lawn mower solinoid

dwint51 · 03-14-2015, 10:04 PM

I had some wires melt on me under the front cover.i don't know if it was a coincidence or if this was the problem but I put a lawn mower solenoid on it and if I can get a picture maybe someone can help.after the wires melted I got it to start without pulling in the front brake lever and always had a brake light on.wires melted the brake switch and wires.i got a new switch and rewired it but im blowing fuses as soon as I push the start button.

bandito2 · 03-15-2015, 12:21 AM

The purpose of a solenoid is to act as a remote switch to route high amperage power to the starter through wires that can carry that voltage. Power to the starter should not go through the starter switch itself. The starter switch causes the solenoid switch to turn on that allows the power to the starter. Make sure you are not trying to power the starter directly through the starter switch on the handle bar. The switch and wires there are not enough to carry the current for the starter and will melt. If that is what is happening, the fuses are blowing because too much current is being demanded through the switch.
The melting at the switch probably is why the brake lights stayed on. With the new switch, the fuses blow before it can melt the switch again. There may be a short somewhere to the lights or possibly some other improper wire connections.

Check your wiring. There should be a heavy duty wire from the + on the battery to the solenoid, (probably red) and then from the solenoid, a heavy duty wire to the starter. That is is the positive wiring for the starter. The starter usually gets its ground from being bolted onto the engine or there might be a heavy duty wire from the starter that is connected to the frame. that is the ground wiring for the starter.

The solenoid might have a lighter gauge wire to the frame or possibly wired to a common ground, (likely a black wire.) or it may get its ground from being mounted onto the bike frame. That will be the ground wiring for the solenoid. Then there will be a lighter gauge wire from the solenoid (might be red or white) that goes up to the starter switch on the handlebar. Then there should be a wire from that switch over to the switch operated by the brake lever. Then a wire from the brake lever to a common power buss that gets fuse protected power when the ignition switch is on. Of course the ignition switch gets power from a fuse protected supply from the battery. That is pretty much the starter/solenoid power loop. The wire colors may be different for your set up, but the way the starter and solenoid is wired is pretty common to most bikes.

Kind of hard to tell what we need to see in the pic... its a bit too small really.

I'm just guessing, but a solenoid for a mower seems like it would be pretty close to serving about the same demand, (depending on the size of the mower engine and the scooter engine) but it certainly should be a 12 volt solenoid.

Anybody with more electrical knowledge is encouraged please to correct any errors I may have made here.

dwint51 · 03-17-2015, 08:23 AM

I figured it out.i was concentrating on where the wires melted by the head lights and not where they also melted by the solenoid.ill never bypass the fuse again.easy fix at no cost.i have my starter back and a brake light

rks · 03-17-2015, 05:05 PM

I've heard, "When you quit learning, you quit living"

Glad your back up running right...

dwint51 · 03-17-2015, 05:59 PM

you're right rks I always say theres no such thing as a dumb question.thats how we learn.its even better when you figure it out yourself

03-15-2015, 12:21 AM	#2
bandito2 Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Southeast Mchigan Posts: 169	The purpose of a solenoid is to act as a remote switch to route high amperage power to the starter through wires that can carry that voltage. Power to the starter should not go through the starter switch itself. The starter switch causes the solenoid switch to turn on that allows the power to the starter. Make sure you are not trying to power the starter directly through the starter switch on the handle bar. The switch and wires there are not enough to carry the current for the starter and will melt. If that is what is happening, the fuses are blowing because too much current is being demanded through the switch. The melting at the switch probably is why the brake lights stayed on. With the new switch, the fuses blow before it can melt the switch again. There may be a short somewhere to the lights or possibly some other improper wire connections. Check your wiring. There should be a heavy duty wire from the + on the battery to the solenoid, (probably red) and then from the solenoid, a heavy duty wire to the starter. That is is the positive wiring for the starter. The starter usually gets its ground from being bolted onto the engine or there might be a heavy duty wire from the starter that is connected to the frame. that is the ground wiring for the starter. The solenoid might have a lighter gauge wire to the frame or possibly wired to a common ground, (likely a black wire.) or it may get its ground from being mounted onto the bike frame. That will be the ground wiring for the solenoid. Then there will be a lighter gauge wire from the solenoid (might be red or white) that goes up to the starter switch on the handlebar. Then there should be a wire from that switch over to the switch operated by the brake lever. Then a wire from the brake lever to a common power buss that gets fuse protected power when the ignition switch is on. Of course the ignition switch gets power from a fuse protected supply from the battery. That is pretty much the starter/solenoid power loop. The wire colors may be different for your set up, but the way the starter and solenoid is wired is pretty common to most bikes. Kind of hard to tell what we need to see in the pic... its a bit too small really. I'm just guessing, but a solenoid for a mower seems like it would be pretty close to serving about the same demand, (depending on the size of the mower engine and the scooter engine) but it certainly should be a 12 volt solenoid. Anybody with more electrical knowledge is encouraged please to correct any errors I may have made here. __________________ Southeast Michigan Dark Side Rider 4 Honda Reflex scooters & a Big Ruckus Originator of the "Darkside" Honda Reflex. "Yeah dude, that IS a car tire there on the back of my scooter." Sometimes I'm so far outside of the box, the Hubble telescope can't find me
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03-17-2015, 05:05 PM	#4
rks Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Western New York Posts: 454	I've heard, "When you quit learning, you quit living" Glad your back up running right... __________________ 2011 Jonway 150cc..16,109 breakdown free miles, and counting
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