Sounds like the lights are drawing more current than the wiring is capable of handling. I think we need more information as to wire size/specs on lights. I doubt it's the relay. Is there a schematic of how you wired it up?
wiring help, please....
I got the Show Chrome Accessories (Big Bike Parts) Elliptical Driving Light Kit - VTX 1300/1800 for my '06 1300 C. I installed them as instructed, and they worked just fine for a day or two, then they blew the fuse. The wire the fuse is on goes from the battery positive terminal, through the fuse, then into the relay. The coating on the wire that's on the relay side of the fuse actually melted a bit before blowing the fuse. Well, I replaced the fuse to see how fast it heats up, and it's slow, but does get too hot to touch. I didn't want to waste the fuse, so I stopped there, to seek your expert help...lol. I still have lights when this is going on, as long as I turn them off before it gets hot enough blow the fuse. As long as I have the switch off, the wiring stays cool. Is it maybe a bad relay???switch???installer(me)??? Any help would be appreciated, thanks.
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Sounds like the lights are drawing more current than the wiring is capable of handling. I think we need more information as to wire size/specs on lights. I doubt it's the relay. Is there a schematic of how you wired it up?
Tell us how the wiring is connected. I can see a wire from the positive feeding the relay coil and feeding one side of the relay. Another wire coming out of the relay coil to a switch to ground, this would activate relay. A wire coming off the relay pole going to the lamps. The lamps could ground internally or else another wire from the lamps to ground. What is the total wattage of the lamps and relay coil. What is the amp rating of the fuse? Wishing you a nice day.
Exacts of how it's wired:
This kit came with pre-packaged wiring, the relay, and the switch. I would have figured they'd put the right stuff in for the two 55 watt hallogens. 15 amp fuse for the main line (the one that's blowing). here we go....
From the relay, there are : a 12V fused line ran to the positive post of the battery, a ground line I put on the negative post of the battery, a switch line ran to the switch, and a seperate line for each of the lights. Each light has it's own gound wire. I tied both ground wires together using the ring connector and grounded them to the frame using the now-empty mounting point for the OEM horn (I have an air horn mounted at another loaction).
From the switch, there are: one line to the relay, one to ground, and one to "any fused line that has power when the key is turned on." There are 5 total lines off the relay, three off the switch. I hope all that made sense.
Anyways, I hope this is helpful in your gracious attempt at helping me.
Thank you, again, for taking the time to help....
This kit came with pre-packaged wiring, the relay, and the switch. I would have figured they'd put the right stuff in for the two 55 watt hallogens. 15 amp fuse for the main line (the one that's blowing). here we go....
From the relay, there are : a 12V fused line ran to the positive post of the battery, a ground line I put on the negative post of the battery, a switch line ran to the switch, and a seperate line for each of the lights. Each light has it's own gound wire. I tied both ground wires together using the ring connector and grounded them to the frame using the now-empty mounting point for the OEM horn (I have an air horn mounted at another loaction).
From the switch, there are: one line to the relay, one to ground, and one to "any fused line that has power when the key is turned on." There are 5 total lines off the relay, three off the switch. I hope all that made sense.
Anyways, I hope this is helpful in your gracious attempt at helping me.
Thank you, again, for taking the time to help....
Two (2) 55w lamps = 110 watts total / 12 volts = 9.17 Amps so load isn't the problem. Should you have a loose connection, this will heat up and draw more current. Charlie D sent a print of your lamps, double check wiring per his print and make sure connections are secure (soldered, crimped and etc.). Is this a solid state relay or does it have a coil and what is the wattage of the device? I wouldn't put any more fuses into the circuit until you find the problem.
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This kit came with pre-packaged wiring, the relay, and the switch. I would have figured they'd put the right stuff in for the two 55 watt hallogens. 15 amp fuse for the main line (the one that's blowing). here we go....
Check inside the lamps for bad wiring, these lamps get real hot and might melted wiring inside the lamp housing...just trying to help. Have a nice day.
This kit came with pre-packaged wiring, the relay, and the switch. I would have figured they'd put the right stuff in for the two 55 watt hallogens. 15 amp fuse for the main line (the one that's blowing). here we go....
Check inside the lamps for bad wiring, these lamps get real hot and might melted wiring inside the lamp housing...just trying to help. Have a nice day.
You don't have a short or the fuse would blow instantly. From your verbal description sounds like it is wired correctly. The link that Charlie posted is pretty much the standard wiring practice to be used when wiring Driving Lights
I am tending to agree with the post above, sounding like undersized wiring. That would cause excessive heat build up and melting insulation. However there could be other causes.:hmm2:
You would need to find a way of checking how much current the lights are drawing. With the bike not running, your 110watts of light should be drawing no more than 9.2 amps. (with the bike off you voltage would be 12VDC). If you check with the bike running, the current draw would be less (around 7.9 amps) because your voltage would jump up to about 14VDC. I won't go into the whys, to keep things simple do your checks with the bike not running. If you can get a multimeter or better yet an amp probe measuring the amount of current draw would tell you a lot.
You may have a defective light system causing excessive draw. If you can't tell what size the wire they provided is you could go to Lowes or Home depot and look at their wire selection to determine what size you have. As small as 18 gauge wire should handle 10 amps DC, although I personally would run 14 gauge wire for Driving lights. That being said, more than likely the wire size is ok which leads us back to a defective Light System.
Other simple things to check would be to visually retrace all your wiring runs between the lights and the relay and look for cut or broken insulation, you might have an intermittent short that isn't strong enough to blow fuse instantly. Again this is very unlikely but something easy to check.
You may need to call Show Chrome and talk to them about your problem. If you don't have the tools or access to the tools to check your current draw, I would recommend finding an independant shop and see if they can check the draw for you.
Good luck
If you get stuck or have more questions, just post away:cheers:
Jeff
I am tending to agree with the post above, sounding like undersized wiring. That would cause excessive heat build up and melting insulation. However there could be other causes.:hmm2:
You would need to find a way of checking how much current the lights are drawing. With the bike not running, your 110watts of light should be drawing no more than 9.2 amps. (with the bike off you voltage would be 12VDC). If you check with the bike running, the current draw would be less (around 7.9 amps) because your voltage would jump up to about 14VDC. I won't go into the whys, to keep things simple do your checks with the bike not running. If you can get a multimeter or better yet an amp probe measuring the amount of current draw would tell you a lot.
You may have a defective light system causing excessive draw. If you can't tell what size the wire they provided is you could go to Lowes or Home depot and look at their wire selection to determine what size you have. As small as 18 gauge wire should handle 10 amps DC, although I personally would run 14 gauge wire for Driving lights. That being said, more than likely the wire size is ok which leads us back to a defective Light System.
Other simple things to check would be to visually retrace all your wiring runs between the lights and the relay and look for cut or broken insulation, you might have an intermittent short that isn't strong enough to blow fuse instantly. Again this is very unlikely but something easy to check.
You may need to call Show Chrome and talk to them about your problem. If you don't have the tools or access to the tools to check your current draw, I would recommend finding an independant shop and see if they can check the draw for you.
Good luck
If you get stuck or have more questions, just post away:cheers:
Jeff
May I suggest to remove fuse and put probes of ampmeter into connections where fuse came out, turn switch on and check amphere. Should be 7 - 10 amps, but not any higher unless high resistant connection in the circuit. I agree it could be too small wire, but I am like you...surely they will use appropriate wire size in their kit, but ????
A simple test for ground would be to remove both lamp bulbs, check wattage of bulbs to make sure they are 55 watt then remove 15 A fuse. Put probes of 12 V test lamp or voltmeter to each side of terminals where fuse plugs in. Activate circuit by turning switch on. Should the lamp light any what-so-ever or any voltage on voltmeter means the circuit is grounding some if not fully. Be sure to clean bulbs real good prior to replacing as body oil will cause hot spots. Hope this is of help. Wishing you a super nice day.
A simple test for ground would be to remove both lamp bulbs, check wattage of bulbs to make sure they are 55 watt then remove 15 A fuse. Put probes of 12 V test lamp or voltmeter to each side of terminals where fuse plugs in. Activate circuit by turning switch on. Should the lamp light any what-so-ever or any voltage on voltmeter means the circuit is grounding some if not fully. Be sure to clean bulbs real good prior to replacing as body oil will cause hot spots. Hope this is of help. Wishing you a super nice day.
Do not assume that these companies send the right anything.
I had to rewire a light bar from Kury that actually melted the wires and I saw smoke coming out of the bar! Opened it up...melted wiring, blown fuse.
Rewired the thing with larger gauge wiring, ....no more issues.
I have the same opinion that it sounds like undersized wiring as well.
I had to rewire a light bar from Kury that actually melted the wires and I saw smoke coming out of the bar! Opened it up...melted wiring, blown fuse.
Rewired the thing with larger gauge wiring, ....no more issues.
I have the same opinion that it sounds like undersized wiring as well.
What is the oldest saying in the world.....ASSUME will make an Ass of U and ME!!
Wishing all a super nice day.
Wishing all a super nice day.
tomorrow morning I will be breaking the bike down to the frame, again, to look into all these WONDERFUL ideas, you have shared, thank you so much for all your help, and I will let you know tomorrow afternoon if I discovered the problem (even if it was simply "operator head-space and timing) as we used to say in the Army... lol thx again.
OK, well, as stated, it seems to have been the "factory wiring is too small." I got a fused line with larger wiring, and placed the same size fuse in said holder, and all is just as it should have been from the beginning. THANK YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH for your kind help in this issue!!!!!!!!!!! Do I need to turn them off to start the bike? I know in the winter it may help to turn them off so there is one less thing draining the battery when I'm trying to get it to start, but when the weather is warmer, does it hurt anything to leave them on?
If you are not running a relay you will burn up the starter switch, so the answer is no it is not ok.OK, well, as stated, it seems to have been the "factory wiring is too small." I got a fused line with larger wiring, and placed the same size fuse in said holder, and all is just as it should have been from the beginning. THANK YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH for your kind help in this issue!!!!!!!!!!! Do I need to turn them off to start the bike? I know in the winter it may help to turn them off so there is one less thing draining the battery when I'm trying to get it to start, but when the weather is warmer, does it hurt anything to leave them on?
Keep an eye on it for awhile you said it didn't get hot ot blow right away with the old wiring either.
kewl, thx.
Been leavin them on, and no problems. BTW, while I had the bike broke down, I also added a relay to the horn circuit, since I had added an air horn a while back. They recommended it, and provided the relay, I just didn't figure it was necessary. Well, anyone doing this mod, I say, USE THE RELAY, or buy a bunch of fuses...lol. Added relay, and now I swear the horn is louder, and doesn't blow the fuse, any more, either...lol.
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