Starter Motor help

[Alpha]

I need help please....

I recently bought a generic starter that I would like to fit to my trike, but I need to know if anyone can help me with the wiring. It looks as if the starter has a built in solenoid as there is only 1 thick wire coming out of the starterhousing!

1. Am I correct in asuming it has a built in solenoid?
2. How would I wire this to the battery and a push button switch?

Can anyone help or put me on to someone who will be able to assist?

Fly safe

[V]

Hi Gary,

I've seen it on a number of car starters that a single cable energised the solenoid as well as supplied current to the motor itself. You can test this out easily with your car battery and jumper leads:

1. Place the starter securely and safely on the ground or on a work bench. (Remember, the actuator of the bendix will move as well as the motor will spin! Watch your fingers!)
2. Connect the thick wire (often red) to the + terminal of the battery using the clamps of a jumper lead (or anything suitable)
3. Make a connection between the - terminal of the battery and the starter housing. Beware, this is when the starter comes to life!!!

The general idea for the wiring is that you make one circuit that runs the heavy current between the battery and the starter motor and a low current one to the switch. The relay is activated by the switch and opens/connects the heavy current circuit. This way you don't loose energy due to inefficient switch connections. Basically, run a thick cable from the battery + to the one side of the relay and from there to the starter motor. Run battery + to the other side of the relay, then to your push button and to ground/battery -.

Here is a good page that explains how the common automotive relays work: http://www.the12volt.com/relays/relays.asp

Regardless whether you have a SPST (4 pins) or SPDT (5 pins) relay, I would do the wiring like this:

1. From battery + with thick cable to relay pin 30.
2. From relay pin 87 with thick cable to the starter motor.
3. From battery + with thin cable to relay pin 85. (You can just connect relay pin 30 and 85 with a short piece of cable, don't have to run a second cable all the way from the battery.)
4. From relay pin 86 thin cable to the push button.
5. From push button thin cable to ground or battery -.

(If your relay has a 5th pin - 87a - then just leave it disconnected.)

Placement of the relay: as close to either the battery or to the starter motor as possible (maybe best inside of your battery box), to keep the cable lengths in the 'heavy current' circuit at a minimum.

Also make sure that you have a good ground to the engine and the starter. (Remember, your engine is suspended on rubber mounts that insulate.) If in doubt, run a reasonably thick black wire from the battery - to the engine.

Fuse: I'm not sure, on a car I wouldn't bother with it in the starter motor circuit. On the trike, probably not either, but someone else perhaps can verify this.

WARNING/DISCLAIMER: my experience with wiring, relays and similar stuff comes from working old Land Rovers, which are very robust vehicles and operate even after the most unbelievable 'maak-a-plan' type of fixes. (For example there we don't even use a relay, just run the heavy wire through a heavy-duty push-button.) Please run this info by someone knowledgeable on the wiring of your trike or a friendly auto-electrician.

Generally, a reasonably good auto-electrician should be able to help.

Good luck!

Cheers,

V.

[Alpha]

V,

You are a scholar and a gentlemen, so I took your advice and went to a auto electrician who advised me to add a solenoid..but same advice as you gave...

So thank you very much...

Fly Safe