Need help with relay wiring

[aj_fz6]

I'm hoping one of you guys can help me. I want to use a relay with my heated grips and the BD43 headlight mod. Since the power drain of having the 2nd headlight and the heated grips on at the same time is a bit much for the bike I'd really like to have it wired in such a way that when I turn on my grips the 2nd headlight goes out. But if I'm not using my grips then the 2nd headlight is lit.

I saw some good information in Sanger's thread here http://www.600riders.com/forum/fz6-mods/12139-couple-electrical-mods.html but I don't think it's exactly what I'm looking for since it appears that Sanger's right headlight is always on even when the grips are on.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[urbanj]

If you wired the other headlight into the 87a then when you switched power to the grips via 87 it would cut out 87a

 

[Wavex]

Sounds pretty straight forward.

1- Cut the positive wire going to the headlight you want to turn off when using the grips.

2- Connect that wire (coming from the bulb) to a SPDT (single pole, double throw) relay, such that it is connected to the "normally-closed" contact (it will be "ON" when the relay is de-energized).

3- Connect the positive wire of your heater grips to the other contact (normally-open).

4- Connect the positive wire (coming from the bike this time, that you spliced in 1 above) to the 3rd "moving" contact (last one)

5- Connect a simple switch (on/off) in line with from the relay "+" coil to the +12V from the headlight positive wire coming from the bike (that you spliced earlier), or any other +12V you have around... that's your master switch between the headlight and grip.

6- Connect all negative wires to ground

That should do the trick... when the grips are off (no power to relay), power is delivered to the headlight, when the grips are on (relay energized), it'll switch the headlight power to your heated grips. De-energize the relay and power is back to the headlight.


EDIT: my solution did not take BD43's mod/relay into consideration (too lazy to check the details lol), but would work just as well.

 

[RJ2112]

UrbanJ is correct.... there are two sets of contacts provided on most relays. Normally closed, and normally open. The second headlight is powered from the normally open contact. If you wire your grips to the normally closed contacts any time the light is not lit the grips will get power.

The trick would be to add a switch to the coil line of the relay that decides to power the headlight. When you open the lead to the coil, the relay would be disabled, meaning the contacts are in the 'normally closed' position.... powering your grips, and not the light. Complete the path, and the relay will energize; which would then power the lamp.

 

[Motogiro]

I'm thinking more along Wavex's idea with a revision. I would just use an additional relay wired "Normally Closed" as an interrupt as Dave suggested. When you turn on the grips the grip voltage activates the interrupt relay coil and that headlight current is now off. Grips off-Headlight on.
The reason I think this would be good is the grip current may be more than the headlight circuit is designed for. This way you wire the grips normally which provides proper current for the grip circuit without taxing any other circuit.

 

[Wavex]

Yeah that's actually better and easier

 

[aj_fz6]

Thanks for the suggestions! My grip controller connects directly to my battery. I'd like to have that available only when the bike is on. In order to do this I think I do need 2 relays as you guys have suggested. Here's what I've drawn up (apologies, I'm not an EE). I've left off the ground.
86 = Relay Coil Feed (Trigger Wire)
30 = High Power Feed (fused)
87 = High Power Output - Normally Open Contact
87a = High Power Output - Normally Closed Contact

Does this look like it will work as I expect?

 

[Motogiro]

Thanks for the suggestions! My grip controller connects directly to my battery. I'd like to have that available only when the bike is on. In order to do this I think I do need 2 relays as you guys have suggested. Here's what I've drawn up (apologies, I'm not an EE). I've left off the ground.
86 = Relay Coil Feed (Trigger Wire)
30 = High Power Feed (fused)
87 = High Power Output - Normally Open Contact
87a = High Power Output - Normally Closed Contact

Does this look like it will work as I expect?

First- How are the grips and controller going to be wired? As you have it now the grip control is fed from pin 87 on relay 1. Is relay 1 a headlamp control or is it a main relay for powering the bike?

I need to see a schematic of the BD43 mod but I'm thinking it basically adds a low beam to our non low beam lamp on the right side of the bike and you want to shut down that lamp/filament(only), when the grips are active. To do this you can add a relay to that circuit.

If it's not easy to understand, you can PM me and I'll make a schematic for you.

Sometimes it's hard to verbalize this stuff with out a diagram/schematic...

 

[aj_fz6]

The Oxford grip controller currently connects directly to the battery and I have to remember to turn them off when I turn off the bike (it's supposed to have a voltage sensitive shut off that will prevent the battery dying but I don't trust it). I'd like the grips to only work when the bike is on so for relay 1 in my diagram I would splice into the left headlamp wire to energize the relay and allow power to the grips.
The BD43 wire connects directly to our harness into an existing but unused lead. So for relay 2 I would splice into a wire coming from the grip controller to a grip for the relay coil. That way if there is power to the grip (grip controller switched on), the right lowbeam would be off. No power to the grip and the right lowbeam would be on.
I think it would work. But this is my first foray into the world of relays.

 

[Motogiro]

The Oxford grip controller currently connects directly to the battery and I have to remember to turn them off when I turn off the bike (it's supposed to have a voltage sensitive shut off that will prevent the battery dying but I don't trust it). I'd like the grips to only work when the bike is on so for relay 1 in my diagram I would splice into the left headlamp wire to energize the relay and allow power to the grips.
The BD43 wire connects directly to our harness into an existing but unused lead. So for relay 2 I would splice into a wire coming from the grip controller to a grip for the relay coil. That way if there is power to the grip (grip controller switched on), the right lowbeam would be off. No power to the grip and the right lowbeam would be on.
I think it would work. But this is my first foray into the world of relays.

That looks good! I think I see what your doing. Your using your left headlamp voltage to fire the coil on relay 1 at pin 86. You're good to go! Let us know how it works out and I think your power management plan is an excellent idea giving you a better charge given you're drawing that extra current. :rockon:

 

[krid80]

I swapped all my incandescent bulbs to LED's and installed HID headlights so I am below stock on wattage.

I really should take the time to calculate (roughly) how many watts I am saving over factory.

Anyone know off hand how many watts turn signals (including front running lights) and tail lights use?

 

[aj_fz6]

Just wanted to say thanks to all of you in the forum. I wired up my relay this weekend and it's working perfectly. I bought the required parts from http://autolumination.com/connectors.htm.

I bought a relay, relay plug with pigtail, an H4 male adapter, and an H4 female adapter. I didn't have to cut any of the bike's stock wires since I used the H4 adapters to tap into the headlight circuit. The only wire I had to cut was the +12v wire for my heated grips to wire to the relay. Just a little soldering and I was done. I skipped the second relay wiring for now as I will probably just put a switch in for the 2nd headlight/BD43 mod.

If I ever want to remove this I just unplug the H4 adapters, remove the grips and I'm back to stock.