So gentlemen,
I FINALLY got around to doing this little maneuver. it's been a while.. i know... Clipped the little blue and white signal wires where they enter the old solenoid and started testing for voltage/grounds.
With the bike turned on (via the key) but starter button dormant, the white wire reads 12.73 V constantly. The Blue reads 0.00 V consistently. (when compared to ground).
THEN, when I hit the starter button, the white still reads 12.73 V compared to ground. Shockingly, now the Blue wire also reads 12+ V.
I am in need of some electrical advice, as I have no experience in these sort of things. If the blue and white wires were 'backups' of eachother, I would assume that they would both read 0.00 V while dormant, then both read 12+ V when the starter button is pressed. This isn't the case. And the white wire can't be acting as a ground since it is showing consistent voltage, correct?
I also (with my electrical engineer friend's telephone supervision) experimented a bit with the new solenoid. I hooked the new solenoid up to the starter via its big lead. I then hooked the blue, then the white, then BOTH of the little signal wires to the signal contact on the new solenoid to see if I could get it to 'click,' thus telling me it's working. Nothing happened in any of these situations, starter button pressed or not. I'm thinking that it might need the battery + lead connected as well for anything to happen (even for the solenoid to click...). I also wager that the metal flange mount of the new solenoid must be connected to a ground for anything to happen. Can the inactive Starter lead (the wire that goes from solenoid to starter) be used as the ground in the solenoid? How does the OEM Royal enfield solenoid work? Is there a ground, or does it not need external grounding? I assume the latter is the case since it is mounted in rubber (no metal contact)... unless the inactive starter lead is acting to ground the OEM solenoid.
These are my completely novice speculations. My abovementioned friend, an esteemed electrical engineer, is unfortunately no wiz with old quirky brit bikes. I'm thinking there may be something larger at play here... something beyond physics or reason. The enfield gremlins win again...
Thanks in advance for any input anyone may have. I was chased inside by a thunderstorm just now or I'd still be out tinkering myself to electrocution.
Chuck