head light wiring

[damo1]

Guys ive just changed the headlight set up on the gixer after continually having to change headlight globes at 13$ a pop and five in 8 weeks.

So ive built up another headlight set up using two small spot lights and stacked them on top of each other and made a fill in panel for the original head light hole.

Anyway to my problem.

Each spot light has two wires coming out 1 for power and 1 for earth that makes four wires,2 power and 2 earth.

The bike loom has 3 wires 1 earth 1 low beam and 1 high beam.

at the moment ive got it wired both earths together and each power wire from the lights to either low and high beam wire.

Which means only one light is on at any time low or high.

What i want is 1 light on on low beam and both at high beam.

How if at all can i do this with the wiring i have?????

cheers Damo

[JackTar]

Couldn't you split the high beam into two wires and attach to both lights then they would only be on when you had high beam on and it would be both of them?

[JackTar]

I just thought you would need to have two physical wires coming from the HB switch otherwise when you put low beam on it would flow back to the HB light if you just split it.

[sharky]

The bulbs only have 2 connections so the power from the low beam feed would go down the split high beam feed wire to the other bulb.
You will need to fit relays to get it to work.
http://www.asfphotos.com/upload/1255867457.jpg


This way the low + feed can only back track as far as the relay where it comes to a dead end.
When you switch to High beam you get power to both bulbs.

[wackyrider]

Mate, had the same exact question a few months back. Have a quick look at the topic. Hope it helps

http://www.streetfighters.com.au/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=16355&SearchTerms=light

[grindella]

these diagrams show what you are trying to achieve with two single filiment 100 watt lights with 20 amp diode

2 lights, 2 high, 1 low, all single filiments.
[u]without relays</u>
http://www.asfphotos.com/upload/1255888932.jpg

[u]with relays</u>
http://www.asfphotos.com/upload/1255955063.jpg

[holyman_999]

I've recently done this to mine but only put a relay on one bulb.
the other is just hooked straight to high beam...
i don't understand the need for two relays, when the second bulb coming on for high beam only needs to be connected to the original plugs for the high beam feed...
the first bulb needs the relay for hi/low switching, but the second just needs hi...
also, no diodes, just the relay.

I went straight to jaycar, and the dude selected the relay, drew a simple wiring diagram for my simple self, i'll try and find it/replicate it.

[holyman_999]

alright, here is my highly artful version...
http://www.asfphotos.com/upload/1255967267.jpg

remember this is for one light only... the other just gets hooked up to the high beam...

i think the difference is the type of relay... (FRC3C from Jaycar)
you'll also need to find a source of constant power, and an earth other than the one in the existing three point connection.

also note, that i may have that connection labeled wrong, but you'll know from plugging and unplugging which one's which...

anyways... if it's confusing, wrong, or needs clarification, let me know...

[holyman_999]

just re-read your original post, and realised you said you only have three wires to start with. I just assumed (i know, i know)[:I] that you were referring to the 7/11... which should have two seperate connections, one for each of the original lights...

if this is not correct ignore the previous dribble i have filled you thread with, and accept my apologies. (It's early!!!!);)

Laters,
Duane

[grindella]

best and cheapest way is with a single 20 amp diode. If there was enough call for this I would make sealld kits that you plugged your headlight into on one side and twin light on the other. If you are interested I could build one for you and you could pick it up from turramurra, seeing mail Call is our preferred courier.

G'day Grindella,

... seeing Mail Call is our preferred courier.

That's funny.

I reckon you could be onto something with the plug and play idea. Got a couple of other ideas. Let's talk.

[grindella]

I reckon I can get it down to a small harness about 100mm long. What other ideas do you have? and the "prefered courier" is a bit of a private joke seeing I got a fractured spine working for them.

[damo1]

quote:Originally posted by holyman_999

just re-read your original post, and realised you said you only have three wires to start with. I just assumed (i know, i know)[:I] that you were referring to the 7/11... which should have two seperate connections, one for each of the original lights...

if this is not correct ignore the previous dribble i have filled you thread with, and accept my apologies. (It's early!!!!);)

Laters,
Duane


Yeah sorry the wiring has been butchered and there is only three wires but there seems to be 2 relays??

I'll have to have a closer look an see what teh fuch is going on.

I'm liking the diode idea though cheap and simple.Bit like me[^]

[Iceman]

the short version is wire the low beam to the parker and the high to high.

[Weaselman]

quote:Originally posted by Iceman

the short version is wire the low beam to the parker and the high to high.

thats what i do
never had a problem

[grindella]

how does parker to low and high to high differ from low to low and high to high? and I thought damo has two single filement bulbs of which he want one on for low and both on for high. The easiest way to achieve this is with a 20 amp diode, or was I wrong about this thread?

[damo1]

quote:Originally posted by grindella

how does parker to low and high to high differ from low to low and high to high? and I thought damo has two single filement bulbs of which he want one on for low and both on for high. The easiest way to achieve this is with a 20 amp diode, or was I wrong about this thread?


No your right!

As said previously the wiring is butchered and i dont know if the park light wiring is even in there.

I'll go the diode root i think and see what happens.

Cheers for all the feedback on this one guys.

[holyman_999]

So............
To summarize, Iceman an Weaselman are spot on, if the original wiring is still there...
I'm a dipshit for not thinking of the parker wires as an option and wasting time putting a relay in...
and I think grindella has damo's one covered with his diode thingy...

So many ways to skin a cat... :D

[damo1]

Righto i went chasing a 20amp diode today and got talking to a guy at strathfeild car audio.

I filled him in on my situationand the recommendation for a 20 amp diode to sort me out.

And by no means am i saying anyone here was giving me ill advice but he reconed i only needed a 5 amp diode,and sujested that the 20 was over kill.

So he gave me a 5amp one and said if it blows the biggest id need was a 10 at most,remembering that i'm only running 2 55 watt gobes.

So i tok it home fitted it and it works a treat.

But the real test will be when i have the light on for any length of time i'm guessing.

Now i have another question for some of you guys, was there a reason that you suggested such a big diode or were you just covering your arse.

Cheers again for the advice;)

[Shadowzone]

Ohms law of V = I x R applies. It is also an inverse equation so...

I = V x R

R = V x I

V = Voltage

I = Amps

R = Resistance

So if the V of your lights is 110W then the Amperage (or I ) of the circuit is worked out the easiest by dividing the total wattage of 110W by 12v because we know these 2 amounts. This gives us the end result of 9.1666666667 meaning you should have at least a 10A diode in the circuit as a 5 isn't theoretically sufficient.

See how it goes, but it should probably be a 10A diode...

[grindella]

just a little clarification.

ohms law does not deal with wattage but deals with the ratios between amps (I), voltage (V), and resistance (R). Resistance itself is measured in [u]</u>ohms[u]</u>.

I = V/R or R = V/I

to calculate wattage (W)which is the unit of power you use the formula W = V x I

therefore if a 20 amp diode is used the following is true

W= 12 x 20
W= 240

if a 10 amp diode is used

W = 12 x 10
W = 120

if you run two, lets say 60 watt headlamps the the following is true

120 = 12 x I
I = 10 amps

taking into account that 60 watt headlights are crap and that when they are turned on there is a spike of approximatelt 1.44 tims current draw which is about 14 amps, the 10 amp diode will shit itself in no time flat.

The cost difference between 10 and 20 amp diodes is a few dollars and is it worth it to replace a 10 amp diode regularily?

After 4 years of electrical training on military aircraft, courses to enter automotive electrics and years of working on bikes from my experience you need a 20 amp diode to run two 100 watt high beams.

If it was my bike I would run two relays and a 30 amp diode so I did not stand a chance of damaging the switch gear and wiring because of the current I would draw with two 120 watt lights.

The relays allow battery power to be used at the lights and not run through the bike's switch gear and harness because really, I know of few bike high/low beam switches that would handle 20 amps.

Anyway I would recommend that both relays and a diode are used for the previosly mentioned reasons.

Grindella, bloody well answered.

I'd rather (and do) spend the extra few bucks for overkill. Electrical components always fail at the worst possible time, never in your garage just after you've filled the fridge.

About the only thing you didn't mention is the difference in light output from a light operating at 10 volts compared to one receiving 12 volts.

[fimpBIKES]

another way to look at it is how big is the fuse for the headlights?

i would get a diode twice those amps just to be sure the failure point is the fuse (not that it should fail...)

[damo1]

Cheers guys i dont understand all your equations but i'll get a bigger diode.

[boris]

quote:Originally posted by grindella
[u]with relays</u>
http://www.asfphotos.com/upload/1255955063.jpg


damo I'd go with this setup seeing as you said you have 2 relays there already and use the 5 amp diode but instead of putting it where it says in this diagram go between the 2 wires going to the 86 terminals on the relays cos they are only trigger wires to the relays and have no real load on them like the 2 87 wires, solder the diode in with the band (the stripe on the diode) on the low beam relay side and the non band side to the high beam anyway that's the way I'd do it but I'm just a dumb old auto electrician:D

[boris]

quote:Originally posted by grindella


The cost difference between 10 and 20 amp diodes is a few dollars and is it worth it to replace a 10 amp diode regularily?

After 4 years of electrical training on military aircraft, courses to enter automotive electrics and years of working on bikes from my experience you need a 20 amp diode to run two 100 watt high beams.

If it was my bike I would run two relays and a 30 amp diode so I did not stand a chance of damaging the switch gear and wiring because of the current I would draw with two 120 watt lights.

The relays allow battery power to be used at the lights and not run through the bike's switch gear and harness because really, I know of few bike high/low beam switches that would handle 20 amps.

Anyway I would recommend that both relays and a diode are used for the previosly mentioned reasons.

answer this for me please grindella being that I do this kind of shit to cars not planes and not being a smartass
but why would you put the diode in the load side (87)and have to put, like you say a big diode in this circuit why would you not just do like I say and put a 5 amp diode in the trigger side it's not like an extra relay is going to overload the switch seeing as they draw about .2 of an amp making less than half an amp strain on the high beam switch and effectively having both relays(1 for each globe) do their job