Nomad Lightbar Wiring

[submarinerwolfe]

Ok, maybe its because I'm an electrician, maybe its because I'm anal, but why on earth does Kawi tell you to hook up your light bar to your headlight cct?? If you short something out, you lose all 3 lights (I know, you still have high beam, but that's UNSAT in my book). I went to the stealer to have them install my F&S lightbar (came with the bike, but they didn't know if I'd like it), and the guy behind the counter asked me if I wanted it wired to the high or low beam. I told him neither, as I wanted it hooked up to the Auxilliary cct. He said that it had to be hooked up to either the low or high beam.. I told him not to wire the bar (which got an interesting look). Well, I'll have pics up today, but last night, I ran the wires from the lights under the tank and hooked them to a relay and a switch I mounted to the right hand side cover below my "magic button" for my garage door opener. The PROPER way to do such things, is use the auxilliary cct for control (its switched) and a direct line (with dedicated fuse) from the battery as a the power cct. Hooked it all up and its pretty sweet if I do say so myself :) End of rant.

[gv550]

I feed the lights from the fused aux circuit and control them via a relay from a handy switch.
I also control mine via a relay from the hi beam circuit, yes, 2 relays.
That way I can run the lights in the daytime with low beam, at night I turn them off and have them come on only with hi beam. Really lights up the road and ditch and they are off with low beam for oncoming traffic.

Garry

[submarinerwolfe]

I thought about a similar thing, but in this province, cars seem to have an issue with seeing motorcycles and studies have shown that a single light is difficult for people to see, so I ride with all 3 at night..

[speedbyu]

I have mine wired up so they are on with both Hi and Low beam. I run Hi beams and spots say 90% of the time or until I meet a car at night then I switch to Low beam but the spots are still on.
I personally want the extra brightness all the time so some idiot can see me.
Later, Bill

Hello Submarinerwolf: I have a somewhat related question... My stock '03 Noman light bar is wired (apparently) to the front turn signals' circuit (v.s. headlight) After installing a Priorit Lites - rear turn signal - as running lights device this past summer, I'm having problems blowing the 10 amp turn signal circuit, whenever I use my brakes or activate my turn signals (activating the Priority Lites device) while my lightbar spotlights are on. With them off, the device / signals/ running light features work just fine.

Someone suggested I simply put in a bigger fuse (i.e 15 amp) in the turn signal circuit, but I too am rather anal and would prefer to rewire the light bar seperately, if possible.

Any thoughts on how best to go about this?

Thanks!

Classisman

[cactusjack]

Hello Submarinerwolf: I have a somewhat related question... My stock '03 Noman light bar is wired (apparently) to the front turn signals' circuit (v.s. headlight) After installing a Priorit Lites - rear turn signal - as running lights device this past summer, I'm having problems blowing the 10 amp turn signal circuit, whenever I use my brakes or activate my turn signals (activating the Priority Lites device) while my lightbar spotlights are on. With them off, the device / signals/ running light features work just fine.

Someone suggested I simply put in a bigger fuse (i.e 15 amp) in the turn signal circuit, but I too am rather anal and would prefer to rewire the light bar seperately, if possible.

Any thoughts on how best to go about this?

Thanks!

Classisman

Whatever you do, DO NOT replace the 10 amp fuse with a higher rated fuse. The engineers have determined that 10 amps is all that circuit can safely carry. If your lightbar is on the same circuit as the running lights, put it on its own fused, dedicated circuit.

You can use the running light circuit to trigger a relay, but power the driving lights directly from the battery.

[submarinerwolfe]

I agree with Jack here NEVER NEVER NEVER go to a higher fuse in a stock circuit. I often wire my own circuits when I install components on my bikes, using one guage more than what's required. I don't understand why they would wire your lightbar to your signal lamps. Your best bet is to go with a relay and wire your power circuit to your battery. JMNSHO :)

[Sin City Stan]

I have a 35W HID I use for Lo Beam and two 55W lamps on the crash bars that are added for Hi Beam.

Lo Beam = HID Lamp
Hi Beam = HID & Crash Bar Lights

The HID is on the factory headlight circuit. The crash bar lights are on a seperate fuse. The high beam circuit powers the crash bar lights relay and closes the HID blocking relay. This setup has worked amazingly well since the install last Summer.

I use the Hi-Beams in the daytime to be seen. I use the Lo-Beam at night as the HID drowns out the crash bar lights.

The schematic is below. Sorry about the size.

http://i717.photobucket.com/albums/ww179/Stan7442000/HeadlightControlSchematic.jpg

[kchow24]

Any one here can help, I'm looking for the Light Bar to fix mine 2009 model Nomad, please direct me to the online seller or maybe someone can advise, thank you.

[muddler]

kchow

Any dealer should be able to order one for you. The dealer I work with would be happy to sell one to you (plus shipping of course).

[lawdog5839]

I got mine on motorcyclesuperstore.com its a cobra light bar and was $257.00 with free shipping, the dealer wanted $450.00 plus $150.00 to install it.

[ChrisC]

I know this thread is 4 to 5 years old, but I always try to find an answer before posting a question....I need some help with my spotlights, but could someone please treat me like a complete novice?!

I have fitted a lightbar and 55w spots to my 2009 1700 Nomad (not the Kawasaki one) and currently have them hooked up to the accessory terminal that lives inside the headlamp bucket. No issues, no problems...job done!

Now I've changed my mind....I'm going to run two LED strips from the "city-light" wire for daytime running and I'd like to wire the spots to come on ONLY with high-beam.

This is where I'm in unchartered territory!! I know I need a "relay" but I don't know what to buy, where to put it and what to wire it into.

Can anyone give me a REALLY SIMPLE set of instructions of exactly what I need to buy and where the various wires go?

Thanks all!

[cnc]

I know this thread is 4 to 5 years old, but I always try to find an answer before posting a question....I need some help with my spotlights, but could someone please treat me like a complete novice?!

I have fitted a lightbar and 55w spots to my 2009 1700 Nomad (not the Kawasaki one) and currently have them hooked up to the accessory terminal that lives inside the headlamp bucket. No issues, no problems...job done!

Now I've changed my mind....I'm going to run two LED strips from the "city-light" wire for daytime running and I'd like to wire the spots to come on ONLY with high-beam.

This is where I'm in unchartered territory!! I know I need a "relay" but I don't know what to buy, where to put it and what to wire it into.

Can anyone give me a REALLY SIMPLE set of instructions of exactly what I need to buy and where the various wires go?

Thanks all!

Easiest way to explain it is for you to go to gadgets page, he has a simple drawing and explanation on wiring a relay. Only difference being, to go on with the high beam only, you would connect the trigger wire from the relay to the highbeam wire in the headlight bucket

[BudMan]

Here is a link (http://www.gadgetjq.com/wiredrivinglights.htm) to the page Norm mentioned.
You will need a 30 amp relay, an inline fuse, some wire and connectors.
Like the diagram says, From the battery connect to post #30. Use an 15 amp inline fuse here.
#85 is the relays ground.
#86 is the relays trigger. Connect this to the high beam wire in the headlight bucket.
#87 is the power out of the relay. Connect it to the spotlights.
You can put the relay just about anywhere. I put mine under the seat.

[HwyRider]

The service manual says that the high beam wire is the red with a black stripe.

[ChrisC]

Thanks guys! And in language I can understand! Happy now!!

All the best,
Chris.

[ringadingh]

I use 55W lamps on their own separate circuit, that way if the headlamp burns out, I still have lights left to use.

[ChrisC]

Here is a link (http://www.gadgetjq.com/wiredrivinglights.htm) to the page Norm mentioned.
You will need a 30 amp relay, an inline fuse, some wire and connectors.
Like the diagram says, From the battery connect to post #30. Use an 15 amp inline fuse here.
#85 is the relays ground.
#86 is the relays trigger. Connect this to the high beam wire in the headlight bucket.
#87 is the power out of the relay. Connect it to the spotlights.
You can put the relay just about anywhere. I put mine under the seat.

As a final conclusion to this story, I bought a relay kit yesterday for £9.99 ($17 approx) which contained all the bits I needed. I followed your instructions and I now have exactly what I wanted...!!! Thanks again!

[Pld1967]

I have a 2012 Nomad, and the previous owner put an aftermarket light bar with driving lights above the turn signals. The bracket is so cheaply made, that the vibration from the bike put stress on the metal plate that bolts to the bike, and it broke. I have the stock Kawasaki bracket and stock turn signals that I want to put on the bike. When I opened the head light, I noticed that the turn signals were connected to the wiring harness by electrical tape, and the connection to the harness still had the plugs attached. That's great, just unplug the aftermarket ones, plug in the new. The problem I have is that the driving lights are wired to a "module" in the back of the headlight. There are two red wires coming from the module, one for the right light, one for the left light. Now, I do not want to run the lights, so what do I do with the red wires?