Author Topic: looking for some wiring help please...  (Read 763 times)

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Offline timdhawk

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looking for some wiring help please...
« on: April 11, 2011, 07:29:46 AM »
First off, I searched!  ;)  This is kind of a 3 parter and its on a 78 cb750.
I am going to run an aftermarket 3 wire ignition. It looks and feels pretty stout with 14g wire. Its this one: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Harley-Dyna-motorcycle-barrel-key-ignition-switch-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem3cb6e2b080QQitemZ260766347392QQptZMotorcyclesQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

It has "off", "ign", and "lights".
I want to run a relay for my headlight. I have also read that some people run another relay when using these aftermarket ignition switches to help offset the "frying" risk.
SO... my questions are these:
1. With the headlight relay, if i just wire it normally as if it were always on with the switch being between high and low beam - there should be no issue with letting the ignition switch control the off/on of the headlight, correct?

2. Should I also run a relay to the ignition switch and would that affect the working of the headlights?

3. how would the wiring of these two relays look in terms of stock wires to which relay pins?

Hope that ain't asking to much.
Thanks
Tim
In deeper than I should be...

Online Bodi

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Re: looking for some wiring help please...
« Reply #1 on: April 11, 2011, 07:58:06 AM »
This is not so easy on a '78 with the three fuses. The wiring is pretty complicated and the ignition switch does more than just turn the ignition power on.
Get a real Honda service manual or owner's booklet wiring diagram and study it, don't waste time with any other wiring diagram. When you figure out what the stock system does you should be able to figure out how to modify it for a new simple ignition switch.
The relays are to take lamp and/or ignition current out of the ignition switch and a lot of harness wire so that voltage drop is minimized. Basically you wire the relay coil with the wires that normally power the load and provide a new fused power wire from the battery to the relay, connecting it so the relay switch powers the load from your new power feed when energized. DO NOT skip these fuses! They should be as close to the battery as possible, minimizing the amount of unfused wire connected directly to battery +12V: a short to ground will draw a huge amperage from the battery and quickly heat this wire to incandescence and it will start a fire on any combustible material it touches.
In the Honda harness you will see that the unfused power wire to the main fuse is as short as possible and also has an extra protective sleeve over it.

Offline timdhawk

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Re: looking for some wiring help please...
« Reply #2 on: April 11, 2011, 11:12:11 AM »
thanks for the reply so far. I do have a color copy of a factory manual schematic for which I am using to redo/update the harness and electrics. The stock ign. switch has 4 wires, one of which does not appear to really be used/needed - a solid brown one. That leaves red, black and brown/white. So I should be able to make the other switch work. I'm just a little weak on my relay comprehension in regards to the headlight through the ignition switch - both using relays.
Does that make sense?
In deeper than I should be...