TOPIC:

I just installed the WG coil mod on the 750. I still need to clean it up a bit, but before I do that I just wanted to hear your experiences about using a pigtail (or socket, or whatever you want to call it) or not. My problem is that the only pigtail I'm able to find here in Norway doesn't really create a better connection than what regular female connectors would. Well, that's my opinion at least. It's basically a lump of plastic surrounding the same female connectors... I understand that plastic protects the connection, but wouldn't heatshrinked standard female connections be just as good? Here's a pic of the pigtail I was able to find.


What are your experiences with pigtail or no pigtail?

Hi Stein,

I like that pigtail.

Would you heat shrink the connecting wires where you splice them to the electrical system? A little dielectric grease in the pigtail before you plug the relay in will give the corrosion resistance you're looking for on that end.

KZCSI

I tried with the pigtail first, but it felt a little jiggly (didn't plug all the way in leaving a gap between the relay and the pigtail), and the colored wires didn't correspond with the terminals. I would get a black 18ga. wire to starter relay bolt, red 12 ga. wire to ground, and so on. I suffer from detail fixation from time to time, and this gauge and color mismatch made it impossible for me to use the socket

My alternative would be using crimp on female connectors with heat shrink tubing around the full length of all the wiring + connectors and then a large diameter piece of heat shrink tubing covering the bottom part of the realay as well as a few inches of the wiring. I guess it would be a problem if I ever need to replace the relay. Hmmm... Perhaps I'm better off with the pigtail after all

The weatherpack and metricpack connectors used on modern cars under the hood are temperature and water resistant.

www.waytekwire.com and www.weatherpack.com can supply you with the male and female mating connectors and the proper seals and crimping tools.

The connectors can handle 22,20,18,16,14 and 12 gauge wire using the proper male and female crimp on pins.

I hear you about the color and gauge mismatch. Is there a more appropriate pig tail available in the USA?

KZCSI

MFolks,

Thanks for those links, I set bookmarks for them. However neither one has a connector that will fit an 87A relay. Not exactly sure of that number but I believe it's the preferred relay for the coil mod.

The waytek part # 75280, 75281 and 75282 are 5 pin relay connectors. The electrical crimp on pins are #30074 for 3/16" push-on for 20-16 wire, #31073 1/4" push-on for 16-14 wire, and #32074 1/4" push-on for 12-19 wire. The white nylon relay connector block will get brittle over time and break so I use the black ones which are a heat stabilized nylon.

Hi MFolks,

I stand corrected! I did look around, but apparently did not know the correct vernacular. Thanks.

What do you think kzrider?

KZCSI

When I lived in San Diego Ca I used to work at a company that made backup power systems (9 years) and then I worked at General Dynamics/Convair (10 years) building test equipment and cables for the BGM-109 Tomahawk and the AGM-129 Advanced Cruise Missile. I'm no stranger to wire crimping,soldering,cable buildup or aerospace drilling and assembly.

kzrider, I used the same connector/pigtail you show here.

I moved the wires around until I got the colour code I wanted and swapped in new colours and wire gauges as I saw fit. I used several relays in my design so using connectors was the only way to go otherwise troubleshooting would be unbearable with individual contact connections.

This is how I mounted mine:



It also provided a good mounting position for labels.

Best of success!

Stein, The crimp on connectors directly on the relay will eventually start oxidizing. I have done this and the relay/crimp on connectors will last perhaps a year or so. That is why I suggested the pigtail. The one you showed will work fine except for the fitment issue. Not sure why the relay doesn't seat all the way flush on the pigtail. If you would like, install the relay using whichever type of connection you like and I can get you a couple relays/pigtails into the mail next time I go to the post office. Those things only cost me a buck or two for the pair as I buy them in bulk. Let me know if you need a relay/pigtail.

All my relay units fit flush on their connector/pigtail assemblies with NO gap. Then I use a tie-wrap/zip lock around both to prevent them from separating under vibration.

Could your model of relay unit have male pins that are simply too long for the mating female connector? Can you not just trim the male pins until there is no more gap?

Best of success!

Stein... I've done the coil mod on 3 bikes now, and though I originally skipped the pigtail, I now have added it to all of them and think it's the best way.

I get all mine here:
www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=330-075

...in fact I get the relays and in-line fuses there, too...