ignition switch replacement

mschehen · Post by **mschehen** » Sat Jan 28, 2012 9:24 pm

So I am putting a 305 Dream back on the road that was left out in a field for many many years. It was missing tons of parts (the most hard to find ones of course) and I have been putting some generic parts on it so as to keep costs down. One of the parts that was missing was the ignition switch and I was thinking about replacing it with a simple aftermarket 3 position switch. I figured I could put the meterlamp, taillamp and headlamp wires to the accesory terminal. The battery wire to the battery terminal and the ignition to the ignition terminal. My question is what to do with the AC dynamo, rectifire and the starter wires? Would they go to the ignition lead or the accesory lead? Or should I just keep looking for a factory switch? If anybody out there has had any success doing this I would appreciate some feedback

Thanks
Mike Schehen
Albany, OR

brewsky · Post by **brewsky** » Sat Jan 28, 2012 10:56 pm

Not quite that simple, but it can be done.
The pink and yellow wires get connected in the switch only when the lights are on
Check the wiring sticky post.
Not sure how the accessory position would help.
You could just use an on/off switch if you connect the pink and yellow together, and run lights on all the time

mschehen · Post by **mschehen** » Sun Jan 29, 2012 1:54 am

The new switch only has 3 terminals, batt in, ignition and accesory. The accesory terminal stays hot in accesory and ignition position. So your saying the pink and yellow wires should go together with the ignition wire?

brewsky · Post by **brewsky** » Sun Jan 29, 2012 5:32 am

There are several ways you could do it.
The pink and yellow wires probably need to either be on a separate switch, or just connected together outside the switch (in which case the lights should be on all the time)

The important thing to remember is that the charging system has no regulator, and relies on a balanced load so as not to over/under charge the battery.

With the stock switch in the lights on key position, the pink and yellow wires are connected in the switch to activate an additional coil from the magneto. Whenever the lights are on, the extra coils need to be in play, and when they are off, they should not. The pink and yellow wires should be isolated from connection with any others in the switch.

You could also add a toggle switch to the headlight for starting or temporary extra charging purposes, but would need to remember to turn the headlight on for normal operation

Study the switch matrix and diagram in this post:
http://www.honda305.com/forums/dreams-c ... t6088.html

mschehen · Post by **mschehen** » Sun Jan 29, 2012 11:10 am

Thanks for directing me to the switch matrix. After looking at it I think I will install a relay that activates off of the headlight switch and run the pink and yellow wires off of it. That way they will only be activated when the headlight is on. The rest of the lights I will run off of the accesory terminal on the new switch. If this works the new switch was only $11.95, looks great and came with 2 new keys. I have been unable to find a used original for less then $100 (with keys) and who knows what kind of shape they are in.
Thanks again for the help, this forum is a huge asset for anybody who loves these bikes.

brewsky · Post by **brewsky** » Sun Jan 29, 2012 12:11 pm

Yes, the switches are hard to find at all, much less for a low price.

Show us some pics of your eventual setup, as many have the same question.

mschehen · Post by **mschehen** » Sun Jan 29, 2012 1:54 pm

once I get it done and working I will post a diagram, Thanks again.