spotlights on an 1100gS wiring question/help

[solemnboy]

Firstly i should say that I have trawled the threads and can't find an answer to this but if I missed something...sorry.
Anyways I have just got hold of some spotlights for my GS and have very little electrical knowledge , there is a loom with the spots that seems to have everything there except a separate operating switch should I need one.

What I want to do is wire it so that the spots can be activated via a separate switch (not an autoswitch) , independently of the high or low beam of the main lights. How do i do this please?

Any help much appreciated

 

[mike wright]

Make sure you use a relay.... wire them into the side lights and a switch. That way you can turn them on and off when you like or use the dip and the switch like I did. Works well

 

[hops]

get yerself a switch and a relay

like the one below (halfords or any motor accessory shop will sell them, not forgetting the switch will be open to the elements so get a waterproof one). connect as follows:-

Pin 30 - 12v feed (preferably from the battery)
Pin 87 - Output of above to feed the lights when the switch is operated
Pin 85 - On the switch you are going to use, take a feed from the side lamps or other 12v switched (so it only works when the key is on) wire one side of the switch to this lead and the other side of the switch to pin 85 on the relay.
Pin 86 - Earth (negative side of the battery).

Hope this helps!

 

[solemnboy]

Dumb question I am sure, but...

thanks Mike and Hops
Got relay, just need to ask where the side light wire(s) can be found so I can wire into it, hope that makes sense? sorry haven't got a wiring diagram.

Sol

 

[hops]

easiest way

is to check the wiring at the lamp itself. Look at the back of the headlamp unit where the sidelamp bulb goes in and trace the wiring back. Use a voltmeter to see which is live if you can, earth wires are normally black or brown in colour NOT always though. If you unsure what to do try and get one of the many clever chappies here to give you a hand. Depending on where you live there's normally a few close-by. Once again the easiest way is the crimp on connectors to piggy-back onto the live feed but they are a bit hit and miss sometimes and a soldered joint is better.

 

[RickG]

Not 100% sure of my facts here, no doubt someone will know, but I think in the UK you are only allowed to turn on spots (meaning lights that illuminate the road in the far distance) when the main beam is on. Running them independently of the headlight means you could potentially dazzle oncoming traffic even if the headlamp is dipped, hence I don't think it's allowed. You may be OK if your 'spots' are mounted so they can't dazzle, but I don't know for sure.

If this is the case you should take a feed from the high beam wire via a switch to the coil on the relay so they can only come on when high beam is selected, though I realise you specificly said this isn't what you want to do!