LeMans Headlight relay conversion

[Ouiji Veck]

OK.....well ... after getting my head screwed on right by ratchethercule and Jim @ Eastern Beaver

http://www.easternbeaver.com/ et al.. and a total understanding (sorta) of the concept, I've moved

along while waiting for my fork springs. ( +2 illnesses and garage unfriendly temps below 10 deg.)

The Eastern Beaver set up is cool...unless your considering being up by the arctic circle this summer

and can't abide the consideration of removing the LeMans faring to replace a bad relay... (UGH!

These things used to be "field serviceable! ")

I opted to get my "system" outside the headlight bucket.

I have no fear of a Ducati- Rubricks cube valve adj. but the convoluted elecrics on my Guzzi

makes me dizzy. (or was it the Jagermiester?)

The plan was to place the relays someplace where I could pull 'em out and be on my way

again in a few minutes should one (both?) fail. In the end I realize this is over kill but I got into it

and I wasn't turning back. I hope this gives me the same shock I got when I first hit a 50mph sign

at night with my CBR 1000 high beam, or at least frees up enough juice for a heated vest and

grip heat.

Here's a scary photo journal of the task so far.

 

more

 

 

...

[dlaing]

Bravo!

[raz]

This makes me feel comfortable because I'm planning on doing the same mod this weekend - and coincidently I have a Jägermeister in the fridge!

I think the shrink tubing is better covering all of the connectors (if not using already insulated ones). I don't like any exposed 12V. Hum, yes your captions imply you intend to.

[Ouiji Veck]

Right...dlaing was there when the inside / outside the bucket light went on

in my head. Looking back the problem was my great aversion to burying everything

so deep in the fairing/ bucket.

 

raz... I'd go with the Eastern Beaver set up unless you are also very averse to

dealing with your fairing too. 6 of one...half dozen of another really.

Yes...everything will be hermeticly sealed when I'm done...

 

Here's the pertinent information to help the next intrepid do it yourselfer.

 

First off check out Pyro Dans GEI relays noting the the general flow of things.

http://www.dpguzzi.com/relay.htm

 

There will be a relay for high beam and another for low.

The 5 pins work like this

# 30 Out to high or low beam

# 87 Hot from battery/ in

# 86 switch gear in and out to ground #85

 

My wiring was different colors..and I'll post the wiring diag. latter along with other useful

files ..

Gotta get to work...more latter......

[Mr. Bean]

Thanks for posting

 

I've got mine on order and am looking forward to doing this also.

 

Randy

[Guest Gary Cheek]

The wiring colors chosen are not important . The harness pictured has been used on MANY types of bikes and cars over the last 35 years. As long as the connections are correct. You may choose any colors to duit application. During that 35 year period and after making up hundreds of the packages I have yet to see a single relay failure. Perhaps due in part to the practice of shelering the relays within the headlight bucket whenever possible. Another benefit of leaving the relays in the housing is keeping the number of heavy gauge wires running from frame to headlight minimal.

The Bosch relays and sockets from http://www.waytekwire.com/ along with the other supplies have been first rate.

 

I prefer sockets over individual terminals for the improved reliability and integrity they provide, and for those concerned about quick changes the sockets are the way to go.

 

[Ouiji Veck]

Yup......

In retrospect I would have definately gone with the E. Beaver in the bucket

kit. But I had a plan and it just snow balled.

The chance of one relay going is slim and the chance of both going nil.

So there really never was a threat of having to deal with it on the road.

Chalk it up to yet another exercise in tenacity.

[Guest Gary Cheek]

Yup......

In retrospect I would have definately gone with the E. Beaver in the bucket

kit. But I had a plan and it just snow balled.

The chance of one relay going is slim and the chance of both going nil.

So there really never was a threat of having to deal with it on the road.

Chalk it up to yet another exercise in tenacity.

 

Still a huge improvement over the factory setup with it's huge voltage drop. Now that you are quite familiar with the setup there is no need to pay the long $$ for the kit. You can get all the parts from Waytek and make up your own relay package.

When I first started making up the relay packages many of them were soldered right to the terminals and heat shrink wrapped. There is actually nothing wrong with that setup when done properly the reliability is excellent.

BTW, your job looks good and I'm betting you are happy with the end result!

[dhansen]

The Bosch relays and sockets from http://www.waytekwire.com/ along with the other supplies have been first rate.

 

Gary (and all the others who have contributed to the relay thread) THANKS!

 

I just wanted to confirm that the relays and sockets from Waytekwire would be the Bosch micro relay, 5 pin, #75213 and the 5 pin connector #75292. Correct?

 

I see at least one guy has used 12ga wire for his harness but isn't 14ga fully rated to handle the loads we are dealing with here? The tables online that I've seen seem to indicate so. (Well, actually some seem to say 14ga is bordering on marginal).

 

And finally Gary, it looks as though you remove the original headlight socket and run the bikes wires directly into the relays and then reuse the original socket on the headlight rather than preserving the the original harness and adding a new headlight socket. (Eliminating three potential corrosion points).

[Ouiji Veck]

Actually I consider it a huge benefit to have gone in and make my self familiar

with the wiring. A good warm up for when I get a thorough understanding of the

injection sys. Then I'll have that warm fuzzy feeling of totally knowing my bike

like I have with the SP. Which is the reason I got the LeMans.

It's all back together, double insulated and water proofed and I swear the light looks

a lot brighter and whiter......in my garage any way.

Thanks Gary, dlaing, ratchet, everyone on ths forum an especially Japp for providing

this great community.

 

Good luck to you guys starting your conversions.

It's a lot easier than I made it.

[al_roethlisberger]

I just wish the LeMans "bucket" had room in it for the additional wiring and relays.... although I guess it is a moot point, as one has the fairing to hide it all within, and shield from the elements.

 

I did this a couple years ago, and am much relieved that this load is taken from the stock harness.

 

Good job

 

Al

[dlaing]

I see at least one guy has used 12ga wire for his harness but isn't 14ga fully rated to handle the loads we are dealing with here? The tables online that I've seen seem to indicate so. (Well, actually some seem to say 14ga is bordering on marginal).

I have wondered about that myself.

EasternBeaver boasts about using 14ga in their heavy duty kit.

Does that mean they use 16ga in the normal kit?

I think if you up the bulb to a higher wattage, the greatest potential failure point is the socket melting, and maybe the wiring around it.

12ga in the bucket there might help draw excess heat away, while producing less heat, with a result of reduced risk of melting

FWIW I think my alternator wire is only 16ga??????

[Guest Gary Cheek]

Most headlights draw about 5 amperes. Since we are working with short runs of wire the resistance is minimal. That said, 12 gauge is overkill (No harm done) 14 gauge is heavy duty and 16 is adequate. Any of them are better than the 20 and 18 gauge stuff that is pulling it's current through itty bitty contacts that are also providing current for other circuits.

The other factor to consider with wiring is how well the wire can cool. More wires, tightly bundled in confined space or high temp environments have their current carrying ability limited. All of thes factors should be considered when sizing conductors. Better to err on the heavy side in most cases. IT really shows up with the lighting because you acually SEE the instant improvement!

Brighter lights are not the only benefit reaped from the relay conversion. ALL other systems are now instantly upgraded. The lower voltage drop at the regulator voltage sense connection allows for much better voltage regulator function. Any load that was sharing the feed from the headlight circuit is now blessed with more current, which allows for full voltage at the load.

[dhansen]

Gary, if you back up through this thread a little ways you'll see that I had asked you to confirm the part numbers for the sockets and relays that you mentioned from Waytechwire. Could you do that please?

 

TIA, Dennis.

[Guest Gary Cheek]

Sorry, Dennis I forgot. I'll check the catalog and get back with you. Be aware there are two different terminals. One size for the electrical contacts, another for the coil terminals.