Podtronics ground wiring

I recently purchased a Podtronics POD-1P-1HP unit which I am now in the process of installing. My question relates to the wiring connections for the unit. My bike is a 1974 Norton Commando (ie. Positive ground).

The wiring of the Podtronics unit is pretty straight-forward: the two yellow wires on the Podtronics unit go to the green/yellow and white/green wires on the cycle's wiring harness and the black wire on the Podtronics unit goes to the brown/blue wire on the cycle's wiring harness.

My question relates to the red wire on the Podtronics unit. I understand that this red wire has to go to ground. My issue is how to get that wire to ground. The red wires that went to the old stock four pin rectifier were connected to the centre pin on the old rectifier by means of an insulated female connector which slipped over the male centre pin on the rectifier. I can attach a new male connector to the red wire from the Podtronics unit and then just connect the red wire from the Podtronics unit with its new male connector to the existing red wire from the cycle's wiring harness with its female connector.

My problem is I'm not sure if connecting the red Podtornics wire directly to the existing red wires from the stock cycle wiring harness in this manner will achieve the required grounding or if the new red wire from the Podtronics unit and the existing red wires that used to go to the old rectifier both have to be grounded directly to the frame.

Any advice would be appreciated.

I would connect to battery.

battery

Just my 2 cents but when I installed my Podtronics I did not use the harness. I ran the yellow wires directly to the alternator wires and used a WeatherPac connector. Then ran the red and black directly to the battery with a fuse in the black wire (positive earth system).

Pete

Using the frame as a ground isn't the best idea, especially if you consider the pathway (gauntlet) an electron must travel when attempting to make a complete circuit between the headlight and tail light. The harness has a pretty nice ground loop (red wires). Attaching the Pod's red wire to any red harness wire will be just fine, electrically they are all the same.

RoadScholar said:

Using the frame as a ground isn't the best idea, especially if you consider the pathway (gauntlet) an electron must travel when attempting to make a complete circuit between the headlight and tail light. The harness has a pretty nice ground loop (red wires). Attaching the Pod's red wire to any red harness wire will be just fine, electrically they are all the same.

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RoadScholar, thanks for the input. There are two red wires that were connected to the old rectifier. If I connect the red wire from the new Podtroncs unit to them I think should be OK.

WEM said:

RoadScholar, thanks for the input. There are two red wires that were connected to the old rectifier. If I connect the red wire from the new Podtroncs unit to them I think should be OK.

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If you think polarity rather than ground it may seem more straight forward.

Connect to the nearest red wire, they all lead back to the battery +ve terminal, do not attempt to use the frame, it is connected but unreliable especially for the charging circuit.