Starter Amperage

BigDick

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I have an 82 DOHC. Does anyone know off the top of their head what the amperage for the starter is? I'm wanting to put a rocker switch on my race bike but I'm concerned about finding one with a high enough amperage rating. Thanks guys.
 
Won't you be running the starter through a relay? That way the relay handles the high amperage and the switch has very low amp requirements. For a suitable relay I'd just go to a good auto parts store and ask for the starter relay out of say a 1995 F150.
 
I have a momentary push button specifically for the starter circuit. I guess what I'm asking for is the overall amperage of the electrical system. Like I said, this is a race only bike. No lights, signals, horns, or anything else. I only have enough wiring for the bike to run and charge the battery. I was using a 30 amp switch since the main power fuse was 30 amps but the only 30 amp switch I can find at autozone is a big toggle switch which ends up broken off. (I've changed it out a few times.) I'd really like to go to a lower profile rocker switch which would be more difficult to break.
 
150A according to the manual. So that will rule out most switches.

What are you trying to accomplish? A master kill switch for the electrical system?
 
Exactly! Right now running a 35 Amp switch it runs power through the hot side wires going to the coil which gives the system power and ability for the engine to run. All I need is a switch with high enough amperage to handle the current going from the battery through the switch, to the coil wires.
 
Okay. My first thought is to NOT run the starter through your kill switch - check the rules to see if this is allowed. If the rules require a complete battery disconnect, then you will have to get a proper Battery Master Disconnect switch such as this one, and install it between the battery and starter relay (solenoid). Be sure to put the "key" on a tether so you don't loose it!

You may need a switch like this one that will also disconnect the alternator to kill the engine, depending on the rules. If the alternator isn't disconnected, it can provide power to the ignition and the engine will continue to run.
 
Sorry, I didn't really explain well what's going on. Look at the attached schematic I drew up really quick in paint. It shows better than I explained what's happening.
 

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Hrmmm. I understand what you have drawn, but I'm questioning the reasoning. The relay is a switch, why do you need another? A momentary switch for a kill switch?

A different switch and a slight change in wiring and you will have what you are trying to accomplish with your relay. I'll try to get a diagram drawn up later today.
 
The switch in the picture gives power to the full system. There is a switch on the handlebars which gives momentary ground. The switch on the handlebars is wired through to the relay which opens the circuit that gives power to the coils. The main switch (the one in the pic) just lets me start the bike. But this switch is located down out of the way, next to the starter button. The momentary switch on the handlebars gives me the option to shut the bike off easily without taking my hands off the grips.

EDIT: The handlebar switch gives a momentary ground connection. With it wired through to the relay to give the momentary ground, it causes the relay to switch the 12V+ to a different terminal rather than going through to the coils. The handlebar switch is a generic motocross bike, off switch.
 
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