I painted my frame with a couple filler/primer coats, a few coats of paint and 2 clear coats. I have had problems with the grounds to the frame on previous bikes due to the paint so I like to run a ground wire from an engine mount and do a central ground.
The question, after this lengthy opening is, the battery ground strap is big. Can I use 12 gauge wire for the battery ground to the engine or do I need something heavier?
cb77 ground
groundSorry, this should be in the next category.
Ground strap.No, you need to use a ground wire the same size as the main hot wire to the starter solenoid as the ground (return) wire carries the starter motor current back into the battery.
Best bet really is to take off the paint down to bare metal where the main ground strap attaches, you could always touch in the paint again over the connection. Otherwise you could put the ground connection on the other end of the engine bolt, IE against the engine not the frame, that would take care of the starter motor current and separate ground wires should cope with everything else. In my opinion separate ground (earth) wires are always worthwhile, both my bikes (a CB77 and aCL77 have lots of them but I never have any electrical problems including charging issues with otherwise standard electrical systems.
groundOK Thank you for the input.
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