Driving Light Issue

[91nwl]

So I bought some of those cheap driving lights at WalMart...Blazers I think. They're 50 watt...nice bright lights. I ordered a switch and relay from Electrical Connection and wired it up. I did a good job of wiring and figured I would replace the lights at some point with something better and keep the wiring, switch and relay.

 

So the issue is that if the bike is idling and I switch the lights on, they don't always come on. But if I start riding, they will come on, then sometimes go out and come back on intermittently.

 

Is it the lights, the switch, or the relay? Or is it the stator? Or, is it possible I have a loose connection or ground?

 

Has anyone experienced anything like this on a 1st Gen Venture?

[steve crossley]

you might check all connections and grounds . if all are ok i would be suspect of relay i have had bad ones .

[painterman67]

I 've got the same set. Started haveing the same problems with intermitantly not coming on and sometimes going out during riding. My problem ended being the switch. Started doing it after a bad rain storm. New switch and so far all is well.

 

 

David

[5bikes]

2 lamps x 55 watts = 110 watts divided by 12 volts = 9.2 amps. But most systems are about 14v so it's really 7.8 amps. Using a 10 amp or larger switch will work. More reliable. Less wiring. Just use a separate fuse if coming off the battery directly.

[bongobobny]

2 lamps x 55 watts = 110 watts divided by 12 volts = 9.2 amps. But most systems are about 14v so it's really 7.8 amps. .

 

With a relay, only the relay contacts see that current, not the switch. The switch only sees what the relay coil draws which is generally less than an amp...

[rhncue]

2 lamps x 55 watts = 110 watts divided by 12 volts = 9.2 amps. But most systems are about 14v so it's really 7.8 amps. Using a 10 amp or larger switch will work. More reliable. Less wiring. Just use a separate fuse if coming off the battery directly.

 

He says he is using a relay along with the switch. There should only a slight trickle of amperage going through the switch if the relay is properly installed. I have my relay wired directly to the battery with a fuse in between. I have the switch wired to the high beam on the head light. In this way I have my choice of the running lights only on if I energize the switch and also have my high beams on simultaneously, when I dim my head lights for on coming traffic the running light turn off also. His problem could be a bad switch or relay but it certainly sounds like a connection in the system not being tight and causing an open condition.

 

Dick

[rhncue]

2 lamps x 55 watts = 110 watts divided by 12 volts = 9.2 amps. But most systems are about 14v so it's really 7.8 amps. Using a 10 amp or larger switch will work. More reliable. Less wiring. Just use a separate fuse if coming off the battery directly.

 

I see now. What you are recommending to do is to use a heavier switch and eliminate the relay altogether. Although this would certainly work he would be limited to the light being on or off only through the use of the switch so as to have to flip two switches for on coming traffic and placing this switch in a place convenient for quick use.

Dick

[bongobobny]

IMHO not a real good idea to eliminate the relay. Switch contacts can become dirty and offer a slight amount of resistance and the lights would not see as much voltage resulting in slightly dimmer lights...

[warthogcrewchief]

Here's a great article written by a fellow venturerider member. The article is called Relays and Wiring 101, and it goes into the basics of relays. Towards the bottom of the article are wiring diagrams of how to and how not to wire in a relay. One of the examples used are 50w driving lights.

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

[91nwl]

Thanks everyone.