I give up GL1500 HID light wiring

It’s not about wiring a relay into the bike to run the HID system. That will get you nowhere.

What you need to do is one of 2 things:

1) Have the HID system on a regular switch. You would be responsible got turning the lights ON and OFF yourself. You need only buy a properly rated switch – 15a @ 12vdc and wire it in line with the power that supplies the HID inverters.

2) Have the HID system on a timer. There are many timers out there. E-may has a bunch of them like this one HERE or you can go to any industrial electrical supply store or some automotive shops that install stereos and HID system and get one.

The timers are simple to install and can be usually adjusted in their delay cycle.

I have been considering a HID system for my 1500. I will take a bit different approach but it will be based on the manual switch.

One final note (to everyone)… and please don’t take offence to this, but if you are uncomfortable in wiring or really don’t understand the principals in working with electrical circuits and making PROPER electrical connections, please do yourself a favor and find someone that is. So many people damage the electrical systems in their bikes thinking that a simple fuse with prevent damage. People are always complaining that their “new to them” Wing has electrical gremlins.

Chances are good that if you don’t know where to place a timer relay or switch in a circuit, then you don’t know how to properly wire it into the circuit. Crimp on BUTT connectors are NOT the way to go. Most people don’t even know how to properly use them! You can burn your bike up or damage it beyond a reasonable cost of repair.

Hire someone to do it properly, watch them do it and learn from them. No shame it that guys!

Preaching over! Hahahaha

Tim.

OK… It’s 5am and I am drawing this block diagram by hand without the aid of coffee quickly before I head out the door. Please excuse any errors or omissions. It’s a block diagram to convey a concept not instructions on how to do it. I can’t provide instructions on how to do it as I am not there to see what you exactly have and wires involved. This is just a theory of operation.

In theory, this is what has to happen. If you can’t follow it from here then I would say to have someone knowledgeable do it for you. Save you time, your money and your bike.


#1 Existing headlights.

#2 Typically the wire harness that goes to your headlights are plugged into the ballasts for the new HID system. That’s how it gets it’s Hi/Lo beam switching. Note the dotted lines.

#3 Your HID ballasts.

#4 The HID bulbs

#5 The ballast gets its operation power via a fuse that would normally go to you ignition switch or a switched ACC circuit. (See #7’s dotted lines.)

#6 I would install a Time Delay On timer instead of going to the ignition switch or switched ACC circuit. In this configuration, when the key of the bike is in the RUN position, it activates the TDO timer to whatever you have it set for and then will provide the power to your HID system. This way it will not try to ignite the HID system every time the ignition switch to set to RUN for a few seconds before the timer times out and provides power to the ballasts

#7 This is how it would typically be wired.


See? Easy! Hahahahaha

Tim.

Firea,

First… WELCOME to the to the Steve Saunders forums! You will learn lots here that for sure. :waving:

You can get the same “setup” here much cheaper. This is a site that many people frequent (myself included) that provides quality products and reasonable prices.

http://cyclemax.com/inc/sdetail/gl1500_35_watt_hid_headlight_assembly/83/150892

This kit (neither the one on e-bay or the one through Cyclemax) does NOT have a “Delay On” timer. I have yet to see one that has one included. Relays are not timers and have no ability (in this context) to delay a start of the HID system when power is first applied. This is something I think is a must for any HID system on a bike. If not a timer then a manual switch.

Again… Welcome aboard!!

Tim.

Tim, Thanks for the website and the info! That is a lot better price. I'm leaning towards the whiter light, any opinions either way? I do like the updated look of the clear lense. I can't wait to get my new (to me) trike. It's a 1989 Goldwing with a 2013 Champion straight axle kit. I've driven a trike years ago without a rake kit, it was ill handling and harsh on the pavement as far as the ride was concerned. That fellow was a guy that flipped vehicles and I was going to do a trade for it. I drove it and then I looked underneath it and found iron re-bar used to "fasten" the exhaust system together! He claimed it hadn't been in any accidents, I've worked on and played with cars all of my adult life, even worked for Chrysler engineering back in the late '70s so I'm not a mechanical dummy, but this trike "had issues"!!! Anyway I believe the trike I' m getting will be a lot nicer than the other one I just spoke of. I also want to get a heal/toe shifter set-up for the trike. Had it on one of my 'Wings and don't have it on my Valkyrie now. I do miss it. Any brand or type you' d recommend? I'm going to have a trailer hitch on the trike, have had them on the last three bikes and enjoy the extra space they provide. Any and all comments are welcome. Thanks again for the reply!
Firea100 in East China Mi.
Larry

Hey Larry,

I honestly don’t think you will find a better bike out there and you’re in fine company when you hang around here!

Though I have installed a few HID lights on other bikes for other people, I don’t have a set on mine. This will be one of this winters projects. I will be replacing my reflector set as well. I like the clear look and it really is functional.

Take heed of the Power on delay that we were talking about in this thread. It will save a lot of ware and tear on the HID system and go a long long way in keeping the system functional. The hardest thing on a HID system is the power up. Like an engine, the most ware is on start up.

As for color… for the most part, besides the “weird” colors, and like LED’s, you can get the “warm white, pure white, and cool white” for a lack of better terms.

I personally like no color tint in my light…. I will always go with the “Pure White” stuff which is around the 4500k mark. It’s a little different with different manufacturers though it shouldn’t be.

I have been keeping an eye out for a good quality set. They all say they are great so who can you trust? Hahaha On e-bay I always read through the NEG replies to people orders. You can usually find out if the product is bad or the seller.

Good Luck in your search and let us know how things turn out. Take a few pictures of the new trike too!

Tim.

Hey, Condor,
If you are still leaning toward HID, thought I would comment on the 4500K / 6000K issue. I was a photographer for many years. K = Kelvin, a method of measuring the 'color' of light, 'white' light. White light has many 'colors' from a 'warm' 2500K to a 'cool' 6000+K color temperature. A standard halogen, or tungsten headlight bulb would be about 3200K and is considered warm by lighting standards. Broad daylight, with clear blue skies produces about 5500K color temperature. All things being equal, the 4500K light would look quite 'white' on the highway, by comparison to most of the incandescent standard headlight bulbs surrounding you. The 6000K light would definitely look 'bluish', again, by comparison to other light sources around you. The problem is that our eyes adjust to whatever lighting we view, and 'correct the broad range of colored lighting we encounter. That's why I keep referring to 'by comparison'. If you were all alone on a dark road, your eyes will adjust to see a relatively 'white' light, even with the 6000K lamps. I would think that the 4500K lamps would be a nice, white lamp, without being objectionably 'blue' under most circumstances, especially by comparison to the standard 3200K lamps that come on the bikes. Thought that might help you decide.

I chose 6000K HID lamp color for my dually, my wifes SUV, my girlfriends truck and at least 4 of my bikes.

First off I live in Alaska, we do not have deer up here, no we have mega deer called moose. Lots of moose, but having a shift towards the short spectrum wavelength and having a narrow band of UV from even just the 6000K lamps causes moose eyes to glow. And dirty highway markers, signs or any reflector glow brighter still.

The 12000K purple HID in fog lights make outstanding blizzard lights, only light better yet is powerful enough UV spotlights, UV or blacklight has a minimal reflection on blowing snow, of course I do not ride in the snow but I actually have installed a crude pair of blacklight driving lights on my dually, someday I may market some powerful enough to reach out further for the haul road truckers that drive up to Prudho Bay.

I know its frustrating for a Goldwing owner to not have the experience of just being able to visualize a relay circuit, how to wire a timer, how to wire a relay through a timer or through an oil pressure switch. Many are first time owners, many want to upgrade or to just have what the next guy has that looks so cool.