running around town (without any problems) came back to the house and let it sit and cool down.
Went back out to start it again to go to local hardware store and I got nothing. No lights, no dash nothing. Covers off I found the following.
Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Sprocketrocket55]

Typical, cut the small red and the red/white wire and splice in an inline 30 amp fuse holder. The back 2 wires run the start solenoid, leave them alone. Solder and shrink tube are best.

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[CrystalPistol]

Exactly why Honda updated the plug in the 1980s (or early 90s) in a update kit. The internal connection in the solenoid is simply paralleled with a jumper in the new plug kit so that power to run the bike doesn't all have to go through that plug twice. I posted a picture here below, but what the mod did was add a jumper (I colored it blue) between red/white wire and the red wire. Then the only load through the plug connections related to those wires was ignition switch to energize the solenoid. OEM had all current like for lights, etc running through that plug, which often melted them like yours. Red/white is power from regulator/rectifier, red is power to ignition switch and rest of bike. The bike will run once started with a blown 30 amp fuse, but it needs that 30 amp fuse to initiate the start solenoid by the start button which gets power from the ignition switch.

All that 30 amp fuse is intended to do is protect bike wiring from the battery if shorted. If that 30 amp dog bone fuse cracked while riding, you did not know it until you next hit the start button.

Resistance at those two connections + current to run the bike = heat & a melted plug. This modification adds an alternate & redundant path for the current once started which reduces heat & eliminates the melting.

I think the kit now leaves the red wire in place, but ties the red/white to it before the plug. The solid red wire provides current to the ignition switch and start button so there is something there to activate the solenoid when the switch is in "run" and the start button is pressed.

 

[Sprocketrocket55]

Correction, I just checked my GL1200 and I ran a hot wire from battery to fuse and red and red white together to the fuse's other side.

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[redwing52]

As Sprocket said above. Buy a heavy duty fuse holder with at leasr #14 wire. Take the red/ white the red and one end of the fuse holder and make a good splice. Take the other end of the fuse holder and connect it to the big battery cable connection on the solenoid. It should have a "B" and the battery cable coming from battery positive. Don't forget the 30 amp fuse.If the yellow/red and green/red look OK you can leave them alone. If they look bad replace them as needed. There will be no need for the fuse in the solenoid and the 2 wires closest to the fuse will no longer do anything.

 

[roscoepc]

Welcome to the Site!! Try this.. I did mine back in 2007 and no problems since....

 

[mkldl]

Thanks to all for the replies! Unfortunately there are no more Radio Shack around anymore (I miss them). Sprocketrocket55 awesome detail. Some background. I did install EC kit several years ago and it has been no issues since. Just wondering if there is a 2020 solution to this issue?

 

[Bryanlj]

You can get fuse holders like that on ebay, probably 10 for the price of 1 from radioshak

 

[DaveO430]

You can get fuse holders like that on ebay, probably 10 for the price of 1 from radioshak

Or any parts store.

 

[redwing52]

Thanks to all for the replies! Unfortunately there are no more Radio Shack around anymore (I miss them). Sprocketrocket55 awesome detail. Some background. I did install EC kit several years ago and it has been no issues since. Just wondering if there is a 2020 solution to this issue?

Roscoe has the solution. Heavy wire, solder and shrink the splices. No butt connector and if you crimp the terminal for the "B" connection solder the wire end first and crimp it tight. Problem solved forever....maybe. 😎

 

[roscoepc]

Radio Shack just happened to be close by at the time.. One thing is though, Make sure the holder is rated for 30 amps!!!!

 

[mkldl]

Thanks all for the great responses. Honda wants $90 for a OEM replacement part. Might go for it. Just wondering if going this work around is better than original. Do I also have a wiring issue, or this just a failed Honda design that will burn up the new one (if I buy it) again.

 

[DaveO430]

Thanks all for the great responses. Honda wants $90 for a OEM replacement part. Might go for it. Just wondering if going this work around is better than original. Do I also have a wiring issue, or this just a failed Honda design that will burn up the new one (if I buy it) again.

It's just age & the one you had is not original.

 

[Bike...and Dennis]

When Honda replaced mine (under warranty) they zip-tied the new plug in place.
I assume so it wouldn't move around and loosen up.

 

[CrystalPistol]

Roscoe has the solution. Heavy wire, solder and shrink the splices. No butt connector and if you crimp the terminal for the "B" connection solder the wire end first and crimp it tight. Problem solved forever....maybe. 😎

I like to crimp, then solder the crimp too.

 

[CrystalPistol]

Thanks all for the great responses. Honda wants $90 for a OEM replacement part. Might go for it. Just wondering if going this work around is better than original. Do I also have a wiring issue, or this just a failed Honda design that will burn up the new one (if I buy it) again.

KIT 32110-ML8-305 is the kit number. I posted an explanation of why Honda changed it, I even included a schematic. Upgrade kit includes instructions & connectors. Once "running loads" are taken off that connector's contacts, there'll be no melting from heat.

 

[redwing52]

I like to crimp, then solder the crimp too.

I agree but most of the crimp terminals are aluminum and I am too lazy to run all oner trying to get a copper terminal. You can't solder copper to aluminum so for me this is the next best thing.

 

[CrystalPistol]

I agree but most of the crimp terminals are aluminum and I am too lazy to run all oner trying to get a copper terminal. You can't solder copper to aluminum so for me this is the next best thing.

Really? Aluminum crimp terminals? I don't recall seeing those. I see copper, brass, tinned steel even, but don't recall encountering aluminum. Must be a regional or supplier thing there locally. I can solder about any I can find.

If I ever did find and use aluminum, I would coat with a compound for aluminum wire to copper terminals like in home wiring … & no solder. I don't know what's in those black ones in the Honda kit above, (likely steel) but I wouldn't use them anyway.

 

[AZgl1800]

Been using crimp terminals since 1958 and everyone that I have tried to solder took solder and flowed just like copper.

I seriously doubt that aluminum is used for crimp terminals on small gauge wires

1. the metals are dissimilar from copper, steel, brass which will cause corrosion
2. Aluminum is too soft to retain the pressure of a crimp joint.