Battery, Wiring and Lights

[KartFab]

So I recently bought a used Subaru EX17 engine w/electric start. I haven't touched it yet, but it probably just has a dirty carb/minor issues with the pull start (hoping).

I know that it should have a charging system since its electric start. I have literally only looked at this thing for 1 or 2 minutes and have let it sit for a few days thinking what I am going to do with it.

The goal:

Put it on my Baja Heat mini bike, and hook up a small (or low amp) LED headlight and a 1 led tail light. I have messed with trailer lights before, and noticed they use the frame as a ground/conductor path.... I want to get the lights that use two wires and avoid the frame all together. Any ideas on where to get cheap lights that have 2 wires? I saw some 8 dollar light in northern tool that looks almost like the original light, but its not led. I also saw some offroad/racing lights in walmart automotive section, but im wondering if this little engine and battery would be able to put out enough amps to keep the light bright you know?

I have looked at the manual here:
http://www.wedophones.com/Manuals/Subaru/SubaruEngines/EX17 Service Manual.pdf

and found that the wiring diagram is on pg 51 (54 on pdf) section 8-2.

I always feel uneasy about engines/wiring stuff up until I actually know what to do, then its no problem. I think relocating the key will be a sinch, just add more wire... but... I want to hook up the lights so they turn off when the key is set to off, turn on when the key is set to on, and stay on when the motor is running. Also I will probably make a little metal tray or something for the battery in front of the engine welded to the frame of the mini bike. I also am a little confused about where to hook up the battery on the negative side. The rake looking symbol is throwing me off in the wiring diagram. I'm totally lost with the electrical symbols. I learned a little bit about them in physics class, but i put that in the "i'm never going to use that again" spot in my brain.

to make things worse. I don't have good pictures haha sorry guys! I will get some up in 3-4 hours from now.

 

[vlad]

Look at the bicycle lights on ebay/amazon. There is a lot of cheap LED stuff there. That's what I'm going to put on my go-kart

 

[Poboy kartman]

All I can offer is I'm 90% sure the "rake" would be a switch...

 

[firemanjim]

The "rake" could be the ground, or it could be a switch/relay. Depends on what you call a "rake".....

 

[mckutzy]

I had to look up what a rake symbol looked like, and it is a reference for the ground.

 

[Poboy kartman]

I had to look up what a rake symbol looked like, and it is a reference for the ground.

Out of curiosity, I downloaded the manual and I'm not sure what that is supposed to represent. It's not the symbol I was thinking of but ground makes no sense to me when you have one one each side of the spark plug. Honestly that whole diagram is a bit confusing. ......

 

[fowler]

Ha ha

Yeah the rake is the ground

The battery negative goes to the rake lol

Run one neg wire to a spare bolt on the engine block and one wire to the acctual frame of the kart

The block wire will let u use the key
The frame wire will run lights

To run lights with the ign

U must install a relay so the key will have 3 positions maybe more

The first will be no power coil grounded
The second will be power ( so like in your car when all the dash lights flash and the radio comes on)
The 3rd will be the actual engine start
This will be the position u can't lock they Key in
So it will go pos 2 turn key to start release key and it returns to pos 2

The key may have a pos between 1 and second called accessory
This is so u can run power with the engine off
But I dout it will

U need to run a signal wire from the power position this is wire will go to relay pos 86

It will be really obvious which one is power
But if u get a multi meter then power is the one with 12 volts at it when the key is in the 2nd pos

So now u have a signal line
Mount your lights

Run a posative wire from each light to where ever u want your electronics to be
I'd recommend close to the battery this is going to be relay pos 87
Then run a negative wire to each light and ground it on the frame
Make sure it's grounded to the main frame and there's no bolted joins or gaps between lights ground and battery ground

Then hook the lights posative to the relay (pos 87)
Run a posative wire from the battery to the relay (pos 30)

Connect your signal wire up then run a ground for the signal side
(pos 85)
Run the ground though a switch so u can turn the wires on and off when driving

The box the relay comes in will have directions on it and I'll do u up a wireing diagram
A relay is an electro magnet switch that allows u to switch on high currency circuits with a low currect one

So turning on the key induces a currect in a coil that pulls a switch on

EDIT

Tbh I'm not going to download the manual

Can u take a screen shot of it and post it up As a pic
Or some thing like that

EDIT2

Hope this makes sense

u see if u leave the dash switch on then the circuit operates like u want the lights only turn off when the engine turns off

but if u are driving and u wanna turn them off to get away from the cops or somthing (lol) then u hit that switch and the ground is broken and the lights shut off

for anyone whos interested this is the legal way to wire spot lights to your car or truck
but u use the high bean circuit as the signal

edit 3

ok i made a mistake in the diagram
stupid
the off position doesnt dump battery voltage to ground
lol
that would be bad
but the off position does ground out the coil

 

[KartFab]

Thanks! I'll get to fiddling with this on Saturday.

 

[KartFab]

Update: I got the engine to run, just had a dirty carb and the starter was staying engaged to the flywheel.

Clutch was rusted pretty bad to the shaft. I just pulled out my angle grinder and made quick work of it muahahaha.

The key acts as a killswitch too, so I think ill mount it onto the fake gas tank on the baja heat.

There are:
1)yellow wire and
1)yellow and orange wire

coming out of the starter assembly that appear to have been disconnected. I ran out of time to work on this today, so will have to put off until another day. Engine runs real smooth.

Ill have to work on this another day. Thanks so much fowler for the diagram it makes sense. Now i just gotta tear it apart and follow your instructions... someday.... sigh. Too much stuff going on with work for the forseeable future that I am just putting the engine on a shelf. Will have it running by the time school is out for the kids so we can tear it up on some trails.

 

[Arkyhunter]

If thats the same as my duromax motor the charging system output is 3amp not enough to keep your battery hot.

Arkhunter

 

[Scout]

I used all LED lights on my kart and with them all on they pull a total of 1 amp. I did use cheap led fog lights for headlights though. Not that bright.

 

[Arkyhunter]

well thats good to know I"ll have to get some for my buggy. Arkyhunter