[DrFalken]

Greetings and I wanted to de-lurk to thank all of you guys for the awesome amount of information that you provide for all of us riders of this magnificent motorcycle.

I have an question about the running light system of the C. I end up running through some, say we say, unfriendly neighborhoods in my commute to and from work. I have had a few run and gun sessions with the local wildlife and was looking for an ability to cut my running lights and brake lights off during such times. I was wondering if anybody has put a light interrupt switch on them or if its possible to only leave the headlight running while turning off the rest?

Thank you guys for all the info that you share and hopefully someone can direct me towards this info.

 

[rudeboy109]

:welcome:to the forum and anything can be done. and sure lighting can be switch off just to remember to turn all back on to be visible to cagers and the PoPo, when riding "normal".

 

[DrFalken]

Awesome and thank you for greets. I guess my question was if the C or M109R's have any types of electronic controls so that the stock lighting setup cannot be bypassed. Sounds to me like it's all good to go. End all be all I will have to go through the schematics and figure out the routing. Thanks for the confirmation and keep it shiny side up. 8)

 

[ace4aday]

:welcome: That's going to take some pretty extensive rewiring to separate the grounds for all of the lighting from everything else on the bike and then run them all through a common, rider accessible switch or relay and then back to ground.

Um.....Good luck with that.

 

[Gold5th]

:welcome: That's going to take some pretty extensive rewiring to separate the grounds for all of the lighting from everything else on the bike and then run them all through a common, rider accessible switch or relay and then back to ground.

Um.....Good luck with that.

Not really.. if he wants to leave the head light on the front markers should be fine, just gotta kill the ground to the tail light via switch/relay and don't use the signals.

 

[Top Cat]

Wouldn't it be easier to shift?.....just a thought...:-\
Come to New Zealand dude....all we try to dodge is rain drops.:duck:

 

[jimmy450r]

Why would you want to switch the ground wire? I would think a relay or inline switch would be easier to instal in the hot side

 

[Boogs109]

:welcome: op:op:op:

 

[Gold5th]

Why would you want to switch the ground wire? I would think a relay or inline switch would be easier to instal in the hot side

If you're doing 1 light it doesn't matter but on say the tail light to kill the marker and the brake light you'd have to put in 2 relays or mess with diodes so you keep proper light function. Then to add the signals that would be 2 more relays. Using the ground you can cheat and get away with one switch/relay. You'd divert the stock grounds to the relay then from the relay to a/the stock ground point to minimize the ground loops.

Now for the relay you'd want one that is naturally "closed" and only opens with power.. That way if the relay fails your lights will function normally.

 

[grandpatractor]

If you interrupt the brown wire on the ignition switch that should cut out all marker lights and turn signals.

You can also try to pull the number 4 fuse. It feeds those circuits plus horn and speedometer. Not sure if is is just lights in speedo or more.
If that works just interrupt the orange with green stripe off that fuse(10amp). this may disable the tail lights and turns also.

 

[JohnC]

Looking at the schematics in the service manual, it appears the black and white wire in the harness to the rear lights would be your ground wire. If I was looking to cut just the rear lights, I'd look there. Might be reading them wrong, so just an idea.

If you put a relay in the system to cut a connection whether on the positive or ground side, you will need a "normally closed" relay, that way, when you hit the switch, you will energize the relay, causing a break in the circuit (contacts will open).

If you use a "normally open" relay, like one for a horn, etc (like you can buy at autozone in the plastic package), it will need power thru it all the time to work the lights normally, then you will open the contacts by turning it off. Bad juju, the relay will burn out eventually, leaving you with no lights when you need them, usually at the worst time.

In my opinion, best bet is to deny ground to the circuit to get what you want, that way there is only one "hot" wire going to the relay on the coil (control) side. Always better the less wires you mess with with voltage going thru them in case of a short, loose connection, etc.

Don't ask me how I know.:'(

 

[grandpatractor]

The trouble with disconnecting grounds is it can lead to backfeeding through other circuits. Usually all many circuits are hooked up to a common ground and it will cause issues in another circuit.
#4 fuse has these items hooked to it.
1- Horn
2-speedometer(I am thinking this is for lighting)
3-Front & Rear brake switches.(brake lights)
4-Ignition switch. (only feeds the turn and marker- nothing else)
4a-sidestand switch relay
4aa-turn signals
4b-marker lights.

1,2,3,4 are orange with green stripe. 4 changes to gray at connector before ignition switch.
4a&b are brown.
4aa is light blue


If I get ambitious I'll go pull my seat and verify this later.:bigthumbsup:

 

[JohnC]

The trouble with disconnecting grounds is it can lead to backfeeding through other circuits. Usually all many circuits are hooked up to a common ground and it will cause issues in another circuit.
#4 fuse has these items hooked to it.
1- Horn
2-speedometer(I am thinking this is for lighting)
3-Front & Rear brake switches.(brake lights)
4-Ignition switch. (only feeds the turn and marker- nothing else)
4a-sidestand switch relay
4aa-turn signals
4b-marker lights.

1,2,3,4 are orange with green stripe. 4 changes to gray at connector before ignition switch.
4a&b are brown.
4aa is light blue

If I get ambitious I'll go pull my seat and verify this later.:bigthumbsup:

You've got a good point and I stand corrected. All it would take with denying ground would be the circuit trying to pull chassis ground from the back fender at one un-insulated point and it could be ugly, dim lights or worse.

I had a '71 Cutlass that the previous owner left off the engine ground straps...it was pulling ground thru the trani shift cable. Couldn't understand why my shift lever would bind up like it lacked lube after a few times driving it, then discovered the plastic sheathing was pert near melted to the cable. The ground strap fixed it. Moral was the engine "found" a ground source on its own.

I should have thought of that before I ran off at the keyboard.

 

[Gold5th]

Yes if you can find a common hot line that would be the preferable way to go. I don't have a schematic for these bikes.

I wasn't talking about taking off a main ground, but interupting the ground for the specific lights you want to disable. But as grandpatractor says there is a common hot that would work. However the sidestand switch relay is on there... so you'd need to test by pulling that fuse, starting the bike, clutch in, in hear, put down the stand and see what happens. Worst case as soon as you put the bike in gear with the stand up it could die.

 

[DrFalken]

You guys are awesome!!:bigthumbsup: Grand, what I am understanding is that I could put (forgive me guys for butchering) a interrupt on the hot side of the #4 fuse that would act as the safer way to deny power to the marker/running/braking lights? Would it be a separate run also needed to deny the signal to the brake light during braking? Everyone, thank you for all the help so far!

 

[grandpatractor]

Just try pulling the fuse for now . I think it will do what you want with the brake and turns too.

 

[DrFalken]

Ok, will try and see if that's the ticket, if it is I can figure out a relay setup from there. Thank you!!

 

[jimmy450r]

They make multi pole relays to break several circuits at one time, you may be able to intercept the wires under seat and do everything right there. I put my old jsd4 switch just under right rear side of tank (easy access but hidden)

 

[grandpatractor]

Ok, will try and see if that's the ticket, if it is I can figure out a relay setup from there. Thank you!!

I pulled the fuse tonight and that should be the ticket. Took out all lights except the headlight.
#4 fuse or marked signal.

 

[DrFalken]

I pulled the fuse tonight and that should be the ticket. Took out all lights except the headlight.
#4 fuse or marked signal.

Grand, you are awesome! I guess I now need to make the trek to the local Radio Shack and get a relay and some wire! Thank you very much.