Ground

[TheIceCable]

86 Yammy g1...working on restoration, trying to finalize everything before I put it in the paint booth and i need help on lights and accessories. I installed a fuse block and I know to run the hot wires to it but what about grounds? where do I ground them? Run all those wires to the battery? I am installing a 3 rocker switch and usb port as well. any help would be great.

[Spicyunicorn]

Yes ground straight to battery

[TheIceCable]

So with 2 taillights, 2 markers, 2 headlights and 2 fog lights, plus usb and rocker switches...i feel like thats a whole lot of wires headed to the battery. is there a way to combine them?

[Spicyunicorn]

You could run the grounds to another fuse block then run one heavy wire from battery ground to the negative fuse block to clean it up

[sformal]

Reason: I am not sure all Yamaha are as such but, on mine (G15-A), Yamaha installed only one fuse (10A) on the ground to the frame.

[spriddle]

If you don't ground to the neg. post of the battery on a Yamaha, it will blow the 10a fuse everytime. Do not ground anything to the frame or engine. Neg post of battery only.

[cgtech]

The first thing I was taught was "forget what you know about cars, NO FRAME GROUNDS!" And I live by it in the cart world. It's so driven into my head, I do the same even on gas club cars that used frame grounds. Day 1 golf cart training = no frame grounds. It only leads to "strange problems" for you to fix.

[Rooster59]

Originally Posted by TheIceCable

86 Yammy g1...working on restoration, trying to finalize everything before I put it in the paint booth and i need help on lights and accessories. I installed a fuse block and I know to run the hot wires to it but what about grounds? where do I ground them? Run all those wires to the battery? I am installing a 3 rocker switch and usb port as well. any help would be great.

Combine the ground wires from the lights that work in tandem. Such as headlights, taillights, or markers, etc. If both headlights will be on at the same time you only need one ground wire between them. Use a grounding strap(s) or automotive type buss bar in key places like the dash if you have several sets in a common place like the dash. From the grounding strap run one very heavy ground wire to the battery. Like 8ga or other size that is capable of carrying the load you have.

I'm not totally opposed to grounding to the frame but it should be done selectively/minimally so if you have a problem you have very few places to look for the problem.

My TXT has eight switches, USB port, ignition switch, and a tach in the dash. With one grounding bar handling all grounds. Then one very heavy wire from the grounding bar to the frame. The battery is grounded to the engine and frame with large battery cables. Only three places to look for a ground problem. If any of the lights or accessories don't work due to a ground problem then none of them will be working. Easy to diagnose.

[TheIceCable]

Thanks for all the info!! So I have decided to run the front grounds to a busbar or grounding block and the rear which will be 2 wires straight to battery. On the busbar? should I put an inline fuse from it to the battery or no? Electrical is not my cup o tea. If you cant tell already LOL

[spriddle]

Originally Posted by TheIceCable

Thanks for all the info!! So I have decided to run the front grounds to a busbar or grounding block and the rear which will be 2 wires straight to battery. On the busbar? should I put an inline fuse from it to the battery or no? Electrical is not my cup o tea. If you cant tell already LOL

I'm not a big electric guy either. But, if it's a hot wire going to the battery, I FUSE it (mainly for safety).