Wiring diagram "critique"

[Pendulum]

I'm re-wiring my bike this weekend to finally rid myself of all these electrical gremlins... Here's the diagram I drew up in MS Paint. I know the starter and all of it's associated parts are missing but other than that, what do you guys think? This is a very minimal wiring job... Just enough to run the bike, with a headlight and tail/brake light. My bike's a '79 550, so I'll be using the kick-start as often as possible

[Nessism]

Add fuse between R/R power output and battery.

[bakalorz]

Add fuse between R/R power output and battery.

Yep, and make sure you put it on little bit of wire to the left of where the R/R and switch tee apart, that way it protects the battery from shorts in both the R/R and the switch

[Pendulum]

Whoops. Don't know how I forgot that... Thanks.

I'll probably run a circuit breaker right off the battery.

[Graham]

No turn signals? No horn?

[verde]

Looks great to me. Just the fuse for the R/R and then I'd probably just ground the battery and R/R separately depending on location. I usually don't run wires to the bars, so that means no brake light switch from the front and no high beam(high beam switch on the bucket is kinda cool way to go if you need both, and you only run one hot lead to the bucket for both beams. I assume since you drew it you know to run a ground wire back from the headlight to the frame -- You do not want it grounding through the bearings. Also, for super minimal like this I just do one fuse for the lights circuit and one for the ignition circuit.

If you are going to hook up the starter circuit, are you using an automotive type switch? It's good to have the lights cut out so the starter gets the most juice, and that's an easy way to do it. I used this supper compact boat ignition on one of my bikes, but I retained a headlight cut-out relay since this one does not have a separate accessories terminal that has it's power cut when cranked to "start."


Edit: oh yeah, an oil dummy light is never a bad idea. I did this with a lighted kill switch on one bike. Oil pressure sensor is a ground when on, so just ground the light part of the switch through that. Like this except replace the load with the ignition circuit and the ground with the sensor. The switch is still on after you loose the ground and the light goes out:


I like the ones where the whole thing lights up, not just an LED dot. Not my pic but you get the idea:

[Pendulum]

That's a great idea on the lighted kill switch. The oil pressure light was the only light I was thinking about keeping, actually. I've replaced my ignition switch w/ a lighted toggle, so I'm already most of the way there! And yes, I do want a key between the battery and fuse box, but couldn't find a small one at any local auto parts stores. I'll look for a boat ignition. The weatherproofing on the boat switch is a bonus.

No turn signals? No horn?

Not yet. This is just the bare minimum to get it running properly. My fuse box has extra banks for more circuits, so I'll add to it later. Not sure about turn signals, but I'll add a horn.

[verde]

And yes, I do want a key between the battery and fuse box, but couldn't find a small one at any local auto parts stores. I'll look for a boat ignition. The weatherproofing on the boat switch is a bonus.

Napa has a sorta compact real basic 2 terminal keyed switch that works great if you just want power on/off. It can be used for arming a keyed alarm system, so the key can pull out in both the on and off positions. The bike I've got that on the key generally doesn't get used, and I only use the kill switch if I'm just hanging out at a coffee shop or something.



This guy does some amazingly helpful write-ups on a few triumph and suzuki boards. Keyless RFID for pretty cheap if you want to consider that route:

http://www.triumphrat.net/speed-triple-forum/164192-keyless-ignition-part-deux.html#post1798309

2 other ideas from 2 different bikes:
-I retained the combination ignition switch/steering lock, but retooled it as just my headlight switch. That way I don't forget to turn the light on(so long as I remember to only use the lock or on positions).
-That model of outboard motor ignition I posted earlier has "push to choke" feature for an electronic choke, rated at 20 amps. I installed it with an extra wire from that terminal so that if I ever get around to putting a horn on the bike, I push my key in and the horn blows. One less switch to figure out

[Pendulum]

I'll try another NAPA. The one where I bought the rest of my wiring supplies only had big bulky key switches. I thought about retrofitting an RFID system a few weeks ago but haven't gotten to the point where it's feasible yet. More important things to take care of first. Thanks for the link, though.

[Normk]

Watch out when selecting boat ignition switches! Some ground the ignition circuit in the OFF position but the bikes need it to open.

FWIW

Norm

[verde]

Watch out when selecting boat ignition switches! Some ground the ignition circuit in the OFF position but the bikes need it to open.

FWIW

Norm

Huh, that's interesting. What's different about boats that they have to do that? Is that for pull start only motors w/o a battery? The one I posted earlier does have two "M" (for "magneto" maybe?) terminals that connect to each other when in the off position but disconnect when turned on.

[Normk]

Some outboard motors shut the ignition off by grounding the charge coil. Those ignitions do not use the battery/alternator to power the ignition but, like most small engines, have a separate system to provide power for the ignition. All "pull start" and virtually all electric start outboard motors which I can recall have a separate system.

For anyone who may not be aware of these systems, which are typical of smaller motorcycles, I will offer a brief explanation. I used to take a bit of ribbing on some groups regarding what I consider to be "brief" but go gently.

Automobiles and "larger motorcycles" use a charging system composed of an alternator, regulator and rectifier (usually in one unit) which produces power to charge the battery, power lights & accessories and to power the ignition. These systems also use the battery to power the ignition for starting until the charging system/alternator can take over. The GS series are of this type. If one has a completely dead battery with many of thse systems, it is not possible to "bump start" although permanent magnet alternators such as most motorcycles use, allow this. Just the same, you can prove my point regarding the charging system's supply of power to the ignition by disconnecting the battery and bolting the battery cables together. You can push your brains out to no avail!

Smaller bikes, although the "smaller" might be taken under advisement, use a completely separate charging system and ignition system. Take a KLR650, for example (why I don't really like the "smaller"), remove the battery, bolt the battery cables together or disconnect the stator from the VRR and it can still be bump started.

These systems have an alternator with VRR to charge battery, etc. but also have another, completely separate ignition system which has a trigger coil (same as the electronic ignition GS) but also a charge coil which generates sufficient power (small "stator" coil as in the alternator) for the ignition. These systems have a rectifier also which is built into the ignition module with, presumably, some means to limit voltage.

In these self contained ignition systems which are typical to outboard motors, an usual means of stopping the sparks, is to ground or short circuit the charge coil which removes power from the ignition.

These systems often have the ignition charge coil connected, in parallel, to the kill switch so that the charge coil is connected to the engine/ground when the ignition switch is in the "OFF" position. This is opposite to the operation of most "coil and battery" ignition systems such as the GS and automobiles which disconnect the ignition from the battery circuit in order to deprive the ignition of power to stop the sparks.

Hope that is useful to someone,

Norm

[verde]

Thanks, Norm.