Topic: solenoid wiring

[hymodyne]

hello all,

I'm installing a solenoid from a 77550K on my 72 500K. the wires are the same color, but the attachments are reversed; the wire that should have the female receptacle has the male bullet and vice versa.
just change the wire ends?

hym

[TwoTired]

Nah, just plug male to female and ignore the colors.

Cheers,

[hymodyne]

won't this burn out or damage this piece? (I just bought it )

hym

[TwoTired]

No.  But, on further thought, it may not work either.  The electromagnet inside may have the wrong polarity to actuate the core in the right direction.

The external wires just hook up to a coil of wire inside.  The wires won't care about polarity.  But, the slug of metal it moves might pull instead of push the contactor into the proper position.

I probably have a spare around here I can try....

[Bodi]

Try it... it will either work or not, no damage will result. I think there's no difference as the coil just pulls an iron slug into itself. TT is correct that it may have a magnetized slug which would get pushed out with reverse polarity but that would not damage the unit, it just would not pull the contact in and power the starter.

[hymodyne]

 Anyone else want to chime in on this?? I really don't want to put it together wrong...

hym

[Triffecpa]

I wired one up the other day.  Didn't pay any attention to the wire colors (ignoance is bliss).  Run a battery cable from one of the posts on the solenoid and to the positive side of the battery.  Run a cable from the other post to the starter.  On the two small wires, run one to the hot side of the battery.  The starter button simply grounds the second wire.  I used a mx bike kill switch as a starter button.  Worked like a charm. 

TR

[bryanj]

It dont matter mate the late one is grounded all the time and is powered by the switch, the early one is powered all the time and grounded by the switch.
Internal coil is insulated with ends outside so it dont matter

[paulages]

i might as well piggy back this thread: can't figure out a malfunctioning starter solenoid myself. using a known good solenoid from another bike (at least eliminating one possible variable) i get power at the Y/R wire when the push button is depressed, and ground at the G/Y, but the magnetic plate is not moving. the starter motor is functional when bridging the posts. the bike is a '76 cb750

[bryanj]

Paul, take the two small wires at the solenoid and put them one to each side of a battery and the coil should click in, this proves the coil side working---when its clicked in check contiuity accross the big terminals with a meter to see if internal contacts ok

[bryanj]

Forgot to say those tests are for the solenoid OFF the bike

[paulages]

Paul, take the two small wires at the solenoid and put them one to each side of a battery and the coil should click in, this proves the coil side working---when its clicked in check contiuity accross the big terminals with a meter to see if internal contacts ok

yeah, i did that before and it didn't click. guess i'll retest it today. the last one i was using came off a bike on which it was functional last time i used it.

[bryanj]

Paul, you just won the prize!!!! Just cos it did work, or is new in a box, don't mean its any good now!!!

[paulages]

Paul, you just won the prize!!!! Just cos it did work, or is new in a box, don't mean its any good now!!!

  yeah, i hear ya.