Soltek Aux Lighting install

[XHD4FJR]

Also, it should be of a type that can easily be turned to off, like maybe off being at one end or the other, not in the middle of the range, if possible.

This is a good idea, but have you actually found a switch like this? I don't remember ever seeing 3-way toggle switches other than center-off.

No, and I don't doubt that they're not available in that configuration.

I saw a pretty trick switch setup at WFO (surprise!). There was a box with a couple of switches mounted to the inside of the left V-Strom handguard, so an extended finger could operate them easily. Not always convenient to take a hand off the bar....

I'll just be wiring mine to be independent of the other lights, so I can use the switch I already have in place.

If I were running OEM headlights, I would figure out a way to have them shut down when the Solteks were switched on, to save that useless 110 watt additional draw. With my current setup (one HID headlight on), the Solteks only draw about 15 watts over stock headlights.

A switch like you describe off-on-on is used in desiel truck applications to control the engine brake or Jake Brake. In the middle it operates 1/2 of the system and the other on position operates the full system. I have seen these in both rocker and toggle styles. I don't have any part numbers avaliable right now but you should be able to find one at any truck shop (Mack, Peterbuilt, KW or a CAT or Cummins engine shop maybe even NAPA. Might be adaptable to your application.

 

[ponyfool]

Except the pins on both are labeled 87 & 87a:

That's because the company is using the same base plate for all of it's relays and is instead putting a drawing on the front to articulate that pin 87a on the bottom of the relay is not really pin 87a, but actually pin 87.

 

[huron52]

Ok I have some of the above posts and I understood some of it but got lost also on some of it.

I will tell how I figure I am going to wire up the lights and I would like constructive comments on whether it will work

I figure I will only use the lights with the regular headlights in the high beam mode. So I figure I will tap into the feed to the high beam (Maybe near the switch... advise?) This will be the low load side to fire the relay.

I will feed the high load side of the relay from the power bar that is already under the dash. I will put a fuse in that line with a 25amp cap.

I got confused when the disussion turned to different type of relays. I have two relays under the dash already. I know one is used for the bigger horns and the other one is used as a switched power feed to under the the seat. Would a relay like that work? Or what should I be looks for when I go out to buy a relay. Also how heavy a guage of wire should I use to go from my power bar under the dash through the relay and to the aux lights.

thanks

 

[ponyfool]

I figure I will only use the lights with the regular headlights in the high beam mode. So I figure I will tap into the feed to the high beam (Maybe near the switch... advise?) This will be the low load side to fire the relay.

Technically, this isn't the load, it is the trigger. The trigger is connected to pin 85 and 86 where one of them is +12v (in this case, your high beam wire) and the other is grounded.

I will feed the high load side of the relay from the power bar that is already under the dash. I will put a fuse in that line with a 25amp cap.

This would work, and this is where the discussion above comes into play, depending on the type relay you get- See below

I got confused when the disussion turned to different type of relays. I have two relays under the dash already. I know one is used for the bigger horns and the other one is used as a switched power feed to under the the seat. Would a relay like that work? Or what should I be looks for when I go out to buy a relay. Also how heavy a guage of wire should I use to go from my power bar under the dash through the relay and to the aux lights.

If you get a 4 pin relay, you can ignore all of the above threads except the first one by Skyway. The main discussion above is only if you get a 5 pin relay.

If you get a 5 pin relay, the only thing you have to worry about is the possibility of a short due to having an energized relay pin that isn't connected to anything.

For example, if you get a relay like the one I described, one that is marked on the relay diagram (not the bottom plate) as having an 87a pin, then that pin will be energized and exposed when the relay is at rest (when your high beams are off). If anything touches that pin, you can have a short. The solution for this is, either cap that pin or run the fused wire from your power block (supply line) to pin 87 of the relay and run the wire to your lights (load line) to pin 30.

Now, if you have one of the other relays described above, the one that has a relay diagram showing two pin 87s, then you'd want to run the fused power supply line to pin 30 and run your load line to your lights from each pin 87. The only caveat to this is, make sure you use both pin 87s, because leaving one open can cause a similar short risk as described above when the relay is triggered because both pins would be energized.