Fitting Vision X lights - wiring help needed!

[Malcolm Leick]

I have just bought a pair of the Vision X LED lights from Adv Spec to fit onto my F650GS twin. I want to splice them into the wiring for my dip and main beam.

I already have HID units in the dip and main so do I connect the red wires from each of the Vision X unit to the bike's positive wires before they go into the ballast for the HIDS. What's the best way of making the connection?

I'm sure all you technoheads will be groaning and and taking the pxxx, but I've not done this before, know nothing about circuits and don't want to blow the bike up. So I need your help! The Vision X lights only draw 10w / 0.75amps each so Adv Spec reckoned they wouldn't conflict with the canbus system.

I have ordered the Rugged Road lamp bracket to mount them on.

While I was up at AS I popped into Beowulf exhausts which is only 7 miles away. I picked up a bargain black stubby stainless can for a £100 including fitting! Normally goes for £150 but it had a very slight paint blemish on the inside so they knocked £50 off. I mentioned the problem that some folks here have had with the connector pipes being slightly oval and they are now checking them all before they go out. Very nice people in a lovely location.

After that I dropped by Tony Archer's custom saddle place which is about 12 miles from Beowulf. He reckons he can put a gel pad into my plank for £60 while I wait if I give him a weeks notice. I'll be back up there next weekend.

A bit of a northern golden triangle for bike bits!

 

[Buz]

My assumption would be to splice in before the Ballast and use this to operate an Aux relay taking its live feed to extend to the lights from a spare fuse (if there is one) or via a fused link direct on the battery.
(not done it myself yet so will be interested to hear what the experts have to say )

 

[Tim Cullis]

Best way to do this is via a relay. << DIAGRAM AND INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS

What happens is that you wire the auxilliary lamps to the relay and wire the relay to the battery via a fuse located as close to the battery as possible. Then you run a tiny cable from the headlight to the relay to act as a signal to tell the relay to send the power through.

Doing things this way the aux lights are automatically switched off when your headlight is switched off.

On a 1200GS it would be a good idea to put a manual switch between the signal lead and the relay so you can switch the lights off when you need to conserve battery power (e.g. offroad with lots of starts/restarts), but the F650/800GS is good in that the CanBUS system already switches off your headlights when the engine stops running, even though the ignition is still on.

If you have several powered things to fit you could use the relay to provide switched power to a fusebox and then run everything from there.

Tim

 

[Malcolm Leick]

Thanks both. What about physically joining the relay trigger wire to the exisiting cable? What's the easiest way of splicing it in?

 

[Tim Cullis]

The option that many people would use is a Scotchlock connector though professionals regard them as the devil's spawn and would always solder connections.

How-to video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJn-8cRkk-s

 

[Malcolm Leick]

Wow! That's a clever bit of kit. That's the solution for me.

And my last question, what sort of relay. I was looking in Halfords today and there were a range of 4 connection relays from 15amp upward.

 

[Malcolm Leick]

Sorry Tim. I only just spotted the hyperlink on the relay word in your posting. Thanks a lot. I should have all the information I need now.

 

[mark71]

No No No No to scotchblocks as they will only cause you more trouble in the long run but as Tim says the best way would to take a feed from the main lights or another switched feed and get it to throw the relay then you can always add on other bits and pieces as you go, ie GPS etc.

If you have any problems would happy to draw a diagram for you or something like that, shame your not closer or I could do it for you.

I have thrown in a diode as well so that the lights go on automatically when the main beam goes on as well.

Just something else for you to think about.

Regards

Mark

 

[Malcolm Leick]

I have decided to take the feed to the relays from the accessory plug near the battery that powers my TomTom. There are three coloured wires. Which one do I tap into?

 

[Malcolm Leick]

Job done. I went for the two wires feeding the 12v accesory socket and probed them with a meter to find out which one was live when the ingnition was turned on. The only problem is that the socket stays live for about 10 minutes after the ignition is turned off, so I put a switch between the feed and the relay. My wiring may not be pretty, but it works!