Wiring Help

[wt4clyj]

There is about a thousand posts about auxiliary lighting all of which seem pretty confusing. I have a pair of Rigid Industry Dually flood lights (model 20211). I want to wire them as an an independent system using an inline fuse, and not direct to the battery. problem I'm having is finding the best wire to connect that is only powered when the bike is on.

The power usage per each light assembly is 15.1 watts and 1.10 Amp draw.

Is this possible to do safely? If so... please advise/ instruct.

My NC is US spec.

The electrical accessories I have installed currently is the power outlet.

Thanks All.

V/r

 

[Beemerphile]

Do you have the Honda option relay (08A70-MGS-D30) and the sub-harness (08A71-MGS-D30)?

 

[bendobe]

Couple questions:

1. Do you have the Honda aux socket (that means you have the Honda relay kit as well)?
2. Would you be comfortable installing a relay if you don't?
3. When you say "independent system" do you want the lights on their own (new) switch or hooked into an existing switch?

I'm not sure what your level of wiring knowledge is so please don't be offended if I over explain a bit.

Basic wiring without the Honda Relay could be:

• Run battery power to a relay with an inline fuse (you can get an relay and holder at any automotive store)
• Tap into your headlight line (switched power so you don't kill your battery) and connect that to a handlebar switch (google "handlebar switch", tons out there)
• Connect output of switch to relay
• Connect relay ground to frame

If you want to get fancy and add a dimmer there is a good thread here.

 

[Beemerphile]

Respectfully, there are some problems with parts of this advice.

1) Though it can easily be made to work without the Honda option kit, that is how a Honda tech or subsequent owner with a shop manual would expect to find it done. If done some other (even equally workable) way, then it can confuse the people who might have to come behind you and figure out how it works.

2) When you say "tap into your headlight line", there are two of them (not including the ground). It is not "switched power" as is provided by the option relay. If you attach to the low beam wire, it goes off when the high beam is energized. If you attach it to the high beam wire, the Rigid Duallys will only work when the high beam is on.

3) The electrical construction of Rigid Duallys was changed (I think in mid-2013) to where they will no longer work with aftermarket dimmers. The only way the pre-change Rigid lights would work with a conventional dimmer is if the chassis of the light (the mount) is isolated from ground. I have the older Rigid Duallys on my bike wired through a Skene Designs IQ-170 dimming controller with the mounts isolated so that they are on low with the low beams and go full brightness with the high beams. This is no longer possible with the current design. Unfortunately, there is no marking on the light to tell you whether it was built pre or post change. If bought now as new stock, they would most certainly be new new design.

 

[itlives]

I want to wire them as an an independent system using an inline fuse, and not direct to the battery.
V/r

Simple me....I would wire them directly to the battery with inline fuse and their own switch. That would make them truly independent.

I wouldn't have thought they could be wired like Beemerphile did. Good job Beemer!

 

[bendobe]

Beemer - Good clarification, I didn't think about the low/high beam switchover at all and you are right, the $35 for the sub harness and relay are not a huge price to pay.

 

[Brillot2000]

There is about a thousand posts about auxiliary lighting all of which seem pretty confusing. I have a pair of Rigid Industry Dually flood lights (model 20211). I want to wire them as an an independent system using an inline fuse, and not direct to the battery. problem I'm having is finding the best wire to connect that is only powered when the bike is on.

The power usage per each light assembly is 15.1 watts and 1.10 Amp draw.

Is this possible to do safely? If so... please advise/ instruct.

My NC is US spec.

The electrical accessories I have installed currently is the power outlet.

Thanks All.

V/r

Do you have the Honda option relay (08A70-MGS-D30) and the sub-harness (08A71-MGS-D30)?

I would also recommend Beemerphile's recommendation of the use of the Honda Accessories for what you want to do.

This thread might be helpful too, Aux. Lighting.

 

[wt4clyj]

I should have been more specific about the power outlet, its the Honda setup with the relay and sub-harness.

I also forgot to add that I attempted wiring direct into the headlight but wasn't happy with the results.... it seemed a bit shady and could cause issues later on.

I am open to using one of the connections on the sub-harness but, there is a ton of mixed reviews and confusion from others posts and didn't seem there was a definite answer and no one posted rather they successfully accomplished the task. I did read one thread with a ton of pictures but the work was done zealously (in a good way) and tied the horn into the task, which seemed way above my ability (work admired).

So.... is there a way to use one of the accessory connections for a simple (new switch) set up, where the power is only hot when the ignition is on?.

The reason I don't want to go direct with the battery is simple... the battery is always hot, leaving the switch able to be turned on accidentally and run the battery dead.

 

[wt4clyj]

Dumb question here... I just read that on the accessory harness brown wire is switched power.... to me this translates to connect my power wire to it, that connects to my new switch or direct to the lights and ensure everything is grounded, and my problem is solved?

 

[Beemerphile]

Dumb question here... I just read that on the accessory harness brown wire is switched power.... to me this translates to connect my power wire to it, that connects to my new switch or direct to the lights and ensure everything is grounded, and my problem is solved?

The BROWN wire is switched power. The Honda option relay package includes a 7.5 amp fuse which is more than adequate for your use. Run it through your new switch and then to the (+) of the lights, otherwise, the lights will be on any time the ignition is on. If you want to wire it so that the Duallys come on with your high beam let me know and I will guide you through that.

 

[wt4clyj]

Thank you for the info.... now that we established the brown wire is a good wire to use, this has generated another question.

What happens to the power in the brown wire once the brights are turned on? does it lose power?

 

[Beemerphile]

Thank you for the info.... now that we established the brown wire is a good wire to use, this has generated another question.

What happens to the power in the brown wire once the brights are turned on? does it lose power?

No. It is powered any time the ignition is on.

 

[wt4clyj]

excellent.... this is my wire. again thank you for all the knowledge, and making something that seemed so mind boggling to simple.

I cant wait to get some time off work and to take it apart and make all this happen. I know it wont take that long but this is my primary mode of transportation and don't want to rush anything... plus fixing stuff always goes better when you have the time to enjoy doing it and spending time on doing a quality job.

I use to have the service manual, but when I PCS'd it was packed in the storage box and not the moving box so I'm pretty much relying on the forum and internet findings.

 

[Beemerphile]

I use to have the service manual, but when I PCS'd it was packed in the storage box and not the moving box so I'm pretty much relying on the forum and internet findings.

Unless you have done it a few times you might have trouble getting the left side shroud off without the manual. Let me know if you need the instructions for that. It would be a shame to get all set up to do it and not be able to get timely assistance on the forum.

 

[wt4clyj]

Im back... I am having a new problem, the 7.5 amp fuse blows when I turn my auxiliary lights on. anyone have a fix for this? should I put a larger amp fuse for the relay switch?

could it be the lights? their draw is 1.5 amps per light.

 

[Beemerphile]

Can you make a drawing of what you installed? You definitely do not need a larger fuse. Something is wrong. Impossible to say from here what it is.

 

[wt4clyj]

As of now im out of fuses for the relay so I cant do any more testing... Ill do a picture of a drawing

 

[670cc]

Do not install a larger fuse. If the lights worked fine at one time, they should work now with the same fuse. The fuse is sized to protect the wiring. The fuse is doing it's job.

Sorry, I don't know the all details as I didn't read all of your posts up to this point. Do the lights have any electronics associated with them, like a brightness controller?. If so, that could be suspect. Otherwise, if the fuse opens instantly you could have a short circuit path to ground inside the lights or anywhere in the wiring along the way.

 

[wt4clyj]

external lighting auxiliary wiring issues

Here is what I did....

Install the relay, fuse, harness... tested to make sure I had power.... at first I didnt because the harness was wired wrong with the brown wire connecting to a purple wire not the red power wire, so I corrected the issue. re-tested and there was power.

next I ran test wires to a three prong rocker switch. after connecting the wires I realized the red/black wires were backwards and blowing two fuses (relay 7.5 and lights/clock 7.5) fortunately I have one 7.5 left and replaced it in the lights and clock.

 

[670cc]

From what I can see, the switch is wired incorrectly. First, only the red positive wire needs to be switched. The black wire should pass directly from the Honda harness to the lights. The red from the harness should go to the center pin if the switch. The red to the lights should go to either one of the outer pins. The other outer pin will be unused. Which one you choose will determine the on vs off position orientation of the switch.

The way it's currently wired, the switch is connecting positive directly to negative ground, thus blowing the fuse.