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Starter button


nelmo

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I'm considering putting a starter button in my car but I was wondering if anyone knows how to wire it so it won't do anything if pressed with the engine already on?

My horn and headlight flash button are on the same aux panel as I plan to put the starter button and I can see myself pressing the starter button by mistake. 

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My idea is that the alternator indicator can be used as an indication of engine running. It lights with engine stopped and goes off with engine running.

So you probably will need a relay to do this.

I would connect one end of the relay coil to a switched live and the other end to a normally open push button.

I would connect the other end of the push button to the alternator end of the ignition light. With the engine stopped this will be near 0 volts and current will flow through the relay coil. With the engine running this will be 12+ volts and no current wil flow through the coil.

The normally open relay contacts can then be connected to a switched live and the starter.

 

I hope that this helps

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Quick look at IanS diagram, can't think of another way off hand,

From memory you have a GBS plug and play on a Ford donor

I have put in the connections I believe will work with that setup, alternator light is taken care of in loom, bridge into dash plug don't cut

If you are using the savage switches you can make the switch illumination work as the alternator light, or with the alternator light, just need to add a links to the back of the switch.

can add those if you wish

I should add this is not tested but I think the worse that can happen is that fuse 1 blows

1714447786_starterprotection.thumb.jpg.3133065623d31ceda10276691d327f66.jpg

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Sounds plausible, many thanks guys. 

Only thing is I don't think I have an ignition light (sitting in my lounge, I can't remember what my dash has) but I guess just the exciter wire to the alternator?

I had a thought to do it from the handbrake wire - but not as good as the alternator, certainly. 

Having said that, I have since seen a nice carbon fibre starter panel, with a switch under one of those fighter plane-style protectors which enables the starter button. A faff to start the engine but will look cool... I'll have a think. 

 

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Ha, that's embarrassing - just looked at my wiring schematic for my car and I do indeed have an alternator light but I don't recall ever seeing it lit 🤔. It's connected to pin 3 of the dash plug from the GBS main loom so not sure what's happening there. Most likely, as the light is an LED, I've wired it the wrong way round 😳

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Being an electric luddite, I just cut into the wire going between the ignition  switch  and the starter solenoid.

I then put a PUSH ONCE bus button centre dash and connected the wire to either side of it. To start the engine I surreptitiously turn the key against the spring, then push the big red button, or let the grandkids do it. Its foolproof as pushing the red button without the key being turned does nothing.

Luddite story no. 2

I fitted a new dash with all LED warning lights. I couldnt understand why the alternator light wouldnt go right off, just glimmer and flicker. Eventually a friend explained in kiddy language that it needed more of a load to kick start it. So I cut the wire (sound familiar?) and fitted a small red bulb in a holder, that is hidden behind the dash, giving a nice red footwell glow when I turn on the ignition.

KISS

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When the key is turned against the spring to power the starter motor, didn't that originally effectively switch off the power to everything else (headlights, accessories etc)? If I use the above circuit (or similar), is it a problem if that doesn't get done (I'm assuming it won't be)?

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