Headlight interrupt, BETTER COLD MORNING STARTING

[adidasguy]

Before digging into your wiring, check the wiring diagram for your model. Newer bikes already cut the headlight when the starter button is pressed. Older ones do not. Sorry, I don't know what year the change was made. Junior doesn't while Suzi does cut all lights. Somewhere between 1992 and 2009 the starter switch was changed to cut the headlights.

[tt_four]

I saw a guy that had a switch installed that would kill ALL his lights...  Headlight, taillight, dials, everything...

He called it stealth mode...   

once or twice in the past when I was riding on a quiet road by myself at night I'd put the bike in neutral and turn the key off to see how dark it got. The answer was 'extremely dark!' haha.

My bike definitely could use a recharge for the starter. Even with a full battery it sounds like my charger is retired and collecting social security. It always starts my bike, even when the battery is low, sometimes it takes a few tries, but even from the start there's not much 'punch' to it. I'd replace it with a newer one if it wasn't so reliable as is.

[kml.krk]

Before digging into your wiring, check the wiring diagram for your model. Newer bikes already cut the headlight when the starter button is pressed. Older ones do not. Sorry, I don't know what year the change was made. Junior doesn't while Suzi does cut all lights. Somewhere between 1992 and 2009 the starter switch was changed to cut the headlights.

Mine is 2004 and it doesn't do it...

I *think* I read somewhere that US models don't have that relay build in. only European and Australian models or something like that...

can anybody confirm that?

[adidasguy]

Looking in a service book with wiring diagrams, '04 didn't cut the headlights. The wiring diagrams show it starting in '05. It might be possible to pick up the 05 or later right hand controls. Then at some year they went from one to two throttle cables so I don't know compatibility.

On older and European models, there really was a headlight switch above the starter button. That's where we have a rectangular flat space. The innerds are different between the old European single throttle cable unit with the switch and the US ones without the switch. Otherwise I would have pulled the switch and stuck it in the controls for my '09. (I've been thinking of putting a switch there for something, like adding 4 way flashers.)

Older left hand controls had an additional passing switch. Thought about wiring that switch to a circuit to control 4 way flashers. All it really did was turn on the high beam.

PS: Its not a relay. It is the switch that cuts the headlights.

[Paulcet]

That relay looks OK.  I can't get a good look, so I can't confirm the terminal numbers mentioned above.  But if it is double-throw ("DT" in SPDT) it will work.  "Made in China".  Might not work very long.

[kml.krk]

[...] "Made in China".  Might not work very long.

I had the same opinion about China manufactured goods some time ago,,but now it seems that most of the stuff is in fact produced there, so I no longer worry.

I am actually typing this message from a Samsung Netbook that was made in China. Works like a charm 

[the mole]

My (Aussie) '06 cuts the light when starting.

[RSK70]

BUMP.. I am very interested in the relay idea especially since I have had some battery issues and have tons of after market lights on board. Any confirmation on the green/yellow vs yellow/green comment? Also, anywhere I can see some pictures? I've a visual doer haha.

Kind of on the same train of thought, would an HID headlight make an appreciable difference in cold cranking amps from the battery?

[DoD#i]

On the 90-96 wiring diagram (which may or may not be the same for later years) you definitely want to grab the yellow/green wire to make things work correctly - that wire is only ever energized when the starter button is pushed, which is the "correct" behavior to switch the light off only when pushing the starter button.

[zirconx]

I would be interested in not just cutting the head light while pressing the starter button, but instead not even turning on the light until the bike is started.  Most Kawasaki's (including the EX500) work this way.  Its much better for HID's too.

Any idea on how to accomplish that?  I thought about running a relay off the oil light, but that means no headlight when you stall the bike, or just use the kill switch when coasting to a stop, or whatever.  I wonder how Kawasaki does it, I'm sure its a simple way.

I was thinking maybe some kind of latching relay, so that when the oil light first goes out - from that point on the headlight will have power.  Until the key is turned off of course.

[kml.krk]

I received my relay today. It has the same numbering as in the post #1.

Should be quite easy, but tedious, to install.

I am thinking about cutting off tail lights too...

How sensitive to heat those relays are?? If I mount it somewhere under the tank would it be to hot for such relay?

[kml.krk]

I did not manage to install the relay last year but I finally did it last night. I followed instructions posted on the first page BUT the yellow green, or green yellow wire is absent on 2004 model so I had to find one that energizes starter button. I checked wiring diagram fore F models and found out that the wire is half yellow, half black and can be found bundled with few other wires under tachometer. Just follow wires coming out of starter button and you will get it.
I really hope that this will help with starting the bike on really cold days.

[twocool]

OK, so a few mornings have been cold here in Florida lately. My gs's battery would chug along, and take 4-5 attempts to start the bike. Now on that 5'th attempt, it gets s l o w e r.

So I decided to interrupt the headlight circuit with a relay to kill the headlight whenever the starter relay is energized. No big deal right ? I'm no electrical engineer, so I had to dig a little bit to find a howto.

1) Decide if you have the skills to use a screwdriver, crimper, and possibly soldering iron.
3) Are you colorblind ? Find a hot chick/ friend that isn't to help.
4) Yes, I know I skipped 2)   -- Who cares ?
5) Go buy a 30 amp single pole double throw relay ( autozone sells one for like $9 ).
7) Ya, I skipped 6 too.
Plop the headlamp on the ground.
9) Splice on a connection to the Green / Yellow lead, and attach it to 85.
10) Connect 86 to ground.
11) Interrupt the ground on your headlight circuit (black/white) and connect one side to 87a, and the other to 30.

If it all fries, it's WalMart's fault, not mine, damnit.

If it works, and you like it, send $4 worth of Ramen to my paypal.

You should see a noticable improvement in starting power. Cold days be damned.

If anyone knows of a better way to do it, feel free to use and abuse this thread.

It's really cool to here the bike CA-PALOW on the first hit of the starter now, even on cold mornings. 

Later models already have this "standard" for USA models....my '09 for instance.....

I'm not sure what year this changes...but maybe as early as '04


Cookie

[kml.krk]

It was definitely not done in 04. Mine is 04 and does not have it, I mean DID NOT HAVE it, cause now it does
I am sure that this will greatly enhance cold starts. Last winter I had to manually unplug the headlight in order to get little more juice out of the battery. Now I do not have to do this anymore. That is great.

[ohgood]

I did not manage to install the relay last year but I finally did it last night. I followed instructions posted on the first page BUT the yellow green, or green yellow wire is absent on 2004 model so I had to find one that energizes starter button. I checked wiring diagram fore F models and found out that the wire is half yellow, half black and can be found bundled with few other wires under tachometer. Just follow wires coming out of starter button and you will get it.
I really hope that this will help with starting the bike on really cold days.

updating original post with your info - thanks !