Wiring Question - Double/Single Pole? Double/Single Throw?

[MotorPsycho]

Can someone explain to me the difference between single/double throw/pole, and which I need for high/low beam, horn, starter, run/stop, and key switches? That's all I'm gonna have on mine, no turn signals. Indicators for neutral, et cetera, will already be built into the new speedo I'm getting.

Thanks for the help.

 

[MechNewb]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single_pole,_double_throw#Contact_terminology

Check out that page for a description of switches.

For starter and horn, you want a momentarily ON push button switch.

For a run/stop (or killswitch), you'll want a single pole, single throw or ON-OFF switch. ON is run, OFF kills it.

For a high/low, you can use a SPDT switch. One side is for low beams, one side is for high beams.

 

[MotorPsycho]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single_pole,_double_throw#Contact_terminology

Check out that page for a description of switches.

For starter and horn, you want a momentarily ON push button switch.

For a run/stop (or killswitch), you'll want a single pole, single throw or ON-OFF switch. ON is run, OFF kills it.

For a high/low, you can use a SPDT switch. One side is for low beams, one side is for high beams.

Awesome, thanks! Some switches I have seen have two connections and some have three; do I need to just match the appropriate wires to the right connections? The thing I am concerned with is, I have read on here about some guys who change out switches and have to match two different colored wires to one connection and then the other wires to the other connection. I don't have a clue about what goes where, and I need to study the diagrams more.

As a side note, since I am not going to run turn signals, which wires and/or electrical "boxes" can I remove to simplify the wiring.

Thanks for the help, you guys are AWESOME!

 

[MechNewb]

As for which wires to remove, search and you should find some threads of other people talking about it. Its too much to go over in one post.

Im not sure what you mean by connections etc. Once you get started though, post any problems or questions here and we can try to help.