Headlight Wiring Question

Whoever installed the passing lights on my '99 RSV tied them in to the yellow (High beam) wire right at the headlight. I have cured that by installing a relay which is turned on and off by the R/Y wire for the headlight. What I'm also wanting to do is add a second relay for the headlight. This way none of the lighting load is going through the ignition switch. This would also enable me to put an "emergency lighting" switch in the circuit which would allow the headlight to work, completely independent from the bike's circuits.

My question here is what color wire runs to the dimmer switch? In the circuit pictured, there should be a red wire with a yellow tracer. I found the R/Y wire which powers the headlight, but it goes into a plug only to come out the other side as a solid blue wire. I want to find and cut into the wire where the arrow points. once I cut it I would attach the top cut to the output (terminal 87) of the relay and the wire on the bottom of the cut would then hook to the terminal 85 or 86 on the relay. So, where in the real world harness do I make this cut?

If you want to add a relay to the high beam use the yellow wire to the headlight to energize the relay and the power from the relay to the yellow to supply the bulb. Ditto for the low beam. Some relays have an 87a terminal that is on when the relay is off which can be used to power auxilliary lights depending on whether you want them to work with the Hi or Low beams.

camos, I would also like to do that mod as well.

keep us up-dated please! Thanks !

I now just got done finely after 3 years installing a relay

for my running likes , but have read in a few places that folks

are also doing there headlight as well. But still not clear on how it is being done yet.

Jeff

Get the kind with a socket so you can more easily unplug it and replace it when needed. Relays do go bad. I have a stack of relays to control horn activated modulation of my passing lamps and have already had to replace one. I'm rebuilding with sockets to make it easier.

Get the kind with a socket so you can more easily unplug it and replace it when needed.

The mod is fairly easy. Make sure the relay you get is normally closed on 87a. Find the Hi and Lo beam wires. Cut the Hi beam wire, connect the side from the dimmer to 85 and the side to the bulb to 87. Terminal 86 goes to ground. Cut the Lo beam wire and connect the side that goes to the bulb to 87a. Connect fused power from battery to 30. Tape off the Lo beam wire from the dimmer that is left over.

This setup will use the Hi/Lo switch to activate the relay (85 and 86) to turn on the Hi beam. When the relay is not activated the power goes directly to the Lo beam.

Here is a post by dingy that has all the info, and more, about relays.

http://venturerider.org/wiring/Relays%20101.pdf

Camos has good info there. Shortly after getting my RSV I insytalled the spot lights with a relay and then did the same for the low beam by passing low beam thru a relay.As noted this conserve battery drain when cranking. I also like that I can have the bike shut off but with the key in the "on" position and still have parking lights. Since all my lights are converted to leds there's very little draw from the battery when the headlight off. High beam in my case is unaffected and if needed I just flip the high/low switch on.

Some folks like running power (key on) thru the auxilary switch but I prefer using my switch to simply ground the relay itself at post #85. In my case #86 would be power from the input side of the low beam circuit and #87 going to the light itself. #30 drawing power thru the fused battery lead.

Larry

20 amp fuse then? Or 15?

That's a good idea but I've never seen the sockets for sale, although I haven't really looked for them either.

Around here Pep Boys sells relays with sockets. The sockets have perhaps twelve inch long wires and plug together so it's possible to make a strip of relays. I googled for it and found these. I think I like the Tessco ones better. The ones from Pep Boys only have four wires, but they can be moved to work as NO or NC.

Mission accomplished!!! I ran a (30 amp fused) wire directly from the battery to power my passing lights AND the headlight. This wire is connected to the #30 terminal on my relays.

As a switched power source, I tapped the Blue wire with a black stripe (listed as L/B on the schematic). It comes from the headlight fuse and normally powers the headlight. I cut that wire and connected the powered end to the control circuit terminals #86 on two relays. One relay powers the passing lights and the other one is for the head light. The "down stream" end of the L/B wire goes to the dimmer switch, so I connected it to the switched (87) terminal of the relay for the headlight. The #87 terminal of the second relay goes to the passing lights. I then connected the remaining control terminals #85 on each relay to a suitable ground. The mounting bolts for the radio were convenient, so that is my ground connections.

What I have accomplished is that the "load" of the headlight and the passing lights does not go through the ignition switch. I hope this cools off the switch as it was kinda hot to the touch.

Now as some have mentioned relays can and do fail, so as a backup system, I also added a manual switch next to the auxiliary power connector. I then wired it parallel to the headlight relay. This provides a direct connection from the battery to the dimmer switch. Yes I'll have to be careful as when this manual switch is turned on the headlight is on regardless of the position of the ignition switch.

Also in the process I installed a Silver Star Ultra headlight bulb.

I have also noticed that the passing lights don't look as "yellow" as they did.

I already have the relay set up for my running lights,

and now I want to just add my second relay and

tap into the B/W for my second relay that I want for

my headlight?

That should relieve the load of my Ignition switch right?

You are talking about doing both of them together

in the above post , I just need to do my headlight.

Another question is if I am only adding the second light

and second relay do I still use a 30 amp fuse or go to a 20?

I just did a huge project and added my fuse block so now

I can add anything and not have the wire mess over my battery anymore.

I still have my bike all apart and want to add this mod as well.

Thanks,

Jeff

Mission accomplished!!! I ran a (30 amp fused) wire directly from the battery to power my passing lights AND the headlight. This wire is connected to the #30 terminal on my relays.

As a switched power source, I tapped the Blue wire with a black stripe (listed as L/B on the schematic). It comes from the headlight fuse and normally powers the headlight. I cut that wire and connected the powered end to the control circuit terminals on two relays. One relay powers the passing lights and the other one is for the head light. The "down stream" end of the L/B wire goes to the dimmer switch, so I connected it to the switched (87) terminal of the relay for the headlight. The #87 terminal of the second relay goes to the passing lights. I then connected the remaining control terminals on each relay to a suitable ground. The mounting bolts for the radio were convenient, so that is my ground connections.

 

Walter,

Looks very good.

One thing I would suggest is a very easy & minor wiring change.

I would suggest that if you are not going to use the 87A contact (Normally Closed) on a relay, that you put the power source on terminal 87 instead of 30.

The reason I would do this is that when the relay in de-energized, and power is fed to the 30 terminal, you then have the power laying on the 87A terminal. If you haven't used this terminal in your circuit, it is an exposed uninsulated terminal.

I have attached a diagram showing the difference.

On the top right, the power is on the 30 contact. When de-energized, you can see the power then lays on the 87A contact.

On the bottom right, the power is on the 87 contact. When de-energized, you can see the 87A contact is now unpowered.

Either way will work, but the top right way is somewhat like having a bare wire laying exposed inside your fairing.

To make this change on your relay, simply swap the wires on the 30 & 87 terminals.

Gary

Gary, Both are SPST N/O relays

Gary, Both are SPST N/O relays

Never mind then,

Problem doesn't exist with no 87A contact.

Gary

I already have the relay set up for my running lights,

and now I want to just add my second relay and

tap into the B/W for my second relay that I want for

my headlight?

 

That should relieve the load of my Ignition switch right?

 

You are talking about doing both of them together

in the above post , I just need to do my headlight.

 

Another question is if I am only adding the second light

and second relay do I still use a 30 amp fuse or go to a 20?

 

I just did a huge project and added my fuse block so now

I can add anything and not have the wire mess over my battery anymore.

 

I still have my bike all apart and want to add this mod as well.

 

Thanks,

Jeff

What is the amperage load of the lights being added?

wattage/voltage = amps

You want to select a fuse based on the weakest component in the circuit.

If you are using 14 gauge wire I would suggest a 20 amp fuse, this is then assuming that the entire circuit is wired with wire no smaller than 14 gauge. This includes ground wires.

12 gauge will handle 30 amps.

You can always use a larger size wire with a given fuse size.

Make sure any switches, fuse holders etc. are rated at the given fuse size.

Also, locate the fuse as close to the power source as practical. This cuts down on non fused wire runs.

Gary

I already have the relay set up for my running lights,

and now I want to just add my second relay and

tap into the B/W for my second relay that I want for

my headlight?

 

That should relieve the load of my Ignition switch right? Yes

 

Thanks,

Jeff

I cut into the L/B wire, see the note on the schematic.

Thanks Guys!

Another add-on project!

As if I do not have anytime to do this stuff!

can't ride!

Jeff