Headlight relay Q

[Hondaman]

I keep reading bits about the long-term benefits of fitting headlight relays, it all sounds logical enough & lets face it other manufacturers fit them & Suzukis wiring ain't the best...

I was thinking about fitting a dip beam on/off switch to allow the dipped beam to be turned off if/when required, then I thought why not fit a relay to just the dipped beam while at it?

Reason; fitting a simple single relay and switch would be cheap and simple enough.
The dipped beam is running almost exclusively, even night time rides rarely give the oportunity to run high beam for any length of time.

Does this sound plausible?

Phil

[MartinW]

It is plausible, but with the right relay you can switch both dipped and high beams anyway, so you may as well do both.

[bigpie]

I've seen some mention of using a relay and a switch to cut out one light to give extra electrical capacity for day time riding. Not sure I'd want to ride around with nothing lighting up on the front.

[Hondaman]

Cheers for the input all!

Having read a bit more, twin headlight H4 relay kits are available from HK for under a tenner but will require mods to make fit a bike (without having loom bundled up), I could fit a low beam relay with on/off switch or I could just fit an on/off switch to one dipped beam.

I like the idea of turning lights off completely ie when messing in the workshop or for starting when the bike has been stood for a while.

Reducing the load on the harness/switches is obviously beneficial so maybe a relay/relay kit or normally running with only 1 headlight on may be better for long term safeguards?

Best get my thinking cap on & decide which route to take!

[Sam]

I like the idea of turning lights off completely..............for starting when the bike has been stood for a while.

Hondaman, you can do this without doing anything to the bike. I nearly always start my bike this way (with the headlights off).
1. Press the starter button & hold it (this stops the headlights coming on)
2. Turn ignition on & wait for dials to do their thing
3. Pull in the clutch lever to start the bike ( it won't start if in gear with side-stand down!)
Just need to get into the habit & I now do it without thinking about it.

[kwackboy]

I don't have relays but I've fitted a high wattage switch so I can turn both headlights out,  I also run daytime running lights that at are permanently on so it's still safe and I can be seen .
The wires that run to the start button that cuts out the lights when pressed is where I've connected the switch , works great ..!

[madasadad]

Hondaman, you can do this without doing anything to the bike. I nearly always start my bike this way (with the headlights off).
1. Press the starter button & hold it (this stops the headlights coming on)
2. Turn ignition on & wait for dials to do their thing
3. Pull in the clutch lever to start the bike ( it won't start if in gear with side-stand down!)
Just need to get into the habit & I now do it without thinking about it.

How do you turn the lights back on?

[greywolf]

The lights come back on when you release the starter button.

[joderest]

I am a convert to running during daylight with headlights off, My old BMW had headlights on all the time, and twice I did not know headlight bulb had blown dipped beam, until I came to ride home in the dark, so fitted a switch to turn off during the day.
My V Strom also has a switch fitted to turn off dipped beam, easy enough to do, just found the wire at the plug connector under tank fairing, cut and installed a switch, I used a little LED switch that lights blue when power to it.
I have then fitted LED side light bulbs, brighter and sharper, and also LED day time running lights under the nose fairing. These do not use hardly and battery power.
A couple of times I have ridden behind my wife driving her car, and she stated that its more noticeable now than just a pair of headlights, as the LEDS are a pinpoint of light and really show up during the day

I know that some will not go along with this idea, but it suits me.

[Hondaman]

Cheers for the input all
There's obviously quite a few ways to skin the cat so to speak!

The more I look & ponder, the more I think the best option would be to buy a cheapish h4 relay kit, modify so it fits the bike neatly & doesn't involve chopping into the bikes' loom, also easy to revert to stock at the side of the road should the need arise (duff relay etc)
Any additional 'lights off' switches can be made into the additional loom.

Most kits seem to just have 1  fuse - probably satisfactory but I can't help thinking seperate hi/low fuses would offer more security.

Will keep you posted!

[greywolf]

I too like the idea of separate fused power to each relay. If a fuse blew on a bend one dark night, switching beams would get light back to be able to see the road again.

[alibx11]

OK folks just to bring this back in circulation in case it helps some people.....

I just finished putting headlight relays on my bike tonight, bought the cheap Chinese ones as opposed to EB's on cost consideration alone...

Here's a link to the one's I bought....  http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/390938014554? ... EBIDX%3AIT at just over £7 they were a bargain.



Now these are for cars but just required cutting and soldering the wires to one of the headlight plugs as it is far too long, easy to do... I also put a accessory socket and voltmeter on the fairing while I had the fairing off.



Used the EB, connector for the heated grips to run the Acc. socket and the voltmeter and ran a set of - and + wires direct to battery to run the relays.

Then used a 4 block spade connector to connect these 2 sets of wires so that if I have to remove the fairing again it will just disconnect like the standard Suzuki connectors in the left side fairing.



Tested it and found that although the headlights work fine on dipped and main beam they do not flash the main when using the passing button, not really a big deal and not something that will lose me any sleep but just letting anybody else know who may be considering these relays.
It's just a matter of the way the relays have been wired as standard.
Again should be easily fixed buy rewiring the connections at the relay but as it doesn't really bother me I'll leave it as is.

[greywolf]

There is absolutely no reason why the flash to pass switch would not still work if everything was wired correctly. The high beam relay is activated off one of the stock connectors to one bulb. If the switch would activate the bulb before, it should activate the high beam relay after conversion.

This may sound like a silly question but it is the only way I can imagine the flash to pass switch could not work if selecting the high beam works. Are you sure you are activating the actual left thumb activated flash to pass switch on the beam selector rocker switch and not the display selector switch operated by the left index finger which used to serve that function on Vees and Wees?

[alibx11]

.... do you fink I'm stupid???

Yes mate definitely using the pass button, think the issue is when you flick the pass button does it not momentarily bring on the main beam with the dip?
I noticed that primary relay was a 5 pin two throw relay, to send the power to the other relay when the main beam is activated, so if the 2 beams come on at the same time with the pass button then the relay cannot put the power to both relays at once.
It's an easy fix with two 4 terminal relays and a slight change to supply power to both relays at once but I was just letting others know that this will happen if they decide to go down this route.

[greywolf]

I said it was a silly question. I hate to think of how many times I changed my display at somebody before I got used to the switch placement difference. Anyhow, I get it now. I didn't know your kit was wired like that. I have never seen that before. Every headlight relay setup I've seen or made before has used two SPST relays. I could not figure out what circumstance could cause what you described. I would not want such a setup.

[alibx11]

Didn't realise it was 5 pin setup when I ordered it myself mate  .

Obviously chinese setups may be different, the coloring of the wires is certainly not normal  

Just letting others know who may be considering these relays on a cost basis.

May re-wire  it tonight and correct it, just a matter of changing a couple of wires so it's not a big job, will see if there's anything good on tv first.

[Hondaman]

I've been browsing these & noticed a kit that has ywo fuses for about £9 delivered - I wonder if this setup will offer   the 'passing' function without mod out of the box?

Bear in mind that if you modify yours, the fuse will probably need upping then that may not suitably protect the feed wire (unlikely on a momentary flash) but wirth bearing in mind.

Phil

[greywolf]

The overkill option is a 15A fused power wire from the battery to each relay. That duplicates the stock system that allows a beam selection change to get light back if one fuse blows but adds the stock circuitry protection of the relays. In practice, the Eastern Beaver single 20A fused power wire works very well. Something wrong has to happen to blow the fuse.

[alibx11]

All sorted, took it off again and only had to move the wire from pin 87a on the primary relay to pin 30 to give 2 direct feeds to both relays so flashing as normal again.

This kit comes with 2x 40 amp relays and a 40amp fuse which is a bit excessive so have gone down to a 20 amp myself.

Saved a bit of money over the EB kit, but had a bit of soldering to do.

How reliable these chinese relays will prove to be... time will only tell.

So to anyone thinking of these cheap ebay relays be prepared to do a bit of cutting wires and soldering.
Remember to move the wire mentioned above and you'll find they do the job fine.

[Hondaman]

1 x 20a fuse, does that allow enough safety margin considering it's your only source for the headlights...?

230w / 12v nom = >19a
230w / 13v =  >17a
There will be a +/-tolerance in the fuse blow amperage.

I too am intrigued as to the reliability of the cheapy kit relays.
Just my ramblings.

Phil