#1: Head, Tail, Running, Driving Light
Relay Mod (SOLVED) Author: 1986 XV700, _files/icon_minipost.gif "Post") Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2010
2:17 am
After putting harley controls
on my drag bars the bike was harder to start. This was due to the fact
that the harley start button doesn't disable the headlight like the Virago
button does. After getting fed up with and embarrassed by the long start
cycles because of the headlight being on I decided to correct the problem
using a relay. This mod could also be used to correct a non returning
start button on a stock Virago.
Then I found out that the tail
light stays on by default on a Virago so I decided it would be good to
turn it off to while starting the bike.
Here's how it works (Based
on the attached diagram for my bike):
Both relays are connected
normally closed (if a relay fails the lights will still work) and are
controlled by the starter solenoid control circuit. When the starter
solenoid is signaled to engage the light relays change state and open,
turning the lights off. When the starter is not engaged the relay closes
and allows the lights to turn on if the key is on.
Locate the
red/yellow wire in the headlight bucket and cut it and extend both ends to
the normally closed contact terminals of the relay to turn the headlight
off.
Locate the blue wires in the headlight bucket that connect to
the running lights. The double barrel connector that has two blue wires
coming in to it is the one your looking for. This is the aggravating part,
cut one of the blue wires. If you cut the right one then with the key on
the one you cut will have 12 volts + on the end sticking out of the back
of the headlight bucket. If you cut the wrong one then with the key on the
one you cut will have 12 volts + on the end sticking out of the back of
the double barrel connector. If you cut the wrong one then you will need
to put it back together and cut the other one. With the right wire cut,
connect a new wire to the end sticking out of the back of the headlight
bucket and extend it back to one of the other relay's normally closed
terminals. Run a wire from the other normally closed terminal to the blue
wire going to the tail light. Go back to the headlight and insulate the
end of the wire you left sticking out of the double barrel connector.
If you are running driving lights you can connect up to a total of
70 watts of driving lights to the tail light circuit. I have a relay for
my driving lights connected to the tail light relay output and controlled
by a maintained push button. Maybe the wiring diagram will explain things
better. I ran a set of wires from the driving lights back to a relay under
the seat about a year ago, that's why its drawn that way. If you want your
driving lights to always be on with the bike running then just tap them
off of one of blue running light wires in the headlight, not the one you
extended back to the relay. (Its a large image file)
Click for the drawing
Last edited by 1986 XV700 on Wed Sep 08, 2010 12:03
am; edited 1 time in total |