Battery saver ?

[Tallmarkb59]

Is there a relay which switches off the lights when pressing the starter button, or am I wasting my time turning the lights off before starting in an effort to provide more cranking current to the battery ?

 

[buellzebub]

There's a relay to turn off lights, heated grips etc

 

[Robh1664]

Well, I never new that.
Thanks B.Bub, you learn something new every day !

 

[Tallmarkb59]

Thanks, I'll save the switch by leaving the lights switched on then. Cheers.

 

[Neil W]

You should be okay its not a WC where the switches break by virtue of the fact that you are stupid enough to actually use them

 

[warmshed]

Its called a load shedding relay, just keeps essential things live. It can cause problems with HID light ballast, they don't like being switched on and off rapidly.

 

[Steptoe]

Is there a relay which switches off the lights when pressing the starter button, or am I wasting my time turning the lights off before starting in an effort to provide more cranking current to the battery ?

Isn't it simpler just switching the lights on when it's dark. ?

 

[warmshed]

Isn't it simpler just switching the lights on when it's dark. ?

No need the load shed relay does it for you.

 

[Steptoe]

No need the load shed relay does it for you.

You've missed my point entirely. If his lights aren't switched on in the first place then the relay doesn't need to switch them off. Only switch the lights on when it's dark. Get it

 

[warmshed]

You missed the point. If his lights are on in the first place the relay does switch them off when he presses the start button. Get it?

That's what its for, that's why BMW fitted it.

 

[Tallmarkb59]

Yep, I could see me wearing out the light switch needlessly if I flick it through the three positions every time I turn the bike on or off. That's why I asked. I'd rather not have to take the switch cluster apart if I could avoid it. Trying to be mechanically sympathetic to my sixteen year old purchase.

 

[Sleepy]

Regardless of the 'load shedding relay', I've always turned the lights off on my 1150, before starting it up, there has been no noticeable deterioration in the light switch.

 

[warmshed]

Regardless of the 'load shedding relay', I've always turned the lights off on my 1150, before starting it up, there has been no noticeable deterioration in the light switch.

Each to their own but it does sound superfluous, what does it achieve?