Services
Preventative Maintenance “Electrical MOT”
When servicing it’s always the oil and other fluids, filters, tyres and other mechanical items that are looked at – the electrical system is often ignored. Why not have the electrical system checked over, a preventative maintenance check will cover the following:-
Check loom for damage (split insulation, abrasion, excess tension etc.) Any minor faults rectified.
Check connectors (corroded, burnt or damaged terminals) Terminals are cleaned and sprayed with silicon to protect from the elements. Any minor faults rectified.
Handle bar switches sprayed with contact cleaner and silicon to clean, lubricate and protect.
Battery fluid levels checked if applicable.
Charging system checked.
Alternator and Starter motor brushes checked if applicable or practicable.
All systems checked for operation.
Service report issued
Fault Finding
Fault location is probably one of the most difficult areas of an electrical system, with ignition faults being the most common and problematic areas to resolve. Intermittent faults (those that come and go) are impossible to locate if the fault is not present at the time of inspection, the more details you can provide about the symptoms the easier it is to locate.
Repairs
If you know your fault but don’t know how to repair it, we will be happy to repair it for you.
Repairs to wires should be soldered and insulated with heat shrink tubing to protect the joint. Do not use screw type connectors and electrical tape, as this will cause problems in the long term.
Alterations
Many bikers like to personalise their bike with many accessories, like higher powered head light bulbs, spot lights, horns, indicators, GPS, LED’s etc.
Friendly Advice
If fitting higher-powered equipment like head light bulbs, you must ensure that the original electrics can cope with the higher current requirements or you could melt the loom, also if the bike is fitted with a plastic headlight lens the extra heat generated could melt this as well, ensure that what you fit will not adversely affect your bike.
You must also ensure that any additional equipment fitted does not exceed the power generated by the alternator or you battery will still go flat even on a long ride and you could be left stranded.
The crimp on type connector that is used on existing wires to make an extra power outlet should be avoided. When the knife like metal part is pressed into the existing wire, you will either make a very poor connection that will corrode quickly or simply cut the wire in two.
If you use proper terminal connectors, crimp them with the proper crimping tool – not pliers, hammers or your teeth, as a poor termination will result.
Towzatronics will ensure that the wiring is suitable for the alteration you require, fitting suitable crimped terminals, fused power leads and relays where required and checking that the total power requirement does not exceed the alternator output.
Rewires
Complete or partial rewires can be undertaken to your specification taking into consideration any alterations that you wish to make, or to the original wiring specifications. Only modern “Thinwall” wire is used, providing better insulation quality with higher current capabilities, which allow looms to be made with thinner wires, and hence reducing their bulk. Connectors can be to the original specification if available, or to a suitable modern type.
Power feed wires to high current devices will be controlled by relays wherever possible. This can also decrease the bulkiness of the handle bar switch wires to produce neater looking bars (switch wires could also be hidden inside the handle bars).
We usually produce a loom with three separate systems, Charging, Ignition and Power consumption i.e. everything else. This separates and makes it easier in the future to analyse any Charging or Ignition issues, which is the most common area of bike problems.
We always discuss any requirements before any work is started to ensure we get it right first time.