No thermoplastic switches. No nylon switches.

Thank you again. You guys are more helpfull that the people in England i called today, 9574 switches in stock & not 1 to suit me!

MFolks wrote: MS24523-22 SPST Toggle Switch
www.alliedelec.com/search/productdetail.aspx?SKU=6422180

Is this one ok for the run/kill switch (to power the coils)? It's 15A & i think Lou recommended 20A.

If i can get an off-on-(on) i might wire it to power up the coil & the momentary on to kick the starter motor in.

I'd still think you'd need a starter solenoid(big,heavy duty relay) as the current to turn the engine over might "Smoke" the electrical cotacts. A momentary(spring loaded) contact switch would work for starting cicuits.

Oh im still planning to keep the starter solenoid. The thing is the small concealed push type switches i have for activating it are rated @ 1 Amp. Lou told me to measure the resistance across the small solenoid connecting wires, it it was more than 12-Ohms the 1A switch would be ok, it turned out to be 3.6-ohms though so the 1A switch isn't enough.

My idea's are changing regularly but at the minute im thinking of having a 15-20A OFF-ON-(mom)ON on the right bar as a coil activation switch & starter switch. On the left bar im hoping to get away with a 3A momentary push switch for the horn & an ON-ON (or OFF-ON-ON/ON-OFF-ON) switch for the lights.....that depends on what switch i use between the battery & starter solenoid & power for the rest of the stuff (like an isolator). I may simply wire it with a 3 stage switch with off-ignition-ignition & lights or off & just ignition. that will determine the type of switch used on the left bar.

For low current wiring, maybe 18 gauge will work, but for higher currents, at least 16 or 14 gauge will be needed. Use the correct crimping tools for the electrical terminals:

www.pbase.com/mainecruising/wire_termination
(The Good, Bad, & Ugly Wire Crimpers)

Okay......well in the 1st pic in your link i have 2 pairs of the ones on the very right. A pair for insulated terminals (which i bought 1st & realised i needed the others) & a pair for non insulated terminals. I also got some decent wire strippers as the last time i stripped wire with my teeth a crown flew out & it cost me £250 :woohoo: , wire strippers were less expensive!

Something i need to ask as i've read some problems people are having. I'm installing an LED tail/stop light, will this be a straight forward wire up with either way i do it?, either the 2nd ON stage of an Ignition switch or simply from a switch on the bars?

clutch wrote: Well, I definitely don't disagree that the metal and epoxy resin switches are better than the plastic, I was just trying to see if he had some horrific experiences with the plastic ones, or something...

Nothing horrific, but many interesting. It's when the plastic switches, usually from Radio Shack, are used anywhere near the rated max current, they melt. The thing is, since they only melt when the circuit is on, they cannot be turned off. I've had several friends use 10, 15, and/or 20A rated plastic switches for lights or ignition that just failed within days. I think something with the vibration may cause the contacts to not make full contact, which leads to heating and melting. More than once I've seen it where the bike seems to be running fine then when it's time to turn it off, the ignition switch is just a blob of putty and the contacts are permanently melted together. Then it's time to start pulling fuses, which of course are buried somewhere in the bike.

I can't say every single one will melt, but with having seen so many of them melt, I'm not willing to take a chance on getting stranded. As far as I can remember, I haven't had a metal or bakelight or epoxy switch give me any problems (unless it was from some mechanical damage... overtorqueing, or crash damage etc).

I've been electrocuted by one of those plastic toggles with an led in the lever, like the last one shown on the ebay links. The chrome handle was somehow connected electrically to one of the connections. On a magneto ignition, the ignition switch can have several hundred volt spikes on it and I felt it. I gutted out the led and wires and that stopped the electric shock treatment.

Ok, i've had a small brainstorm, i hope Lou chimes in here again to point out any mistakes i'm making. I think i've found a way to keep a 'clean' look & only have a momentary push switch on each bar.

I'm getting a battery tray fabricated to hold the battery & electrics if i wire the battery to THIS 3 position switch i can wire it like this
OFF - Isolates the battery
ON A - Feeds power to the starter solenoid
ON A + B - Power to the starter solenoid & coil (also power to the next switch)

THIS 4 Way Switch
OFF - Lights off
ON A - Sidelight & Tail Light
ON A + B - Dipped Beam + (Sidelight & Tail Light)
ON A + C - Main Beam + (Sidelight & Tail Light)

Does that sound reasonable? The 3 way switch is rated to 29A @ 12V, the 4 way is rated at 15A @ 12V. If wiring the 2nd switch to the 1st one might run the risk of overloading it i can always wire it directly to the battery.

If i wire it that way both switches can be mounted at the front of the fabricated battery box where i can easily reach in. That would only leave a push button switch for the horn on 1 bar & another push button switch to activate the starter solenoid on the other bar. This pretty much solves all my hidden electrics problems.

MFolks wrote: For low current wiring, maybe 18 gauge will work, but for higher currents, at least 16 or 14 gauge will be needed. Use the correct crimping tools for the electrical terminals:

www.pbase.com/mainecruising/wire_termination
(The Good, Bad, & Ugly Wire Crimpers)

That is a good page on crimpers. If you are re-wiring the bike yourself, you are saving hundreds of dollars in labor. Treat yourself to something that will make life easier. Your standard crimper should be nothing less than a ratcheting crimper like the one to the far right in the photo. You can get them as cheap as $15 at Harbor Freight tools.

A really good automatic wire stripper should also be in the toolbox. It will prevent the biggest mistake people make which is nicking the copper wire while stripping.

These two tools, plus a diagonal cutter, a needle-nose plier, and a soldering iron, are pretty much all I use when I rewire a bike. Maybe a screwdriver and other common tools, but not too many.

For supplies, it's basically wire, common, cheap, insulated connectors, solder, tape, and zip ties.


www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-2022828...0051&catalogId=10053


Heck, these crimpers are cheaper than I remember. There is no excuse to not have one. Remember to set the tension a notch or two higher than how they are from the factory.

www.harborfreight.com/ratcheting-crimping-tool-97420.html

750steve wrote: Ok, i've had a small brainstorm, i hope Lou chimes in here again to point out any mistakes i'm making. I think i've found a way to keep a 'clean' look & only have a momentary push switch on each bar.

I'm getting a battery tray fabricated to hold the battery & electrics if i wire the battery to THIS 3 position switch i can wire it like this
OFF - Isolates the battery
ON A - Feeds power to the starter solenoid
ON A + B - Power to the starter solenoid & coil (also power to the next switch)

THIS 4 Way Switch
OFF - Lights off
ON A - Sidelight & Tail Light
ON A + B - Dipped Beam + (Sidelight & Tail Light)
ON A + C - Main Beam + (Sidelight & Tail Light)

Does that sound reasonable? The 3 way switch is rated to 29A @ 12V, the 4 way is rated at 15A @ 12V. If wiring the 2nd switch to the 1st one might run the risk of overloading it i can always wire it directly to the battery.

If i wire it that way both switches can be mounted at the front of the fabricated battery box where i can easily reach in. That would only leave a push button switch for the horn on 1 bar & another push button switch to activate the starter solenoid on the other bar. This pretty much solves all my hidden electrics problems.

The switch housings are nylon or vinyl, so I'm already skeptical.

Otherwise it will work.

The horn, however, takes a lot of current. Sometimes more current than any other device on the bike. The push button for the horn should be 10A if you can get it. If you're lucky, you may get away with a 5A button.

loudhvx wrote: The switch housings are nylon or vinyl, so I'm already skeptical.

Oh poo, i kinda thought you would say that! If i call them tomorrow should i ask questions?

loudhvx wrote: If one push button is for start, then what is the other one for, horn? The horn takes a lot of current. More than just about any other device on the bike. That will need a 10A push button at least.

Yes, thats what they're both for. I didnt realise the horn took so much current but even so its easier to hide 2 large push switches on the bars than them AND some switches. I could make a small exception for the horn & wire it through a relay?