Wiring relay/spots/switch

[mr badger]

Difficult to explain, but here goes.

Wiring up a set of HiD spots to madame's bike (F800).

Where is the best place to put the handlebar switch in the circuit?

1. On the trigger circuit, so that the relay has clear sight of the 'lamps'?

2. On the load circuit

Direct to battery connection with in line fuse and relay triggered from the accessory socket.

Have all necessary doings inc amalgamating tape so can do a neat job either way.

 

[oblertone]

I seem to recall ...

... that the switch should be on the +ive leading to the lamp; just looked on my pdf for auxiliary lights and that's where it goes

 

[mr badger]

... that the switch should be on the +ive leading to the lamp; just looked on my pdf for auxiliary lights and that's where it goes

Ta. Makes sense as the relay won't be operating at the same time as the switch.

 

[Dave Ett]

It's completely irrelevant where it goes - the current flowing through the circuit is the same at all points.

What you must do is either ensure the switch is up to the current, or use a relay. And remember the fuse is there to protect the wiring, not the component, so make sure your wires are rated to carry more current than your fuse.

 

[Thunder]

Will you be sorting her brakes next?

 

[Roger Chatterton]

Surely the whole point of using a relay is that the switch does not have to be of high current handling ability; that is what the relay does. The switch, to my way of thinking, should of course be on the low current side of the circuit, that is, the switch should activate the input side of the relay. This then activates the relay , and the high current draw is then handled by the high current ability of the relay itself ( and not the switch !).
Hope this makes sense .
The whole point of this being that you can use a cheaper and smaller switch, as it is NOT handling a high current, just the 12 volts to activate the relay and thus little or no load.

 

[mr badger]

Will you be sorting her brakes next?

Egad no. Get a man in for that kind of thing.

Only switching 70w so neither position should cause a problem. Using a kill switch for the switching. Inline fuse right after the battery.