The Ford Barn

Jake H. · 05-13-2011, 12:20 AM

So, I noticed this shortly after installing a new six-volt starter solenoid on my car:

I wanted to "hot wire" the engine compartment just to see if the long dormant engine would turn over, or try to start, so I ran a wire straight from the positive post of my coil to the negative post of my battery, then made a short jumper wire from the solenoid's small switch post.

Touched the solenoid wire to the positive post of the battery (ground)....nothing.

Touched the solenoid wire to the negative (energized) post of the battery...bingo! Engine turned over and fired.

What this told me was the solenoid is activated by a "hot" circuit, NOT a ground, as it should be.

I'm currently running all new wires for the car, and I want to make sure I don't run into trouble if I just wire the starting circuit the way it wants me to, and still run the charging, et al, to positive ground.

Has anyone experienced this?

Edit: The starter button that was in the car is not a stock one, and has two terminals on it. I wired it stock-style with one side to a ground I made under the dash, and the other side to the solenoid and got nothing, as I expected. Put a live lead to it in place of the ground wire, and voila, it kicks over....

05-13-2011, 12:20 AM	#1
Jake H. Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 72	ANOTHER 6V electrical puzzle... So, I noticed this shortly after installing a new six-volt starter solenoid on my car: I wanted to "hot wire" the engine compartment just to see if the long dormant engine would turn over, or try to start, so I ran a wire straight from the positive post of my coil to the negative post of my battery, then made a short jumper wire from the solenoid's small switch post. Touched the solenoid wire to the positive post of the battery (ground)....nothing. Touched the solenoid wire to the negative (energized) post of the battery...bingo! Engine turned over and fired. What this told me was the solenoid is activated by a "hot" circuit, NOT a ground, as it should be. I'm currently running all new wires for the car, and I want to make sure I don't run into trouble if I just wire the starting circuit the way it wants me to, and still run the charging, et al, to positive ground. Has anyone experienced this? Edit: The starter button that was in the car is not a stock one, and has two terminals on it. I wired it stock-style with one side to a ground I made under the dash, and the other side to the solenoid and got nothing, as I expected. Put a live lead to it in place of the ground wire, and voila, it kicks over....