A warning and a question about starter solenoids

[GB SISSON]

First the warning. The other day I noticed the wire from the starter switch to the small terminal on the reproduction solenoid was coming loose from it's crimp connector so I replaced it with a new one. As I tightened the small brass nut on the terminal something rotated just enough for the cover to ground to the terminal. Well the truck was in gear as is my usual habit in my garage. The truck lurched forward so I yanked the wire off to no avail. I had just enough time to see and rotate the cover and it stopped about a foot from my tool boxes against the back wall. So much could have happened. Like if it was in reverse, or you name it. I have heard about kids playing in a garage one kid in front and second kid hits the starter button... I tried another solenoid, a used original from a swap meet. This time in Neutral. Well, it stuck in the on position. Had to go around and disconnect the battery (6 cyl battery is on left). I found a few more solenoids but they activate with voltage, not ground. So I remembered a new one on a shelf and it is the one pictured, unused. I have done various searches to find if this one activates with a ground or hot connection and I find nothing. Not willing to fry it by hooking it up wrong with a 50/50 chance,. Anybody know about this Standard SS-549? If it takes power to activate, I just may install a switch to power. Seems it would eliminate some of this danger as well as well.

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by GB SISSON

First the warning. The other day I noticed the wire from the starter switch to the small terminal on the reproduction solenoid was coming loose from it's crimp connector so I replaced it with a new one. As I tightened the small brass nut on the terminal something rotated just enough for the cover to ground to the terminal. Well the truck was in gear as is my usual habit in my garage. The truck lurched forward so I yanked the wire off to no avail. I had just enough time to see and rotate the cover and it stopped about a foot from my tool boxes against the back wall. So much could have happened. Like if it was in reverse, or you name it. I have heard about kids playing in a garage one kid in front and second kid hits the starter button... I tried another solenoid, a used original from a swap meet. This time in Neutral. Well, it stuck in the on position. Had to go around and disconnect the battery (6 cyl battery is on left). I found a few more solenoids but they activate with voltage, not ground. So I remembered a new one on a shelf and it is the one pictured, unused. I have done various searches to find if this one activates with a ground or hot connection and I find nothing. Not willing to fry it by hooking it up wrong with a 50/50 chance,. Anybody know about this Standard SS-549? If it takes power to activate, I just may install a switch to power. Seems it would eliminate some of this danger as well als well.

[flatjack9]

Hook a meter up to the 2 large terminals, ground the small one and see if you get continuity.

[Bob C]

It fits 6V Dodge and Plymouth. From the diagram looks like it need power to the small terminal.

[Reds34]

I would say that it closes upon power to the terminal because it says the case is grounded.

Red

[petehoovie]

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Originally Posted by Bob C

It fits 6V Dodge and Plymouth. From the diagram looks like it need power to the small terminal.

[1948F-1Pickup]

Standard doesn't appear to have a diagram/schematic on SS-549. And their buyers guide says 12V as well for that listing, so I don't know on that one.

I am aware of a person who hit the starter on a car after doing an oil change, while the car was in gear.... the end result was a damaged 1965 Shelby Cobra (real), as well as two or three other vehicles in the garage and the garage itself. I believe roughly $180K worth of claim. I want to say it was Haggerty, but I may be inaccurate on that detail.

[petehoovie]

[cas3]

I have found too that they need to be mounted so that gravity helps to disconnect the circuit, as the spring is some times too weak and it will stay connected. So..battery terminals on the high side, electro magnet and plunger to the bottom.

If we are telling story's, I got one too.
In the 90's, I was halftrack crazy, had 11 of them at one point. So the Autocar M3 I was doing a frame up resto on was getting its new dash. I had installed the new dash into a running chassis, and was occasionally turning on the ignition switch to check each item connected. When I got to the starter button, I decided to try it out. Standing outside the door. Usually, cars in my garage are left in neutral . Well, this time it was in 1st gear, and usually the rig needed to turn over several times to fire up, but not this time! It started immediately, and first brain signal was to whack the shift lever into neutral. Why not turn off the ignition???, So , I whack the shifter and it jumps over neutral and into 2nd gear.
Now the monster is crashing into a plywood work bench. This was a roller model, not a winch front, and the roller has nice sloping fronts that worked perfect to scoop up the work bench onto the hood dumping tools and smashing wood until I finally shut off the ignition shortly before it went thru the wall, which it easily could have...at idle. Note to self...always check the shifter when starting.

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by GB SISSON

I found a few more solenoids but they activate with voltage, not ground.

Don't fool yourself into believing that one method of energizing a circuit is any less prone to accidental activation than the other. Virtually EVERY circuit is designed to become energized either by switching a power source, or by switching a GROUND connection. You can't have an energized, operational circuit without a power source AND a ground.

ANY TIME one is working on any electrical component on ANY vehicle, the vehicle's battery should be disconnected. And as an additional safety measure on these old Fords (or any other vehicle with a standard transmission), the transmission should be placed in neutral.

Coop

.

[JayChicago]

Reds34 in post #5 got it. The box is marked "6 volt grounded base". That means it takes power, not ground, to activate it.

[GB SISSON]

Originally Posted by JayChicago

Reds34 in post #5 got it. The box is marked "6 volt grounded base". That means it takes power, not ground, to activate it.

Thanks to all of you! I will used the standard grounded base unit. It even has a felt wick which I presume allows one to add some light oil into the moving parts. Also, unlike the cheap reproduction of the ford switch, it's in a sealed bakelite housing so the workings cannot move around and contact each other. Coop, I felt like my dad was looking at me over the top of his reading glasses. Thanks, I needed that, and CAS Holy S#!+ close one!

[GB SISSON]

Works perfectly, Thanks. I had installed a nice brass Cole-Hearse push button dash switch a couple years back. It had a wire to the small terminal on the solenoid and other to a ground under the dash. Just had to run that ground wire to battery power instead. Here's a pic of the aftermarket solenoid. I unscrewed the small terminal for the photo so you can see how when I did my final tighten with the 3/8 box end vertical , put a sideways movement on the brass stud. It wasn't the cover moving it was the wobbly stud that made contact with the case.

[flatford8]

Nice job ‘Ol boy!!......did you go for a ride when she started?........Mark

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by GB SISSON

Works perfectly, Thanks. I had installed a nice brass Cole-Hearse push button dash switch a couple years back. It had a wire to the small terminal on the solenoid and other to a ground under the dash. Just had to run that ground wire to battery power instead. Here's a pic of the aftermarket solenoid. I unscrewed the small terminal for the photo so you can see how when I did my final tighten with the 3/8 box end vertical , put a sideways movement on the brass stud. It wasn't the cover moving it was the wobbly stud that made contact with the case.

[GB SISSON]

Originally Posted by flatford8

Nice job ‘Ol boy!!......did you go for a ride when she started?........Mark

No I'm not supposed to drive for another week. Something to do with my pacemaker and the wires pulling outa my heart before they are 'healed in'. Each wire lead has a corkscrew on the end that they auger into the inner wall of my ventrical and or atrium. Seems they'd stay in pretty well, But the surgeon described it to me as a 'Nightmare' if they come undone. And let's face it, these dudes normally try to down play stuff. Like when they bring out a big syringe with a knitting needle on the end and say "You might feel a little pinch".

[cas3]

They should use Locktite on an active lad like you.

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by GB SISSON

Something to do with my pacemaker and the wires pulling outa my heart before they are 'healed in'. Each wire lead has a corkscrew on the end that they auger into the inner wall of my ventrical and or atrium.

Well, that's about the same difference as a POWER lead & a GROUND wire on a solenoid. We know THOSE connections gotta be just right, and tight ..... right?

Coop

.

[51504bat]

Originally Posted by cas3

They should use Locktite on an active lad like you.

JB Weld

[GB SISSON]

They jacked what was my normal heart rate of 40 up to 60. Along with the valve job for greatly increased blood flow, I'm looking at a whopping increase in horspower. I'm thinking it's pretty much the same as adding fuel injection and electronic ignition to an old flattie.

[cas3]

So...you are not stock anymore, but, high performance. We expect to see the results.

[flatford8]

I guess you gotta do with the lead mechanic says ........ Break that new valve job in slow....
As long as you’re firing on all eight ......Mark

[51504bat]

Just glad you didn't get a SBC transplant.

[GB SISSON]

What a fun bunch to wake up to! Now that it cranks in a civilized fashion, it's back to playing 'musical carbs'. I've got one coming today from ebay and a kit arrived yesterday. Oh lookie there, it's my wife's 24 hr shift night and I needed a late night project. Thanks for the fun and the advice from all of you. GB

[Tim Ayers]

I've have this happen when the battery was draining down. I guess it didn't have enough juice/charge to move the switch back and forth.

[GB SISSON]

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I think the felt wick on top of this one should help the plunger to slide freely for a long time. I think I will put a bit of mmo on it. It looks like a filter on a cigarette with a little keeper around it. First time I've seen an oiler on a solenoid.