[barenekd]

My lights were miserably dim from new due to a great voltage drop from the battery to the headlight. I could never find the source of the drop and finally got tired of looking, so I ran a hot wire from the battery to a couple of relays and attached those to the switches. Now I have from pretty awesome lights.
Bare

[LarsBloodbeard]

This thread has shown many interesting variations of battery position in different bikes. On my G5 the battery terminals face towards the outside - with Negative Terminal close to starter solenoid (pardon me Relay  ). 

Is it 'solenoid' or is it 'relay' ? From what I have read, 'Solenoid' carries much higher current required for starter motor as compared to 'Relay' which is used for smaller current devices such as lights.

Also 'Relay' may be a solid state unit without moving parts.

Perhaps it is like 'Fettuccine' vs. 'Linguini' - depends on its size.

FWIW, it's not one vs the other, a starter solenoid is a type of relay.  Technically, the "solenoid" is just the electromagnetic plunger that operates the mechanical relay.  The correct term is actually "solenoid relay" but being human and lazy we all abbreviate everything, and "solenoid" it is.

[Ducati Scotty]

They're so big they won't fit in most crimping tools.  If you want to do it the proper way you need to get a small press just for these kinds of things, $20-25.
http://www.delcity.net/store/Heavy-Duty-Hammer-Crimper/p_10383.r_IF1003?gclid=CJag4crl77MCFRRbnAodkgYAQw

I'm planning a squeeze with a Vice-Grip, then maybe put a large flat head screw driver on it and give a couple of whacks with a hammer. 

Scott

[Arizoni]

Nothing like a whack or two with a good hammer to get things attention.

[Ducati Scotty]

C'mon, there are ten in the pack.  You can kill one or two

[LarsBloodbeard]

I'm planning a squeeze with a Vice-Grip, then maybe put a large flat head screw driver on it and give a couple of whacks with a hammer.

That's a completely legit method.  Except use a punch instead of a screwdriver.  It'll hold in place better.

[Arizoni]

I've installed connectors like that to some fairly large wiring and found that the crimper pliers that are sold at a pretty low cost will work to crimp them without a problem.

The only catch is that rather than just putting the tool on and squeezing it you need to put it on and squeeze it part way, then rotate it about 80-110 degrees and squeeze it the rest of the way.
This makes it tighter than a knats a$$ stretched over a rain-barrel.

[gremlin]

They're so big they won't fit in most crimping tools.  If you want to do it the proper way you need to get a small press just for these kinds of things, $20-25.
http://www.delcity.net/store/Heavy-Duty-Hammer-Crimper/p_10383.r_IF1003?gclid=CJag4crl77MCFRRbnAodkgYAQw

I'm planning a squeeze with a Vice-Grip, then maybe put a large flat head screw driver on it and give a couple of whacks with a hammer. 

Scott

Or, you could just solder it ......

[Ducati Scotty]

Not really.  It's a bad idea to solder big wires that take a lot of current.  If they get hot the solder melts, spills liquid metal on things, and the wire can fall out of the connector if that's all that was holding it.  To make things worse, even a small amount of solder past the connector makes the wire rigid at that point and it can flex and break right there.

I do plan to solder but just a bit.  You need to crimp first to make sure you have a dead solid mechanical connection.  I think then I'm just going to put the tiniest bit on the terminal end, not enough to even bleed out to the wire end of the connector.  This is just to help combat corrosion and keep a solid contact.

Scott

[gremlin]

@ SCOTT

Yep I'll concede that point.  soldering is a skill, and, not well suited to superflex wires or those with less than robust insulation.

I have not inspected my battery wires yet, but, I suspect they may be insulated with a low grade PVC .... 

I humbly ask to retract my previous suggestion.

[Ducati Scotty]

Why?  Lots of people just learned something.  Ain't that why we're here?

[LarsBloodbeard]

Yep, it's a good point to bring up.  Soldering a battery cable may seem like a good idea to many people.

[GreenMachine]

right..next we'll have someone cad weld the cables right to the post...Lol...