Electrical Testing; Disciplines; Electrical Wires - Triumph Scrambler 1200 XC Service Manual

To prevent the risk of a battery exploding and to prevent damage to electrical
components ALWAYS disconnect the battery negative (black) lead first. When
reconnecting the battery, always connect the positive (red) lead first, then the
negative (black) lead. Always disconnect the battery when working on any part of
the electrical system.
Failure to observe the above warnings may lead to electrical damage and a fire
hazard which could cause personal injury.
Always ensure that battery leads are routed correctly and are not close to any
potential chafing points.

Disciplines

Switch off the ignition prior to making any connection or disconnection in the system.
An electrical surge can be caused by disconnecting 'live' connections which can
damage electronic components.
Ensure hands and work surfaces are clean and free of grease, swarf, etc. as grease
collects dirt which can cause tracking or high-resistance contacts.
Prior to commencing any test, and periodically during any test, touch a good earth to
discharge body static. This is because some electronic components are vulnerable
to static electricity.

Electrical Wires

All the electrical wires are either single-colour or two-colour and, with only a few
exceptions, must be connected to wires of the same colour. On any of the two-colour
wires there is a greater amount of one colour and a lesser amount of a second
colour. A two-colour wire is identified by first the primary colour and then the
secondary colour. For example, a yellow wire with thin red stripes is referred to as a
'yellow/red' wire; it would be a 'red/yellow' wire if the colours were reversed to make
red the main colour.

Electrical Testing

For any electrical system to work, electricity must be able to flow in a complete circuit
from the power source (the battery) via the components and back to the battery. No
circuit means no electrical flow. Once the power has left the positive side of the
battery and run through the component it must then return to the battery on its
negative side (this is called earth or ground). To save on wiring, connections and
space, the negative side of the battery is connected directly to the frame or engine.
Around the frame and engine will be various other ground points to which the wiring
coming from components will be connected. In the case of the starter motor it bolts
directly to the engine, which is bolted to the frame. Therefore the frame and engine
Service Manual - Scrambler 1200 XC
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