Tethered kill switches

[Savian1973]

I have been looking into a tethered type kill switch to install on my nephews soon to be mini bike. However on a few sites I have visited I have noticed that they often say the switches are either open or closed circuit. My questions is can someone explain to me the differences and also recommend the proper one that would work on a mini bike app? so would I need a open or closed circuit tethered kill switch???


Thanks
Jay

 

[metal man]

denniskirk.com * Stops motor if rider falls off


NOTE: This tether has a normally open switch, to see if this is correct for your machine you must perform the following test

1. Locate the two wires going to the kill switch
2. With switch in run position test for continuity between wires
3. If you do not have continuity this tether switch will work for your machine
4. If you do have continuity this tether switch will not work for your machine

so you want open for your bike . one wire would go to the coil and one to ground

 

[KustomKartKid]

I would imagine that one style would "open" the circuit ..that is it would disconnect the supply voltage to the coil or to the points from the mangeto...the other style would "close" the circuit if the switch were activated, shunting the hot side to ground....

 

[Savian1973]

So if I got an open circuit tether and ran one wire to the coil and the other to a ground it should run until the tether is pulled or the rider falls off? Correct? I have installed kill switches before on my minis l without any issues. I guess when it came to the tethered switch it through me a loop.

 

[Flexmod3]

I would imagine that one style would "open" the circuit ..that is it would disconnect the supply voltage to the coil or to the points from the mangeto...the other style would "close" the circuit if the switch were activated, shunting the hot side to ground....

Woulden't a kill switch be both open and closed? Closed when key is on kill switch, open when rider falls and key comes off cutting the mag spark. I'm assuming this is the kind ya see on boats?

 

[KustomKartKid]

switches are usually referred to as "normally open" or "normally closed"......

some have a 3rd tap and can be wired either way....if you're using the ground as a kill mechanism then you want a normally open switch.....if you're killing it by interrupting the hot feed you want normally closed...

 

[Flexmod3]

switches are usually referred to as "normally open" or "normally closed"......

some have a 3rd tap and can be wired either way....if you're using the ground as a kill mechanism then you want a normally open switch.....if you're killing it by interrupting the hot feed you want normally closed...

Ah maybe I've just dealt with the ones that work ither way.

If ya get one hooked up let us know! Don't like the original kill switch on my DB and was planning to use a keyed ignition. But this sounds like an easy deterrent for unwanted riders. Hope it comes together for ya!

 

[Savian1973]

That has been my problem. There are times you want the circuit opened or closed which can pose a problem of trying to figure which switch to buy. I did bid a go kart kill switch which should work but I will keep you guys informed.

 

[hemigremmy]

It all depends on how and where you hook it up would be my guess. If the switch is an open circuit when the teather is connected then you would wire that up so that it went between your coil wire so when you fell off it would pull the teather out and "open the circuit" killing power to the coil. On a closed circuit you would wire it up to go from the coil wire to a ground so that when you fell off the bike the teather would pull out and connect the two wires together and "close the circuit" grond out the coil and killing the power. If either was wired up in the wrong location it would be killed until the teather was pulled out and then the bike would run.

I could be wrong but that is the way it sounds to me.

 

[Dave_In_Florida]

The denniskirk.com description above would work for a minibike. Remember, we don't have key on ignitions. We have magneto's, which are always working, unless they are grounded. The kill switch grounds the magneto, preventing it from sparking.

My question is, is a tether kill switch needed? If you fall off, you obviously let off the throttle, so the motor goes back to idle, and the minibike won't roll because the clutch won't be engaged. It's not like a motorcycle where it will idle away.

The only benefit I could see for a tether kill switch on a mini is if you ride off road on severe terrain. If you come off the bike, and the bike rides over a ledge, it could land upside down and still be running which could hurt the motor before you can get to it.

 

[metalhead100]

Im with Dave........ make sure your throttle returns easy and smoothly.....with no assisting it.....I added a small return spring just to be sure.....my throttle will close when I get dumped.....Ha:laugh:

 

[oldfatguy]

I heard of someone rigging a radio control servo to work a kill switch so that the bike can be shut down by radio control. You can also make a home made tether switch from a spring clothes pin.

 

[metalhead100]

radio control would be sooo easy.....

use a servo to operate a switch OR gut the servo and take out the amp board and hook to a relay....or use a brushed motor speed control hooked to relay.....4 AA batteries and a 1 or 2 channel RC setup........done deal....

I fly RC by the way......

Jim