Sealing an unused wire end; a better way

Need advice on which oil to use or which tyre best suits you? Share your topic and get help here.
Post Reply
User avatar
E.Marquez
Posts: 635
Joined: Wed May 30, 2012 1:27 pm

Sealing an unused wire end; a better way

Post by E.Marquez »

We modify our bikes, its what we do.
Sometimes we remove a safety switch, a light, or another part that leaves you with an unused and now open unsealed wire end or plug.
Or we swap an OEM part that used 3 wires to power and control it, but the after market one only uses 2.
What ever the reason, we sometimes end up with what is now an extraneous wire, bullet connector or terminal.
Those left over wires or terminals can cause a short to ground if not covered, they can lead to corrosion as it starts at open and unprotected terminal crimped to the wire and worms its way into the wiring harness.


Snipping that unused left over wire and covering with a wrap of electrical tape is a time honored method and it works, until it doesn't. The tape comes loose after a summer of riding, water gets in when you play in the mud, cross a creek, wash the bike and starts corrosion or worse, the hot wire end grounds out and you have a blown fuse or damaged electrical component.

Here is a better way to seal off that unused wire end.
It takes two pieces of heat shrink tubing (or three if binding together more then one sealed wire)
step1_2.jpg
Trim any exposed conductors back to insulation, then cut the first piece of proper diameter heat shrink tubing to about 1.5"


Slide that piece over the wire about 1/2 way though tube.


Heat and shrink the tubing
step 2-5.jpg
step 2-5.jpg (46.24 KiB) Viewed 2334 times
Fold back the end of the tubing that extended past the wire end
step 3.jpg
Cut the second piece of tubing long enough to fully cover the 1st piece plus 3/8 ~1/2"
step 4.jpg
Heat and shrink the second piece of tubing to finish the seal.

I prefer to use double wall adhesive lined heat shrink tubing for the job.. I use 3M Adhesive-Lined Polyolefin Heat Shrink Tubing and 3M non lined Polyolefin Heat Shrink Tubing, but many other brands are out there as well. Do a Google search for "heat shrink tubing" and "adhesive lined heat shrink tubing" then pick what you want in the size and color.Look at the shrink ratios and starting size to understand what size it will end up.
Regular heat shrink tube does a ok job as well for sealing an unused wire end, just not quite as weatherproof...Suggest you always use the dielectric silicon on wire tip in step one is not using adhesive lined tubing.
Heat shrink tubing.jpg
Heat shrink tubing.jpg (82.68 KiB) Viewed 2333 times
Consider buying just a little more then needed for the job at hand and soon enough you'll have a collection that gives you the proper size tubing most every time.

If you are planning on that sealed wire being often submerged in water or mud, you can coat the very end of the wire wire in the first step with dielectric silicone to further help water proof the open end of the wire.

If you have more then one wire left over, you can slip a third piece of tubing over the wires and shrink down to create a niece secure, protected bundle that loose clean. Like this
IMG_7992.JPG
For this particular task I was asked to keep the associated plug in place and terminate the unused wires after the plug. This gives the owner several options... If desired later at time of resale, or change of mind, a simple job of re-soldering the cut off switch and its wires returns the wiring harness and bike to "stock".
Also in this case that plug and its circuit is a key on hot 12v power and ground source the owner can use to power (though a fuse please) a low wattage add on device, like USB charge port, GPS, ect. and it has a nice modern sealed plug to disconnect that added mod as needed.
Attachments
step1.jpg
step -5.jpg
step -5.jpg (48.26 KiB) Viewed 2334 times
Marquez Motorcycle Services
Solutions to recurring maintenance
Race/Adventure ride event prep
Post event services

Total Rider
Your path to a TX motorcycle license
And advanced Rider training
User avatar
KermitLeFrog
Posts: 1634
Joined: Sat Apr 11, 2015 6:44 pm
Location: Hexham

Re: Sealing an unused wire end; a better way

Post by KermitLeFrog »

Nicely done. Thanks for that.
"I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I squandered" (George Best, RIP)
User avatar
lloydie
Posts: 20920
Joined: Mon Jan 17, 2011 11:16 pm
Location: In the garage somewhere in Coventry

Re: Sealing an unused wire end; a better way

Post by lloydie »

Done it that way for years and never had a problem
User avatar
E.Marquez
Posts: 635
Joined: Wed May 30, 2012 1:27 pm

Re: Sealing an unused wire end; a better way

Post by E.Marquez »

lloydie wrote: Tue Mar 06, 2018 7:53 pm Done it that way for years and never had a problem Image
I get stuck working and fixing this stuff every week.
IMG_8066.JPG
IMG_8065.JPG
IMG_8064.JPG
and thats the BETTER wombles I get on some of the bikes my good customers buy and ask me to put in to riding condition.
Marquez Motorcycle Services
Solutions to recurring maintenance
Race/Adventure ride event prep
Post event services

Total Rider
Your path to a TX motorcycle license
And advanced Rider training
User avatar
lloydie
Posts: 20920
Joined: Mon Jan 17, 2011 11:16 pm
Location: In the garage somewhere in Coventry

Re: Sealing an unused wire end; a better way

Post by lloydie »

It’s shocking seeing some of the bodge jobs people do to electrics and wonder why they don’t last or even work !!
User avatar
Wicky
Posts: 7895
Joined: Sat Feb 11, 2006 2:43 pm
Location: Colchester Essex
Contact:

Re: Sealing an unused wire end; a better way

Post by Wicky »

lloydie wrote: Wed Mar 07, 2018 6:36 pm It’s shocking seeing some of the bodge jobs people do to electrics and wonder why they don’t last or even work !!
Image
It may be that your whole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.

ImageVTR Firestorm and other bikes t-shirts
User avatar
sirch345
Site Admin
Posts: 21669
Joined: Mon Aug 25, 2003 10:35 pm
Location: The West Country.

Re: Sealing an unused wire end; a better way

Post by sirch345 »

That looks like a very professional job Erik :clap:
I like the idea of heat shrink tubing with glue inside of it,

Chris.

PS. I see Wicky is working late again :lol:
User avatar
E.Marquez
Posts: 635
Joined: Wed May 30, 2012 1:27 pm

Re: Sealing an unused wire end; a better way

Post by E.Marquez »

lloydie wrote: Wed Mar 07, 2018 6:36 pm It’s shocking seeing some of the bodge jobs people do to electrics and wonder why they don’t last or even work !!
This is what Im working on today
wires.jpg
along with the same guys "new" 2012 WR450F that is getting a refurbishment wheel to wheel to like new condition as well as a host of upgrades.. Poor thing has been worked on and maintained in like condition and ways that wiring mess is above
Marquez Motorcycle Services
Solutions to recurring maintenance
Race/Adventure ride event prep
Post event services

Total Rider
Your path to a TX motorcycle license
And advanced Rider training
User avatar
sirch345
Site Admin
Posts: 21669
Joined: Mon Aug 25, 2003 10:35 pm
Location: The West Country.

Re: Sealing an unused wire end; a better way

Post by sirch345 »

This is what I would call bad wiring :lol:

Image
A scooter a friend of mine was working on, before he starting work on the wiring :crazy:

Chris.
User avatar
firestorm_al
Site Admin
Posts: 754
Joined: Mon May 20, 2002 9:56 am
Location: Aberdeen (Scotland - UK)
Contact:

Re: Sealing an unused wire end; a better way

Post by firestorm_al »

This was part of the wiring on my last Falco before I started fixing it.

Image

Un-used ends finished off with the double heat-shink method -

Image

Upgraded R/R unit installed with up-rated wiring -

Image

Al.
Post Reply