Wiring Question(s)

[Promethean]

I'm planning on installing Hella FF50's on my R. I eventually plan to add several accessories like an XM Roady, Garmin 2610 etc. I plan to add an auxiliary fusebox.

My questions are...


Would I need a relay?
If so, what specs and how would I plug it in?
How would I wire in the fusebox in relation with the battery and the relay?
What other precautions would I need to take?


Any advice, comments and suggestions are welcome. Thanks.

[jamming]

Yes, you want a relay. What you want is a power block, or terminal strip. Run a hot lead off the battery, to the terminal strip fused of course. For your lights use one of these http://www.cyclegadgets.com/Products/product.asp?Item=AS
Its a auto switch, runs off your turn signal cancel or you can get the one for the hi-beam flash, sweet deal, no switches on the bars.
For the relay to the lights you need a switched source of power that's on when the key is on, I pulled mine off the rear taillight on my R or you can pull it off the headlight.
If you really want to make it easy go here: http://www.easternbeaver.com/Home/Main/main.html
You can get everything you need in a kit.
Is your R an ABS model? If not you have a great place to stash all of the associated wiring, relays, terminal strips..etc where the ABS computer would live under the tank. If its an ABS model you'll need to fit it under the tank and seat. Not hard at all. I can draw up some wiring diagrams and figure wire sizes if you want.
Any electrical loads you need to figure here's a great spot: http://www.the12volt.com/ohm/page2.asp

Its not hard, use a good soldering iron, heat shrink, and be sure to tie the wire up with no chafing or pinch points. Fuse everything.
Roger

[Dallara]

Abhijeet said:


"I'm planning on installing Hella FF50's on my R. I eventually plan to add several accessories like an XM Roady, Garmin 2610 etc. I plan to add an auxiliary fusebox.

My questions are...


Would I need a relay? For the foglights, absolutely.
If so, what specs and how would I plug it in? Well, the Hella FF50 kit comes with a perfectly good relay for the application, but the most common size in aftermarket lighting appilcations is 30 amp.
How would I wire in the fusebox in relation with the battery and the relay? There are numerous ways you can do this, so I would need a bit more information on what you are trying to do - i.e. Do you want all the accessories above only *on* with the key on? Reason I ask is I have the Magellan on my R1150R wired where it is on whether the key is on or not, and this is how I am going to wire the Garmin 2730 on the Yamaha FJR1300. Why? Because they draw little power and they have their own switches, and since they take a while to boot up I prefer to leave them on for fuel stops, etc. Not only that but if you slave them to the key they you can't update waypoints, etc. when you are stopped with the key off.
What other precautions would I need to take? Individual fuses for each circuit with appropriate sized fuses. For instance, on my R1150R the Escort radar detector needs 2 amp fuse, as does the Magellan, but the tank bank lead is fused for 5 (or is it 10???) amps because one of the accessories I use in there specifies a 5 amp fuse. Also, you need to use adequate wire sizes for whatever amperage a circuit is going to use. Soldered connection are better than crimped-only ones... Scotch-Locs for tapping into wiring are okay, but not ideal, as they actually cut part of the wire you are tappng into. Posi-Locs and Psoi-taps are better, but not the best. Better to skin back a little insulation, solder your connection, wrap it with some silicone shrink-tape, and shrink down the tape to seal it. Route all your wiring carefully and watch for any places wires might chaff or snag. Keep 'em away from hot spots or anyplace they might get pinched. Rule of thumb is to try and make all your accessories and wiring look *factory* installed. Blade fuses are better than glass ones... Use the least amount of wiring you can get away with.
Any advice, comments and suggestions are welcome. Thanks."

Give me some more info on what you are trying to achieve and I will be happy to help.

Cheers!

Allan (Dallara - NACD)

[Promethean]

Roger and Allan...Thanks.

Allan,
What I'm trying to achieve is "scalability".....I want to have the wiring system set up once so that all I need to do for future accessories is "plug them into the fusebox" and be done with them. Is it possible or would that involve taking the tank off every time I want to add an accessory?

The following mods are on my list.

Hella's
PIAA
XM Roady
Garmin 2610
Valentine V1 (maybe).


I would have preferred to have the ignition key control the power to the accessories...since I thought that having them hot-wired would drain the battery....but I see the sense in using the accessory's switches (never thought about that)...and I could always unplug them.

My knowledge of all things electrical is very limited.....hence the dumb questions.

Thanks.

[BobFV1]

Abhijeet -

This is only partly tongue-in-cheek. Before you spend all the money on those accessories and the blood, sweat, and tears to install them, consider the fact that maybe what you need is not a relay, but rather an RT or a GS - something with a beefed-up charging system and more bike to mount all that stuff on. YMMV :)

[Promethean]

Ohhhh!!!! Forsake my beautiful R? Never....

If I ever do buy another bike to replace the R...it will probably be along the lines of an ST or a GS. Somehow the RT doesn't float my boat. :)


Abhijeet -

This is only partly tongue-in-cheek. Before you spend all the money on those accessories and the blood, sweat, and tears to install them, consider the fact that maybe what you need is not a relay, but rather an RT or a GS - something with a beefed-up charging system and more bike to mount all that stuff on. YMMV :)

[Acacia]

A beefed up charging system? - the R has the same system as the RT when I last looked - 700w !!

Ab,
There is plenty of room under the seat area - filter area etc for you to locate a fuse and wiring system where you can get to it when needed.

Now you might want initially to take the tank off to neatly thread the wire - that is what I did - all tucked away with the main aux fuse tied to the left tube rail next to the filter.

I have 2 sealed Bosch 30amp relays in my headlight housing running the 100/80w lamp there - and unless you know thw wiring of an R you would not know they were there.

Plenty of us to help you here!