Wiring Questions! Last step in a long process

I've re-wired my 70 commando from scratch by hand building it with bare wire from CNW. It is not color coded correctly and I've upgraded to a TRI-SPARK and a SPARX 3-phase. In order to complete what seems like a never ending job with my limited knowledge of electrics, I have two question marks that I need to answer.

The bike is wired POSITIVE ground.

1. On the TRI_SPARK. I have followed the instructions on the TRI-SPARK manual but I'm left with the BLACK/YELLOW wire that they tell you to link to a WHITE/YELLOW wire. Does the that wire run directly to my ignition switch?

2.On the SPARX 3. I have a black power wire. Does that run/ or link to the POSITIVE battery terminal or should I connect it somewhere else? If somewhere else, does that need to eventually run to the POS battery?

I'm very very appreciative of any help with this as it's the last step (fingers crossed) on a long road. PLease try and be as specific as possible though just because I'm still learning the in's and outs of electrics. Thanks so much in advance!!

Cheers!

Brian

The black/yellow could go to the ignition switch or a kill switch. Essentially this wire feeds power to the Tri-Spark Unit and the coil(s) via the Tri-Spark. Just think of the black/yellow as "hot" side of the circuit.

In your Positve (+) ground situation -

The RED wire on the Sparx regulator goes to the frame. The BLACK wire on the Sparx regulator goes to the Negative (-) side of the battery. The Positive (+) side of the battery needs to be connected to the frame, this is assuming you are grounding everything to the frame and not directly to the battery.

The electricity doesn't care which way you run it, but does demand consistency.

If you are careful and consistent, the payback is huge.

PalmerNorton said:

1. On the TRI_SPARK. I have followed the instructions on the TRI-SPARK manual but I'm left with the BLACK/YELLOW wire that they tell you to link to a WHITE/YELLOW wire. Does the that wire run directly to my ignition switch?

Click to expand...

The Tri-Spark instructions telling you to connect the Black/Yellow to White/Yellow would apply to 1971-on models that normally have a handlebar kill button.

Your '70 model would not normally have a kill button, so (looking at the pre-71 model wiring diagram), the Black/Yellow wire should connect to any White wire from the ignition switch (unless of course you have built a kill switch into your wiring?), in which case, the Black/Yellow would need to connect to the output wire from the kill switch?

As the instructions do not match the factory wiring, is is possible that Tri-Spark (Steve Kelly) may be unaware that the pre-'71 models probably do not have a White/Yellow wire?

PalmerNorton said:

2.On the SPARX 3. I have a black power wire. Does that run/ or link to the POSITIVE battery terminal or should I connect it somewhere else? If somewhere else, does that need to eventually run to the POS battery?

Click to expand...

The Black box wire is negative.

So for a positive ground system that wire connects to the negative side of the battery, preferably with the main fuse in between.

Red wires are generally used for Positive, so for positive ground Red connects to ground (hence the term "positive ground") which can be any electrical frame point or wire that has a connection to the positive (+) battery terminal.

builder said:

The black/yellow could go to the ignition switch or a kill switch. Essentially this wire feeds power to the Tri-Spark Unit and the coil(s) via the Tri-Spark. Just think of the black/yellow as "hot" side of the circuit.

In your Positve (+) ground situation -

The RED wire on the Sparx regulator goes to the frame. The BLACK wire on the Sparx regulator goes to the Negative (-) side of the battery. The Positive (+) side of the battery needs to be connected to the frame, this is assuming you are grounding everything to the frame and not directly to the battery.

The electricity doesn't care which way you run it, but does demand consistency.

If you are careful and consistent, the payback is huge.

Click to expand...

Ok, I think I'm understanding. So does that mean that the ignition switch needs to also run to the NEGATIVE terminal?

So, I could run the TRI-SPARK BLACK/YELLOW straight to the ignition (is any ignition terminal ok or does it matter?) -then the ignition out connecting to the SPARX 3. Then run the combined SPARX 3 and ignition to the NEGATIVE terminal?

PalmerNorton said:

Ok, I think I'm understanding. So does that mean that the ignition switch needs to also run to the NEGATIVE terminal?

Click to expand...

Yes, the ignition switch is on the negative side of the system.

So the layout should look like this:


Ground____(+)Battery(-)_[Fuse]X_____________Y[Ignition switch = ON] ____Black/Yellow to Tri-Spark.


The Sparx Black wire can be connected at any point between X & Y.


Hopefully you are doing this with the aid of the (presumably pre-'71 model) wiring diagram? And you have the two position (OFF-ON) pre-'71 ignition switch?

PalmerNorton said:

So, I could run the TRI-SPARK BLACK/YELLOW straight to the ignition (is any ignition terminal ok or does it matter?)

Click to expand...

That depends which ignition switch you have got?

How many switch key positions are there?

How many spade tags has it got?

But basically the Tri-Spark needs to be wired so that the ignition switch shuts off battery power when the switch is turned to OFF?

So you need to identify which terminals are "hot" at each switch key position, and connect the wires accordingly? If it is a two position switch then it should be easy?

PalmerNorton said:

then the ignition out connecting to the SPARX 3. Then run the combined SPARX 3 and ignition to the NEGATIVE terminal?

Click to expand...

No.

Connect the Sparx Black wire to the negative battery wire at any point between the fuse and the ignition switch.

Connect the Tri-Spark Black/Yellow to the other side of the ignition switch (power out).

Also..

Do you have the Ammeter wired up?

If so, then it may be better to connect the Sparx Black wire to the ignition switch side of the ammeter?

Ground____(+)Battery(-)_[Fuse]___[Ammeter]X_____________Y[Ignition switch = ON] ____Black/Yellow to Tri-Spark.

So I have run the TRI SPARK, SPARXS 3, and the wire going FROM the ignition switch TO the -NEG. battery all into a little snap lock box (you can find them at Home Depot), then I have a wire going out of that little box going to the NEG. Battery with a Fuse.

I'm now Blowing Fuses.

I've made some connections based on the thread but I'm blowing fuses....Ugh.

I'm working under the assumption (from what I gathered from all of your advice). That the TRI SPARK and SPARX both need to run to the NEG battery as does a wire from the ignition. SO, I grouped them all together.

Could this be the root of my short/Fuse blowing? or do I need to look elsewhere?

Keep in mind I just wired this thing from scratch and although it looks very very organized and well made I"m still learning, so It could be coming from somewhere else.

I'll tally up exactly how I did the rest of it, but since this thread is mostly about ignition and alternator I'll keep it that for now.

Any advice on the above method is appreciated.

Cheers.
Brian

PalmerNorton said:

I'm now Blowing Fuses.

Click to expand...

So you appear to have a dead short (the negative side of the battery is connected to ground somewhere?) Be very careful not to connect those electronic components with the polarity wrong, otherwise they could be damaged?

PalmerNorton said:

I'm working under the assumption (from what I gathered from all of your advice). That the TRI SPARK and SPARX both need to run to the NEG battery as does a wire from the ignition. SO, I grouped them all together.

Click to expand...

Sorry but I must admit I do not quite understand what you have done?

pics

I will post picts. I feel like it's gotta be simple fix. As I said, I'm learning. I'm very concerned about damaging the TRI SPARK and SPARX. After I blew one fuse, I began systematically unplugging things and putting new fuses in and heard a buzz across the bike. Ugh. So in moving forward I don't want to do anything until I'm absolutely sure that it's right. The only thing to my credit is that it looks like it could go through a tornado and it's well organized. Unfortunately that's only 1/2 of it! :wink:

Cheers for the input. Picts to come in a day or two.

Brian