Wiring for Big Bike Light Bar

[Kilroy]

Hi All,
Well I got the Big  Bike Light bar with the 3.5 in lamps... Very nice.  Installed the hardware on the Valk standard and rewired the turn signals..  Then I ran into some difficulty.  I need some help getting the rest wired up.   For those of you that have this bar is it possible to wire this so that it will work the same as the headlight?

It came with wiring for a switch but I do not see how it will work, there is no wire that actually goes to the lights themselves.  There is a blue wire, which is the one for the switch but I see no way to hook it up.   Maybe they did not send all the parts.   Everything was sealed when I got it so who knows.

Thanks for any help.

Kilroy

[BF]

I've got that light bar too....and I should have the original wiring diagram that came with it with the way I finally wired somewhere.  I just looked in my bike file and didn't find it, but I'm pretty sure I've got it somewhere (I think). 

If I can find it, I'll scan it and post it here for you. 

[Kilroy]

thanks BF, I have the diagram that they sent with the bar but it looks like to me that there are wires that do not get attached.  What did you do with the blue wires that are attached to each light?  The black one for power is right next to the blue one.  Then the little switch has a couple of wires that go to a ground I think and some other object.  The battery hook up and ground and the wires to the the lights look fine, except there is not clip on the black wire at the light to attach the wire from the relay.   Other than that I'm good.  Still not sure I got everything I was suppose to get.b

[hubcapsc]

Here's a good diagram for reference...

  http://hubcap.clemson.edu/~hubcap/DL45_Wiring_Diagram.jpg

-Mike

[Tundra]

Dave, I gotta run, the wife is after me. I've been on my computer since I got up and we're running late for a Birthday. I followed the wiring diagram that came with mine, can't remember exactly. I'll look into it when I get home this evening.
  I did not care for drilling into my side cover for the switch, I'll take a photo and show you how I mounted mine.
-Doug

[BF]

kilroy......I can't find my wiring diagram that came with my light bar.  And without tearing the bike apart to see which colors go where, I can't remember.  I put that light bar on three years ago.

Sorry.   

[Tundra]

Dave, I'll call you tonight when I get home.
-Doug

[Kilroy]

Doug, that would be great   I should be there
Dave

[Fasted]

The phone call doesn't help the rest of us.  I'm installing the same light bar. no problem with the wiring but,   I don't see the need for a switch, I just want the bar lights to come on with the head lights.  So, I'm just looking for the best place to get a hot wire to activate the relay.  Any suggestions.

ED

[X Ring]

I tapped the wire going from the start button to the headlight dimmer switch to activate my relay.  My spots are on with both high and low beam plus go out with the headlight when I push the start button.

Marty

[98valk]

The phone call doesn't help the rest of us.  I'm installing the same light bar. no problem with the wiring but,   I don't see the need for a switch, I just want the bar lights to come on with the head lights.  So, I'm just looking for the best place to get a hot wire to activate the relay.  Any suggestions.

ED

suggest u check your state laws. most states require a seperate on/off switch for any auxiliary lights.

[JimC]

kilroy
I found the wire that powers the headlight after the starter switch (inside the headlight bucket) then I used that wire to power a relay that I mounted under the seat.
 
That way not only is it not hot while the starter switch is pushed, it has it's own relay. I ran a wire from the relay under the seat to the wire that came with the new running lights, and if I remember correctly, the light bar is grounded through the bar itself.

I have not done it yet, but I will be running the wire from the headlight bucket to the relay through a switch, I agree with the other post, it should have a switch to shut it off. It gets really bright if you are ahead of my bike at night.   hope this helps

Jim

[Fasted]

Thanks, big help!  I consider the suggestion on the switch, I do very little night riding, but if the are that bright it would be nice to turn them off for on comming cars. 

ED

[michaelyoung254]

I haven't put a light bar on the Valk yet, but when installing it on my Shadow, I also wired it through a relay connected to the headlight circuit wheras the lights were on all the time, and turned off when the starter button was pushed. Texas doesn't require a switched circuit for the lights so I didn't use a switch. What I did to get the lights set so it didn't blind other drivers was to find a dark country road, and then noted the spot where the low beam hit the road in front of the bike. I then used a real heavy towel, and covered the headlight so I could see exactly where each driving light was aimed. I then aimed the driving lights at the same level as the low beam headlight, but just to the right, and left of where it was at. Had these on for five years, and never had any problem oncoming traffic and my lights. Just make sure you use a good quality relay, and not one of those POS's from the local auto parts store. I use an industrial severe duty relay that you can get from an electrical supply. Really not much more expensive, but much better quality.

[Fasted]

Went out to take a look at the bike, it looks like I can pick up the head light wire at a plug right off the start/ignition switch. That closer than the head light bucket. Also, I assume the best way to attach is one of the online connectors?

[Valkpilot]

Went out to take a look at the bike, it looks like I can pick up the head light wire at a plug right off the start/ignition switch. That closer than the head light bucket. Also, I assume the best way to attach is one of the online connectors?

If you go into the headlight bucket, a relay trigger wire (blue with white stripe that runs from the starter switch to the hi/lo switch) can be accessed without cutting or vampire taps.  There's a bullet connector there.  Make a pigtail with two wires with female bullet connectors on one end the other ends twisted together into a male bullet connector.

Triggering the relay at this point will turn off the driving lights when you press the starter switch just like the headlight, taking load off the electrical system during starting.

http://www.rattlebars.com/valkfaq/schematics/rpage04.html

[Fasted]

Thanks, found it in the headlight bucket.  Works great.

ED