Indicator cluster wiring

I’m trying to wire in my handlebar wiring to a new loom I am making and am having trouble identifying the wires.
For a start my 1972 norton wiring diagram shows the indicators on the left but mine was on the right side. No great problem, just different to the factory diagram.

Main issue is the two press buttons top and bottom. One has a red/white wire that is contacted when the button is pressed but the diagram shows it going nowhere. Any ideas what it’s for?
The other button has no contact inside the switch. Was that to be the starter button?
There is also a yellow/white wire that appears to go to the ballast resistor. What is this for, I’m suspecting a kill switch.

tyborg15 said:

For a start my 1972 norton wiring diagram shows the indicators on the left but mine was on the right side

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The factory changed the switches over during this period, easy to swap over. There is a redundant button, added in anticipation of electric start which was delayed due to extensive redesign as the first attempt was rubbish. Yes there is a kill switch, can't remember the wire colours but as it can cause issues it can be bypassed by a previous owner.

tyborg15 said:

Main issue is the two press buttons top and bottom. One has a red/white wire that is contacted when the button is pressed but the diagram shows it going nowhere. Any ideas what it’s for?

Click to expand...

That is the unused electric start button and wire (white/red) it goes nowhere but it is live/hot when the button is pressed so ensure the WR connector cannot short to earth/ground.

tyborg15 said:

The other button has no contact inside the switch. Was that to be the starter button?

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No it's just an unused button (see previous answer).

tyborg15 said:

There is also a yellow/white wire that appears to go to the ballast resistor. What is this for, I’m suspecting a kill switch.

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Yes, so white/yellow is the power supply for the ignition system. Note that in the original harness WY from the handlebar switch would have connected to white/blue (WU) which then connected to the ballast resistor.

THanks for that. As most of my bikes have the indicator and horn on the left I’ll use it on the left and wire the horn to the red/white wire as well.

tyborg15 said:

THanks for that. As most of my bikes have the indicator and horn on the left I’ll use it on the left and wire the horn to the red/white wire as well.

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Tyborg15, I’m going to swap my indicators to the left, but want to leave the kill switch and now active starter switch on the right. I want to keep the wiring colors correct, so wondered if it’s possible to remove the wiring from the grey sleeve? If you still have them apart can you tell if that would work, or would I need to split the sleeve and replace it?


Cheers,

cliffa

tyborg15 said:

The other button has no contact inside the switch. Was that to be the starter button? There is also a yellow/white wire that appears to go to the ballast resistor. What is this for, I’m suspecting a kill switch.

Click to expand...

I appear to have given you some incorrect information (I must have been thinking of the later Triumph version cluster that has a button with no switch/wire).
As one button/switch of the direction indicator cluster has white/red then the other button (the one you have apparently without any contact) should be the kill button with the white/yellow and not unused as I'd said.

Cliffa, from what I can ascertain, if you move the indicator to the left you also bring the press button starter and kill switch with it. The horn (in the light cluster) is a press button and therefore can be swapped with the starter button. Unfortunately the dip button is also press for on whereas the kill is press for off/isolate. So you can have indicators, horn and kill on the left and lights(high/dip) starter and high beam flash on the right.

I would not recommend unsoldering the wires at the switch lock as they are secured to the contact points through a nylon base which (from previous experience ) will probably melt slightly and leave an unsecured connection. You could split the grey sheath and change the wires at the other end or fit a shrink wrap of the right colour over the ends.

I’m going through this process at the moment and have yet to test it with 12 volt power so take this information as my experience only.

you can replace the wires right to the switch block connection, make sure there is flux on the bare end, and tin the end first , then heat the blob on the switch pull the old wire off and reheat slightly and the new wire should fuse to the switch spot.

i have done it .

on a side note; the operation of the starter, highbeam flash and horn are Normally Off, the kill switch is Normally ON, and the highbeam only moves half way up. so doing a swap means that the normal convention we are now using is all screwed up. and the replacement plastic switch pieces are not correct. in the signal light switch i remember the hole for the spring being way to short, for these reasons, on any future rebuild i will using modern replacements...

Thanks both, I know it's going to be a pain but I just cannot bear the indicators on the right. Maybe its just me but in slow corners I find using the indicator switch whilst trying to modulate the throttle almost dangerous at times .

Did Triumph and BSA use the same setup?

Cheers,

cliffa.

cliffa said:

Did Triumph and BSA use the same setup?

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Yes.