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Ignition Switch Capacity

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Old Jul 13, 2016 | 02:00 PM
  #11  
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What that harness does is tie the passing lamps into the fender tip light bulb power. You can do that just by snipping the yellow passing lamp wire and connecting to fender tip wire (red capped wire in nacelle on fhrc). This will run through accessories fuse with all the other junk like horn and rear lighting and what not.

Another way to do it is to take yellow passing lamp wire and snip it, bring over to orange red wire for accessories toggle switch and tie it into that. This places passing lamps on P&A fuse and if you don't have anything hooked up to that little outlet will be the only thing on that fuse.

What I did is simply take the yellow out of the connector and swap it with the red and orange so that I didn't have to cut anything. What this means is that my little accessories outlet now only works on low beam.

Both run through ignition switch.
 
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Old Jul 13, 2016 | 03:54 PM
  #12  
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From reading your posts I don't think you understand how relays work. If I'm wrong, I apologize.
To run lights or any higher amp draw accessory you need to add a separate relay to power them.
A relay is a device that has an electromagnetic coil that basically operates an internal switch.
Relays usually have 4 or 5 contacts on the bottom.
Two of the contacts activate the coil. Once energized the coil causes a set of contacts to close.
To wire a relay you ground one of the coil contacts. The other coil contact goes to whatever you want to trigger the coil. In your case I'm guessing some lights.
Now to provide power to the lights you run a new fused line directly from the positive side of the battery to one of the internal switch contacts, usually the one that moves. From the normally open contact of the switch (if it's a 4 contact relay it's just the last connector) run a wire to the positive light wire. Then simply ground the last light wire.
Relays are really pretty simple and take all the stress off the bike's wirinf.
 
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Old Jul 13, 2016 | 04:06 PM
  #13  
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Don't worry about the switch with a relay. Just make sure you keep the amp draw so you do not over load the alternator/regulator.. Not a lot of build in capacity for extra.
 
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Old Jul 13, 2016 | 04:29 PM
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I kinda understand how the relay works but I dont understand its purpose. Why would a guy just connect direct to the battery with a fused line straight to the lights. I know how the relay functions mechanically what is it providing for.


So it sounds like adding the relay is the best but is it safe to do as I did?
 
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Old Jul 13, 2016 | 04:35 PM
  #15  
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Originally Posted by RIPSAW
Don't worry about the switch with a relay. Just make sure you keep the amp draw so you do not over load the alternator/regulator.. Not a lot of build in capacity for extra.
So your saying my method is cool if I stay below the fuse ratings. I am fine adding electrical but am hesitant...all I've ever owned have been old pieces of shat with all sorts of extra wires and electrical creations, chopped harnesses and problems. Just don't want to start cutting things and adding a whole bunch of wiring and what not if I already have the means to power the lights through the factory system.
 
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Old Jul 13, 2016 | 04:43 PM
  #16  
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Originally Posted by SnoRider
I kinda understand how the relay works but I dont understand its purpose. Why would a guy just connect direct to the battery with a fused line straight to the lights. I know how the relay functions mechanically what is it providing for.


So it sounds like adding the relay is the best but is it safe to do as I did?
Yes, you could run lights, or whatever straight from the battery but then you have to switch them on and off manually. Using a relay lets them 1, be isolated from the bike wiring and 2, turn on/off automatically.
For instance, I installed an air horn.. By using a relay I can wire the compressor, which is fused at 25A, directly to the battery through the relay. And my horn button activates the relay which activates the compressor making the horn sound. All without stressing the factory wiring which was never designed for a 25A draw.
 
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Old Jul 13, 2016 | 04:50 PM
  #17  
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Oh I see. So I would use any of the hot wires that goes through the ignition switch to power the relay to close when the bike is turned on...allowing power to be fed from the battery and provided to the lights.
 
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Old Jul 13, 2016 | 04:54 PM
  #18  
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Yes.
Most use something related, like a light or horn wire but anything that's powered on with the ignition switch will work.
 
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Old Jul 13, 2016 | 05:29 PM
  #19  
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Couldn't you just pull the Y from #1 on the Aux Lamp switch and splice in a blue from the Headlamp fuse to #1 and be done?


 
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Old Jul 13, 2016 | 06:14 PM
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Originally Posted by Vernal
Couldn't you just pull the Y from #1 on the Aux Lamp switch and splice in a blue from the Headlamp fuse to #1 and be done?


I could but I am also adding a dual bulb bucket with 60 watt bulbs so with the 37.5 watt passing lamps I'll exceed.

What type of relay should I be looking for???
 
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