Got My Running Lights Working!

[Forge]

I picked up my '99 Interstate earlier this year. It had been sitting for a year and a half. When I got her, the pod mounted running lights weren't working. The push button switch that was mounted in my left pod was gummy, so I took it apart and cleaned it with contact cleaner and got it positively working again. I ohm'd the bulbs and they were fine. I still didn't have lights, so I traced down the harness and found a relay. I didn't get any ohms across the coil side, so I knew the relay was bad. Honda oem was 57 bucks for the relay. I ordered one on Rock Auto for 16 bucks delivered. It was a different brand, but it has the same markings and part number on it as the Honda OEM. Both say Mitsuba. Obviously, the same part is used by Honda and marked up. RC-2201 is the part number on the OEM relay. My running lights are working great now. Thanks Rock Auto!

[Bagger John - #3785]

During one of the early InZanes, QueExpress and I took a picture of me swapping a Pilot relay for the stock I/S driving lamp unit.

I'll look in the garage later and update this post with a P/N. It's still hanging out there, awaiting use.

$5 at AutoZone at the time.

[longrider]

I purchased a new to me 01 IS in August.  The fog lights were not working just like the OP.  After going through the system I found the relay was bad.  I went to napa and purchased a standard 5 pole relay for 9$ and made a adapter harness to wire it in. 

[mello dude]

I picked up my '99 Interstate earlier this year. It had been sitting for a year and a half. When I got her, the pod mounted running lights weren't working. The push button switch that was mounted in my left pod was gummy, so I took it apart and cleaned it with contact cleaner and got it positively working again. I ohm'd the bulbs and they were fine. I still didn't have lights, so I traced down the harness and found a relay. I didn't get any ohms across the coil side, so I knew the relay was bad. Honda oem was 57 bucks for the relay. I ordered one on Rock Auto for 16 bucks delivered. It was a different brand, but it has the same markings and part number on it as the Honda OEM. Both say Mitsuba. Obviously, the same part is used by Honda and marked up. RC-2201 is the part number on the OEM relay. My running lights are working great now. Thanks Rock Auto!

How 'bout a photo? 

[longrider]

Bought this one for my wife.  Pretty much chromed out.  I solo'd the bike.  She likes it

warren

[NighthawkVTX]

Long Rider, sharp-looking bike

[Fazer]

My running lights, after market on Tourer, have quit working as well.  Fuses are good and I can hear a click in the switch.  It has a relay, and I was wondering if it could be bad.  Anyone tell me how to test for a failed relay?

Greg

[MarkT]

Since you are asking for advice on this I'm going to assume you don't have a meter but you have a 12v test light or can rig one up.

Your trigger circuit on the relay should be wired to pins 86 and 85.  One goes to ground, one goes to your switch typically.  When you power it from the switch your hear a click - the contacts closing of the controlled circuit inside the relay.  Just for fun put your test light on the pin that goes hot from the switch, power on the switch and observe the test light goes on.

Now the controlled circuit has power from the battery via a fuse on one side, and the other goes to the load (lights). They will be on pins 30/51 (will have one number or the other) and 87. Like the trigger pins, it doesn't matter which way the current goes through them.  Put your test light on the power side and observe it goes on. Put it on the load side and observe it stays off.  Now hit your switch to trigger the relay and observe the load side, the test light goes on.

Any other behavior besides this description, and you have a defective relay or the connections are bad.

BTW, ensure the connections are good, preferred soldered and shrink wrapped (not crimped and not wire taps / "scotchlocks"),  uncorroded, and all wiring is adequate guage (14ga is good for a spotlight circuit).

[Fazer]

Thanks, Mark--I have several meters.  I do not hear the relay click when I hit my switch.  I have an aux PC8 fuse box that powers the led light relay--it came with the light circuit so I went ahead and used it, but is there any reason I can't hook the led lights up directly to the fuse box--it is powered by it's own relay.  Methinks I am being redundant.

[MarkT]

Yeah you can do that if you want to depend on the one relay to power everything off the PC-8.  Of course if that relay fails so does everything powered by it.  I find redundancy is a good thing in computers and circuits.  Of course if they are in series then maybe not.  I have 21 relays on my road bike "Jade" now, most in a relay panel under the seat.  Also have a PC-8 panel for most fuses.  I have wired the bike with a focus on maintainable and easy diagnostics.  It has a LOT of electrical systems.  All of them work, always and some have backups - redundancy - so if there's a failure on the road I can just go to the backup system.  Or I can stop and fix it then if I have a mind to.  I carry electrical maintenance parts and tools in my road kit.

If you're not getting a click assuming it is wired correctly then the relay is bad or the circuit triggering it is suspect.

[Fazer]

Good point about the PC8 powering everything--guess I am relying on the relay to work properly.  Are relay failures common?

I watched you work on your electric system at Inzane last year and have seen your mass of relays.  Must admit, those things (relays) confuse me.

[MarkT]

Are relay failures common?

Not if they are good relays.  Any relays you get in a kit are generally junk.  I always throw them out.  5-pin relays from autozone or other major parts houses priced arounnd $12 have always been reliable for me.  I carry a couple spares in my kit but to have even 1 fail in a year's time when I'm running over 20 of them all the time, is unusual.  It's easy to diagnose if they fail, and a 5 minute job to replace one. And they are carried by every auto parts store. A relay is simply a switch that is controlled by another circuit.  Enables you to control a powerful load with a weak circuit and small switches.  Has a lot of other uses as well, with more involved circuits. A relay in an analog circuit has the same function as a transistor or a mosfet in digital circuits.  I've designed and employed several complex circuits using multiple relays on my bikes.  They power my run-brake-turn rear marker lights, the front spots which are actually H4 headlights (with 4 relays so they are selectable hi-lo, or follow-the-hi-lo-sw, or off), the belly tank filler solenoid and fuel pump (both latch relays, and a security circuit on the fuel pump to prevent Harley jokers from turning on my fuel pump, at the gas pump while I'm not looking - yeah that happened - a-hole, caused my crotch to be drenched with gas), the Dan-Marc as a latch relay for hijack security,  heated clothing, the hi-power audio system, the air horn, both sides of the 130/90 headlight, the Rostra electric cruise control, GPS, 12v socket, USB socket, radar, electric trailer brakes... what else?

[Forge]

The 4 pin oem relay on my fog lights had a schematic on the side. On the pins for the coil, represented by a spring looking squiggly line, you should get a small amount of resistance if you use the ohm setting on your meter. Mine had no resistance at all, so the winding was open or shorted out. Easy diagnosis. $16 delivered from Rock Auto for the same exact relay with the same markings and Mitsuba brand on it vs $50 plus everywhere else was a no brainer for me. Now I have lights!

[Fazer]

Thanks for the info.  Sorry to hijack your thread, Forge.

BTW--the relay I am using to power the PC8 came from the same company that sells the PC8.  Since the fuse panel is generally accepted as a quality piece, I am "assuming" the wiring harness they sell with a relay is also of high quality.  I guess time will tell since it's powering about everything on the bike.