Last PIAA light question I swear on Hopz!

AntRT said:

OK, lights are mounted, wires connected (didn't have to remove tupperware btw) now all I need to do is decide to wire the white wire for the PIAA switch to: the low beams or directly to the fuse box.

Is one a better idea than the other or just personal preference?

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Ant - part of the decision depends on if you want them to light up with the engine off. Run from the fuse box will allow them to be switched on if the ignition is on. Running from the low beam will only allow operation if the engine is running (and the low beams are lit).

Also, I don't know if the CanBUS circuit would read a high amp fault powering both the headlamps and the PIAAs off the low beam circuit.

I run every accessory back to the fuse box, that way there's a single line of power I can follow (and isolate). Simple minds appreciate simple things, and minds don't get much simpler than mine.

JayJay

I mounted mine to the low beams so the running lights would work when the ignition is on and I would have the option to have them on or off during normal riding. If you hook them to the high beams, they will only work if the high beams are on. At night it would be too bright for on coming traffic.

JayJay said:

Ant - part of the decision depends on if you want them to light up with the engine off. Run from the fuse box will allow them to be switched on if the ignition is on. Running from the low beam will only allow operation if the engine is running (and the low beams are lit).

Also, I don't know if the CanBUS circuit would read a high amp fault powering both the headlamps and the PIAAs off the low beam circuit.

I run every accessory back to the fuse box, that way there's a single line of power I can follow (and isolate). Simple minds appreciate simple things, and minds don't get much simpler than mine.

JayJay

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What I want is to be able to use the PIAA's with high or low beam, to be able to switch them on/off via the PIAA switch and for them to only work when the ignition is switched on. I don't want them to light up when the engine is off, would suck if I parked for a few hours and left them on. Btw when I hooked up the lights, connected to the battery, etc., they would not work. Called PIAA and they said the white trigger wire has to also be connected to something.

Sounds like the fuse box is the way to go.

Seeing that this is technically the same thread I get to ask another question: What fuse do I wire the white trigger wire to?

Ant -
How do you have your wires?
Does have a relay..hopefully a fuze one, right? Do you also have a 12v on/off w/ the ignition available as a trigger for the relay..and then of coarse 12v w/ hot and ground from batt.

pipestone said:

Ant -
How you got your wires..does have a relay, right?

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Not sure what you mean by a relay. Do you mean where the PIAA on/off switch is connected?

Looks just like this, page 2 http://www.bikerhiway.com/installinfo/piaa/74118.pdf

I would do (the entire job) like they show in their diagram...

If you have done all the rest like they showed, then...that looks like white wire to battery positive side (+).

You can tie the white wire in with your low beam. It's a relay trigger so very low amp draw, the ZFE should be fine.

This will give you what you want, switchable on and off but won't operate unless the engine is running.

#3 has to be spliced into any 12v on/off/ ignition..could use axillary outlet points also to trigger the relay which your kit has. #2 goes to battery source.

Thanks everyone.

I agree with Hopz. Wire it like the wiring diagram shows. I suggest picking up the switched power source from the parking light. CanBus won't be affected and you control the on/off from the PIAA switch. This is the same wiring method as I used for my MotoLights. There is plenty of room to run the wire harness along the right frame rail under the tank to get to the battery.

cessna said:

I agree with Hopz. Wire it like the wiring diagram shows. I suggest picking up the switched power source from the parking light. CanBus won't be affected and you control the on/off from the PIAA switch. This is the same wiring method as I used for my MotoLights. There is plenty of room to run the wire harness along the right frame rail under the tank to get to the battery.

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I have it exactly like the diagram, harness routed under tank, etc., only thing I haven't hooked up yet is the white wire for the PIAA switch (switch control positive (+)) because I wasn't exactly sure what I wanted until now.

Did you tap the parking light wire from behind the headlight?

AntRT said:

I have it exactly like the diagram, harness routed under tank, etc., only thing I haven't hooked up yet is the white wire for the PIAA switch (switch control positive (+)) because I wasn't exactly sure what I wanted until now.

Did you tap the parking light wire from behind the headlight?

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If relay and main termination is under drivers seat use the rear auxiliary outlet wire under rear seat, its easy to get to...FWIW

pipestone said:

If relay and main termination is under drivers seat use the rear auxiliary outlet wire under rear seat, its easy to get to...FWIW

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The rear aux power outlet stays hot for about 30 seconds after the ignition is turned off. Most folks use the front parking lights as the switched power for auxiliary lighting, they turn off as soon as the ignition switch is turned off.

JayJay

JayJay said:

The rear aux power outlet stays hot for about 30 seconds after the ignition is turned off. Most folks use the front parking lights as the switched power for auxiliary lighting, they turn off as soon as the ignition switch is turned off.

JayJay

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Right! That's why I used the parking light for the switched power. The rear aux power outlet is a lot easier to get to though. I pulled the parking light bulb out to get to the wire. Small hands would be helpful to reinstall the bulb!

cessna said:

Right! That's why I used the parking light for the switched power. The rear aux power outlet is a lot easier to get to though. I pulled the parking light bulb out to get to the wire. Small hands would be helpful to reinstall the bulb!

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It's not one of the wires on the harness that plugs into the back of the light housing, right above where you unscrew the round thingy to get to the bulb?