I keep forgetting to turn my auxilary lights off

[usmctpdog]

I keep forgetting to turn OFF my auxilary running lights off as I wired them directly to the battery with a switch up by the headlight adjustment knob.

Is it safe to tap directly into the headlight wire or another HOT wire off the igintion switch to run the lights always? They did not come with a relay only a switch.

They are a set of 50 watt Halogens........ I just don't know if I would hurt anything with them drawing electricity all the time or even which wire to tap into on my 05 LT?

Thanks for any recommendations.....

[markb]

The best way is to use a relay that is triggered only when the key is on. That way you are not draining your battery and you do not draw a large amounts of amps through the switch.

[Dean_BMW]

Just get you a relay, and run the relay coil from a circuit that is on the main key switch and then run the switched terminals on the relay to the battery (with a fused wire).

No more dead battery!

[Dochatley]

I have a set of lights with relay tapped into the headlight hot wire and my other set of lights that are wired directly to the battery like yours I added a led light to the circuit that tells me when they are on. Helps me remember to turn it off.

[usmctpdog]

Jerry,

That might be the easiest fix yet.. swap out my switch for a lighted one!

I have not killed my battery leaving the lights on, Just mad at myself for walking away then

turning around for one last look and seeing them still on!! I have even posted a note to myself on the Handlbar to remind me.... *Trouble is it is not working....:(

Thanks all for your responses so far....

[Morley]

A relay really is the way to go. Those lighted rocker switches really aren't meant to have that kind of amperage running through them.
You can have the light's power running from the battery and the relay's power running from the park lamp. That way, even if you leave the light switch on, as soon as you turn the bike off the lights will go off too.

[sanjaun2]

A relay really is the way to go. Those lighted rocker switches really aren't meant to have that kind of amperage running through them.
You can have the light's power running from the battery and the relay's power running from the park lamp. That way, even if you leave the light switch on, as soon as you turn the bike off the lights will go off too.
I say what he said....... But keep in mind if you turn your key to far and the parking lights come on so will your aux lights. Glad to see you are getting a little brighter in your old age. You could always tap into one of your amber side lights for power to trigger your relay then no more worries.

[UncleRock]

They are a set of 50 watt Halogens........ I just don't know if I would hurt anything with them drawing electricity all the time or even which wire to tap into on my 05 LT?

Thanks for any recommendations.....
Use a little green to red rubber covered switch.
Wire it in any way you like (I have mine red means danger don't leave the bike)
You don't want to big of a light on the bars, I have a toggle that I put in the left side of the bars, on really black roads (3-5 am interstate) it reflects back enough to bother me.
Rock