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    Starter solenoid amp draw

    Hi.

    I'm about to re-do all the wiring and electrical-system on my GS550, hoping some of you can help me with this question. Does anybody know how many amps the starter solenoid draws to make the connection and afterwards to hold the connection? I can't seem to find any information about this anywhere. I've looked in the service manual, on this forum and so on. I believe that in some cars we're looking at 20-30 amps to make the connection and 5-15 amps to hold it, but anyone knows how it is on the GS550?

    Any help would be really appreciated

    #2
    Less then 10 amps since that's what it's fused on along with the ignition. The solenoid coil doesn't pull a lot of current. My guess is less then 3 amps. Initial inrush current shouldn't be too much of a consideration since it's a very short term spike.
    http://img633.imageshack.us/img633/811/douMvs.jpg
    1980 GS1000GT (Daily rider with a 1983 1100G engine)
    1998 Honda ST1100 (Daily long distance rider)
    1982 GS850GLZ (Daily rider when the weather is crap)

    Darn, with so many daily riders it's hard to decide which one to jump on next.;)

    JTGS850GL aka Julius

    GS Resource Greetings

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      #3
      measure the coil resistance. I think it is less than 10 ohms.

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        #4
        So that would be a 1.2 to 1.4 amp draw? That seems high for what the relay draws and low doe what the starter itself draws.
        Jordan

        1977 Suzuki GS750 (My first bike)
        2000 Kawasaki ZRX1100
        1973 BMW R75/5

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          #5
          Originally posted by JTGS850GL View Post
          Less then 10 amps since that's what it's fused on along with the ignition. The solenoid coil doesn't pull a lot of current. My guess is less then 3 amps. Initial inrush current shouldn't be too much of a consideration since it's a very short term spike.
          Thank you both for quick answers, I keep on being amazed about this forum, thanks guys

          I haven't even had the chance to get a look at the fuse after I started looking in to this. Unfortunately my bikes are stored in a garage for the winter, so I can't just go out to have a look at it when I'm at home. But that's a good point, we're below 10 amps at any point, and that's basically all I need to know.

          Originally posted by posplayr View Post
          measure the coil resistance. I think it is less than 10 ohms.
          I'll measure it next time I get to my bike, right now I'm just doing a lot of research to get the upper hand before I pick up any stuff and get started

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by 11csive View Post
            Thank you both for quick answers, I keep on being amazed about this forum, thanks guys

            I haven't even had the chance to get a look at the fuse after I started looking in to this. Unfortunately my bikes are stored in a garage for the winter, so I can't just go out to have a look at it when I'm at home. But that's a good point, we're below 10 amps at any point, and that's basically all I need to know.



            I'll measure it next time I get to my bike, right now I'm just doing a lot of research to get the upper hand before I pick up any stuff and get started
            The coil resistance is in the factory manual.

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              #7
              3 amps on both units that I measured out of curiosity
              1981 gs650L

              "We are all born ignorant, but you have to work hard to stay stupid" Ben Franklin

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                #8
                I don't have the equipment to tell the difference between pull-in and hold currents, but I just used my clamp meter on three bikes here.

                Not sure why my bike was different, but it pulled 3.4 amps. My wife's bike was 1.2 amps. My son's 1000G was 1.0 amps.

                I went back to check my bike again, made sure the meter was zeroed and it still read 3.4 amps.

                Just out of curiosity, why do you need to know?

                .
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                  #9
                  Originally posted by hannibal View Post
                  ..................That seems high for what the relay draws and low doe what the starter itself draws.
                  How much current the starer itself draws is not much of a concern for how much current is drawn on the starterbutton-clutchswitch-startersolenoid circuit.

                  Other than, The solenoid has to be be big enough and have a strong enough spring return to pull contacts back apart.
                  I think the starterbutton-clutchswitch-startersolenoid circuit wiring is the smallest guage wiring on the bike.


                  .
                  http://webpages.charter.net/ddvrnr/GS850_1100_Emblems.jpg
                  Had 850G for 14 years. Now have GK since 2005.
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                    #10
                    Originally posted by hannibal View Post
                    So that would be a 1.2 to 1.4 amp draw? That seems high for what the relay draws and low doe what the starter itself draws.
                    The factory 1100E spec is actually 3-4 ohms but I doubt there is much change model to model. Since it is that low the mod I linked actually works.

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                      #11
                      Originally posted by Steve View Post
                      I don't have the equipment to tell the difference between pull-in and hold currents, but I just used my clamp meter on three bikes here.

                      Not sure why my bike was different, but it pulled 3.4 amps. My wife's bike was 1.2 amps. My son's 1000G was 1.0 amps.

                      I went back to check my bike again, made sure the meter was zeroed and it still read 3.4 amps.

                      Just out of curiosity, why do you need to know?

                      .
                      Basically just out of curiosity myself, and also I just like to be sure about the harness I'm doing. Can't look much at what's already on the bike, since some PO messed up the wiring pretty good

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