Best Power Source for Aux Lights

[terrysig]

With another deer encounter this morning (trashed one S10 last year), I'm seriously thinking about aux lights to light up the periphery. So getting my thoughts together about what I want when it comes to power.

- key switched power source
- reasonabl7 strong circuit to tap into
- high beam trigger (maybe low beam 50%/high beam 100% but work that out later)

Searched the forum for best place to tap and pretty much got everything from one end of the bike to the other for various reasons.

So what's the best place to tap to fit my requirements above?

 

[djm_ct]

Terrysig. Living in PA has got to be tough on a bike rider. There's more deer than perple in that state.. way more.
Used to have a weekend house in that statem and thru the years I hit 3 deer and a bear, and just missed quite a few more, luckily in cars not on a bike.

Sorry I'm not answering your question nut I had to comment on the deer situation in PA

 

[terrysig]

no problem. my commute has me in the dark both ways. i commute when no ice on the road temps don't matter but that gets me seeing a bunch of wildlife. destroyed an FJR a few years ago. blew right through the deer and kept it up. front end was trashed. just missed a bear a few years ago as well.

FJR lights are fantastic. S10 not so much so think it's time for the aux and there is a bunch of power sources but looking for one specific to my application someone has to be using a good tap and also firing the high beams. I don't want wires running everywhere nor a poor power source.

 

[greg the pole]

Tap into any switched power to drive a relay,
once done fuse from the battery to the relay contact.
No stronger circuit than the battery really.

Low/hi beam...denali D2, all else fails, buy two sets of Rigid D2 lights, one for low one for high.

You can dig through the forum to find your high beam trigger

 

[trikepilot]

I've lived in Appalachia my entire adult life and dealt with more deer than I care to think about. Solutions are few and far between. I just limit my bike riding when seasonal and time-of-day factors point to high deer/vehicle issues. Sux... but it is what it is when you live in the #1 state for deer/car collisions for several years running.

 

[Waiting]

I'm kinda interested in this also. My morning commute has me going through deer heaven in the dark. I've ordered a couple Baja Designs Squadron LED lights (and the dimmer module) through Jaxon (Ride On ADV http://www.rideonadv.com/Ride_On_Adv/Home.html ) last weekend....they're due here next Monday. I'm probably going the relay switched battery connection route. There is a bit of a tutorial here: http://www.yamahasupertenere.com/index.php?topic=4651.0 on the install and wiring of the squadrons very nicely done by stevepsd . I am very much looking forward to the extra light!!!

 

[~TABASCO~]

I depends on what lights you want to use and the draw.... I always like to circumvent the factory harness. You can wire it up about 20 different ways. But I like a really and then the use of a "switch" . And that can be a factory switch or any other type of button or toggle.. If you like I can give you some suggestions on how to wire up anything you want... Just let me know what you would like it to end up doing and Ill tell you how to do it... You can have anything you want...

 

[Karson]

you've got a ton of options. here's what I did since I live in the first or second highest deer density counties in Iowa.

1) upgrade your existing halogen 55w bulbs with DDM tuning HIDs - no new wiring required
2) wire aux lights in using the existing 20amp oem aux harness, or put one of eastern beavers power kits (preferred).

here's a tip from some who has used the Denali D2D aux lights. they're "OK". cool because you can run them with your low/high beams at different intensity. i forget what % intensity they're at on low beam, but it's 100% when you flip over to high beams (this is done by tapping into your high beam wire with a positap).

BUT, if you want the mutts nutts, in my opinion the Baja Squadrons are the best. the denali d2 puts out 860 lumens per unit (so 860 x2). just one squadron puts out 3600 lumens - just to give you an idea. i know lumen measuring is a touchy subject, but even if there is a discrepancy in either's ratings, that's a CRAZY output difference.

but back to your initial question whatever way you decide. tap into the OEM aux light wiring, or get a PC-8 or his 3 circuit harness

 

[terrysig]

Yeah this is kinda what i expected. really have to decide on lights first and although i'm kicking a few around have not settled. i like the dimmer option.

I like stevesp method...going to look that over. but karson i had not even considrerd the aux plug so thats a help.

jaxon i know you'll be there when i need you...appreciate it!

 

[wescnmbkr1]

Why not use the OEM harness connection, it's designed for 2 Halogen Lights. For the lights, you might consider Rigid Industries LED lights; they have clear as well as amber in both "Spot" or "Fog" with an assorted quantity of LED's per light unit. Quality built using quality materials. ::026::

 

[Ironhand]

Whatever aux lights you decide on, "toe" them out just a bit. This will give you a little extra light on the sides of the road. If the lights have a proper cutoff, you won't affect oncoming drivers. I ran HID Hell Micro DE projectors on my old Vee, and they saved me from more than a few kamikaze deer.

 

[NittanyXT]

Terry, Rigid light bar under the headlight, will burn the fur off a deer at 50 yards. Comes with a complete wiring harness including a relay. I mounted the switch just above my left switch cluster so I have complete control of it, high or low beam. I used the brown wire off the aux. plug to trigger the relay, ignition on light is armed.

 

[Karson]

Why not use the OEM harness connection, it's designed for 2 Halogen Lights. For the lights, you might consider Rigid Industries LED lights; they have clear as well as amber in both "Spot" or "Fog" with an assorted quantity of LED's per light unit. Quality built using quality materials. ::026::

You could, it just depends how many lights OP is wanting/what specific lights . It is run off a 20A fuse from factory, so should run 2 squadrons just fine. This might work better for him is that it doesn't sound like he has a fuse block. I'm using the PC-8 as I try not to splice into wiring if I've got alternative means to power something, but other ways work fine, too. Lots of variables/methods when it comes to wiring whatever he chooses up ::008::

http://www.yamahasupertenere.com/index.php?topic=5943.0

 

[Bill310]

We run aux lights on all our bikes and have for years. On the Tenere we did an HID conversion and then installed a second set on HID driving lights.

My comments are more about how you wire your lights.

If you wire your aux light on a completely separate and unique circuit and you somehow have a light failure on your main lights you will not be be left in a non riding situation at night.

Second point, consider wiring the aux lights on two separate switches. I tip my right aux HID to the right and I can run down any interstate or two lane with the right light burning a hole in the ditch and woods.

I have had unfortunately too many close calls with large animals at night and this type of lighting setup has stood me in the best stead possible.

 

[~TABASCO~]

My comments are more about how you wire your lights.

If you wire your aux light on a completely separate and unique circuit and you somehow have a light failure on your main lights you will not be be left in a non riding situation at night.

X2. That's what I do.

 

[thfraser]

I agree with not tapping into your main lines, as stated here.

I ran a direct line to a fuse block from the battery, and also created a ground spot where all my electrics are grounded and so I only have one return line to my battery for both the hot and negative side. Then I did tap into a switched line as I installed a relay for my fuse block. It's only on when the bike is on. That way I won't accidentally discharge the battery. This also allows you to run your aux lights/gear if your headlights stop working, as others have pointed out.

Lot's of good resources out there (including Jaxon). I used the instructions from canyon chasers as a template for my wiring: http://www.canyonchasers.net/shop/generic/relay.php

 

[terrysig]

Canyon Chasers has a nice write-up. Thanks

 

[terrysig]

Thanks to all who replied or sent PMs. For my application it looks like the OEM aux light plug is the best source for power and triggering that power via relay. Also it is on its own fused circuit. It also helps that it is close to a high beam trigger wire. Special kudos to "waiting" who provided the forum link in Reply #5 to the fantastic stevespd tutorial on mounting and wiring up the baja design squadron lights. Although his requirements were slightly different than mine, his wiring diagram was just a couple wires away from what I want to do.

The final hurdle was to determine what it would take to use the aux plug. Turns out several possiblities with Eastern Beaver being one. The $20 minimum order wasn't going to be met with the few dollars in parts I needed and shipping could be a couple weeks so spent some time searching alteratives.

The magic of the forum turned up this link for support from Vizi-Tec. I contacted Bernard and he is happy to help.

http://www.yamahasupertenere.com/index.php?topic=6190.msg107072#msg107072

Still deciding which light(s) but now that's the easy part.

Cheers!

 

[coastie]

I'm running the rigid lights, that are powered through my fuzeblock with switched power, and a thumb LED toggle made by Jackson.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Karson]

Thanks to all who replied or sent PMs. For my application it looks like the OEM aux light plug is the best source for power and triggering that power via relay. Also it is on its own fused circuit. It also helps that it is close to a high beam trigger wire. Special kudos to "waiting" who provided the forum link in Reply #5 to the fantastic stevespd tutorial on mounting and wiring up the baja design squadron lights. Although his requirements were slightly different than mine, his wiring diagram was just a couple wires away from what I want to do.

The final hurdle was to determine what it would take to use the aux plug. Turns out several possiblities with Eastern Beaver being one. The $20 minimum order wasn't going to be met with the few dollars in parts I needed and shipping could be a couple weeks so spent some time searching alteratives.

The magic of the forum turned up this link for support from Vizi-Tec. I contacted Bernard and he is happy to help.

http://www.yamahasupertenere.com/index.php?topic=6190.msg107072#msg107072

Still deciding which light(s) but now that's the easy part.

Cheers!

Glad bernard is still around helping us out! I'm assuming you wanted the plugs so your wiring could be plug and play?

[plug] Also, want to give a shout out to his brake modulator. Best, non-intrusive modulator out there for a great price. [/plug]