Clarkair CA-1 Discussion Board

I'm working on the details of the wiring harness for the CA-1. I have spoken with Joe at Vintage Wiring of Maine. He has some information on the CA-1 wiring harness from Ray and has made a few harnesses. He and I both have some questions about the harness and some of the information in the Clark TM. Some of the harness dimensions are depicted, others are not. I plan on taking some measurements based on the drawings and photo from the TM. Here is what I am trying to nail down:

1. Length of CA-1200 Starter to Starter Switch cable.
2. length of CA-1189 Ammeter to Light Switch wire
3. Length of CA-1210 distributor to Coil wire
4. Lengths of the three legs of the CA-2085 Wiring Harness
5. Question: CA-2085 branch of wiring harness going to starter switch terminal and tail light. What is the length of the wire to the tail light?
6. No head light wire is depicted. Was it wired separately from the light switch forward to the light? What is the length?

If anyone has an original harness, or remnants, it would be helpful to get any measurements. Joe will build harnesses for anyone who needs one. Here are the details from the manual with my annotations so far:

I finally measured what I surmise are the correct runs for the two wiring sections not depicted in the TM. Those are for the Front headlight and the rear flood. I also measured the lengths of the wiring pieces not indicated in the TM.

1. In speaking with Joe at Vintage Wiring of Maine he spoke with Ray who indicated the CA-2085 Wiring Harness included a length of wire in the harness that went to a junction terminal near the starter switch on the foot rest. I measured an additional length from the location of the starter switch, laterally under the foot rest, then aft along the right sponson box to the location where the Rear Flood is supposed to be mounted. I added 3" for connection to the light's terminal. That length was 46" (light blue trace in figure below)
2. I cannot find any data that depicts the original path for the wire to the front headlight. I made the assumption that it enters the lower hole by the light bracket, follows along under the top panel to the fuel tank front panel, then down to join CA-2085 as it flows along the left sponson box and back up to the instrument panel connecting to the light switch terminal;. That length was 76" (red trace in figure below)
3. I measured the length for CA-1189 (+Ammeter to light switch) at 6"
4. I measured the length of CA-1210 (Distributor to + coil) at 12"
5. I measured the length of CA-1200 (Starter to Starter Switch) at 43"

Here is my proposed wiring run for the two lights. IF ANYONE HAS INFORMATION TO THE CONTRARY PLEASE LET ME KNOW I'll call Joe next week and ask him to start on a harness for me. This would become the remaining portion of the pattern to complete the CA-1 Wiring Harness. He already has the length of the CA-2085, CA-1199, CA-1198.

The wiring harness came in. What a beauty. Vintage Wiring of Maine is absolutely a first rate company. Joe is a pleasure to work with and wants a satisfied customer. I will dry fit everything and let him know if everything is proper and he will make any adjustments before we call this harness ready for final fitting. The particular questions we need to address is the length of the two traces that connect the rear and front lights. I will check the run and fit of those two pieces soon and get back with Joe.

The packages comes with professionally completed wire harness and parts done exactly as they were in 1944. He uses the same wire loom making machines for the cloth covering. Each end is properly finished off and the whole thing is encased in a proper cloth covered loom as specified in the TM. Each wire is tagged and bagged and a nice set of connecting instructions is included.

Check it out yourself: http://www.vintagewiringofmaine.com/Vin ... /Home.html

absolutley BEAUTIFUL piece of wiring there OZ!

Very, very nice... Indeed.. a great job by Joe for sure

HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP!

I am trying to get the wiring harness ready to start the Clark. I am setting the system up as it originally was with the following:

1. Positive grounded, 6 V system
2. 6 v generator built to original specs by vintage generator shop
3. 6 V coil
4. new wiring harness made as depicted in the TM

I am having problems understanding and figuring out the following:

1. Which side of the ammeter is (+), is it the side that depicts a Charge (+) on the front?
2. The light and ignition switch have a (+) symbol marked under one of the posts. The other one is unmarked. I'm assuming one of the posts is the Feed, but I am not sure which one is it.
3. Wiring coming from the engine harness to the instrument panel that is supposed to be hooked up to the light switch, which post do I use? Do I use the (+) marked post or the unmarked post?
4. When routing the wire from the (-) post on the coil to the ignition switch, which post do I use? (+) or the other
5. The red/white wire going from the ammeter to the light switch, which post do I hook it to?
6. The wire from the negative ammeter terminal to the starter switch, does it mater which side of the starter switch or which post I hook it to?

Just looking for some guidance before I proceed.
Thanks very much.

Hi Oz

1. Your assumption on the ammeter is correct, even if the wires are reversed it would only mean the gauge would show disscharge instead of charge and vicea versa. If that's the case swap the wires!!

2. Normally the post marked + ve is the supply the unmarked terminal is the load. Again only a switch and it makes no differnce which way round the cables are. It is just that it's standard to do it that way to help anyone fault finding.
As it is positive earth maybe better to keep switch as you have it as technically current flows flow + ve to - ve and would therefore make sense.

3. The cable from the lights would go to the unmarked or load terminal.

4. Would probably put the coil - ve wire on the + ve terminal for the same reason as number 2 and keep the same convention. Where is the other terminal going too ??? If it's positive earth then should the other terminal go to battery - ve????? Therfore completing the circuit, unsure how you have connectted your coil and is it a single or double terminal coil??? So possibly a link from the unmarked terminal to the ammeter??

5. This cable is the feed so would go to the + ve terminal.

6. This is the return line for charging needs to go to the end of cable CA1199 on the starter switch to ensure a continious circuit.

Regards

Paul

Paul,
Thank you very much! Your answers are very helpful. Yes..what to do with the other post on the ignition switch. The coil I am using is a two post coil marked (+) and (-). The negative side of the coil is going to the ignition switch (+) screw (based on your recommendation). Somehow the circuit must be completed to allow electrons to flow when the toggle is moved. Could it be that I have to connect the (-) terminal of the switch to ground on the frame to complete the circuit? Do i simply route a small wire from the (-) post to the instrument panel mounting screw which would be (+) grounded to the frame and eventually the (+) terminal of the battery? Or do I connect to the ammeter (which post)

Oz

My understanding would be that the distributor points are connectted to the block and frame etc.. and therefore via the short lead from the distributor to the + ve terminal on the coil. Putting +6volts on the +ve terminal of the coil and as you say to complete the circuit the other terminal on the coil needs to go to battery - ve via the ignition switch. So the cable from the - ve terminal on the coil goes to on side of the ignition switch and the other terminal on the ignition switch needs to go to the load side of the ammeter (i.e. the positive terminal).

Connecting it to the load side of the ammeter will mean that the discharge is shown on the ammeter. The circuit will be complete as the other side of the ammeter goes to battery - ve.

As with any wiring if you are unsure test every bit in stages as you go.

Easy check would be just to connect up the battery and foot starter switch and confirm that the starter turns over correctly.

Then connect up the coil etc and measure the voltage across the two coil terminals with the ignition off and on, just to confirm your wiring is correct and that you would be able to stop the engine once it is runing! The voltage at the coil with the ignition switch on should obviously be 6 volts.

If the ammeter is wired correctly it should show a slight discharge when the ignition switch is on. If it is showing a slight charge then swap the wires over on the back of the ammeter.

Checking the headlight is another easy test.

You will obviously have to start the engine to confrim whether the charging is working though.

I would advise a slowly slowly approach to checking/testing everything even though there are very few circuits on the Clark the positive earth means you need to get your head around everything being done in reverse!!

Good luck and hopefully you will not see any smoke from your wiring!!!

Paul

Here's what i gathered so far: THANKS PAUL!!! This helps.

1. Which side of the ammeter is (+), is it the side that depicts a Charge (+) on the front? It really doesn't matter, reversing the wires will only reverse the reading (showing _ when charging). I'll pick a side and correct if needed.
2. The light and ignition switch have a (+) symbol marked under one of the posts. The other one is unmarked. I'm assuming one of the posts is the Feed, but I am not sure which one is it. (+) is the feed side so send the wire from the ammeter to the (+) post. The other one goes to the light. Again, Its just a switch so it reverses on and off directions of the switch.
3. Wiring coming from the engine harness to the instrument panel that is supposed to be hooked up to the light switch, which post do I use? Do I use the (+) marked post or the unmarked post? same as answer 2
4. When routing the wire from the (-) post on the coil to the ignition switch, which post do I use? (+) or the other? use the (-) post
5. The red/white wire going from the ammeter to the light switch, which post do I hook it to? The (+) post
6. The wire from the negative ammeter terminal to the starter switch, does it mater which side of the starter switch or which post I hook it to? Hook it to the same side as the battery (-) is hooked up so the flow can go to the battery to charge it.

The final question, not originally posted was how is the circuit for the ignition switch completed? Joe at Vintage Wiring stated that there should be a feed also from the (+) post of the ammeter to the (=) post of the ignition switch. He is going to make that ans add it to the CA-1 kit. When i get this all rearranged, i'll take another photo.

Upon consultation with others, I have redrawn the Clark wiring harness connection diagram. I forwarded it to Joe at Vintage Wiring of Maine for a QC. I'll post his response. I hope I am 100% correct on the final product. The graphic of the red wire with white traces is to provide a feed to the ignition switch. Joe is building that and will add to the harness kit.