Help...suddenly without lights

[Gerhardberger]

I used cable, capable to stand out 15 Amp...

[John Hopkins]

Job done, and works fine !!!! I left the relais inside the Light housing. Does the relais heat itself ? I use high beam very sparely, but my worry is that if it heats it could melt other cables in contact with the relais. Thank you all for the support and diagrams. I've done it exactly like the diagramm here posted.

If you have followed the circuit everything will be fine, the relay only draws a few milliamps when working so it won't create any measurable heat, the only heat will be generated by the headlight bulb and if that hasn't already melted wires it is unlikely that it will do so in the future.

Obviously you have used cable to and from the relay contacts that can carry the current, using thin speaker wire would cause overheating.

John.

[greenbarn]

A relay should not get warm enough to melt anything, unless it is overloaded - which yours shouldnt' be.

[Gerhardberger]

Job done, and works fine !!!! I left the relais inside the Light housing. Does the relais heat itself ? I use high beam very sparely, but my worry is that if it heats it could melt other cables in contact with the relais. Thank you all for the support and diagrams. I've done it exactly like the diagramm here posted.

[John Hopkins]

Some people leave them inside the headlight housing, some leave them near the battery,  but just look for the best fit, whereever you leave it I would put it in a plastic bag to prevent the terminals touching ground/earth and a small piece of paper with a diagram in case you sell the bike so the new owner will know exactly what it is..

John.

[Gerhardberger]

One last question before staring with the rebuild of the aux lights circuits:

Where would you leave (physically) leave the rele?...Inside the front Headlight, or have you found a better place elsewere?....best regards

[kw-retrorider]

This is a timely discussion and just to confuse the issue more.....
Along the lines of GB's comments, I finally wired a set of spotlights from a 1500, installed on my 800. The spots were factory, with the switch on the bar. The wiring ended in half a fuse holder (because that is the logical place to disconnect when dismantling). I found the blue and white accessory wire in the harness, which was hot even with the ignition switch off. I did not fully test the yellow and black accessory wire, but it was dead with the ignition switch off, so went with the blue and white wire.
Using that as the power source for the spots, I cut off the half a fuse holder I could not match  on the spot light side and wired a 14 gauge, 10 amp fuse holder in line. I installed the 10 amp fuse, hit the spotlight switch and they both came on.
Without load calcs, ran the bike at idle with everything on for 15 minutes, adjusted the light beams per the kawasaki dwg and went to bed happy with myself....the 10 amp fuse did not blow and wires were not warm.
Got up this morning in darkness, started the machine with no problem and went out for an hour ride. No issues.
So similar to GB, if I had read this first, I probaby would have considered a relay installation from the low beam. I have to remember to turn the spots off, but am satisfied that they are on their own circuit, protected by a low amp fuse that has not blown. (The blue and white accessory wire is the smallest wire gauge in the circuit  - maybe 16 gauge - so should be able to handle 10 amps) .
Nice to have some more light in the dark.

[greenbarn]

In my time doing car repairs, I've seen lots of cases of wires being over-loaded, and either the wire, or the connection, or the switch or SOMETHING ends up melted.  A lot of these instances are even factory wired stuff (how may ford F-150 headlight switches have melted...).

I don't think "don't use it very much" is EVER a satisfactory answer - I prefer to fix something good enough to use it as much as you want or need to.

Having said that, I'm pretty sure the PO of my 800 wired the driving lights like yours are, and I've not seen any indications of overloading.  I wanted to re-wire, using a relay, just to "do it right", but haven't gotten around to it yet.

[John Hopkins]

was at my local garage and that's the solution I've got: they checked with Kawa Spain and the solution of the seperate rele for the additional headlights is't optimal. They told my mechanic that he should fix the cable again to the high beam without an additional cable, substituing the 10W rele with an 15W rele, and I should use high beam as less as possible.

What do you thing about it ? The reason is that on a bike with the years of mine, the electrical sysistem will not have an easy work supporting the extra consumption of the aux lights. Therefore its the same to put them on an extra cable or use existing wire of high beam.

It sounds strange, isn it ?

If you are saying what I think you are saying then you have two choices, take advice from your garage who think the existing cable will be strong enough to take the extra load or take our advice and fit a relay and new wiring..

If you take the garage's advice and the wiring loom overheats who will pay for the repair..

John.

[Troll]

That sounds more than just strange. I just checked the output of my charging system, and, with the mp3 player and the spot lights on, it has 14.3 V at the battery with the engine idling. The idea of removing the spot lights from the bike's original electrical system and putting it on it's own circuits is to protect the original wiring and switches from possible overload and heat damage.

[Gerhardberger]

 was at my local garage and that's the solution I've got: they checked with Kawa Spain and the solution of the seperate rele for the additional headlights is't optimal. They told my mechanic that he should fix the cable again to the high beam without an additional cable, substituing the 10W rele with an 15W rele, and I should use high beam as less as possible.

What do you thing about it ? The reason is that on a bike with the years of mine, the electrical sysistem will not have an easy work supporting the extra consumption of the aux lights. Therefore its the same to put them on an extra cable or use existing wire of high beam.

It sounds strange, isn it ?

[Gerhardberger]

Thank you very much for the useful and interesting information....Will keep u informed !

[John Hopkins]

Thank you very much for the diagramm, but in spain, its illegal to drive with three low beams, therefore i had them linked to the high beams of my Drifter. What changes should i make to the diagramm you've sent ?

Because you are not in the USA you need to buy a 12v to 15v dc N/O relay with 20amp contacts  that is a relay where the contacts are open until you connect 12v dc across the coil and then they close..The trigger wire is the wire that gives the 12v + voltage to the coil, as long as you follow the diagram you will have no problems..but if you are not sure how to do it take the relay and lights to a local bike shop and show them these posts...

the reason I stated 12v to 15v is because the voltage on your bike can rise to 14.8v dc and 15v relays will generally switch at 12v so you have a safety margin..

John.

[Troll]

Just switch the trigger wire to the high beam circuit.

[Gerhardberger]

Thank you very much for the diagramm, but in spain, its illegal to drive with three low beams, therefore i had them linked to the high beams of my Drifter. What changes should i make to the diagramm you've sent ?

[Troll]

Here's a simple diagram of the circuit. By using the low beam as  the trigger, you are 1, making sure it won't stay on when the ign. is off, 2. won't come on before the engine is running, and 3. you are in compliance with federal laws about aux. lighting.

[DC]

There is a kit at auto parts stores for about $10 with everything you need. Wires are made up with spade connectors and it has a relay just for the job. Driving light relay kit. I installed mine using the low beam circuit as the trigger. Using an inline waterproof fuse holder (also available at auto parts stores) mounted as close as possible to the battery. That way it protects the whole circuit. The relay and wiring will easily fit inside the headlight shell.

  Cool!  Thanks for that!   

[Troll]

There is a kit at auto parts stores for about $10 with everything you need. Wires are made up with spade connectors and it has a relay just for the job. Driving light relay kit. I installed mine using the low beam circuit as the trigger. Using an inline waterproof fuse holder (also available at auto parts stores) mounted as close as possible to the battery. That way it protects the whole circuit. The relay and wiring will easily fit inside the headlight shell.

[DC]

Troll, can you post that wiring diagram?  I'm getting ready to do mine when my lightbar arrives and that would help loads.

What kind of relay should you get?

Do you recommend an inline fuse-holder?

[Troll]

Ok. Here's how I have mine wired. The light bar has it's own switch, so that switch controls the relay trigger wire. The power for the lights comes off the battery with it's own harness and fuse. The trigger wire for the relay is connected to the low beam power from the headlight switch (in the US, this is the requirement). If the switch is closed, the power from the headlight low beam flows to the relay trigger and that turns on the lights. If the switch is open, then the trigger wire never sends current to the relay, so no lights. If I switch to the high beam, the trigger voltage is removed, and the lights go out. If the engine is not running, the headlight is not on, so there is no trigger voltage to the relay, even if the ign. is turned on...Post when you get home, and I will send you a detailed wiring diagram...It sounds complicated, but it's really only 4 wires...

[Gerhardberger]

No. They are linked to the high beam and to their switch. Will disconect the bulbs on both lights in the meanwhile

[Troll]

Don't use the extra lights and you should be fine...they do have a switch on them, don't they?

[Gerhardberger]

Soory for the confusing definition
My main head light can be used on low or high beam 55/60 w
Two additional lights on high beam 55w each
Indian fender, position light, backlight, plate number, speedo light 5w each
High beam indicator 1,7w

Thats how i found out maximum consumption at night with high beam....unless i break at nigh. Then the 5w backlight turn 21w due to the breakinglights...

My conclusion is: with the 30a fuse instead of the 10a i will be able to enjoy the rest of my vacations, but as soon as i come back home, i shall reconstruct the electrical supply of my both additional lights....with your help!

Thank you

[CDNRatMan]

  sorry never thought of them......duh...thanks JH.

[John Hopkins]

Nono. 196W is total consumption when i drive at night with the long lights on....Through the 10a fuse, at this pointm only 60w (stock light) + 2 x 55w (additional lights) will flow (170w). The other light use their correpondent fuses.

That still works out at 14a so wire it as I said and you will still have a working bike next year..

I took long lights to mean headlights on full beam..

John.