Led spotlight dimmer

[cbrgaz]

I'm looking for advice on how to go about wiring up some led spotlights I've bought.

I have bought an led dimmer module in the hope I can use this to use the spotlights as Drl's too.

My question is that all the dimmers wire up in such a way that flicking on to high or low beam dims the led's to 50%, where as I need the lights to run at half value on side light and low beam and then 100% on high beam.
The dimmer works of a trigger wire that's connected to the side light or high / low beam positive wire,so what I need is a wire that is only live on low beam and then switches off on high beam.......is there such a thing on an r1150gs?
I hope all the above isn't to confusing but it's hard to explain...... Especially when I'm not of an electronic background.

Thanks in advance.

Gaz

 

[Fanum]

I'm looking for advice on how to go about wiring up some led spotlights I've bought.

I have bought an led dimmer module in the hope I can use this to use the spotlights as Drl's too.

My question is that all the dimmers wire up in such a way that flicking on to high or low beam dims the led's to 50%, where as I need the lights to run at half value on side light and low beam and then 100% on high beam.
The dimmer works of a trigger wire that's connected to the side light or high / low beam positive wire,so what I need is a wire that is only live on low beam and then switches off on high beam.......is there such a thing on an r1150gs?
I hope all the above isn't to confusing but it's hard to explain...... Especially when I'm not of an electronic background.

Thanks in advance.

Gaz

No, there isn't....the dip beam stays on when main beam comes on as well.

You could achieve it easily with a relay though....use the main beam feed to throw the relay feed to the DLRs.

Shout up if you need a wiring diagram

 

[cbrgaz]

Thanks for the reply Fanum.
Can relays be used to break connections when a live feed is fed through them? I can't say I've came across these before..... Do you know the model or type I'd need?

Cheers

Garry

 

[Fanum]

Thanks for the reply Fanum.
Can relays be used to break connections when a live feed is fed through them? I can't say I've came across these before..... Do you know the model or type I'd need?

Cheers

Garry

Yes....relays are either 'NO' or 'NC; the 'o' being OPEN and the c is closed......either way though, just look at the diagram of a bog standard 5 pin relay and instead of the relay 'MAKING' a contact when the coil is energised, just change the connections on so when the relay is energised, it BREAKS the connection IYSWIM......

 

[Flipfly]

Where did you get your dimmer from and how much?

 

[cbrgaz]

I got it of eBay for £12 delivered. It's called an led or drl dimmer module.

 

[cbrgaz]

Yes....relays are either 'NO' or 'NC; the 'o' being OPEN and the c is closed......either way though, just look at the diagram of a bog standard 5 pin relay and instead of the relay 'MAKING' a contact when the coil is energised, just change the connections on so when the relay is energised, it BREAKS the connection IYSWIM......

I see what your saying, but I can't get my head around how it will kill the 12v supply when I flick on to highbeam.
Remember I need a 12v supply to the dimmer unit only until I flick on to high beam, then I want that supply cut off.

 

[cbrgaz]

I need the relay to do the opposite to what it does in the above wiring diagram. Sorry to come across as a numpty Fanum.

 

[Fanum]

Just a thought by the way...technically, DRLs are supposed to go OUT when the lights come on, so in theory at least, a bike woth headlights permanently on isn't allowed to run DRLs.

I do though, as do many many others.......you'd have to find a copper in a REALLY bad mood for it to be a problem (erven if they actually know about it)

That's why DRLs come with a third wire (normally yellow) which is supposed to go to a feed for the lights....when that feed is live the DRLS turn off (presumably via some small solid state relay, but I'm not sure)

 

[topcat2006]

Use the 12v on the headlamp to supply the relay coil. Put the other side of the coil to 0v. Then wire 12v to the relay common terminal. Then use the N/C connection (Normally Closed) to supply the drl relay. When the headlamps are not on the relay is not energised so the contact is closed and 12v goes to the drl relay. When the relay is energised the contact opens and breaks the supply of 12v

Edit - the relay in your diagram is N/O (Normally Open)

Hope this helps.

Tom

 

[Fanum]

I see what your saying, but I can't get my head around how it will kill the 12v supply when I flick on to highbeam.
Remember I need a 12v supply to the dimmer unit only until I flick on to high beam, then I want that supply cut off.

That's a 4 pin relay, that's why (the way I'm interpreting your OP, you don't actually want the feed CUT OFF, you want it SWITCHED to the supply from the dimer)

Add a fifth pin, and you can wire it so pin 30 goes TO the DRLs, pin 87A is from the dimmer unit and pin 87 from normal 12v supply.
Then you put 85 to earth and feed 86 from the main beam.....if the main beam is OFF, pin 30 gets the supply from the 12v standard feed, but when the main beam is ON, the coil is energised and the relay gate flips so that pin 30 (the LED lights) is now fed from the live from the dimmer unit.

 

[cbrgaz]

Thanks all for the information. I've ordered a NC 4 pin relay as that would be the easiest was for me to achieve what's needed. Thanks you again, ;-)

 

[Grim Reaper]

A 4 (or 5) pin make or break relay (with either one or two pin 87's) won't let you switch between full 12v and the (probably pulsed) 12v from the dimmer circuit.
You need a changeover relay, 5 pins. (87 & 87a)
The only way without a circuit like Fanum drew would be if the dimmer circuit feeds both 100% and 50% pulsed output with a trigger wire to switch between the two.
LED's can only be dimmed so much using resistors, it will get to a point where the light just goes off, a variable pulse width output is far better at controlling light output from an led.

 

[topcat2006]

A 4 (or 5) pin make or break relay (with either one or two pin 87's) won't let you switch between full 12v and the (probably pulsed) 12v from the dimmer circuit.
You need a changeover relay, 5 pins. (87 & 87a)
The only way without a circuit like Fanum drew would be if the dimmer circuit feeds both 100% and 50% pulsed output with a trigger wire to switch between the two.
LED's can only be dimmed so much using resistors, it will get to a point where the light just goes off, a variable pulse width output is far better at controlling light output from an led.

The relay is to switch power to the trigger circuit for the dimmer, not to dim the led's