I'm wrapping up my 277 motor build, and just trying to make sure I have the pamco wired up properly. I've touched on it in a few other threads, but not specific to the pamco. I think I've got the just of getting the PMA and Capacitor all wired in correctly, but I'm not 100% certain on the Pamco. My question is, The two green wires (one from each pickup) from the Pamco should connect to their respective coils, however the two red wires from the Pamco and the two red wires from the coils will all connect (all 4) from there, those 4 will be wired to a kill switch and a 7.5 amp fuse, and on to my source of power, in this case coming from the + side of the capacitor. Is this correct? The main thing I'm trying to make sure is that all 4 red wires, pamco and coils will all become common? I'm guessing the power will be sent to the Pamco and the coils thru the red wires, and the green wire is used to complete the circuit and "fire" the coil... I'm just trying to understand how the system works. Any insight much appreciated. I did search for some wiring diagrams, but the 277 ones I can find only show ONE red wire from the pamco, which is why I have concluded that all 4 reds become common. Also I did email Pete, but I'm sure he's busy with the Holiday weekend and all. Thanks in advance.
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277 Pamco Wiring
- Thread starter RCGRT
- Start date
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- Tags
- electrical
pamcopete
Ride.Enjoy.Life is Simple
RCCRT,
You are correct with that description of the wiring. However, I always recommend that you power the PAMCO from a stand alone battery that is not connected to the PMA regulator for the first start for the following reasons:
1. If the PMA fails to produce any voltage, the engine wont start.
2. You have to have the engine running to troubleshoot the PMA.
3. It's possible for the PMA regulator to produce a high Voltage due to incorrect installation and that high Voltage (20+ V) will fry the PAMCO.
4. The PMA may produce a low voltage and the engine will fart and snort but will not start, or starts and runs very rough.
The simplest way to power the PAMCO if you have already wired it up is top just leave the kill switch off and jumper the positive of the battery to the red wires and the negative to the frame of the bike. Do not leave it powered this way for very long with the engine not running as you could fry the coil.
You are correct with that description of the wiring. However, I always recommend that you power the PAMCO from a stand alone battery that is not connected to the PMA regulator for the first start for the following reasons:
1. If the PMA fails to produce any voltage, the engine wont start.
2. You have to have the engine running to troubleshoot the PMA.
3. It's possible for the PMA regulator to produce a high Voltage due to incorrect installation and that high Voltage (20+ V) will fry the PAMCO.
4. The PMA may produce a low voltage and the engine will fart and snort but will not start, or starts and runs very rough.
The simplest way to power the PAMCO if you have already wired it up is top just leave the kill switch off and jumper the positive of the battery to the red wires and the negative to the frame of the bike. Do not leave it powered this way for very long with the engine not running as you could fry the coil.
Pete,
That was quick! I shot you an email, probly got lost in the world of spam.
Ok, thanks, I just wanted to make sure all 4 of those red wires do become common at some point in the system. I will make sure to initially fire it with the pamco running off of a battery, while I check voltage from the PMA in the rest of the circuits, headlight, tail light, and the ignition circuit as well.
Any ideas on whats best to "distribute" the voltage from that ONE wire?
A small fuse block? Terminal block of some kind? Joining all 3 circuits to that one wire doesn't seem like the best way to do it.
Thanks a lot for all the help!
That was quick! I shot you an email, probly got lost in the world of spam.
Ok, thanks, I just wanted to make sure all 4 of those red wires do become common at some point in the system. I will make sure to initially fire it with the pamco running off of a battery, while I check voltage from the PMA in the rest of the circuits, headlight, tail light, and the ignition circuit as well.
Any ideas on whats best to "distribute" the voltage from that ONE wire?
A small fuse block? Terminal block of some kind? Joining all 3 circuits to that one wire doesn't seem like the best way to do it.
Thanks a lot for all the help!
Well I've got most of it wired up. Sorry I don't have a way to post a diagram, but I followed one of the very basic one from this forum. I'd like to just throw out what I found as I used a meter to check continuity between everything that I thought should be connected. The first check was from green wire at pamco cylinder #1(at the circuit board) to its respective coil green wire. Check! Same for cylinder #2 check! Then I went from cylinder #1 at pamco to cylinder #2 coil green wire just to verify that they are separate.... And what do ya know, there's continuity there as well...initially I did the 
and scratch my head... Well from the best I can make of it, the reason for this is that the two red wires from each coil are connected, as well as the two reds from the pamco, which I'm assuming ties the two coils together and allows continuity between any green or red wire anywhere in the ignition circuit.... If anyone happens to read this and can verify what I found that would be great. I also found that you cannot check continuity from either side of that capacitor. I hope I didn't fry it flipping the meter leads around and trying to figure out why it would show connected one time and not the very next time...
and scratch my head... Well from the best I can make of it, the reason for this is that the two red wires from each coil are connected, as well as the two reds from the pamco, which I'm assuming ties the two coils together and allows continuity between any green or red wire anywhere in the ignition circuit.... If anyone happens to read this and can verify what I found that would be great. I also found that you cannot check continuity from either side of that capacitor. I hope I didn't fry it flipping the meter leads around and trying to figure out why it would show connected one time and not the very next time...
pamcopete
Ride.Enjoy.Life is Simple
RCGT,
Right again! The path for continuity from green wire to green wire is through each primary to the common red wire on the other terminal of the coil.
Checking the capacitor with a meter is not going to hurt the capacitor because the available current from the meter is very small. However, for future reference, on most meters, the positive voltage is the negative test lead and the negative voltage is the positive test lead when in the Ohms scale. I have one very old and reliable Simpson Model 60 meter that does the right thing and reverses the voltage to make it easier when checking diodes and such, but I still get screwed up because that is the only meter in my collection that "does the right thing". Kind of a metaphor for life...God protect us from people who insist on doing the right thing...
Right again! The path for continuity from green wire to green wire is through each primary to the common red wire on the other terminal of the coil.
Checking the capacitor with a meter is not going to hurt the capacitor because the available current from the meter is very small. However, for future reference, on most meters, the positive voltage is the negative test lead and the negative voltage is the positive test lead when in the Ohms scale. I have one very old and reliable Simpson Model 60 meter that does the right thing and reverses the voltage to make it easier when checking diodes and such, but I still get screwed up because that is the only meter in my collection that "does the right thing". Kind of a metaphor for life...God protect us from people who insist on doing the right thing...
RCGT,
Right again! The path for continuity from green wire to green wire is through each primary to the common red wire on the other terminal of the coil.
Checking the capacitor with a meter is not going to hurt the capacitor because the available current from the meter is very small. However, for future reference, on most meters, the positive voltage is the negative test lead and the negative voltage is the positive test lead when in the Ohms scale. I have one very old and reliable Simpson Model 60 meter that does the right thing and reverses the voltage to make it easier when checking diodes and such, but I still get screwed up because that is the only meter in my collection that "does the right thing". Kind of a metaphor for life...God protect us from people who insist on doing the right thing...
Pete,
Thanks, Well I'm glad I was able to somewhat figure out what was going on. Other than that, it's pretty much buttoned up. Next step I guess is to put some gas in the carbs and try and fire it up... hopefully the PMA works properly... I was thinking I could check the PMA at my terminal after the cap and main fuse, and maybe at the headlight feed, and ignition feed as well, anywhere after the cap I should be getting proper voltage I believe...I'll report my progress and try and get some pictures up as soon as I can...
Thanks again!
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