Donate!
Welcome, Guest. Please Login or Register :: View Members
Pages: 1
Send Topic Print
Electrical question - auxiliary lighting (Read 172 times)
Boogie_with_Stu
Senior Member
****
Offline

Look Ma, no hands!

Posts: 280
Raleigh, NC
Gender: male
Electrical question - auxiliary lighting
06/14/15 at 20:26:05
 
Although I love the simplicity of the Savage, it does have it's limitations. Apparently there is no such thing as "universal fitment" when it comes to our little red-headed stepchild Grin

I'd like to increase my night-driving profile by adding a light bar to the fork. The main lamps are 10 watt Cree LED's, and the signal lamps are 3 wire dual function (will replace the original front turn signal/running lights). Since the new turn signals are dual filament they should draw about the same power as the original lamps. Where should I run the "driving lights" to? I'm worried about overloading the bikes electrical system.

First option I can think of is to run the driving lights to a splice on the "low beam" wire. I would have a handlebar switch to turn them on and off.

Second option is to run them straight to the battery. I am assuming that the Savage doesnt have an "auxiliary" plug or wire I can tap into. Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

PS- Will this bike's electronics support a "gear indicator"? Like the single digit small indicators on ebay. I have no idea what "signal" the unit would use to determine what gear the bike is in, or when to change up/down.
Back to top
 
 

03 Savage, Pearl Novelty Black,Raptor mod, Boulevard seat, Rectifier mod -'07 Honda Nighthawk 250 stock
  IP Logged
koehlerrk
Junior Member
**
Offline

One cylinder to rule
them all...

Posts: 98
East of Keuka Lake NY
Gender: male
Re: Electrical question - auxiliary lighting
Reply #1 - 06/15/15 at 01:56:16
 
OK, first off, the fact that your new turn signals are 3-wire/dual element does not mean they are the same as the originals... Are they LEDS or are they filament bulbs? Since you give wattage of the driving lights, a good manufacturer should also give wattage of the rest of the lights.

You're right to worry about not overloading the electrical system on our bikes, there's not a lot of fat in the system, definitely not 20 watts worth. You add that much with no other changes and you'll slowly drain your battery while riding.

Your best bet is to figure out where you can cut 20 watts out of the electrical system. Simplest way (electrically) is to drop your headlight draw from 55/60 watts to 35/40 watts. Look at your choices for LED replacement bulbs, or maybe an HID light. Those come in the correct wattages and will throw a lot more light than a halogen bulb. Then leave the extra driving lights on all the time so your total headlight electrical draw remains around 55/60 watts.

I only mention this because I've considered doing the same thing, but then realized how little riding I do after dark and determined I no longer needed to do this mod.

Gear indicator... ummm, yeah. Hope you enjoy having lot of work to do. Our bikes do not support one, so you'd have to build all the supporting electronics and install them. We're lucky we have a neutral indicator on our bikes...
Back to top
 
 

I can tell you EXACTLY what it feels like to get hit by a truck. I do not recommend anyone try it themselves.
  IP Logged
justin_o_guy2
Serious Thumper
*****
Offline

What happened?

Posts: 55279
East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.
Re: Electrical question - auxiliary lighting
Reply #2 - 06/15/15 at 07:52:33
 
If you just wanna be seen,, oncoming, people setting up for a left turn, mount a NOT OBNOXIOUS  light on the bar. Put a switch on it and just use it when you need to KNOW youre seen.
Daytime, if you see someone setting up for a left, move back and forth in your lane, flip high/low beam, BE SEEN,
Last or first in a long line of cars , someone at a stop sign or wanting to turn, very dangerous.
Set a light up so its seen, but , not in their eyes.
I'd want one on the left side of the bar, aimed  to make the road out front of me, helping me see if I was on a dark road  .
Back to top
 
 

The people never give up their liberties but under some delusion.- Edmund Burke.
  IP Logged
old_rider
Serious Thumper
*****
Offline

Backyard Bill
Productions

Posts: 3147
flordia panhandle
Gender: male
Re: Electrical question - auxiliary lighting
Reply #3 - 06/15/15 at 09:28:55
 
I went with led blinkers on the back (not sure of wattage) and an LED headlamp (18 watts, 2000 lumen) that GridMonkey used for his bike in this thread


http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1411594938/15

Ordered mine off of ebay and installed mine... the video proved I did the install wrong... so I deleted it and didn't redo... however I did do a comparison pictures and a video of me adjusting the aim of the light.. I purchased them off ebay...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/261536384680?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=...
Back to top
 
 

We are here to laugh at the odds and live our lives so well that Death will tremble to take us.
  IP Logged
Boogie_with_Stu
Senior Member
****
Offline

Look Ma, no hands!

Posts: 280
Raleigh, NC
Gender: male
Re: Electrical question - auxiliary lighting
Reply #4 - 06/15/15 at 20:21:01
 
Thanks for the speedy replies guys!
The LED headlight is a good idea. Cutting 30+ watts out of the system will definitely give me enough room for the new lighting.

The new front running lights/ turn signals are standard incandescent dual filament peanut bulbs. I understand fully that they will not be exactly the same as the OEM signals, but they will be ballpark. Certainly not as different as putting LED blinkers in. I'll hook them up to the trusty multimeter and see what they draw.

The 2 "driving lights" on the light bar are 5 watt LEDs(my mistake, I said they were 10 each in my original post) in 3 1/2" chrome housings. They provide quite a bit of light for a relatively low current draw. There are lots of cruisers out there that use light bars...I happen to like the look. Will I like the way it looks on the Savage? No idea, but we shall find out Cool

I also have a strobing license plate frame on order. I've seen them on bikes around here and they really make it hard to miss that a bike is in front of you, especially on these back country farm roads in NC.

The bike is used for pleasure riding, around town and rarely over 50 miles per trip. I dont do city traffic and I rarely get on the highway. Being "seen" on these country roads with very few streetlights is important. I realize that the safety of the rider is based on how I DRIVE, and not how brightly lit I am. ...even a christmas tree bike can get into trouble if the rider isnt paying attention.

But a little extra light cant hurt Cool
Back to top
 
 

03 Savage, Pearl Novelty Black,Raptor mod, Boulevard seat, Rectifier mod -'07 Honda Nighthawk 250 stock
  IP Logged
old_rider
Serious Thumper
*****
Offline

Backyard Bill
Productions

Posts: 3147
flordia panhandle
Gender: male
Re: Electrical question - auxiliary lighting
Reply #5 - 06/15/15 at 20:56:44
 
Here is a comparison of the savage with and without an the aforementioned led light.

the bright one is the led, the dim one to the right is the wifes savage with a standard bulb.



I did a short video adjusting the height....
Back to top
 
 

We are here to laugh at the odds and live our lives so well that Death will tremble to take us.
  IP Logged
GridMonkey
Junior Member
**
Offline



Posts: 77
Albany NY
Re: Electrical question - auxiliary lighting
Reply #6 - 06/15/15 at 23:20:53
 
Yea, dropping that headlight down to a lower watt LED helped save me some power, i just added 2 more LED's hanging under my turn signals. Took a night ride and shot a vid that i have to edit, took some screenshots
headlight is http://www.ebay.com/itm/261536384680?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=... shown on its own in old_rider's post/video then i went and added 2 of the following( it says 30 watt, but it uses 9/12 low/high) http://www.ebay.com/itm/Motorcycle-12V-30W-CREE-U2-LED-Fog-Spot-Head-Light-Bl... I HAVE TONNES OF FRONT LIGHT!!,

Right now i have it tied in with the low beam circuit, but i could run it on the high beam, 12+12+12 or 12+12+18 and im still under power from stock lamp. to change the 2 aux lights you have to quickly power cycle them, intending to add a momentary normaly closed switch but for the moment i flick into high beam and back.  



Top left is my headlight on low +2 aux on high, bike next to me is a rebel 250 with a regular silverstar h4 in it, you can kind of see the yellow on the right side. top right is lowbeam +2 aux on high vs the green led traffic lights. bottom left is just lowbeam (had to snag a still from when i was using the aux lights in flash mode.) bottom center is highbeam, no aux. Bottom right is low beam+2 aux on low setting.

Like i said, i just hung them from the bottom of my turn signals, works for me.

Hope this helps
Back to top
 
 
  IP Logged
koehlerrk
Junior Member
**
Offline

One cylinder to rule
them all...

Posts: 98
East of Keuka Lake NY
Gender: male
Re: Electrical question - auxiliary lighting
Reply #7 - 06/16/15 at 03:11:51
 
Glad we could help. Now, do you have a link to that strobe light plate holder? I'm curious, would like to know more about that, sounds like something that could work nicely for me.
Back to top
 
 

I can tell you EXACTLY what it feels like to get hit by a truck. I do not recommend anyone try it themselves.
  IP Logged
Boogie_with_Stu
Senior Member
****
Offline

Look Ma, no hands!

Posts: 280
Raleigh, NC
Gender: male
Re: Electrical question - auxiliary lighting
Reply #8 - 06/16/15 at 16:40:37
 
I found the license plate mount at the local Ray Price Harley dealer. It's made by "Back off!", the company that makes the separate taillight blinker.

similar to this...but was only $60 if I recall correctly.
http://www.jpcycles.com/product/380-225?adpos=1o3&creative=42616806730&device...
Back to top
 
 

03 Savage, Pearl Novelty Black,Raptor mod, Boulevard seat, Rectifier mod -'07 Honda Nighthawk 250 stock
  IP Logged
koehlerrk
Junior Member
**
Offline

One cylinder to rule
them all...

Posts: 98
East of Keuka Lake NY
Gender: male
Re: Electrical question - auxiliary lighting
Reply #9 - 06/16/15 at 17:48:01
 
Looks like a good idea, thank you for the link, added that to my want list.
Back to top
 
 

I can tell you EXACTLY what it feels like to get hit by a truck. I do not recommend anyone try it themselves.
  IP Logged
Pages: 1
Send Topic Print


« Home

 
« Home
SuzukiSavage.com
05/05/24 at 14:20:37



General CategoryRubber Side Down! › Electrical question - auxiliary lighting


SuzukiSavage.com » Powered by YaBB 2.2!
YaBB © 2000-2007. All Rights Reserved.