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/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> adding circuits and controling the wiring mess /cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1270797006 Message started by JohnBoy on 04/09/10 at 00:10:06 |
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Title: adding circuits and controling the wiring mess Post by JohnBoy on 04/09/10 at 00:10:06 I recently added a couple of running lights to the rear of my bike and was required to add some new circuits to the wiring harness. Over the years I have seen some very strange wiring additions, and most make it almost impossible to go back and trouble shoot at a future date. I have a trick that might help you here. If you have ever opened a computer up you have most likely seen what are commonly called “molex” connectors. These are pin and socket type connectors that generally have three to six circuits running parallel in a flat nylon body. They are used to route low voltage cables from the system board to HD's and CD's. Well these molex connectors come in many forms, some of which are rated at up to 120 volts and five amps. They generally will fit up to about 12 gage wire, and come in all number of circuits, making them perfect for rebuilding a motorcycle wiring harness. The one short coming is that if you buy a standard connector, you have the same number of circuits coming in as going out. Now here is the trick. You can create one standard wire contact, and a number of “dead-end” contacts that end just beyond the back of the molex connector body. You can then put a wire, or thin metal plate in contact with all the contacts and solder them together. This makes one contact share power or the return to ground, with all the contacts. Being of a flat surface design, the molex connector blocks are easy to label so remembering what goes where is not a problem. If you really want to get creative you can make one circuit branch while others simply act as a butt or pass through connection. The pin and sockets terminals are small enough by themselves, to make very neat bullet type connectors that are easy to route through small openings. A little solder and heat shrink tubing is all you need. I think that my humble drawing will give you an idea what I am trying to explain. The photo is of three molex terminal blocks, all of five circuits branching down to one. One connector block covers the brake light circuit and its branches. One block covers the tail light and tag light circuits. The third is the ground or return circuit pathway. If the wires need to be replaced or removed from the terminal block you need only use a simple extractor tool that is available where you buy the terminal blocks. http://lh4.ggpht.com/_TCSH6bqjHEM/S77Do6Wq9fI/AAAAAAAAAxU/76qk4itb0zs/s512/molex%20drawing.jpg http://lh3.ggpht.com/_TCSH6bqjHEM/S75_9hy69pI/AAAAAAAAAvk/G48qI0kPXZU/s576/molex2.jpg |
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Title: Re: adding citcuits and controling the wiring mess Post by dasch on 04/09/10 at 01:48:41 Cool. Nice and clean. |
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Title: Re: adding citcuits and controling the wiring mess Post by justin_o_guy2 on 04/09/10 at 07:35:31 That is as well done as is possible. Are you just anal or have you been diagnosed as obsessive/compulsive? Sorry, I thot that was funny, Im JK, dont be insulted. Thats a great job. |
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Title: Re: adding circuits and controling the wiring mess Post by babyhog on 04/09/10 at 12:37:47 Love it! Great job! |
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Title: Re: adding citcuits and controling the wiring mess Post by JohnBoy on 04/09/10 at 14:13:46 445B5D5A4740714171495B571C2E0 wrote:
Ha Ha Ha! I have friends and family that would agree with both of those statements. It just shows what thinking outside the box will do for you. |
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Title: Re: adding circuits and controling the wiring mess Post by justin_o_guy2 on 04/09/10 at 14:23:47 Ive been known to go to such lengths. My family has been working to get me to not do stuff like that, but itsreal hard to NOT. |
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Title: Re: adding circuits and controling the wiring mess Post by Tiefighterpilot on 04/09/10 at 19:50:53 very nice indeed. I am planning on adding some lights, and i will be copying (at least trying) your great mod. |
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Title: Re: adding circuits and controling the wiring mess Post by LANCER on 04/10/10 at 01:40:16 LOL Ahhhhhhh, this is why this is such a great place. Good friends, good food, good wine.......... well, good friends anyway Nice work John, very nice, and for those of us who are wiring/electrically challenged it is very helpful as well. |
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Title: Re: adding circuits and controling the wiring mess Post by Routy on 04/10/10 at 04:56:50 I agree, but it kinda looks like a computer,.....thats a little scary ! ;D |
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Title: Re: adding circuits and controling the wiring mess Post by John_D FSO on 04/12/10 at 07:31:11 Very cool! A nice clean way to split one wire to multiple uses. I marked it for future reference. [smiley=thumbsup.gif] |
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Title: Re: adding circuits and controling the wiring mess Post by wolfmrp on 04/12/10 at 18:10:52 Very nice. I love the clean look. I have one question. If you need to take the rear fender off, are you now required to cut off the molex connectors? |
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Title: Re: adding circuits and controling the wiring mess Post by JohnBoy on 04/12/10 at 18:54:15 150D0E040F1012620 wrote:
No. The same company that makes the connectors makes an extractor tool that unlocks the wire connectors and pushes them out of the nylon body in one quick step. The individual connector pins and sockets are about the same diameter as the wire, so routing them is very easy. Then you just plug them back in. |
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Title: Re: adding circuits and controling the wiring mess Post by Digger on 06/01/10 at 21:31:43 http://lh3.ggpht.com/_TCSH6bqjHEM/S75_9hy69pI/AAAAAAAAAvk/G48qI0kPXZU/s576/molex2.jpg John, Nice job and great idea! My only problem would be that I don't think I've got that much room under the rear seat (my bike is in my signature). |
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