Making a wiring loom, advice please.

[marcc]

Apologies to the mods if this is in the wrong place. I've recently bought a 1980 XL185s. However it needs a new loom which i am going to build myself. I've had a bit of experience but i'm no ferret, and as such would appreciate any pointers or advice anyone can give. (before it starts i already know the one about not eatings yellow snow......) as always Cheers all. Marc. :thumright:

[squirrel_hunter]

Are you trying to reproduce it exactly? In which case where are you going to get the connectors and wires from? I'd start here and workout the cost.

After that as I understand it, you'd want to tape the loom out on some board and mark up the connectors and take lots of photographs and notes. Then take the insulation wrap off and mark where wires are connected or spliced and the colours. From this you then have a basic map. After that its a case of measuring it all up and putting it carefully together.

I've not done this myself but found this approach when looking to make a loom for my 2MA. In the end I was able to find someone who made one for me and it was fantastic.

[marcc]

cheers bud nice one.....

[Jayneflakes]

I recently replaced the useless block connectors on my main ignition on the SV and discovered that it is possible to buy really good quality replacements that are better than the originals, via E-Bay. Check out marine and quad bike parts for extra durability. Also, wire in a charger socket to run gadgets like phone charger or sat nav power cord. Again a marine quality unit will be weather shielded.

Good luck, by making your own loom, you can remove the useless bits of loom that seem to fit other bikes, but are blanked off on a standard one.

Also, try to use original colours, doing the whole lot in red PVC coated wire makes fault finding later on a real pain. (Yes, I have seen this done.)

A good solder iron is well worth the time and investment. I have an old variable heat solder station that despite being nearly as old as I am, has never let me down. I also have a gas iron for times when the electric one cannot get to where I need it, again this is a useful investment.

Finally, if you get really stuck, I know a fantastic wiring technician in Weston who can do a whole bike for a fee.

[squirrel_hunter]

Pictures, post them here. Its always nice to see a project in progress.

[marcc]

that sounds spot on Jayneflakes, but i'm trying to keep costs down... I have a soldering iron and i'm lucky enough to have a garage to work in so although theres not much room .... im dry! always a bonus! :)

[marcc]

squirrel hunter..... will do!

[Ruffy]

After that as I understand it, you'd want to tape the loom out on some board and mark up the connectors and take lots of photographs and notes. Then take the insulation wrap off and mark where wires are connected or spliced and the colours. From this you then have a basic map. After that its a case of measuring it all up and putting it carefully together.
Using an old one to map out the arrangement is a good idea. Key thing is ensuring the ends (connectors) and branch points are in the same place as these will be crucial when trying to get the new one to fit well back on the bike.

My personal preference is to try to avoid having joints hidden in the loom. That way all ends are accessible for testing and each wire end can only be continuous to one other end. This can cause a minor build issue when re-creating the common connection points but generally this is only a problem on the earth return wires where there are a larger number of common connections.

If you choose not to use a loom board off the bike, the alternative is to loosely route everything on the bike as you build each circuit up. Just allow plenty of length in each wire and tidy the main loom run before finishing the end connectors to ensure no tight spots etc.

[atassiedevil]

I'd also suggest you use a more or less standard colour scheme when you do this, or at least wiring diagram it out, so you know what goes where when you need to troubleshoot.

[Mark_h]

Also probably don't need to say it, but I'll say it anyway. Use Loom Tape, NOT insulation tape to form the routes. I've seen some right sludgy messes where people have skimped and used insulation tape.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/140550852960?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

[marcc]

Hi All as an update im 90% the way there, but there is a few gliches, first being i have had to use switch gear from another make of bike and as luck would have it none of the wiring colours match... most of it i've sorted but ive hit a prob ... i could do with a little help if i'm honest so if you're near to bs4 and you know a bit about electrics i can guarantee there will be a few pints in it for the lucky person who'd like to lend a hand.... i dont take the **** when i say a few pints and when i say give a hand, i'm happy to do the work i just need a knowledgeable person to use as a sounding board. if you can lend a hand give me a shout please. all the best Marc.

[NTECUK]

Read of this is a good idea of what type of connections are used and how to do it with the right tools.
http://www.colorado.edu/physics/EducationIssues/podolefsky/electric_motorcycle_howto_wiring.html

[keith_d]

I don't know much about bike looms, but in a previous job I made up some looms for equipment in our lab. My suggestions would be:

1) lay out the existing loom on a sheet of MDF, and draw out the appropriate lengths. Number all the connectors and record the numbers on your board.

2) put nails into the MDF to support your new loom as you assemble it, bend them to stop the wires falling off. Use three or four nails to support the connectors in the correct places on the board.

3) I find lacing cord easier to use than tape for one-off looms but that may just be personal preference.

4) Keep the original loom handy, you'll probably need to refer to it quite a lot.

5) Test as much of the loom as you can before you take it off the board. Rather than using a voltmeter, use a 12V bulb (24W or so) and power supply (a bike battery is fine). This will put a couple of amps through the wiring and pick up dodgy connections that your voltmeter would miss.

Just my thoughts,

Keith.

[squirrel_hunter]

What problem have you hit?

If you post it up here someone further away might be able to help.

[marcc]

in a nutshell, i have 8 wires coming off of the main loom, the switch gear i have has nine wires, seven of which i know where they go but the other two are a mystery. I've blown a few fuses lets put it that way. I could upload photos but there's other bits that i'm not sure about..... like i said any help would be a bonus....

[squirrel_hunter]

If you have a wiring diagram for your bike and the donar bike we could try and work out whats going on if you can post them up here?