Electrical question:

[ibified]

Okay, any of you out there who are electrically inclined, I need some help.  

I'm trying to wire in some lights on my bike, and i want them to be on whenever the bike is on (which I can do no problem), but I also want for them to be on a switch that I can turn on when the bike is off.  ot's been WAY too long since I had any electronics classes, so any help would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

[omslaw]

Do you know what your current draw is? (how many amps will they pull?)

[ibified]

It's 2 sets of LED lights, totalling 6 individual LEDs. Current is measured in milliamps, I'm sure.

[ks-waterbug]

Do your LED's already have the resistors wired in? Finding a hotwire while the bike is running can be done with a meter no problem. Install the switch on the hot wire side be sure to include a fuse! But with only 6 LEDs won't take much.... I'm assuming this are standard LEDs and not the high output variety...?

[MC MUSTANG]

What you could do is pull from the tail light lead (brown) so that you have power when ever the ignition is on; then if you want to put a switch in, you can either place the switch in on the power or the ground side. Question is, where do you want the switch? There is also a 12v output harness under the nopse on the right side, it is for the Euro running lights... you could tie in there if you want your switch near the cockpit.

[ks-waterbug]

Shawn you beat me to the punch.... This is exactly the place I would start! Be sure and test your LEDs prior to mounting them! You can use a 9volt battery to light em up.... If they don't work now they aren't going to work installed.

[ibified]

current draw on the LEDs is 20 mA per side, and yes, they have resistors as well as a controller that scrolls the lights through 1 million color variations.  I already have a wire located for when the bike is on, but need to know what's involved in running an additional wire thats always hot that i can run on a switch that will turn the lights on when the bike isnt on.

[ks-waterbug]

Vampire into the hot wire you located OR run a seperate wire direct from either the battery or fuse block up front. Install your switch between the hotwire (you've added) and the LEDs.... Make sure it can be reached easily while operating your bike.

Ground the system to either an existing ground location or install a new one.

[ibified]

ks,

I dont think i explained what I want to do adequately. I want the lights to be on whenever the bike is on, and additionally, i want to be able to turn them on and off with a switch when the bike is off.

[ks-waterbug]

Give me a sec...

[ibified]

no, i refuse to give you any extra time to give me an answer to a question im not even paying you to answer!

Just kidding. your help is appreciated. if it were just ONE wire, id have no issue wiring the switch in. however, since the tail light isnt always hot, and i want to have this tie into some other leds I have on the bike, i need 2 separate circuits for the lights to run on.I'll need to tie the lights into another "always hot" wire that will be on a switch with my other lights. Also, i dont want for ALL of my LEDs to be on whenever the bike is on.

[ibified]

heres videos of the lights in the rear.

and

[omslaw]

(ibified @ Sep. 20 2007,11:45) ks,

I dont think i explained what I want to do adequately. I want the lights to be on whenever the bike is on, and additionally, i want to be able to turn them on and off with a switch when the bike is off.

What da Bug said to do is correct... Whenever, bike running or not, just flip the switch and the lights come on.

However, I take it that you're wanting them to come on automatically when the bike is on AS WELL AS being able to flip them on when the Bike is off, correct?

[ks-waterbug]

I bet it can be done using both a three position switch and tapping into the accessory side of the bike..........

[ibified]

Oms, you are correct. That's where I find myself not remembering my basic electrical wiring. if i just wanted it on when the bike was on, but with a switch to turn them off, it'd be easy. I'm thinking that a 3 position switch is the way I'm going to have to go as well. I'm hoping to avoid that though.

[ks-waterbug]

Yes the selector switch or multi-position switch is going to be the way your going to have to travel.....

[omslaw]

Yes, a 3 position switch would work. Flip one way and LEDs are on/off with key. Flip the other way and they come on until switch is flipped back.


You could also do it with a regular switch and a diode. The switch will just control when the bike is off, otherwise key would always work.

[ibified]

is there any way I could wire this in with a relay?

[omslaw]

You could use a relay, but I'm not sure you'll gain anything - other than more to wire up.


The reason you need to use a 3-pos. switch OR a diode is to keep current from flowing BACK into the electical system/electronics when the bike is off.

[ks-waterbug]

(omslaw @ Sep. 20 2007,12:25) You could use a relay, but I'm not sure you'll gain anything - other than more to wire up.


The reason you need to use a 3-pos. switch OR a diode is to keep current from flowing BACK into the electical system/electronics when the bike is off.

+1.......