Electrical (Light Bar) Problem

[peabo2k]

I spent a couple of hours yesterday installing a light bar on my Nomad 1600. I followed the instructions that came with the lights. Once I started to test the lights, I noticed that the turn signals worked fine. However, the spot lights are not working. So, I took out the power tester to see if I was getting any power to the lights. I noticed that there were two lines (black with yellow and white with blue/red) that were not getting any power.

Any suggestions on how to get power to these spotlights would be greatly appreciated.

[leadbelly]

I believe the black/yellow is ground.
You might want to check the fuse associated with the circuit you tapped into for power.
It could also be as simple as a "pooched" switch.
Do you have power up to the switch?

There is a good artical on light installs here, http://www.gadgetjq.com/wiredrivinglights.htm

[Kawhead]

That's right leadbelly. That's the one I followed and it's written very well. Keep us updated!

[peabo2k]

The problem that I am having is that I am not getting any power from the white with blue accessory power wire. I am not sure why this is happening.

[cactusjack]

Originally Posted by peabo2k

The problem that I am having is that I am not getting any power from the white with blue accessory power wire. I am not sure why this is happening.

Check your fuses? They are behind the right side cover.

[peabo2k]

I check the fuses first. They are all good.

[cactusjack]

Originally Posted by peabo2k

I check the fuses first. They are all good.

Does the blue/white wire have a connector on the end? In other words, is it the accessory wire in the headlight bucket? If so, it should be hot all the time, even when the ignition is off. You don't get +12v if you put a meter or test light between that connector and ground?

[macmac]

Cj is right there should be power in white / blue all the time.
Leadbelly is right black/yellow is ground all the time.

A meter or a test light between these should be ON. If it isn't, then the acc fues in the fuse box has to be blown practicly.

A ice pick test light is the fastest best way to check these fuses in place.

If these lights are 35 watts or less you won't need a relay as that is around 6.+ amps.

If these are 55 watts each good luck in a wiring job this way.... You risk frying the fuse box, and the ignition switch, and adding a 15 amp fuse will really ruin the day..


Last I am in wize ass mood.. What the hell is that picture, some kind of modern art or what?

[peabo2k]

Mac,
The picture is of the wires that I mentioned. It look a lot better before I posted it.

To be safe, I changed the fuse for the accessory, re-connected the hot wire on the battery. When I turned the switched, I did not have any power. Not sure where I went wrong.

I hope that I did not fry the ignition switch, as mac mentioned.

This is the light bar that I installed.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...m=320494066967

[macmac]

Ok we better start from step 1..
I have no clue what you did, and or what you did at the battery. The E-Bay light bar has no specs so i have no idea what lamps are in the kit.

What wire at the battery and where does it go?

And No you didn't cook the fuse box or the ignition as that would mean you had the lamps working for a while.

Do you have a meter, and a ice pick test light?

How and when do you want these lamps to work?

1 On with the main hi and lo

2 On with hi

3 On with lo

4 on anytime you want engine or no engine.

Where on the bar is this switch, and is it illuminated?

What ever is plugged into the black and yellow wire and the white with blue, un-plug them, and test them for volts.

With either a ice pick or a meter plug between these both.

If you use a meter the red lead goes to white with blue the black lead to black and yellow.

You can tell me the rest, but the first thing to do is find out why that acc wire is dead.

If it is dead, go to the fuse box and find that wire, test the fuse in both places. ACC fuse.. is that live?

test for power at the switch too both sides

[macmac]

re-reading. please tell me this is a typo "white with blue/red)"

Here is Gadjet directions
http://www.gadgetjq.com/wiredrivinglights.htm

Typical for 55 watts each lamp

[peabo2k]

Originally Posted by macmac

re-reading. please tell me this is a typo "white with blue/red)"

Here is Gadjet directions
http://www.gadgetjq.com/wiredrivinglights.htm

Typical for 55 watts each lamp

It is the white with blue wire. Along the wire, there is a couple red strips.

As for the battery, I disconnected the hot wire (red) before installing the fuses.

The lights have a switch that operates once the headlight comes on. The lights are supposed to go off once the headlight is turned off.

I am not getting power to the black/yellow or white/blue wires. I am using a pick light.

Right now, I am not getting any power to the bike. I have connected the battery charger to see if it does anything.

I hope that I answered all the questions.

[leadbelly]

There is no power in the Black/Yellow wire: It is ground.
Use the ohms or continuity tester on your meter and check each of these wires to confirm that they are not cut at some point.
Maybe unhook your battery so you don't inadvertantly short something while confirming the wires integrity.

[macmac]

No power at all is the main 30 amp fuse on the left side as seated battery hold down area, Under the main seat..

Lead belly is correct the black and yellow wire is a ground and it better not ever read power.

The black/yellow wire is there to power up any acc items that might not be grounded to the bike frame, engine or other hard metal part, for example a gps mouned to velcro on the lexan windshield.

The bike engine, frame, swing arm, forks are all the same as a black and yellow wire, which is Ground... If you touch any + wire like the white and blue wire to any(-) black and yellow wire with nothing else between, that is called a dead short, and that will blow a fuse some where.

With power at the acc fuse, and so in that wire, if you touch both connectors together you will blow the ACC 10 amp fuse.

Some how since there is no power to anything you blew the 30 amp main fuse, under the seat.

"IF" you use OHMS mode in the meter BE 110% certain the battery Ground (black) cable is disconnected, or you will fry the OHMS meter! Maybe blow the meter's internal fuse.

LOL If I were you I would grab a fuse, and run downtown and buy a multi-selection fast!

yeah a lot of these wires have red dots.... never again mention these red dots. Red dots don't matter unless you are a robot counting liddle red dots to create a spider web of a wire harness.

So now install a new 30 amp fuse under the seat in the holder you find there. Be certain the key switch is off.

Once the fuse is installed, go probe the white/blue with light, the black lead off the light into the black and yellow, or any nut or bolt in the frame, that won't mung up paint or chrome.

Don't move a g*d**ned inch from that 30 amp fuse, because there is another pair of white with blue and black with yellow wires right there! Find them.

Did you see the bulbs? See what amps/ watts they say? Look at the info sheet and see what it says. It could be 30 watts, 35 watts or 55 watts, I suppose it could be something else, but I need to know.

I know I write funny, and am hard to understand. I can tell you are a wiring novice, and once a very long time ago I was too. So lets just take little steps and fix what is broken first.

Anytime you don't understand me it is my fault. Just make me tell it again, before you cost any money.

[cactusjack]

Originally Posted by peabo2k

It is the white with blue wire. Along the wire, there is a couple red strips.

As for the battery, I disconnected the hot wire (red) before installing the fuses.

The lights have a switch that operates once the headlight comes on. The lights are supposed to go off once the headlight is turned off.

I am not getting power to the black/yellow or white/blue wires. I am using a pick light.

Right now, I am not getting any power to the bike. I have connected the battery charger to see if it does anything.

I hope that I answered all the questions.

You shouldn't get any power to the black/yellow wire, that's the ground.

If you have the positive wire from the lights connected to the white/blue accessory wire, the lights will always be on unless you turn them off with the switch. You should not connect those lights to any other wire unless you are using a relay to control the lights.

If you are not getting any power to the bike at all, you have either left your battery disconnected or your main fuse is blown.