CAUTION! The Electrically Challenged at Work!

[brazos parker]

Sorry, Guys, I have to vent for a moment.

I wired up my Hella FF50's today, double checked the wiring schematic and buttoned-up the left side...over confidence showing here. Finally, I made the last connections to the Blue Sea fuse block at the rear of the bike and cranked the bike. The headlights came on...that's a good sign...hit the SPDT rocker switch one way and, then, the other...the FF50's did not light up! I checked to make sure there were bulbs in the lights and checked the 15 amp fuse in the fuse block...even took a bit of sandpaper to the fuse legs. Still no light. Damn! That was my second worst fear about this installation. The first was that I would "let the smoke out" when I tested the lights for the first time. I admit to being electrically challenged and, if all goes well, I'm OK. But, if I have to go into trouble-shooting mode...well...I'm in trouble.

So, rather than stand there a speak a few choice words, I turned off the garage lights and walked away for tonite.

Tomorrow, I'll trace all the wiring again...3rd or 4th time...but, at this point, I'm suspecting the Hella relay is bad or the Dual Star rocker switch is bad. However, it's more likely that I've screwed the pooch along the way. I hate it when that happens!

 

[radman]

Ground terminal 85, and touch a hot lead to 86. If you have light, it's the switch. If you don't, the relay's bad (this assumes the other leads are correct.

 

[dcarver]

Kudos to Rad; great advice.

 

[madmike2]

Me, am too, electricity-al challenged. At's why mine is wired tuh wun switch 'stead'a bein' all convoluted wuth them speciality connectors en circuitous wiring tryin' tuh use'm wif dem brite lites.

Me needs'em simplistical, like ther owner/operational guy. Them suckers er ON er ess them suckers er Off. Period!

Gude lucky on you fer tryin' tuh fix'em.

 

[FJRONAMISSION]

Me, am too, electricity-al challenged. At's why mine is wired tuh wun switch 'stead'a bein' all convoluted wuth them speciality connectors en circuitous wiring tryin' tuh use'm wif dem brite lites.
Me needs'em simplistical, like ther owner/operational guy. Them suckers er ON er ess them suckers er Off. Period!

Gude lucky on you fer tryin' tuh fix'em.

===

Hey... you do that pretty good MM2.......

B.

 

[brazos parker]

UPDATE:

In an attempt to fix the problem(s?), I traced all the wiring I added to the bike beginning at the Blue Sea fuse block and working forward. At the same time, I checked the integrity of all splice connections. I found one loose connection, fixed it and had 1 light working as advertised. I then knew the switch and relay were working properly. This morning, I "remade" all the splice connections, cranked the bike, headlights working, and said "Let there be light!" And there was light. And it was good.

Now I can get on w/ the other changes/maintenance I "need" to do.

P.S. I'm posting this update so any other FJR rider who is electrically-challenged like me may profit from my screw-ups. Hope this helps in some tiny way.

 

[wfooshee]

Splices should be soldered and covered with heat-shrink tubing. Those crimp taps, or even worse, twist-and-tape, will be worthless in a few weeks of weather.

I used a bunch of those crimp taps when I first put in my cruise control, used to use them all the time in car stereo work. Well, car stereo wiring generally doesn't need to be weatherproof. Went through and fixed them all later, when the cruise quit working reliably.

 

[Silent]

Splices should be soldered and covered with heat-shrink tubing. Those crimp taps, or even worse, twist-and-tape, will be worthless in a few weeks of weather.

+ about a bazzilion

Solder your connections and use heat shrink tubing and your lights will burn for years without a problem.

 

[crankshaft]

Splices should be soldered and covered with heat-shrink tubing. Those crimp taps, or even worse, twist-and-tape, will be worthless in a few weeks of weather.

+ about a bazzilion

Solder your connections and use heat shrink tubing and your lights will burn for years without a problem.

I suck with a soldering iron. Never have figured out how to use one properly. Not sure what solder to use, or if you use flux. What is a good soldering iron that makes it simple for us soldering challenged to use?

 

[wfooshee]

For electrical work, rosin core solder, no separate flux. Done. Get to work.

 

[2WheelTiger]

Go to Radio Shack. Tell the chimp you need a soldering kit. Spend $9.99. You'll be yards ahead of the game.

It's easier than buying bread. There are less choices at Radio Shack than there are at Safeway.

 

[dcarver]

Or, just get one of dem dere oxygen-acetylene headlights like used in yesteryear.. no wiring needed....

Congrats on finding and fixing the problem..

 

[BIODSL]

Brian R. has put together a nice thread over at the Iron Butt Association Forum for the electrically challenged among us

https://www.ironbutt.org/forum/forum_posts....D=1759&PN=1

 

[brazos parker]

For electrical work, rosin core solder, no separate flux. Done. Get to work.

+1 on rosin core solder...it "flows" better.

I crimped, soldered and shrink wrapped all wire terminal connections. For "T" connections, I used "squeeze" connectors and wrapped in electrical tape. The "squeeze" connectors were where my 2 problem connections were found.

And, all wire runs were fed thru flexible fiberglass sheathing I got from JC Whitney...it is heat resistant to 1200 degrees and provides some abrasion resistance.