Electro-Farkling 2016

I thought I would pass on how I installed LR-4 LED driving lamps on a 2016 Gen III.5 with a Skene IQ-275

The 2016 all LED headlights present a problem when looking for a high beam trigger to use with a controller like the Skene IQ-275.
The high beam trigger wire coming out of the headlamp controller carries 0 volts when the high beams are on, and 12V when off.
This is backwards to what the controller expects. You have to change how you connect the Skene and how you program it.

Connection
After finding the yellow high beam trigger wire, you connect it the YELLOW wire from the Skene controller.

Test you have the correct wire by checking the voltage; 0V when high beams on, 12V when off.
Find the wire here (headlight control unit under headlight)

or here (left front side of bike when FACING bike)


From the FSM wiring diagram (69 & 71 are the headlamp controllers, you want the solid yellow, note in the photos the greyish trace on the 'solid' yellow wire)


Use the WHITE wire to program to controller. Basically, you are swapping the Yellow & White wire connections from the Skene controller.
Make all other controller connections as described in the Skene documentation.

Programming
Headlamp switch in normal, low beam position.
Start bike.
After a short pause, aux lamps will flash twice.
Tap white lead from Skene to battery positive 3 times within 3 seconds.
Aux lamps flash indicating IQ-275 is in programming mode.
Tap white lead to battery positive and continue taps until desire brightness settings for low beam has been reached.
Each tap will change the brightness by 10%.
I set my to 20%, approx 640 Lumen. 800 Lumen is max for DRL where I live.
Headlamp switch to high beam.
Tap white lead to battery positive and continue taps until desire brightness settings for high beam has been reached.
Set mine to 100%.
Exit programming mode by turning off the ignition.
Test by starting bike, and after the lamps flash twice check to see the brightness level for both positions of the headlamp switch.
You must program the low beams first.

Ta Da


Also -
Hyperlites connections are unchanged, just install them as described.

XM Sat Radio Antenna mount - I mounted mine under the frt fairing. Cut up a RAM 344U instead of two sided tape.


Many actors in this play.
My thx to -
BritRider who posted about the backwards trigger wire voltage
FredW who posted the install procedure for WynPro GEN III A/V lamps brackets
WynPro/08FJR4ME for making a great product
Justin/LEDRider for selling a great product

My powder-coating guy, Russell @ Frances Andrew, who knows his blacks!
Prof I-Beam who knows how to read a wiring diagram and I think coined the term "electro-farkle"

Oops

One more actor, I forgot -

Bill @ Skene Designs. What can you say about a company that answers support emails on a Sunday?

Great customer service.

-Steve

Nice job, looks just like the install on my '15!

FYI, I reversed the direction of the light mounting bracket which tightened up the clearances between the light and mirror. Nice and tight now!!

--G

On my list of "to do's" for my 2016 this Winter.

Thanks to ALL for helping to take the guess work out of this!

For reference, LR4 with mounting bracket reversed.



--G

Just hooked up my LEDrider LX5's to the high beams today using this info. I also installed a switch so I can totally shut them off if I want. Thanks sapest!!

Happy to have helped out.

-Steve

That's a nice picture of the XM "hockey puck". I have been looking for a way to mount mine. I have found that there must be some coating on the windscreen the interferes with the XM signal. I found this on both the Yamaha touring screen and the Stream tall. I have a carole shelf and would like to mount it there but it just doesn't work. I currently have my XM antenna in the top of my tank bag but I don't like it there because it complicates the process of moving the bag to add fuel.

I assume you're not getting any interference in the location in the picture and I wonder if I'm the only one who has seen this problem.

HDBrown

XM seems to be working ok under the fairing. No more or less drop outs than before. Its only been a couple of weeks, so this is an early opinion.

On previous GEN II I had it hung off one of the upper front panel screws on an L bracket, with four different windshields, never had a reception problem.

-Steve

If you want all of the feature of the Skene IQ-275, like 3 intensity settings on low beam and the ability to program it with the high beam switch, there is another solution. I built a "change-over" circuit using a MOSFET and 2 resistors, about $1 in parts. This circuit inverts the state of the yellow headlight wire. You can read all about the design process here: http://koczarski.com/2016-yamaha-fjr1300es/skene-iq-275a-intelligent-lighting-controller/

This circuit connects to +12v, the yellow high beam wire on the 2016 FJR and to the white, high beam input on the Skene. This allows the Skene to operate as designed.

You can use a momentary on switch on the white lead to get 'on the fly' programming. Forgot to mention this in the OP.

The only feature lost is the 'alert mode'.

-Steve

sapest said:

The only feature lost is the 'alert mode'.
-Steve

Click to expand...

And if I'm understand your description correctly, you also lose the ability to have three independent brightness setting on low beam which can be controlled by a 3-way switch on the yellow wire.

If you choose to go with Steve's method and won't be using/wanting the alert feature you can save $20 buy purchasing the IQ-275 ($70) versus the IQ-275A ($90). The A model has the alert feature.

I really like the alert feature. I pulled over at least a dozen left lane drivers on my trips last summer!

I installed my change-over circuit last night. Works great!

https://koczarski.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Skene.mp4

Hi Adam

You do, & you are correct. I never thought about using the 3 way thing, and had forgotten about it.

However, Bill @ Skene did leave me with this comment -

If you are looking for an installation with multiple lower brightness settings controlled by a separate switch and/or have our controller with the Alert feature please let me know and we can offer some other suggestions.

So the possibilty to get all the features out of the Skene exists.

-Steve

sapest said:

Hi AdamYou do, & you are correct. I never thought about using the 3 way thing, and had forgotten about it.

However, Bill @ Skene did leave me with this comment -

If you are looking for an installation with multiple lower brightness settings controlled by a separate switch and/or have our controller with the Alert feature please let me know and we can offer some other suggestions.

So the possibilty to get all the features out of the Skene exists.

-Steve

Click to expand...

With the advent of full LED lighting with ground side switching perhaps Bill will offer an updated model with the ability to select the lighting system type?? That would be cool!

My circuit was just an attempt to come up with a solution for those of us who purchased the IQ-275(A) before knowing what we were getting in to. Bill Lynes was actually the first 2016 owner I know of to recognize the problem and work on a a fix. I took his work and with the help of some friends developed my solution.

My solution isn't perfect as we had to make some assumptions about how the Skene would behave with the signals we pass to it. While the MOSFET we used does properly send +12v to the Skene on high beam, it sends a "floating" signal to the Skene on low beam. We had to add a resistor to the circuit to get the Skene to react properly to that signal. If we were going to develop a commercial product we'd probably add a ground input to the circuit and send a true 0v signl to the Skene on low beam to guarantee proper operation. Right now we have something which works for me. Kind of a "hobbyists" solution which uses a minimum of components and connectors.

I just thought I'd toss it out here and on my website for anyone else out here who wants to fiddle why they farkle!

Now I need to install a 3 way switch so I can get all three, custom set, low beam brightness options. I'm think a 10 or 20% options for use at night, then a 40% and 60 to 70% daytime options. All of these with the 100% high beam mode and the alert mode for those pesky left lane drivers.

Just a thought Adam.

Be careful about the aux lamps washing out your turn signals to oncoming traffic in the daytime.

If your using LR4's, thats over 1300 lumens at 40%. Many/most DRL's are around 800 lumens.

I find a white helmet, hi-viz jacket and amber lenses (bought from Clearwater) on the aux lamps to be very effective in clearing out the left lane.

YMMV

-Steve

sapest said:

Just a thought Adam.Be careful about the aux lamps washing out your turn signals to oncoming traffic in the daytime.

If your using LR4's, thats over 1300 lumens at 40%. Many/most DRL's are around 800 lumens.

I find a white helmet, hi-viz jacket and amber lenses (bought from Clearwater) on the aux lamps to be very effective in clearing out the left lane.

YMMV

-Steve

Click to expand...

Good points. Thanks Steve!

Adam

Hammer Down Brown said:

That's a nice picture of the XM "hockey puck". I have been looking for a way to mount mine. I have found that there must be some coating on the windscreen the interferes with the XM signal. I found this on both the Yamaha touring screen and the Stream tall. I have a carole shelf and would like to mount it there but it just doesn't work. I currently have my XM antenna in the top of my tank bag but I don't like it there because it complicates the process of moving the bag to add fuel.
I assume you're not getting any interference in the location in the picture and I wonder if I'm the only one who has seen this problem.

Click to expand...

I mounted mine under the rear seat and have no interference problems even when I put a seat bag over it.

Anyone know of a good place to mount a micro switch or does anyone produce a switch plate for the gen 3 FJR? I have a waterproof triple throw, single pole switch I'd like to mount to operate the Skene. Somewhere on the left would be best. TIA

@Adam, let me know what you come up with. I've stared at my '15 a few nights looking for the "best" place to install a Skene switch. Other than cutting a hole in the plastic, I'm at a loss so far.

--G