NEw passing lamps install problems...need help
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Tourer
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 411
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From: Dayton, Ohio
NEw passing lamps install problems...need help
Hey all-
Hopefully someone can chime in as I am trying to figure out what I am doing wrong with my wiring.
I am trying to install a light bar with passing lamps and turn signals on my RK Custom. It is the one that does not have the cross bar.
I did not have exisiting passing lamps so I bought new. The lamps have 2 posts on them. 1 for the black ground wire, the other for a grey/blk wire. Pretty simple. The ground is grounded to the lamps bezel and the only wire that comes out to connect to the bike is the grey/blk. I splice the (2) grey/blk wires together (1 from each lamp) and connect them the 2 wire quick clip on the bike. That quick clip wire runs directly to the other quick connect clip (this clip has a grey/blk wire and a yellow wire) that connects to the toggle switch (next to the fork lock) that is on the main bezel. That is all. It should be straight forward but I am not able to get any light out of the lamps. What am I missing? Any thoughts?
Hopefully someone can chime in as I am trying to figure out what I am doing wrong with my wiring.
I am trying to install a light bar with passing lamps and turn signals on my RK Custom. It is the one that does not have the cross bar.
I did not have exisiting passing lamps so I bought new. The lamps have 2 posts on them. 1 for the black ground wire, the other for a grey/blk wire. Pretty simple. The ground is grounded to the lamps bezel and the only wire that comes out to connect to the bike is the grey/blk. I splice the (2) grey/blk wires together (1 from each lamp) and connect them the 2 wire quick clip on the bike. That quick clip wire runs directly to the other quick connect clip (this clip has a grey/blk wire and a yellow wire) that connects to the toggle switch (next to the fork lock) that is on the main bezel. That is all. It should be straight forward but I am not able to get any light out of the lamps. What am I missing? Any thoughts?
Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 249
Likes: 0
From: Northern Illinois
RE: NEw passing lamps install problems...need help
Check to make sure the hot wire is not grounding out when the lamps are installed in the housings. If they did short out you may have blown a fuse so make sure you have a hot 12v feed when the ignition is on. Also, is the black switch (if equipped) located on the back of the headlight housing flipped up (or on). It should really not be tough to troubleshoot if you have a meter to check for 12volts and continuity.
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Tourer
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 411
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From: Dayton, Ohio
RE: NEw passing lamps install problems...need help
thanks for the suggestion guys.
I checked all the fuses and they are all OK. Yes, the toggle switch is on the on position.
I do not have a voltage tester available so I have no way to test it right now. Where is the hot wiring coming from? Is it the yellow wire coming off the headlamp connector?
I found a diagram from another forum. Maybe this will help explain.
Looking at the picture "Factory Wiring" picture I am plugging the leads off of each passing lamp into the corresponding "passing Lamps 1-2" connector. From there I believe I should be able to use the toggle switch to turn them on and off. I am not sure where the orange-orange/red connector come into play other than that is the lead that connects to the dummy toggle switch on the left side of the nacelle. I am not installing any other accessories so that should not even come into play.
I checked all the fuses and they are all OK. Yes, the toggle switch is on the on position.
I do not have a voltage tester available so I have no way to test it right now. Where is the hot wiring coming from? Is it the yellow wire coming off the headlamp connector?
I found a diagram from another forum. Maybe this will help explain.
Looking at the picture "Factory Wiring" picture I am plugging the leads off of each passing lamp into the corresponding "passing Lamps 1-2" connector. From there I believe I should be able to use the toggle switch to turn them on and off. I am not sure where the orange-orange/red connector come into play other than that is the lead that connects to the dummy toggle switch on the left side of the nacelle. I am not installing any other accessories so that should not even come into play.
Advanced
Joined: May 2006
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From:
RE: NEw passing lamps install problems...need help
Would add based on the experience of a friend of mine lately who was doing the same install - are both lights hooked up? He was going through the process and had one hooked up and going crazy thinking that he could do an intermediate test - apparently both have to be completely hooked up before they will come on...
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 411
Likes: 0
From: Dayton, Ohio
RE: NEw passing lamps install problems...need help
thanks for the suggestion. I have had both lamps hooked up at the same time to see if that would work. Although I dont think only having one hooked up would be a problem. They are not dependent upon one another.
I guess I can always try option #2 of the diagram and see if I can pull power from the accessory line. That might narrow things down. If I can get power from the accessory line then I suspect that my yellow wire is not carrying good voltage. I fI dont then I suspect that the two grey/blk wires are shorting out somewhere.
I guess I can always try option #2 of the diagram and see if I can pull power from the accessory line. That might narrow things down. If I can get power from the accessory line then I suspect that my yellow wire is not carrying good voltage. I fI dont then I suspect that the two grey/blk wires are shorting out somewhere.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,823
Likes: 4
From: London, Canada
RE: NEw passing lamps install problems...need help
Grab a chunk of wire and hold one end on the positive battery terminal. Touch the other end to the grey/blk on the lamps. If they come on, go back to the other end that connects to the switch. If they don't, the ground is no good. When you get back to the switch, make sure you are on the right terminal. I think it is a lighted switch , so there are three terminals.
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Tourer
Joined: Jun 2006
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From: Dayton, Ohio
RE: NEw passing lamps install problems...need help
Makes sense 
I will give it a go tonight when I get home from work....thanks
I will give it a go tonight when I get home from work....thanks
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Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 411
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From: Dayton, Ohio
RE: NEw passing lamps install problems...need help
ok, I was able to get the lamp working by hooking it directly to the battery. However the ground on the bezel must not be sufficient or I am doing something wrong.
Here is a picture of the bezel that shows the grey/blk wire coming in and then the ground wire is connected to the backside of the bezel. Why isnt it grounding properly when I connect it to the lamp?
[IMG]local://upfiles/13086/2B899DB84D6745A287494DEA8A5D6915.jpg[/IMG]
Here is a picture of the lamp with a connector post on each side. 1 for the grey/blk wire and the other side for the ground wire off the bezel
[IMG]local://upfiles/13086/59F78BD274524229AFCE53EB64F71C42.jpg[/IMG]
I am not the best at this kind of stuff but I see no other place to ground the lamp inside teh bezel. Any ideas?
Here is a picture of the bezel that shows the grey/blk wire coming in and then the ground wire is connected to the backside of the bezel. Why isnt it grounding properly when I connect it to the lamp?
[IMG]local://upfiles/13086/2B899DB84D6745A287494DEA8A5D6915.jpg[/IMG]
Here is a picture of the lamp with a connector post on each side. 1 for the grey/blk wire and the other side for the ground wire off the bezel
[IMG]local://upfiles/13086/59F78BD274524229AFCE53EB64F71C42.jpg[/IMG]
I am not the best at this kind of stuff but I see no other place to ground the lamp inside teh bezel. Any ideas?
Cruiser
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 162
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RE: NEw passing lamps install problems...need help
1) In order for your circuit to be complete, in regards to the ground, the lights need to be mounted to the bike.
2) The theory behind the circuit should be that 12 volts from the battery is applied to a relay, which also has a frame ground. That 12 volts is applied to the passing lamps when the relay receives a "go", which comes from the yellow wire from the headlight circuit. That yellow only has power when your headlamp is on in the dim setting. I personally eliminated the on/off switch for two reasons, one because I thought it looked dorky and the other because I figured I'd always want the passing lamps on anyway, except for when brights are on.
I wired the passing lamps up on my wife's '04 XL883 and the kit included the lamps, mounting pieces and the switch and relay. I'm not sure whether the road king would have the relay already installed from the factory, but it sounds like that's what you're missing.
Once again, the red should be 12 volts from the battery, yellow from the headlights triggers the relay, which passes the red 12V to the passing lamps, the relay should have a ground and the lamps are grounded through the mounting.Hope this helps.
2) The theory behind the circuit should be that 12 volts from the battery is applied to a relay, which also has a frame ground. That 12 volts is applied to the passing lamps when the relay receives a "go", which comes from the yellow wire from the headlight circuit. That yellow only has power when your headlamp is on in the dim setting. I personally eliminated the on/off switch for two reasons, one because I thought it looked dorky and the other because I figured I'd always want the passing lamps on anyway, except for when brights are on.
I wired the passing lamps up on my wife's '04 XL883 and the kit included the lamps, mounting pieces and the switch and relay. I'm not sure whether the road king would have the relay already installed from the factory, but it sounds like that's what you're missing.
Once again, the red should be 12 volts from the battery, yellow from the headlights triggers the relay, which passes the red 12V to the passing lamps, the relay should have a ground and the lamps are grounded through the mounting.Hope this helps.
