Light on/Light off ??

[painterman67]

I knew I had read about this somewhere before. Did a quick search and found this thread. Not sure if it will help cause its all greek to me.

 

 

 

David

[naturbar]

I love this place , Just got off the phone with Gary. and he has me all set.

 

Just like you describe Larry! FANTASTIC! THANKS THANKS THANKS !!!

 

When I get the correct Relays It will do what I want it to do!

Did I say THANKS!

Was a real pleasure talking with you Gary! Man this guy knows his relays!

Gary and Larry otta have a relay convention or something! The PDF File

walk through was a good experience as well.

 

Jeff

 

you can accomplish this by simply swapping in a dpdt switch at your running lamps....a lot cheaper and less work imo.

[dingy]

you can accomplish this by simply swapping in a dpdt switch at your running lamps....a lot cheaper and less work imo.

 

DPDT relays are not that common. I don't remember seeing one at Auto Zone or Advanced.

 

Radio Shack might have them if you can find a clerk that knows squat. I went into my local Radio Shack Thursday and asked if they had transformers. The clerk had no idea what a transformer was. Radio Shack has changed.

 

If there is already a SPDT there, then the 87A terminal could just be tied into.

 

Cougar has a switch on each circuit & wants an indicator that the headlight circuits is energized.

 

Gary

[Cougar]

Picking up my new (2) relays tomorrow.

 

And then gunna run these 2 bad boys to my dash

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320468732150&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

 

Now this has to catch my attention! (they will blink as well)

So happy!

 

And it was my bad... my relays now how (BOTH 87's on them with no 87A) just to clarify

[dingy]

Picking up my new (2) relays tomorrow.

 

And then gunna run these 2 bad boys to my dash

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320468732150&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

 

Now this has to catch my attention! (they will blink as well)

So happy!

 

And it was my bad... my relays now how (BOTH 87's on them with no 87A) just to clarify

 

 

You should notice them when they are blinking.

 

One other question. Is the power feed to these relays #30 contact switched through the key?

 

If it is not, and you have run a hot wire from the battery through a fuse, these will flash when your bike is turned off & parked.

 

Gary

[Cougar]

Is the power feed to these relays #30 contact switched through the key ??

not sure now . how ever Larry told me to do it last time.

Oh No! Here we go again......

 

If not like you say. I guess everyone will think i have an ALARM system

on my Trike ! not a bad idea ... wonder if that will drain my battery ?

But I do run (2) battery's on my bike.

 

[dingy]

Is the power feed to these relays #30 contact switched through the key ??

not sure now . how ever Larry told me to do it last time.

Oh No! Here we go again......

 

If not like you say. I guess everyone will think i have an ALARM system

on my Trike ! not a bad idea ... wonder if that will drain my battery ?

But I do run (2) battery's on my bike.

 

 

 

Can you turn your head lights on as it is now with the key off?

 

If so, the LED's will blink when scooter is shut down, If not, they won't blink when key is off.

 

Gary

[Cougar]

Gary, No the headlights will not turn on with toggle switch, with the key off.

 

Kinda liked the idea though if it was the other way (fake alarm system)

 

But Now, thanks to you I know I have it all right now.

 

 

 

Thanks,

Jeff

[MidlifeVenture]

Something like this

[dingy]

Something like this

 

 

If you put the ground in that is shown in red on the 85 terminal of the lower relay, the upper switch now is voided out of the circuit since it was switching the ground.

 

Result is top relay will always be energized as shown.

 

Gary

[Carbon_One]

My thinking here is that you don't even need a 2nd relay (bottom one ) in midlife's drawing if you are using a SPDT relat. Just hook the indicator light to the 87a post.

With the key on it should light up and when you toggle the spots on it'll go out.

Larry

[dingy]

My thinking here is that you don't even need a 2nd relay (bottom one ) in midlife's drawing if you are using a SPDT relat. Just hook the indicator light to the 87a post.

With the key on it should light up and when you toggle the spots on it'll go out.

Larry

 

I agree Larry

 

The second relay is a definitely not needed when the 87A terminal is already on the top relay.

 

Gary

[MidlifeVenture]

If you put the ground in that is shown in red on the 85 terminal of the lower relay, the upper switch now is voided out of the circuit since it was switching the ground.

 

Result is top relay will always be energized as shown.

 

Gary

 

I was trying to show one or the other either the red line or the blue so with the red off the output of the first thinking its less on the ignition switch

[MidlifeVenture]

I agree Larry

 

The second relay is a definitely not needed when the 87A terminal is already on the top relay.

 

Gary

 

But 30 is always high hot from the battery so on a NC contact your light is always on so maybe a DPDT would work where you could have 2 inputs to the relay contacts

[Carbon_One]

But 30 is always high hot from the battery so on a NC contact your light is always on so maybe a DPDT would work where you could have 2 inputs to the relay contacts

 

Yea that's right too Midlife. Forgot about the 30 post being feed by the battery. In that case either a dual feed dpdt relay OR a 2nd relay to trigger the 1st one. In this set up the bottom relay would be activated when the key was turned on thus powering the 30 post of the top relay. Then the indicator light would be on until the spot lights were activiated by throwing the switch for the lights.

DPDT relays are hard to find, if at all, in most auto stores. Probably easier to wire in the 2nd SPDT relay as described above.

Getting anymore confused Jeff? Hahahahaha

Larry

[a1bummer]

If it hasn't been mentioned already. An, ON-ON Single Pole, Double Throw (SPDT) toggle switch will do what you want. Flip it one way and your head light is on and you "dummy" light is off, flip it the other way and the "dummy" light is on and the head light is off.

 

Here's a link to some SPDT & SPST relays also.

http://www.the12volt.com/relays/relays.asp

[Flyinfool]

Ummmm......

Not to throw in a can of worms here but, we are only talking about an LED here and about 20mA (that is 0.02 amps) of current.

Forget about all of the special relays and switches.

What you already have on the bike will work.

Just connect the LED and its resistor across the two terminals of your switch that is already there.

 

When the contacts of your switch are closed, the headlight will be on and there will be +12V applied to both sides of the LED so it will be off. When the switch contacts are open so that he headlight is off, the LED will be in series with the headlight and use it for ground so the LED will Light up. Your headlight element is only about 3 ohms so it will not dim your led by a noticeable amount, or you can reduce the value of your resistor that you are adding to the LED by 3 ohms.

 

All you need to add is 2 wires, the LED, and a resistor (the resistor is not needed if you are using a 12V LED).

Forget the other junk. I believe in KISS.

 

Now everyone should be thoroughly confused....

Edited February 28, 2010 by Flyinfool

[dingy]

Ummmm......

Not to throw in a can of worms here but, we are only talking about an LED here and about 20mA (that is 0.02 amps) of current.

Forget about all of the special relays and switches.

What you already have on the bike will work.

Just connect the LED and its resistor across the two terminals of your switch that is already there.

 

When the contacts of your switch are closed, the headlight will be on and there will be +12V applied to both sides of the LED so it will be off. When the switch contacts are open so that he headlight is off, the LED will be in series with the headlight and use it for ground so the LED will Light up. Your headlight element is only about 3 ohms so it will not dim your led by a noticeable amount, or you can reduce the value of your resistor that you are adding to the LED by 3 ohms.

 

All you need to add is 2 wires, the LED, and a resistor (the resistor is not needed if you are using a 12V LED).

Forget the other junk. I believe in KISS.

 

Now everyone should be thoroughly confused....

 

 

Electrical threads are almost as much fun as the political ones.

 

There are always a number of ways to skin the proverbial cat.

 

Gary

[Flyinfool]

We can always go for broke and toss in some religion and Ford Chevy.

 

Oops, thread jack, sorry.

[Dano]

Forget the other junk. I believe in KISS.

 

Now everyone should be thoroughly confused....

 

 

I've been sitting back being quiet, what you've done Jeff is duplicate what I suggested earlier, which is an illuminated switch that's on when the switch is off (same thing I use on my driving lights).

 

Dan

[MidlifeVenture]

Electrical threads are almost as much fun as the political ones.

 

There are always a number of ways to skin the proverbial cat.

 

Gary

 

Yep I do allot of controls at work and there are always multiple ways to get to the finish line it is the tecs preference of making it neat and simple so if we can do it in the panel with relay logic and not have to pull extra wires thats the way we go.

[Cougar]

Skin the proverbial cat. OH NO !!!

 

I think ALL you guys are geniuses at this stuff,

and there is a lot of great advise here. I know I sure

learned a lot, Thanks !

 

Well , I have the two relays and the 12 volt SMALL 12 volt LED's. now,gunna go and

see if this works.

 

Dano, I see and know what your talking about with the lighted switch, my problem

is that my toggles are already installed and I can not see them. the switch your talking

about would have to be in another area and the size is one of the factors/ great idea though.

that was my first idea as well.

 

[naturbar]

Ummmm......

Not to throw in a can of worms here but, we are only talking about an LED here and about 20mA (that is 0.02 amps) of current.

Forget about all of the special relays and switches.

What you already have on the bike will work.

Just connect the LED and its resistor across the two terminals of your switch that is already there.

 

When the contacts of your switch are closed, the headlight will be on and there will be +12V applied to both sides of the LED so it will be off. When the switch contacts are open so that he headlight is off, the LED will be in series with the headlight and use it for ground so the LED will Light up. Your headlight element is only about 3 ohms so it will not dim your led by a noticeable amount, or you can reduce the value of your resistor that you are adding to the LED by 3 ohms.

 

All you need to add is 2 wires, the LED, and a resistor (the resistor is not needed if you are using a 12V LED).

Forget the other junk. I believe in KISS.

 

 

 

 

Now everyone should be thoroughly confused....

.......and the KISS award goes to this solution !! when you start adding unnecessary components to the equation you are adding more potential problems down the road. the cost to your solution would probably run around $.50 and the time to install about 30 minutes.

 

Dingy - just to set the record straight i believe you misread my second post - i stated a DPDT "switch" not relay. no harm , no foul.

 

i'll be waiting to hear cougars success story!

[wes0778]

This may be another dumb Walter question, but why not have the ignition switch control the relay and then there is no for the LED. When the ignition switch is on, the headlight IS on. I guess I don't understand the need to be able to turn off the headlight when the engine is running.

[Flyinfool]

What you have recommended is the factory set up where the headlight comes on with the ignition.

The reason to have a switch to turn he headlight off is so that while messing with the bike in the garage you can turn off the headlight so as to not discharge the battery as fast.

I also like to switch off the headlight when coming up the driveway since my light will shine right into the neighbors bedroom window and wakes up the baby. There is plenty of light in the drive from the yard light.