Hi,Happy Thankgiving! I'm new to the forum but have been searching the message board for a long time and haven't found what I'm looking for. I have a 15 speedster with a slant top coil box. 3 position switch MAG OFF BAT in that order. the wires internal of the coil box(that holds the 4 coils) are cloth insulated tinned copper over time they are getting brittle and short. is there a source for correct wire or is there something else? I haven't had much luck sourcing this one out. thanks any input would help
The wire carries a very small amount of current so there is no need for any heavy wire. Even though the original wire was solid conductor I would rewire using stranded wire since solid conductor wires tend to break over time if they are subjected to any vibration. This is the reason that automotive wiring is nearly always stranded unless confined within a solid component. Ford potted the ignition coils to prevent any movement of the wires within the coils. 18 Ga would be plenty heavy enough for your coil box rewiring project and none of the wires are going to be visible anyway. Be very very careful of the switch wiring so that you do not have a short between the MAG wire and the BAT wire at any time including all 3 positions of the switch. A short between BAT and MAG wires will result in your battery power being fed to the magneto coil inside the motor and at the very least your magneto magnets will be discharged by that. Check out your finished wiring both visually and with a continuity tester (ohm meter or light or something) to verify that the Mag and Bat wires are never connected to each for all switch positions.
ya that is what I was going to do if i couldn't original type wire. I'm just looking at wire that has been there for 80+ yrs and thought it would last my lifetime. These wires being internal to the box aren't as prone to vibration issues as to others. I'm just trying to use what Henry did if possible.
E-bay motors search cloth wires but be careful some of it is waaaay overpriced http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cloth-Covered-Primary-Wire-16-gauge-White-w-black-trace- /270686488525?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3f062c07cd&vxp=mtr
David:
Be careful that the insulation is good on the wires you choose since both wires (Bat and Mag) are routed under the wood in the bottom and lay against the metal bottom of the box. If they touch the bottom you have a short between Mag and Bat since the dash itself is wood and thus an insulator allowing the wires to short together rather than then being shorted to ground.
I have a source for cloth stranded high temp wire, I suppose that is what I will use. I was just looking. The cloth over the PVC jacket will give more protection for rub thru. Taking the winter to go thru the little things. Which so far is about a four page list. Sparky buy trade, Mechanic buy luv. I acquired this a couple of years ago and now trying to correct the faults. Grew up around them going on old (as I call it) bathtub enduro runs with my uncle, and now just trying to keep the era alive even this isn't a bathtub speedster. Thanks
Good point, I had just tuned up the sw and noticed the insulation was starting to rot. I hadn't thought about the wire under the box. I was fixed on getting the switch in good working order. Guess I have another thing to put on the top of the list. Taking the box off tomorrow. Thanks.