Wiring help please - tapping into looms

[Dreamer]

I'm adding FF50 spotlights to my 1200, and want them to be on 'all the time' - i.e. with both high and low beam. Plan was to take a relay feed from the headlight low beam, but it's so well loomed I'm finding it difficult to break into it - I'm reluctant to totally unwrap the loom... is there a better way??

Any suggesions gratefully recieved

Paul

PS: T

 

[Wizard]

Use a "piggyback" onto the headlight supply behind the bulb as your swtch line. There's plenty of room at the back of the bulb, there's wee rubber grommets to feed the wire through already fitted to teh headlight moulding, and you can cabletie the wire to the existing loom very easily for routing back under the tank.

 

[Emoto]

Don't tap into either headlight; tap into the back of the accessory outlet. This circuit is on whenever the ignition is on, so it is what you want. Another consideration is that this is where BMW says to tap in, so if anything happens to your bike's electrical system down the road, BMW will not be able to point an accusatory finger in your direction.

 

[Dreamer]

Thanks guys - 2 good tips - I'll let you know what I decide!

 

[Ken H.]

The disadvantage of using the accessory socket to relay trigger high-current lights is that they will stay on for 60 sec. after you shut down the bike. Not the best thing for the battery.

You can tap the low beam without any issues. Disconnect the plug to the headlamp ass'y and cut a couple of zip ties and you can get enough slack on the harness to work with it. Carefully slice back the tape wrap to gain some space to work on the wire. Then solder, and I can't emphasize it enough - SOLDER your tap wire in. Crimp-on type slice connectors will not be reliable long term and they in themselves can cause an intermittent enough of a high resistance connection to cause the ZFE module to set a fault.

I've added an aux light relay to the low (dipped) beam and a headlight modulator to the high beam on our R1200GS using this approach with no issues.

Cheers!