headlight, taillight and ignition switch wiring questions.

section8joe

section8joe

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I posted this in the wiring diagrams thread and I felt like I was sidetracking the thread so I'm starting one here.

I have an 83 heritage specail and I'm going to try to wire it up by myself. I'm absolutely horrible with wiring but I'm gonna give it a go anyway. I'm only running a headlight/taillight and the bike will be kick only. I'm going to try to wire up the lights, ignition,and brake switches on my workbench using my battery just to make sure everything is working properly. Once everything is ok and working I'll hook everything up on the bike. I have several questions before I get started.

1. From what I'm reading I think I'm going to use 14 gauge wire. Is this heavy enough?

2. My taillight and headlight are swap meet buys and I want to make sure they work before I wire them up. Can I test them by putting the positive wire on the positive terminal on my battery? If that's not a good idea how can I test them?


3. I have a lowbrow ignition switch and I'd like to know to wire it up correctly. There are three screws on the back of the switch. They are labeled B, IG, L. How should I wire this since I'm only using a kick start?


This is the diagram I think I'm going to use.
650wiringchoppervh0.jpg

Thanks in advance guys, I appreciate the help.
 
14 gauge wire should be large enough. NEC rates 14 gauge capable of 15 amps continuous. You can test your bulbs, on the bench, using jumper wires and the battery. If your bulbs are incandescent (having filaments) then polarity is not an issue during the bench test. I'm not familiar with the ignition switch, but you should be able to use a ohmmeter to determine the contact selections at the different switch positions.
 
I have a crappy harbor freight meter but I don't know what to test for. I'm learning as I go so I apologize for the dumb questions. I found a link on using a ohm meter but I'm at work and I haven't had a chance to read it.
 
There are no dumb questions so apologies are not necessary. Again I'm not familiar with meters Harbor Freight sells. Is it a digital or analog? As with any tool better is better. (my recommendation is Fluke or Simpson but these may be outside your budget)

To test switching operations (as in "contact open" or "contact closed" set the meter (digital or analog) to the "Rx1" scale. If the contact is "closed" the analog meter will swing fully across the face of the meter. If it is a digital meter and your test is "contact closed" the meter will read "0" ohms.
 
Purplezinger said:
To test switching operations (as in "contact open" or "contact closed" set the meter (digital or analog) to the "Rx1" scale. If the contact is "closed" the analog meter will swing fully across the face of the meter. If it is a digital meter and your test is "contact closed" the meter will read "0" ohms.
Click to expand...

Ok, the headlight and tail/brake light work. Now I just need to figure out this ignition switch. My voltmeter has no RX1 scale. Where should I set the function meter?
5569665863_6b1625287f_z.jpg
 
This ohm meter section has 5 positions: Rx200, Rx2000, Rx20K, Rx200K and Rx2000K. Use the Rx200 position for "contact open or closed" tests. Some digital meters will also have an audible sound that works in conjunction with the readout. It works like this: with meter leads connected to switch leads, meter set on Rx200, operate the switch (turn it on or off or left /right, etc) when the contacts close, the readout will show "0" or some combination of 0's (0.00, 00.00) and if there is an audible it will sound. If the switch is open, the readout will show infinity and the audible will be silent.

Draw a diagram of what you find. Example: Lets say the switch has 3 wires and 2 positions. In position "1", you find the red wire to blue wire is "open" and the blue wire to black wire is "closed". Then in position "2" you find red wire to blue wire is "closed" and blue wire to black wire is "open" It is now safe to say the blue wire is "common" to the other two.
 
Thanks purplezinger, I think I have the ignition switch figured out. Now I everything into the ignition. B is for battery, L is for the lights and the IG goes to the regtifier and ingition unit.
I ran into a new problem. Keep in mind that Im working on my workbench so this is just a simulation to make sure everything works. I'm not wiring anything into the actual ignition UNIT or the charging system. I'm also using the wiring diagram below. Now, when I turn the key to ignition nothing happens. I believe this is because the ignition setting is used to start the bike with no lights. I switch to the next setting on the ignitions switch(lights) and the headlight goes on but not the taillight. Everything is hooked up to diagram specs.
I did some messing around and I found that if I turn the key back to "Ignition" and pull the rear brake switch the taillight(not the brake light) comes on. Does this problem stem from not having the ignition unit or the charging system hooked up to the ignition switch?
I hope this isnt' too confusing. Thanks in advance!

650wiringchoppervh0.jpg
 
Ok I stepped away for a few hours and I found the taillight had a bad ground:shrug:. I got everything up and running with the switch, headlight, taillight and brake switch. I have a blue dot tail/brake light. The brake light should illuminate the blue dot right? Not the taillight?
 
The blue dot usually gets illuminated from the tail-light light going through it. I don't think there is a separate filament for the dot. Kinda like a sticker on the lense.you have to be looking directly center at it to see it.
 
Should the brighter light be the tail light or the brakelight? I think I have mine reversed.

Now for my next round of questions. I think I'm going to be using 16 gauge wire for the lights and switches. What gauge should I use for the stator, pick up, ignition unit and battery? I suspect that I would need something heavier. I remember reading the "wiring diagram " thread and there was mention of 16 gauge for the lights but nothing for the charging system? I plan on using marine grade wire connectors and head shrink to finalize everything up.
Any other suggestions?
 
The bright is the brake light. Use 16 for most things, but I use 14 for the battery and charging system. Make sure you have good fuses. I use marine grade inline fuse holders. Some say blade fuses are good too, but make sure you have fuses!!!! I have one where it says to have the 20, then a 10 seperating the brakes and stop light. I am running the exact wiring diagram as above. I have signals and a horn though. It's a good diagram. See on the diagram where the brown comes up from the reg/rec and splits, left to the ignition and right to the brakes? Between the brakes and the reg/rec. Get it?
Also, get a kill switch. I have mine between where the r/w, from the coil and TCI, meet the brown out of the reg/rec.
 
The brighter light should be the brake light. Let me explain briefly US wire sizes. 12 gage wire is larger than 14 gage. 14 gage wire is larger than 16 gauge and 16 gage wire is larger than 18 gage.
#12 wire is rated for 20 amps continuous.
#14 wire is rated for 15 amps continuous.
#16 wire is rated for 10 amps continuous.
#18 wire is rated for 5 amps continuous.

There are many different insulations available and these determine the voltage ratings.
All wiring used in the automotive trade with the exception of ignition wire is low voltage rated.
Use Ohms Law to determine the amperage of the device. Then choose the next size larger wire gage.
If you are not familiar with Ohms Law I can give a brief explanation.
 
This was stolen off another site. I have never heard of Ohm's law. Pretty good analogy.

voltage is a suction
current is water
resistance is a straw

When we get thirsty, we want water (if we are REALLY thirsty, voltage is high)
Water is in a glass on the table (available current draw)
The straw is the path of lease resistance used to get current into our mouth

big straw = low resistance
small straw = high resistance
NO STRAW = no current(water) passing to voltage(mouth)


I = Current. Imagine a flow of electrons.
V = Voltage. Determines the amount 'work' an electron can do, the 'potential' to do work.
R = resistance. Determines how much resistance an electron will encounter traveling from one terminal of the battery to another.

To find voltage: V=IxR
To find current: I=V/R
To find resistance: R=V/I
 
It's also useful to know P=VI. Watts = volts x current. That will let you know how much current a 55W headlight draws, for example.
 

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