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.
8) 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. :thumb:
**** info added care of kml.krk - thanks ! ****
Quote from: kml.krk on November 13, 2011, 09:11:54 PM
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.
if a few people would like to add what year they have, and wether this interrupt is already present, that would be much appreciated. :-)
Hey, where are you in FL? I'm in Sanford, and looking for good places to ride besides to work everyday.
Ah, how about a battery that works? I'm in sc, bikes outside. I'm sure its colder than fla. Sounds like your battery needs a charge or dumpster.
Regardless of battery condition, still a cool idea. :thumb:
Interesting idea, might have to do that. It was 10 out a few days ago and she didn't want to go. It's going below 0 again tomorrow, so we'll see...
hehehe, you poor schmucks in cold weather... :cheers:it's in the 40's here at 12am... :cheers:
that is a cool idea though. the hardest thing on a battery is startup so having one less thing drawing power is a great idea. and it may end up prolonging your batteries life, theoretically. (idea being that if the battery is drained less and charged less, it's not going to wear out as quickly.)
as a more basic option, could one just install a manual switch for the head light?
Quote from: galahs on February 07, 2007, 01:49:44 AM
as a more basic option, could one just install a manual switch for the head light?
Technically illegal here in the US... however, yes, you could..
then you still have to worry about mounting a switch somewhere. This is the best option because #1, you won't have a switch to mount, AND FORGET TO TURN ON. #2 it's not hard to do at all. pull the headlight, find the wires, cut, crimp, plug, put on headlight and wammy, you're done.
cars it's a bit easier because you can just run it to on position only, not to the starter position of the ignition switch, but with a bike, you only have 2 on positions, rather than the standard 3 of most cars. (parking and on for bike, acc., on and start on cars)
Excellent idea. I am gonna do it this weekend. I love relays.
Quote from: walkingman on February 06, 2007, 02:38:21 PM
Hey, where are you in FL? I'm in Sanford, and looking for good places to ride besides to work everyday.
I'm in the Tampa 'burbs. Other than ANYWHERE NORTH of Tampa, I'm thoroughly convinced that there are NO curvy roads in the state of florida. Everything is straight, flat, boring and occasionally sandy, just to keep you awake.
Ya, I commute/play/f$ck-off on mine every stinkin day, rain or shine.
Actually, there are a few harley type bike get togethers in Lakeland, and every other little previousely traintrack'd town. If you can stand the congestion and lack of real riders, not to mention gaudy paint, it's pretty cool I guess.
Yes, I'm chargin the old bat' tonight. This coming weekend I'm installing another relay for accessories and charging stuff/running stuff (cellphone/laptop/camera/whatever). I welded (welded is a very very generalized word here folks) up a nice (again, generally nice) gas tank camera mount at the machine shop I worked at a while back.
I'll post some pics sometime if anyone wants an idea how ugly stuff can get. ;)
Quote from: ohgood on February 06, 2007, 01:26:20 PM
...............................9) Splice on a connection to the Green / Yellow lead, and attach it to 85. .............................
Do you mean Yellow/Green?
If you splice to the Green/Yellow your light will go out if you loose oil pressure. That shouldn't happen and likely won't, but .................. it's possible.
:cheers:
I should check my wiring diagram on that note. I punched it all in here from memory, so you're likely correct.
Also, if oil preasure is gone, I doubt the headlight dimming/dying will be the least of your worries.
Safety first, I'll check later today.
thats a great idea. some bikes come like that stock, like my c50.
definatly cool idea. the only reason I say the toggle switch would be a cool idea is because you can be sneeky on your motorcycle and kill the lights at night , like james bond style haha. I think I am going to have to do the idea you came up with so . sounds sweet
I saw a guy that had a switch installed that would kill ALL his lights... Headlight, taillight, dials, everything...
He called it stealth mode... :cookoo:
muahahahahahaha its 68 degrees outside right now at 3 am it hits a high everyday around 80 ish. And cuban cigars are leagal :flipoff:
Quote from: thatguy1025 on February 10, 2007, 02:07:16 AM
muahahahahahaha its 68 degrees outside right now at 3 am it hits a high everyday around 80 ish. And cuban cigars are leagal :flipoff:
Evidently, literacy is not the norm, however. Also, you get taxed out the ass for Cubans. So :flipoff: right back. :laugh: :laugh:
Quote from: thatguy1025 on February 10, 2007, 02:07:16 AM
muahahahahahaha its 68 degrees outside right now at 3 am it hits a high everyday around 80 ish. And cuban cigars are leagal :flipoff:
my grandmother was from hondurous. I want to go back to visit all my relatives (sp)
can anyone confirm that this is correct relay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/1-12V-DC-Bosch-OEM-Standard-Relay-SPDT-30-40-Amp-/190471721898?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c58ffd3aa
thanks
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.
Quote from: RVertigo on February 09, 2007, 02:22:07 PM
I saw a guy that had a switch installed that would kill ALL his lights... Headlight, taillight, dials, everything...
He called it stealth mode... :cookoo:
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.
Quote from: adidasguy on December 06, 2010, 12:21:11 PM
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?
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.
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.
Quote from: Paulcet on December 06, 2010, 07:08:54 PM
[...] "Made in China". Might not work very long.
:D
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 ;)
My (Aussie) '06 cuts the light when starting.
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?
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.
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.
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?
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.
Quote from: ohgood on February 06, 2007, 01:26:20 PM
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.
8) 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. :thumb:
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
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.
Quote from: kml.krk on November 13, 2011, 09:11:54 PM
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 !