Vulcan 900LT Headlight extra wires

[SirWilhelm]

I was upgrading the headlight bulb (50/65 to 80/100) and noted two hot leads inside the case. Anyone with an idea of how much current these will allow to be drawn. They look like they are ready for the addition of two extra lights (driving, fog, cruising, or whatever). They aren't just loose, but they are where if you were going to add two lights, you already have the wiring in place. Or so it seems. I did read that the power output was beefed up to allow 75 extra watts of draw, for lights or whatever. So I'm not worried as much with this bike as the smaller ones, not having enough wattage for extra lights, brighter bulbs.
Can someone that has the service manual see if it shows the wiring points and what they were planned for? Seems like Kawasaki was thinking ahead for us "add on junkies, (ie Gadget fans).

Someone was wondering about extra light at the back. On another bike I went to a trailer repair warehouse and got an LED stoplight that fit inside the rim of the sissy bar, and wired it into the brake light. I mounted it vertical like one of the ones on some of the cages. And when I hit the brake I got two bright lights coming on, instead of just the brighter bulb in the stock stop lamp. {looked like an exclamation mark, with stock light as the dot and the add-on as the vertical part of the mark} (refer to Gadget's page for replacement bulbs)



This is one really neat bike!
Bill in West Texas

[RichLockyer]

If it's like the 1600, they are accessory power leads that are fused in the fuse box at 10 amps (fuse may or may not be installed). There's another pair under the seat.

To add driving lights, wire the hot lead to pin 30 on a relay, and run pin 87 to the spots (if the relay has an 87a, insulate it as it will be hot when the lights are off). The ground wire goes to ground.
Now on the other two relay pins, run one to ground, and tap the other into your high-beam (right side of the connector).

This will give you spots with high beams, off on low.
Do not wire the accessory leads directly to the lights... even if you switch them, it's a recipie for a dead battery, as you WILL forget to turn them off sooner or later.

You can also hook into this lead to power a GPS, CB, or whatever else you might want to run as long as the total draw does not exceed 10 amps (driving lights are typically 35 watts each, so you'll already be at 6 amps... fuse the accessories at 4 amps)

[vulcan_mojo_man]

I'm sorry I can't answer your question about the extra leads but I have a questions for you.
What is the part number of the bulb you bought and how much are they?

[Aquaman95]

Hey Bill, not to hijack but is there anything worth coming to San Angelo for? I ride with my brother and some friends out to the Big Bend area every year and we keep thinking about stopping off around San Angelo but never do. Anything you can recommend?

[SirWilhelm]

Vulcna MOJO Man.
I found the headlights on the Super Site, Gadget's page. Here the link for the headlight bulb, which ran about $15 at NAPA, and a second link for the stop light which I got at AutoZone ($3-4).
http://www.gadgetjq.com/headlight_replacement.htm
http://www.gadgetjq.com/brakelight_replacement.htm

And if you haven't read that site and bookmarked it, do so. There is so much there that is excellent info for any bike. Gadget has the source for almost everything I wanted to know about motorcycles and how to make them better.


Cheers, Bill in San Angelo
Deep in the Heart of Texas

[SirWilhelm]

Well now. It all depends on just what you want to do. No huge lakes or running rivers. If you geocache we have over 200 put out, in and around town. If you are looking for culture the Art Museum and culture stuff is near downtown. There are some nice soveneir shops on Concho Street, just east of the river downtown. If you are in to Architecture, we have one of first buildings built by the Hilton group (tallest building in town, in fact).
Lots of places to eat out all over town. We have some steak places where if you eat there, you'd better get a room, as you won't be able to walk or ride far (Zentner's, Western Skies). Lots of authentic Mexican restaurants, some with pico de gallo sauce that melts the table if you spill it. Plus the chain restaurant stuff. We have a new Olive Gradens opening in the fall, next to the Holiday Inn Express, and across from a new store for the local M/C shop.
Our Fort Concho has almost been completely restored, and has lots about the Buffalo Soldiers and the history of this part of West Texas.
On the northwest side of town if the San Angelo State Park with areas to rough camp, camp sites with tables, or even a/c cabins. About 35% full (it was down to 8%). With part of the State Longhorn herd, and a sizeable group of buffalo. And areas to park, sit under covered tables, and walk over and soak your feet, or fish.
There is a river thru town with fish, and lots of shade. As well as a 9 hole course. On the northeast side of town is one of the tougher golf courses in the state. Aptly called, Quicksand, due to the 100 plus sand traps.
If you know how to get in, the area south of the south pool at Twin Buttes lake has lots of dirt roads running about 8 miles up the river. There is an abandoned railroad grade thru the area that some use to jump bikes over.
The Twin Buttes lake off of US67 has shore line with nearby tables where you can stop and dabble your feet in the water, or wander the trails around the lake. They have a dirt bike area there too. Nice sized town, that you can stop in or just pause in going east west or north south.
Close to but far enough away so we miss alot of the weird stuff seen in the big cities.
Cheers
Bill
SJT

[vulcan_mojo_man]

Many Many thanks!!!! That is what I am looking for.

[vulcan_mojo_man]

Sir Wilhelm-
Your part of the country sounds like a fun place to ride a Classic LT! The hills and country side here in Tennessee are fun too. As a Colorado boy I do enjoy the scenery around the country. This is my first bike in 24 years and I'm enjoying it immensely!
My "dream ride" would be hiway 50 at the end of I-70 in Utah all the way over to Ely Nevada, it's billed as "the loneliest hiway in America" It looks alot like the current 2-page ad for the 900 Classic LT.

[Pooker]

Originally Posted by RichLockyer

If it's like the 1600, they are accessory power leads that are fused in the fuse box at 10 amps (fuse may or may not be installed). There's another pair under the seat.

To add driving lights, wire the hot lead to pin 30 on a relay, and run pin 87 to the spots (if the relay has an 87a, insulate it as it will be hot when the lights are off). The ground wire goes to ground.
Now on the other two relay pins, run one to ground, and tap the other into your high-beam (right side of the connector).

This will give you spots with high beams, off on low.
Do not wire the accessory leads directly to the lights... even if you switch them, it's a recipie for a dead battery, as you WILL forget to turn them off sooner or later.

You can also hook into this lead to power a GPS, CB, or whatever else you might want to run as long as the total draw does not exceed 10 amps (driving lights are typically 35 watts each, so you'll already be at 6 amps... fuse the accessories at 4 amps)

So, if you have a light bar with running lights do they have a switch or do they come on when you start the bike?
Also where do these lights get pluged in?
I have found that in the headlight pod you will find a spare plug-in that is live with the key off, the other is just a ground.

[relli]

im thinking most ive seen have a switch

[RichLockyer]

Originally Posted by Pooker

So, if you have a light bar with running lights do they have a switch or do they come on when you start the bike?
Also where do these lights get pluged in?
I have found that in the headlight pod you will find a spare plug-in that is live with the key off, the other is just a ground.

I connected that hot wire to a relay, and use the high-beam wire from the headlight socket to trigger the relay.

Any time the high beams are on, the lightbar is on.

[relli]

yeah but isnt there a switch on the bar itself? so you could either run HB or HB/LB????

[RichLockyer]

Not on the actual bar for the F&S for the 1600. There may be one on the Cobra, not sure. I think I saw a rocker on the F&S bar behind the right turn signal mount for the 1500.
The kit included the relay and a handlebar-mounted waterproof pushbutton. It looks nice and clean and I may use it for engine lights or something else

Personally, I would prefer not to have the switch, and if my bar had one, it would be bypassed. Being able to switch it on manually on either high or low beams means that the switch is hot 24-7... that's a recipie for a dead battery, unless you parallel TWO relays, one from each the high and low beams and have them provide power to the switch.

Either way, LEGALLY, the driving lights cannot be used with the low beam or by themselves, fog lights cannot be used with high beams or by themselves. By not using a switch, I am 100% legal, can't kill my battery, and I only give up the ability to turn the spots off while leaving the high beam on (why would I want to do that?)

[relli]

To add driving lights, wire the hot lead to pin 30 on a relay(WHAT HOT LEAD? RUN ONE FROM THE BATTERY OR USE ONE OF THE ACC LEADS IN THE BUCKET? FUSED?ADD A FUSE?), and run pin 87 to the spots (if the relay has an 87a, insulate it as it will be hot when the lights are off). The ground wire goes to ground( RUN THE GROUND WIRE - IF IT HAS ONE- FROM THE LIGHTBAR TO THIS POST OR RUN A GROUND WIRE FROM THE RELAY TO THE BODY OF THE BIKE.)
Now on the other two relay pins, run one to ground, and tap the other into your high-beam (right side of the connector).

This will give you spots with high beams, off on low.


i used caps to stand out in your quote. im really inexperienced and cautious on electrical.

is the lightbar itself considered ground? the diagram i have of a 5 prg relay shows terminal 85 to ground-so wire frm relay to body of bike??

30 is in with hot ( where do i tap this at?) and 87 to spots. ( i understand that one) 87a is not used but hot so insulate( got that one)

oh i think i get it!! and post 86 (listed as trigger on my diag) goes to the hi beam wire in the back of the 3 prg . if im right so far i guess i need to know where i should get the power for post 30 and should i use an inline fuse????


there are two acc leads that everyone keeps talking about in the HL bucket. if one of these comes on with the key is it ok to use??


edit: think im figuring this out the more i think bout it. 2 acc leads in bucket one hot one grd. plg the grd into trm 85 and the hot into trm 30. wasnt makin the connection between that the hi/lo switch was the "trigger" in this case. and leave the relay inside the bucket. told ya i was electronically challenged

[RichLockyer]

I was out putting some miles on today so I missed your first post, but it sounds like you've got it wired!

[relli]

thanks

[Lobocop]

Originally Posted by vulcan_mojo_man

Sir Wilhelm-
Your part of the country sounds like a fun place to ride a Classic LT! The hills and country side here in Tennessee are fun too. As a Colorado boy I do enjoy the scenery around the country. This is my first bike in 24 years and I'm enjoying it immensely!
My "dream ride" would be hiway 50 at the end of I-70 in Utah all the way over to Ely Nevada, it's billed as "the loneliest hiway in America" It looks alot like the current 2-page ad for the 900 Classic LT.

Vulcan Mojo,

Just use care on Hwy 50. The Mormon crickets are actually bad in that area during certain times of the year. They actually use snow plows to clean them off the Hwy. They also smell bad after getting scrunched. I have seen the gooo an inch deep on the pavement.

[Aquaman95]

Originally Posted by SirWilhelm

Well now. It all depends on just what you want to do. No huge lakes or running rivers. If you geocache we have over 200 put out, in and around town. If you are looking for culture the Art Museum and culture stuff is near downtown. There are some nice soveneir shops on Concho Street, just east of the river downtown. If you are in to Architecture, we have one of first buildings built by the Hilton group (tallest building in town, in fact).
Lots of places to eat out all over town. We have some steak places where if you eat there, you'd better get a room, as you won't be able to walk or ride far (Zentner's, Western Skies). Lots of authentic Mexican restaurants, some with pico de gallo sauce that melts the table if you spill it. Plus the chain restaurant stuff. We have a new Olive Gradens opening in the fall, next to the Holiday Inn Express, and across from a new store for the local M/C shop.
Our Fort Concho has almost been completely restored, and has lots about the Buffalo Soldiers and the history of this part of West Texas.
On the northwest side of town if the San Angelo State Park with areas to rough camp, camp sites with tables, or even a/c cabins. About 35% full (it was down to 8%). With part of the State Longhorn herd, and a sizeable group of buffalo. And areas to park, sit under covered tables, and walk over and soak your feet, or fish.
There is a river thru town with fish, and lots of shade. As well as a 9 hole course. On the northeast side of town is one of the tougher golf courses in the state. Aptly called, Quicksand, due to the 100 plus sand traps.
If you know how to get in, the area south of the south pool at Twin Buttes lake has lots of dirt roads running about 8 miles up the river. There is an abandoned railroad grade thru the area that some use to jump bikes over.
The Twin Buttes lake off of US67 has shore line with nearby tables where you can stop and dabble your feet in the water, or wander the trails around the lake. They have a dirt bike area there too. Nice sized town, that you can stop in or just pause in going east west or north south.
Close to but far enough away so we miss alot of the weird stuff seen in the big cities.
Cheers
Bill
SJT

Thanks for the info Bill!