Hmm which wires where 2017 GSA spotlights

[Oldrat]

Changing my OEM spots with non standard copies after the inside of one disintegrated.

Anyone advise about which way to splice 2 into 4 and I’m also wondering -will it throw up any canbus issues doing this?

Thanks

Existing lead has 4 wires
Red/blue
Orange
White
Brown

New has 2 wires
Red
Black

 

[MartinK]

Not a direct answer, but BMW Part # 63177723139 appears to be an adapter cable that would suit your need?

 

[JJH]

I cannot answer about canbus but the 2 wires coming out of the lamps are a positive and negative. The 4 wire’s coming out of the loom probably have a positive and negative in there. A multi meter might help identify which. That’s where I’d start. JJH

 

[Mistacat]

BMW use Brown for ground / earth / -ve .
Chances are the Red & Black are positive and negative if LED they will not work if connected the wrong way round, Try them on a battery.
On a Hexhead the spotlights are fused separately and not linked to the Can Bus.
As the op`s bike is Water cooled he might find more info on the Water cooled section.

 

[knutk]

Blue/Red: +12V
Brown: GND
White and Orange are for lamp error checking.

You may connect a different light to +12V and GND.
However, the chances are that leaving White and Orange open, there will be triggered an internal error code. The error may not show in the instrument panel, but it will block the bike for further software upgrades.

The new lights will work, and as long as the bike is running fine, no further upgrades may not be needed. But for future sales, it may be wise to make reconnecting the OEM lights an available option.

 

[Oldrat]

Thank you for the detailed response.

 

[knutk]

Thank you for the detailed response.

There is no mentioning of the year of the bike.
But looking at the picture again, the OEM light seemed to be connected to a 4-pin connector. (the one that is yellow at the end?

If this is correct, your bike is a -15 or older?

My information was relevant to the lights with a smaller 6-pin connector, bikes equipped with the 'Nano lights'.

As for the 4pin connector, only two of the wires are actually used. the blue/red for +12V and the Brown for GND. White and Orange are not used in this connector, and this means that you may wire any 2-wire light without risking a faultcode.
However, the OEM lights do draw a rather modest current, so wiring a different lamp that draws more current may make the stronger light to shut down.
The easiest way to find this out is to just try it. If your desired lamps works without shutting down you'r ok. If the new lights do shut down, nothing gets damaged, but you have to choose a different solution (keep in mind that both lights are powered from the same source, so both lamps must be connected when evaluating the current delivery capacity).
Either using a Hex EZCan that makes it possible to dim the lights (Means an all new wiring), or, if no dimming is desired, merely use the output to control a relay. That said, If the new light is strong enough to trigger the internal autofuse, the light may be too bright to be used as a driving light unless it is dimmed.

 

[knutk]

There is no mentioning of the year of the bike.
But looking at the picture again, the OEM light seemed to be connected to a 4-pin connector. (the one that is yellow at the end?

If this is correct, your bike is a -15 or older?

My information was relevant to the lights with a smaller 6-pin connector, bikes equipped with the 'Nano lights'.

As for the 4pin connector, only two of the wires are actually used. the blue/red for +12V and the Brown for GND. White and Orange are not used in this connector, and this means that you may wire any 2-wire light without risking a faultcode.
However, the OEM lights do draw a rather modest current, so wiring a different lamp that draws more current may make the stronger light to shut down.
The easiest way to find this out is to just try it. If your desired lamps works without shutting down you'r ok. If the new lights do shut down, nothing gets damaged, but you have to choose a different solution (keep in mind that both lights are powered from the same source, so both lamps must be connected when evaluating the current delivery capacity).
Either using a Hex EZCan that makes it possible to dim the lights (Means an all new wiring), or, if no dimming is desired, merely use the output to control a relay. That said, If the new light is strong enough to trigger the internal autofuse, the light may be too bright to be used as a driving light unless it is dimmed.

I have to correct my self. The bike is mentioned in the header as a -17.
I puzzles me if the bike does not have 'Nano' lights.
Anyway, if the connector to the lights are 6 pin, the lights are Nanolights, with bulb-check, If the lights are 4 pin, there is no bulbcheck and no potential fault-codes.

 

[Oldrat]

I have to correct my self. The bike is mentioned in the header as a -17.
I puzzles me if the bike does not have 'Nano' lights.
Anyway, if the connector to the lights are 6 pin, the lights are Nanolights, with bulb-check, If the lights are 4 pin, there is no bulbcheck and no potential fault-codes.

There is no mentioning of the year of the bike.
But looking at the picture again, the OEM light seemed to be connected to a 4-pin connector. (the one that is yellow at the end?

If this is correct, your bike is a -15 or older?

My information was relevant to the lights with a smaller 6-pin connector, bikes equipped with the 'Nano lights'.

As for the 4pin connector, only two of the wires are actually used. the blue/red for +12V and the Brown for GND. White and Orange are not used in this connector, and this means that you may wire any 2-wire light without risking a faultcode.
However, the OEM lights do draw a rather modest current, so wiring a different lamp that draws more current may make the stronger light to shut down.
The easiest way to find this out is to just try it. If your desired lamps works without shutting down you'r ok. If the new lights do shut down, nothing gets damaged, but you have to choose a different solution (keep in mind that both lights are powered from the same source, so both lamps must be connected when evaluating the current delivery capacity).
Either using a Hex EZCan that makes it possible to dim the lights (Means an all new wiring), or, if no dimming is desired, merely use the output to control a relay. That said, If the new light is strong enough to trigger the internal autofuse, the light may be too bright to be used as a driving light unless it is dimmed.

Thank you for the advice knutk

A progress report.

I’ve fitted and wired up the lights.
Red/Blue to +
Brown to black.

The lights are on and don’t show an error…

Ermmm..



But they are permanently on with the ignition and the OEM handlebar switch doesn’t operate them on or off.

Hmm

 

[knutk]

Thank you for the advice knutk

A progress report.

I’ve fitted and wired up the lights.
Red/Blue to +
Brown to black.

The lights are on and don’t show an error…

Ermmm..



But they are permanently on with the ignition and the OEM handlebar switch doesn’t operate them on or off.

Hmm

Not sure what is happening.

But the way BMW has set up the wireing, the +12 V is always on, while the OEM handlebare switch operates the ground, i.e it grounds the lamp for ON and leaves it open for lights off.

Did you ground the lights through the brown wire?

 

[knutk]

Not sure what is happening.

But the way BMW has set up the wireing, the +12 V is always on, while the OEM handlebare switch operates the ground, i.e it grounds the lamp for ON and leaves it open for lights off.

Did you ground the lights through the brown wire?

If the 'old' lights reacted to the Aux light switch while the new' ones does not, and the lights are grounded through the brown wire, might there be a possibility that the 'new' lights are also grounded through the lights housing?