Mot looming wiring loom

[ragamuffin]

Hi. I built an rg125 streetfighter.
The wiring loom is hacked slashed and taped back together.
It's working and as tidy as It can be.

What are the common grounds for failing on electrics? Should I have used a different method for joining the wires other than spit n tape or will it be OK?

Cheers in advance
T
____________________
I don't snore. I dream I'm a motorcycle.
Suzuki gn125 (dropped valve) Sym Wolf 125 (sold) sky jet 125 cbr repsol replica (sold) Suzuki RGr 125 (current)

[Snod Blatter]

[ragamuffin]

Yea twist and stick lol. There wound first then wrapped then tape. So they r secure enough for now. I do want to solder them I am waiting for a solder iron and do it proper but I don't wanna strip it again b4 mot day.
____________________
I don't snore. I dream I'm a motorcycle.
Suzuki gn125 (dropped valve) Sym Wolf 125 (sold) sky jet 125 cbr repsol replica (sold) Suzuki RGr 125 (current)

[Snod Blatter]

I would be very wary of doing that anywhere in the headlight circuit (or anywhere else..), that is not a good connection and the resistance could lead to melting away the insulation and it shorting or maybe even a small fire. Really not recommended!
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1994 CB250, 1984 CBX250RS-E, 1989 K100RS, 1995 TRX850, 2016 Z250SL

[stinkwheel]

If all the lights work as they should do, it'll pass the MOT.

I have a mate who had a small fire on his bike which took out the centre portion of his loom.

Not to be daunted, he cut the middle 2 feet out of the main loom and scotchlocked individual wires between the two cut ends to join them together again. Because he's a lazy sod, he did it round the outside of the tank.

So imagine a bike with a total birds-nest of random wires of varying thickneses, lengths and colours, not bound together in a loom, running across the outside of the petrol tank with no fewer than 100 scotchlocks joining the whole mess together. That passed an MOT.

That said, you should use proper crimp-on terminals or connector blocks to join your wires together. or solder splice and shrink-tube if both ends are mobile (don't solder a joint where one side is fixed). Use the correct crimping tool. Twisting and taping is a bad bodge and it will fail eventually, leaving you at the side of the road trying to find which bit of the mess of corroded, rotting wiring and slimy PVC tape is the faulty part (the answer is, all of it).
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Pjay]

I would advise getting the connections sorted asap, you will have problems with twist and tape joints, so it's best to sort them with an easy fix.
I would recommend you buy some heatshrink tubing, a soldering iron and solder for an easy fix that would last forever. You can also make your wiring look a lot neater by sealing each individual wire and then use a larger tube to seal a bunch (you obviously need to pre-plan this as the bigger tubes need to be on before you solder any wires.). My wiring hatchet jobs have always looked nice and lasted the distance by using heatshrink, so I can hand on heart say it's worth the few mins and low cost.

[chris-red]

It would have cost ~£10 for a crimpset that could have done the whole loom, twisting them as you have will cause a world of annoyance, when something important lets go and you don't know where it is.
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Well, you know what they say. If you want to save the world, you have to push a few old ladies down the stairs.
Skudd:- Perhaps she just thinks you are a window licker and is being nice just in case she becomes another Jill Dando.
WANTED:- Fujinon (Fuji) M42 (Screw on) lenses, let me know if you have anything.

[Pjay]

Crimping is fine, but the connections are prone to water damage over time. I much prefer sealing with heatshrink for this reason, as well as it looking much tidier. Also the Cost is virtually nothing per connection if you already have a soldering iron and solder, as you can buy a loads of the stuff for a few pounds.

https://blog.hellermanntyton.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/SA47_DE_02_kleiner1077x669.jpg

[chris-red]

Solder can crack, it is also not easy to do properly therefor more likely to crack. It's also difficult when you don't have much slack like whilst working on a bike.

Solder in an ideal world is better, but rarely is it an ideal world.

Crimps are much easier to do properly. I've always used crimps and never had one fail once it has been put on properly, I waterproof them with self amalgamating tape you could also use heatshrink.
____________________
Well, you know what they say. If you want to save the world, you have to push a few old ladies down the stairs.
Skudd:- Perhaps she just thinks you are a window licker and is being nice just in case she becomes another Jill Dando.
WANTED:- Fujinon (Fuji) M42 (Screw on) lenses, let me know if you have anything.

[stinkwheel]

Solder joints are fine in theory but you need to be picky where you use them. If they are used in a high movement area, the copper wire either end of the solder can flex, work-harden and break. It's ok if you want to splice a new piece of wire into an older one.

On the whole, crimps are much more reliable

You should always use the type of crimp which also seals the insulation on vehicle wiring. Two crimps per terminal. You can but pre-insulated ones or ones that come with a little silicone sleeve that fits over them (all the big japanese motorcycle manufacturers use these). Using the correct crimping tool is essential to roll the ends into he wire, pliers are NOT a crimping tool.

If I read corrctly what the OP has done, he's cut back the standard loom and joined it back together again.

The best way to have done this would be to cut back each wire in turn to the correct length and fit a new terminal on the end matching the old one.

If you've cut a lump out of the middle. I'd suggest multi-connector spade terminal blocks are now your friend.

I'm going to be doing a bit of wiring soon. Re-doing the rear sub-loom on the enfield. I'll take pictures.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Pjay]

Oh, I'm not saying that heatshrinking is the best method or the defacto method, I'm just saying that if youre lazy and a tight arse, it offers a water tight seal and will last forever, for next to no cost. Solder cracking isn't an issue as you would twist the wires together and seal with the solder, so its not like the solder is making a weld joint, it is binding and filling any space.

The best and most secure way is to crimp on proper connectors and then heatshrink over the top of these, but it's not something that is needed, as I have had wiring last for over a decade and still go strong with a twist/solder/heatshrink joint.
Also there are some places where a bunch of connectors wont fit back into their routing, due to the sheer size of them in one place, this is never an issue with a heatshrunk wire, as it doesnt grow in size by any noticeable amount. I suppose it's all personal preference, but I just like the cleanliness of my method.

[ragamuffin]

Thanks for the great info. Because I have changed the back and front lights - more added than replaced this bike was stripped - im gunna need to be able to disconnect the lights and controls - be easily taken apart again if needs be. Say to put original parts back on. 2bh tho I think it's too far gone for that lol. It's hacked b4 I started and I hacked it some (lots) more. Lights are now high low on the on off switch, park light always on. Horn hardwired into the loom. It's a mess but it works.
I have tidied it up, some wires had 3 joins in them.
So what I need to do is a multitude of all these ideas, solder the hacked wire's for the new headlight controls within the loom and crimp connectors for the lights horn and controls so they can be easily removed.

I'm gunna need a new loom to make this bike original again.
The bikes on you tube if u wanna have a look. Search suzuki rg125 gamma there's 2 vids it's a black bike with silver stripe.

Thanks for the info and insights

T
____________________
I don't snore. I dream I'm a motorcycle.
Suzuki gn125 (dropped valve) Sym Wolf 125 (sold) sky jet 125 cbr repsol replica (sold) Suzuki RGr 125 (current)

[stinkwheel]

[Pjay]

[stinkwheel]

[Pjay]

[Bridgehouse]

I'd have two answers to this question.

Firstly, for MOT purposes - self amalgamating tape can hide a multitude of sins and make it look tidy. As long as the tests work as they should do then = pass (lights, horn, indicators etc. etc.)

The thing I would be worried about is how safe the install actually is. Last thing you want is a short - or something dangerous that could cause fire. I understand fire is a bad thing on a bike.

Even best case is something stops working and somewhere in the mess of wires is an issue that's been lurking ready to piss you off at the most inconvenient time.

I personally wouldn't use a soldered joint. I do lots of soldering in non-bike activities and still wouldn't do any on a bike at all. It's good solid bullet connectors for me all the way.
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2015 Triumph Street Triple - 2015 Honda CB500F - 1976 CB400 Four (Stripped - and undergoing restoration)

[Vincent]

[Pjay]

[Vincent]

That liquidised stuff in the centre of the heat shrink......does that set solid, or is it still pliable?

This stuff ja?

https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/heat-shrink-cold-shrink-sleeves/4811797/

When it states "3:1" in the description, is that the shrink rate?
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Space Is Deep

[Pjay]

[sickpup]

[chris-red]

[bladerunner]

My advice would be solder and heat shrink as well and strap the loom so it cant bounce about. DO NOT use those crappy blue scotch blocks OR the crappy cheap bullet connectors that you get in most hardware/automotive shops OR those bloody horrible choc block connectors if you want your fix to last more than a month or 2 and fall apart when you next come to work on it!!!!

you can get a rather nifty solution thats heatshrink and pre soldered both ends and just requires a hot air gun to use......they use them at the local military jet base but are about 45p a shot

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Waterproof-Solder-Shrink-Connectors-Soldering/dp/B00ESXX74G


quick and easy as well as tidy if you cant solder just make sure your wire is clean
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Current bikes...cbr929, KDX200's, Rd125lc mk2, RGV250's

[stinkwheel]

Scroll down. 16th post down to see how stong properly attached plastic insulated crimp connectors are.

https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=213274
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.