Honda-SOHC

SOHC.co.uk Forums => CB500/550 => Topic started by: Neilw on April 30, 2026, 06:28:35 PM

Title: Earthing Rear Indicator
Post by: Neilw on April 30, 2026, 06:28:35 PM
I've purchased an after market rear indicator and there is no earth. The wiring diagram shows an earth and live.

Can i attach an earth to the position next to the bulb?
Title: Re: Earthing Rear Indicator
Post by: Oddjob on April 30, 2026, 06:39:39 PM
Yes, it’s where Honda attach to when they fit an earth.
Title: Re: Earthing Rear Indicator
Post by: McCabe-Thiele (Ted) on April 30, 2026, 09:14:40 PM
I would attach an earth wire even though some modern lights use a conductive plastic  paint/ layer instead.

My old Vauxhall Carlton used to blow bulbs regularly, the poor contact on the reflector would make bulbs blacken after a few months. I ended up putting an earth wire on both rear lamps to fix the issue.

Title: Re: Earthing Rear Indicator
Post by: Bryanj on April 30, 2026, 11:23:20 PM
The earth is actually through the casing, the mount and to frame
Title: Re: Earthing Rear Indicator
Post by: Neilw on May 01, 2026, 09:24:24 AM
The earth is actually through the casing, the mount and to frame

The wiring diagram shows the earth going to a three way earth connector, which is what i was intending to attach it to. I guess eventually it grounds to the frame or engine?
Title: Re: Earthing Rear Indicator
Post by: Bryanj on May 01, 2026, 12:10:01 PM
Whose wiring diagram?
Title: Re: Earthing Rear Indicator
Post by: Oddjob on May 01, 2026, 01:20:03 PM
The 500 has both earth and feed Bryan. The earth is riveted to the mount on the rear and you can easily miss it being there. The 550f had them attached to the bulb mount screw, a much better system.
Title: Re: Earthing Rear Indicator
Post by: Bryanj on May 01, 2026, 03:36:55 PM
There is only 1 wire on all the 500 rear indicators i have and 2 on the US front ones, 1 on the UK ones.
There is a short ground wire fronm the bulb holder to one of the holder mounts from memory as some bulb holders are rubber mounted.

There was a ground wire riveted to the back of the steel mounting that the head mounted to
Title: Re: Earthing Rear Indicator
Post by: Neilw on May 01, 2026, 04:10:20 PM
Whose wiring diagram?

I have the 550 f2, wiring diagrams in Haynes and also Hondas.Orange and Green cables from the left and Green and Light Blue for the right.
Title: Re: Earthing Rear Indicator
Post by: Sesman on May 03, 2026, 08:02:24 AM
As long as you are using the correct shouldered mounting bolt and rubber mountings the earth will be just fine through the frame. I too have used those aftermarket market indicators using the single wire/bolt ground with no problems.