Need some electrical assistance…

[BudMan]

At last year’s Inzane I purchased a set of pods and running lights and finally got around to putting them on.  Yeah, yeah, I know never do today what you could put off until tomorrow… or next year.

Anyway, I could use some information on how to make the electrical connections. I looked all through my DVD manual and can find no information on where to pick up power for the lights.
I have the harness with two “bullet” connectors and one large “ring connector” on a red wire running to the relay.
I could probably “logic out” a solution, but would rather hear from someone that has been down this road before.

[Red Diamond]

I can only tell you that these lights should plug in under the right side cover. That is all I can remember from my installation back in 02 on an 01 Interstate.

[gordonv]

In other words, an OEM connection on the IS?

[blackvalkyrie]

I have a 97 standard, which has the two accessory connecters under the right cover.. the green/white wire is power, the solid green is the ground...works like a charm!!

At last year’s Inzane I purchased a set of pods and running lights and finally got around to putting them on.  Yeah, yeah, I know never do today what you could put off until tomorrow… or next year.

Anyway, I could use some information on how to make the electrical connections. I looked all through my DVD manual and can find no information on where to pick up power for the lights.
I have the harness with two “bullet” connectors and one large “ring connector” on a red wire running to the relay.
I could probably “logic out” a solution, but would rather hear from someone that has been down this road before.

[bikerboy1951]

There is a rubber boot under the right side cover with two connectors in it.  The two connectors on the lamp harness plug in there and the other wire with the ring goes to the positive on the battery.

Brad

[MarkT]

Go to my Tech Tips page. http://www.horseapple.com/Valkyrie/Tech_Tips/tech_tips.html
Near the bottom, under the Links to Chet's Articles, click on the Relays 101 link.  He covers the install very thoroughly and it's really the right way to do it.  I have two pairs of spots each pair powered by a relay and triggered by a 3-pos sw so I can select 1. On with ignition, 2. Off, 3. On with High Beam.  Both trigger switches get their power from the blu-white wire, which is the power line to the OEM hi-lo beam sw.  This line is powered on with the ignition and momentary off by the starter button - so when you hit start, the lights go off so you have all power available for crank & spark.  This is important when your battery gets weak.  Some say make sure your spots are on completely separate circuits from the headlight in case you lose the headlight circuit.  Well OK, but mines been wired this way for 17 years and I've never lost the headlight circuit - just bulbs and that doesn't take out the circuit.  Worth it to have the spots go out when you crank - you will many times have a weak battery over the life of your bike if you keep it awhile, and will need all the battery power to crank and spark.

Apart from how they are triggered, run a dedicated fused line from the battery to provide the power to the relay, which the relay then delivers to the spots when the relay is triggered.  It doesn't need to be switched other than the relay, (other than selecting how the relay trigger is activated with a 3-pos sw like I did - which is optional) the power does not drain unless the relay is activated.  Of course you use the 87 terminal (normally off) on the relay, not the 87a (normally on).

[BudMan]

Perfect!
Thanks everybody. I'll give it a go this weekend and then post back on how it turned out.
I'm definitely going to set up the relay to avoid excess amperage traversing the starter button. For some time now it feels like the engine starts immediately AFTER I release the starter button.  She starts so easily it's hard to tell for sure. I suspect my battery may be on the down hill side of peak performance. ???

[MarkT]

Perfect!
Thanks everybody. I'll give it a go this weekend and then post back on how it turned out.
I'm definitely going to set up the relay to avoid excess amperage traversing the starter button. For some time now it feels like the engine starts immediately AFTER I release the starter button.  She starts so easily it's hard to tell for sure. I suspect my battery may be on the down hill side of peak performance. ???

That's a prime indicator you have a marginal battery.  Not enough juice to turn the motor & provide spark, so the spark hits when the starter stops & the motor is still turning over.  If you had spots on, you might not get it started.  Use the blue-white wire to power the trigger on the relay so the spots are off while cranking.  It's in the headlight loom.

[BudMan]

Thanks Mark, that's kind of what I was wondering about.  I doubt the bat will make it through the coming heat of another Oklahoma summer and for sure not next winter. Better start saving a nickel here and there for a new one.

[MarkT]

Here's a link to another of Chet's pages, since the Relays 101 page refers to wiring horns.  On this page, he's specific about spotlights (and other things).  

http://www.rattlebars.com/valkfaq/circuits.html

Use this diagram at the top if you want to be able to select on with ignition or on with high beam, or off - replace the brown wire with the blue/white to make the spots go off when you hit the starter:

BONUS - with this wiring, hit the start button while riding to signal oncoming traffic for a hazard or radar trap ahead.  The tranny interlock will prevent the starter from engaging but it will still flash the lights off.  That's your headlight and the spots will all flash.