Wiring auxiliary lights

Steve in Kent · Feb 20, 2020

I am just about to add some spot lights, (already purchased), to my 2001 R1150GS

I want the near side to be on with low beam, and both the near side and off side to be on with high beam, so do not want to use the switch that came with the lights.

As the bike is already set up this way for it's headlights, am I right in assuming that I can take feeds from the wires going from the handlebar switch to the headlamps and take that to the specific relay for each spot lamp?

I've searched the internet, but can't find anything useful.

I am going to make a loom up so I can put the two relays in the current fuse box under the seat, with a positive feed direct from the battery.

Or is there a better way?

Timolgra · Feb 20, 2020

Yes you can wire it that way but there's enough room to fit the relays behind the instrument screen and run a fused feed from the battery (you can earth to a point on the headstock) also while you're at it use the same relays to trigger your main and dip, it'll make them brighter due to less voltage loss through the standard wiring.

MartinK · Feb 20, 2020

Hmm... someone will know more I am sure, but i doubt this will be legal.

They will need to be seperately switched, and used as a pair...

10. Electrical connections –
(a) Every main-beam headlamp shall be so constructed that the light emitted therefrom–
(i) can be deflected at the will of the driver to become a dipped beam, or
(ii) can be extinguished by the operation of a device which at the same time either –
(A) causes the lamp to emit a dipped beam, or
(B) causes another lamp to emit a dipped beam.
(b) Where a matched pair of main-beam headlamps is fitted they shall be capable of being switched on and off simultaneously and not otherwise.

Steve in Kent · Feb 20, 2020

MartinK said:
Hmm... someone will know more I am sure, but i doubt this will be legal.

They will need to be seperately switched, and used as a pair...

I think my setup meets that criteria, (I say that because I'm just copying what the bike does now).

MartinK · Feb 20, 2020

Steve in Kent said:
I think my setup meets that criteria

Aha sorry - thought you were wiring direct when you said about "so do not want to use the switch that came with the lights" - I stand corrected

Timolgra · Feb 20, 2020

MartinK said:
Hmm... someone will know more I am sure, but i doubt this will be legal.

They will need to be seperately switched, and used as a pair...

You're right although it's a bit of a technicality it's also a bit pointless imo, just run both lights to come on with dip......particularly on the 1150 due to its strong dip cut off on the offside plunging you into darkness on right handers

I use the classic set up of 3 HIDs for dip and 3 Halogens on main, all through relays.

Steve in Kent · Mar 3, 2020

Timolgra said:
You're right although it's a bit of a technicality it's also a bit pointless imo, just run both lights to come on with dip......particularly on the 1150 due to its strong dip cut off on the offside plunging you into darkness on right handers

I use the classic set up of 3 HIDs for dip and 3 Halogens on main, all through relays.

How did you wire them to the dip circuit?

Timolgra · Mar 3, 2020

Steve in Kent said:
How did you wire them to the dip circuit?

Use the feed to the dip as a trigger for the new aux relay via an on/off switch if I remember rightly.

Steve in Kent · Mar 3, 2020

Timolgra said:
Use the feed to the dip as a trigger for the new aux relay via an on/off switch if I remember rightly.

Do you remember where you put the relay?

Timolgra · Mar 3, 2020

Steve in Kent said:
Do you remember where you put the relay?

Post #2

Steve in Kent · Mar 3, 2020

Timolgra said:
Post #2

Sorry, missed that.

Excellent thanks, I'll go for four spots, 2 on dip, 2 on main.

Cook1e · Mar 3, 2020

Heavy duty cable (at least 2.5 sq. mm) with a 15A in-line fuse to the relays.

oblertone · Mar 3, 2020

Aux lights PDF

I have a very good PDF guide for fitting auxiliary lights to the 1150; if anyone would like a copy please pm an email address as it's too big to host on here.

davegs · Mar 4, 2020

Cook1e said:
Heavy duty cable (at least 2.5 sq. mm) with a 15A in-line fuse to the relays.

Always overlooked but while running a new feed direct run an earth as well, a lot better than the frame earth and you will notice the extra brightness of the extra volt or two at the lights. You've only got twelve volts to start with so any savings will benefit.

Steptoe · Mar 4, 2020

Steve in Kent said:
Sorry, missed that.

Excellent thanks, I'll go for four spots, 2 on dip, 2 on main.

Run them off an autoswitch and a relay off dip and main and they'll automatically flip between the two lights and you'll have an on/off switch using the indicator cancel switch so no extra gubbins cluttering up the handlebars

Steve in Kent · Mar 4, 2020

davegs said:
Always overlooked but while running a new feed direct run an earth as well, a lot better than the frame earth and you will notice the extra brightness of the extra volt or two at the lights. You've only got twelve volts to start with so any savings will benefit.

Excellent idea, might as well since I'll have the tank off to run the +ve to the relays.

Steve in Kent · Mar 4, 2020

Steptoe said:
Run them off an autoswitch and a relay off dip and main and they'll automatically flip between the two lights and you'll have an on/off switch using the indicator cancel switch so no extra gubbins cluttering up the handlebars

I don't understand this, I was going to use the feeds from the handlebar to the dip and main lights to go to the two relays.

What is an autoswitch, and how does using the indicator cancel to use as an on/off switch happen?

All sounds interesting though.

oblertone · Mar 4, 2020

Autoswitch is a hidden switch that uses the indicator cancel when held down (3 secs) to activate whatever is connected to it; Nippy Normans and others sell them.

Steve in Kent · Mar 4, 2020

Would these be OK to mount the relays to?

AndyB_11 · Mar 7, 2020

Removing the ABS gives you a big hole where you can mount relays and you get the added bonus of no ABS issues

Wiring auxiliary lights

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