Driving light wiring question...

[Kitulu]

I bought a Big Bike Parts Contour Driving Light kit off of one of my friends. I was going to hold out for some of the Kuryakyn lights, but he offered the light bar for $75, so I jumped on it.

The one thing I was concerned about was that it was mounted on a VTX 1300, but I figure if worse come to worse I can fab up a different mounting plate since it is removable from the bar itself.

My main concern is that there is only one blue wire coming out of each light. Shouldn't there be a ground wire as well? Can I just wire the light straight into the headlight wiring?

[cajun1104]

on most aftermarket lights, the lights are grounded to the bracket itself. So if the light bar gets grounded to the bike, then that will be your grounding for the lights. Then wire the lights to your power source.

[dgraves49]

Your best and safest bet for wireing is to run a wire from the battery or fuse box and make sure it is fused. Then install a relay to operate the driving lights.

[Big B]

Originally Posted by dgraves49

Your best and safest bet for wireing is to run a wire from the battery or fuse box and make sure it is fused. Then install a relay to operate the driving lights.

Def this!

[Ramie]

Check out the threads for wiring light bars. The ideal way to do this it to switch them via a relay. I bought a aux lighting relay kit from oreilliys auto and wired the switch on the light to switch the ground on the relay on and off but there are a number of ways to do it. Don't wire it to you head light you can burn out your starter switch. If you don't want to go the relay route run a wire back to your battery with an inline fuse.

[Kitulu]

Originally Posted by Ramie

Check out the threads for wiring light bars. The ideal way to do this it to switch them via a relay. I bought a aux lighting relay kit from oreilliys auto and wired the switch on the light to switch the ground on the relay on and off but there are a number of ways to do it. Don't wire it to you head light you can burn out your starter switch. If you don't want to go the relay route run a wire back to your battery with an inline fuse.

How does wiring it directly to the headlight run the risk of burning out the starter switch? It seems to me that that would be the easiest way to get switched power to the lights.

[Lakota]

From what I've read here, it seems power for the starter switch runs through headlight.
If so, this was brilliant <insert sarcasm> on Honda's part. If you crank the bike over with those lights on, drawing all that extra juice, you may burn out your switch.

Mine is set up so I use an on/off switch to the running lights; I don't turn them on when starting the bike--only after it has been started. Seemed to me the easiest solution.
For me. YMMV.

If there is a problem with this idea, I'm positive someone will let me know . . . <grin>

[Canyon]

Originally Posted by dgraves49

Your best and safest bet for wireing is to run a wire from the battery or fuse box and make sure it is fused. Then install a relay to operate the driving lights.

+1, don't be that guy that thinks he doesn't need to "extra hassle and wiring" of a relay. Or you will be that guy that burns up his starter switch.

[BrightRedVLX]

Originally Posted by cajun1104

So if the light bar gets grounded to the bike, then that will be your grounding for the lights.

Might work and might not, depending on how the front forks and tripple tree are grounded. Even if it does work, it probably won't be reliable.
You need a wire TIGHTLY attached to the lightbar frame and then run back to an engine or frame or battry ground.

Originally Posted by Lakota

From what I've read here, it seems power for the starter switch runs through headlight.

Right idea but not worded correctly.
The power for the headlight goes through the start switch, so that the headlight gets turned off while cranking.

That's also why a relay is needed. The headlight contacts on the start switch won't support any extra current draw, like what would happen if you just bridged the extra lights to the headlight.

You didn't mention what model bike you have. Some won't handle a lot of extra wattage. The VLX is one. You need to find out what wattage the bulbs are in the bar. 2X35 (or less) should be fine. 2X55 often is too much.

[Kitulu]

Originally Posted by BrightRedVLX

Might work and might not, depending on how the front forks and tripple tree are grounded. Even if it does work, it probably won't be reliable.
You need a wire TIGHTLY attached to the lightbar frame and then run back to an engine or frame or battry ground.



Right idea but not worded correctly.
The power for the headlight goes through the start switch, so that the headlight gets turned off while cranking.

That's also why a relay is needed. The headlight contacts on the start switch won't support any extra current draw, like what would happen if you just bridged the extra lights to the headlight.

You didn't mention what model bike you have. Some won't handle a lot of extra wattage. The VLX is one. You need to find out what wattage the bulbs are in the bar. 2X35 (or less) should be fine. 2X55 often is too much.

It is a 2005 Aero 750.

So, if I wired it to the headlight with a relay in between it would work?

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