TCI exposure to elements

I am trying to relocate my TCI box, bike has been heavily modified, but where I want to place it will be completely exposed to the weather. The box's look pretty cheap and I am afraid if it's not protected it will get fried if it is exposed to rain!

Tuck it under the seat

Pop the cover look inside, you are right they are not water proof at all.
They don't like vibration either, why they were bolted to the rubber mounted battery box frame.
PS never weld on the bike when the TCI is on or even near the bike.

They're amazingly water resistant where they normally live. They're usually nice and shiny inside. There's a curved plastic sheet in there that's probably supposed to drain moisture away. If I was going to mount totally in the open, I'd probably seal it with real sticky tape around where it opens, and have the wires come out to the rear.

Bushyeyed1 said:

Tuck it under the seat

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Would be a great consideration if it wasn't a spring seat that was constantly flexing.

gggGary said:

Pop the cover look inside, you are right they are not water proof at all.
They don't like vibration either, why they were bolted to the rubber mounted battery box frame.
PS never weld on the bike when the TCI is on or even near the bike.

Click to expand...

Yes, I did pop it, after posting this and realized it was a huge POS. I might be better off going with points otherwise there isn't much protection. I am thinking of using a potting compound that should seal it from the elements, just kind of pricey is all.

xjwmx said:

They're amazingly water resistant where they normally live. They're usually nice and shiny inside. There's a curved plastic sheet in there that's probably supposed to drain moisture away. If I was going to mount totally in the open, I'd probably seal it with real sticky tape around where it opens, and have the wires come out to the rear.

Click to expand...

Great option but like I said there it is heavily modified and there isn't much stock left especially not "where they normally live".


It will be exposed to the elements whether or not that is the best option, I was trying to figure out how to best protect it, which is probably a potting compound or just switching to points.

Well if you can’t tuck it under the seat then get points and chuck it in the trash; jokes.

Reminds me of 10 yrs ago when the philosophy was cut everything off that's NOT garbage and throw it in the trash.

The TCI looks like it was soldered by an underpaid, child in Cambodia, hell the plastic box its in is unnecessarily massive compared to the board. The traces on the board look very thin and fragile with porosity, not sure how that wouldn't qualify as garbage. Points are cheap, readily available, and simple. I have had bikes with points that I didn't have to adjust for 10,000 miles and its so simple you can adjust and swap them on the side of the road in just a couple minutes. The only real up side to electronic ignition is they are programmable,not this POS TCI unless I am not aware of something, and no maintenance which in my book is offset by the pure cost. Good luck finding a replacement ignition on the side of the road you will have to order one. $10 any day of the week for a new set of points at almost any parts store. I am probably going to pot the board into the overly burdensome box which should protect it no matter where it is on the bike and if it fries I will switch to points because I refuse to shell out serious coin to replace "garbage". Has anyone tried potting one of these TCI's????

Please just sell your tci on ebay and use the money to buy points. You'll be happy with points, and you won't have done anything crazy to a tci.