Need help with basic electrical questions

[ORen]

Guys, I'm trying to do something and I've been at it for days so I'm this close to loosing my mind over it , I would appreciate if someone could look into this and tell me what they think is the problem:

 

I decided to isolate my "accessories" from the battery by using the below diagram: (the thing in the middle is a relay (30A 12V), the thing on the right is a distribution block)

 

http://bolty.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/distribution_block_wiring_diagram.png

 

The benefits of this are:

- not cramp the battery terminal with tons of wires

- Once you add alarm +horn+lights + whatever, that's it you're already running out of space on the terminals and it gets messy everywhere

- this allows you to plug as many accessories as you want (of course within electrical system power range etc..) and these accessories will be turned on only when the ignition is ON or engine ON. It's easy to plug things in, you don't have to go and fish for headlight or tail wires or ignition wires every time you want to add something to your bike.

 

 

I have followed exactly the diagram above, and plugged a set of Bikevis bullets as accessory. It doesn't work. I have no idea why.

 

Here's the diagram for the bullets and podmod :

 

http://img713.imageshack.us/img713/2713/podmodbullets.png

 

At first I used the license plate light as low power switch source. (brown and blue cable in the first diagram) : Not working, the lights won't turn on.

Then I used the tail light - not working. The bullets don't light up neither.

here's the tests I did to troubleshoot:

When I connect the bullets to the battery directly: they work.

I tested the continuity on ALL the wires used in the diagram: all check OK

I tested the voltage as follows :

- Relay Pin 30 to battery NEG : 12+V

- Relay Pin 85 to Battery POS: 12+V

- Distribution block NEG to Distribution block POS: 300 mV (why is that ? what does it mean?)

 

This is an image of where I tapped to get the switched power source from the tail light:

 

You can see I tried first the license plate light but since it wasn't working I tried the tail light blue wire instead. Both not lighting up the bullets. I knew the blue wire was the right one beacause my alarm is tapped into it and I tested the polarity and it's a positive wire.

 

http://img715.imageshack.us/img715/1367/taillight.jpg

 

Can you help me understand what is not right ?

I checked and double checked the relay's connections, everything is plugged according to the diagram.

What test can I do to understand where the problem comes from ? What am I missing ?

[koxie]

the Bikevis bullets faulty?Sorry i dunno abt this product,but if it 12v,it shld work.U got try using other source of 12v beside from your bike?Battery?A step down transformer?

[ORen]

The bikevis bullets work perfectly, I hooked them to the battery and they light up

It might be the relay but the damn thing is brand new.. I have another one I'll try with it.

Thanks for the suggestion tho, this is a mystery to me...

[kittosoft]

can't see your first diagram...

 

but from what i understand. just check the ampere to activate the relay.... is it enough to activate the relay? does the relay have a click sound when u switch on your bike?

[ORen]

I tested the relay with an ohmmeter when disconnected, to see what pin 87 and 87A were.

 

The 87A pin is the closed circuit, meaning the switch inside the relay is on 87A when not hot. And when the relay has power, the coil inside the relay is putting the inside switch to pin 87. So it is right to say that pin 87 should be the output pin ?

Because when the relay is connected to the battery, immediately the pin 30 gets 12V and activate the relay's switch, closing the circuit through pin 87. Put my lights are hooked to the switched power line. So when I turn on the ignition and the switched power line is activated, does it send the relay's switch back to pin 87A ?

:confused::confused::confused:

[ORen]

can't see your first diagram...

 

but from what i understand. just check the ampere to activate the relay.... is it enough to activate the relay? does the relay have a click sound when u switch on your bike?

 

This is the image : http://bolty.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/distribution_block_wiring_diagram.png

The relay is connected directly to the battery, the battery gives it power and there's a 20A fuse in between them. The fuse is new, tested.

 

The relay does not have the click sound but rather does repetitive clicking, like a buzzing sound..I don;t know why.

Tried to connect the wires by reversing 30 and 87 pin, and reversing 86 and 85, in that case i don't get the buzzing but i can't say i hear a click neither. But then again, how can you hear a clicking sound, it only happens once when the relay is connected to the battery right ? After that it's always switched ON, am i right ?

[Lexanez]

The buzzing you hear is there isn't enough current to pull through. You are using a SPDT relay?

 

The points 85 and 86 denotes the coil and 87 is normally open and 87a is normally closed. 30 is the common contact.

 

You will need to connect a negative ground and positive to pins 85 and 86 respectively to get the coil going which will cause pin 30 to be connected to 87 when activated.

 

The distribution block isn't connected because the magnetic coil isn't activated yet, this means that the flexible switch is at 30 to 87a which is normally close. This leaves 87 to be opened.

 

If there is enough current, the switch will be at points 30 to 87. Therefore, the "click" sound.

 

You'll need to shift...umm...still thinking. (Done!)

 

Positive battery to terminal 86, your licence light to terminal 87 and distribution block to terminal 30.

 

This is just a...um guess-tation.

 

EDIT:

 

- Distribution block NEG to Distribution block POS: 300 mV (why is that ? what does it mean?)

 

I think this denotes the internal electrical resistance of the distribution block.

Edited November 19, 2010 by Lexanez

[kittosoft]

This is the image : http://bolty.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/distribution_block_wiring_diagram.png

The relay is connected directly to the battery, the battery gives it power and there's a 20A fuse in between them. The fuse is new, tested.

 

The relay does not have the click sound but rather does repetitive clicking, like a buzzing sound..I don;t know why.

Tried to connect the wires by reversing 30 and 87 pin, and reversing 86 and 85, in that case i don't get the buzzing but i can't say i hear a click neither. But then again, how can you hear a clicking sound, it only happens once when the relay is connected to the battery right ? After that it's always switched ON, am i right ?

 

boss i read ur 1st post again saw that it is a 30A, 12V relay? Do you think your bike can deliver enough current to activate the relay?

Edited November 20, 2010 by kittosoft

[Murphy]

try other power supply instead of the license plate light.

[ORen]

Hey guys, thanks for all the comments ! Very useful and helped figure it out: The license plate AND the tail light wires didn't deliver the right power needed. Somehow they deliver a few mV of power and that's it. No idea how it still lights up the lights or why on my bike (Pulsar 200) the wiring happens to be so unique compared to almost all other bikes .

 

Anyway, when i try tapping into the headlight wire, it works flawlessly

 

Now I'm trying to understand what purpose a fuse box serves and whether I would need one with this set up, especially if I put switches to each accessory...

[kittosoft]

Hey guys, thanks for all the comments ! Very useful and helped figure it out: The license plate AND the tail light wires didn't deliver the right power needed. Somehow they deliver a few mV of power and that's it. No idea how it still lights up the lights or why on my bike (Pulsar 200) the wiring happens to be so unique compared to almost all other bikes .

 

Anyway, when i try tapping into the headlight wire, it works flawlessly

 

Now I'm trying to understand what purpose a fuse box serves and whether I would need one with this set up, especially if I put switches to each accessory...

 

with a fuse box, the acc. will not meddle with your bike electrical/electronic system. easy wiring as u only a relay to your fuse box not a relay for each acc....

[limbat]

You might also wan to try this little gadget " add a circuit " tapping power from your fuze box thingy - email me if you need more details & picture - [email protected]

[ORen]

Hey limbat, I'll message you for sure, I needed to get in touch with you anyway about Vision X lights. Dropped by the shop in Bedok but it was closed...