Electrical / Ground ?

[jiggerk]

I recently added a set of clearance lights to the rear of my cart a 2000 G-16 as tail lights, also a horn. Everything worked well in the garage. When I went for a spin and I blew the horn the horn stopped working, Also the tail lights went out, When I hit the horn button now the tail lights come on, also the engine almost would not start. I grounded the rear light onto the sweater basket. I am assuming this is a ground issue, Do I need to ground the tail lights to the battery like my head lights ?

[sho305]

Yes. The body/frame is not grounded on these, so when you ground it goes back through the engine ignition ground and things like that. You can ground the frame, though some say not a good idea. I had to because my lights have no ground they bolt on to metal. You can blow the cart fuses check those. You have to supply a ground one way or another, and if your ground goes bad it will do this again. The cart wiring is pretty small to handle any current, also note the engine cradle is not part of the frame, and the battery wires go to the cradle mostly. Get a ground going for them you will be all set. I'm not sure why they don't ground the frame on these, if it is a corrosion issue or the fact that they have no reason to because nothing electric is on the frame.

[jiggerk]

So I can run a ground off of the negative side of the battery ? Maybe put a terminal block together like the hot one ?

[sho305]

Sure. You should run both hot/ground to battery for any accessory just like a boat. Its only the lights that have no ground you kind of have to ground the frame then....but its better not to use frame for ground. All the yamaha are like this far as I know.

With some things that don't take too much power, you might cheat an hook up where the batt cables end at the generator. But even 55w lights are taking a fair amount of power one would have to find out what size that cable is. It might be too much to start it with the lights on.

[jiggerk]

Great thanx for the help. I ran a seperate ground fromthe horn and tail lights, everything works. Now I have a problem when I turn the ignition key on and give it gas to go forward it will run, But when I put it in reverse the alarm is loud and upon moving in reverse the alarm will soften in volume then when stopping to put in forward the cart will not run. turn key off and back on OK, stop the cart to put in reverse no run ! turn key off/on put in forward will run !! And back and forth. What did I SCREW UP in the ignition, is there a breaker or something that keeps resetting ? Please help ?