Adding fog lights and wiring

[customregtim]

After a few late night trips this spring I have decided to add some fog lights. I have seen several suggestions in searching the forums. Any suggestions would be welcome.

What do I need?. I am thinking I will need an on/off switch (does that come with lights) and some electrical wire? How do I wire into the fuse box? I am an amateur electrician at best.

Thanks!

[David (N. Alabama)]

Here is where I put my light switch and extra power outlet.

Got the switch a radio shack, and the power outlet at a boating supply.

Here is the fuse block I added to the bike to handle the extra wiring. You can also see the relay near the radiator cap.


The lights are mounted on the Kawasaki Light bar which serves two purposes. Holds the lights and firms up the case guards to support the highway pegs.



You need the switch, relay, lights, wire, in line fuse, connectors. Some autoparts places will sell wiring kits for fog lights.

[jgfan]

What kind of lights did you use? Is your alternator stock? Where did you get the lights at? I am in the process of looking for a set for mine also and have asked around but not got alot of info yet.

[David (N. Alabama)]

My lights are walmart Optima or something like that. Stock altenator. Headlight is a 65/55 watt. Driving lights are 55 watts.

[jgfan]

Do you have any problems running those lights? I was thinking about putting a set like wal mart has on mine, they draw around 9 amps I think it is. Just a little worried about the amp draw on them.

[David (N. Alabama)]

I've been running them for around 3 years now. I even run heated jacket liner and gloves in the winter. No issues but I do keep the RPMs above 3000, have not traffic to contend with, and never ride less then 26 miles at a time.
Results may vary. Definitely recommend getting a voltmeter to watch. I put one in my power outlet from time to time to check things out.

[customregtim]

Exactly what I was looking for! Thanks for the pics!

[customregtim]

How do you run the wires from the mount to the bike to hide the wiring?

[ekap1200]

Hello from new jersey, I just used plastic wire loom to run the wire's, These lights are from auto zone, and are 55watts. the other pic is of (digitalmeter.com) a voltmeter I installed when I added the lamps. And to the left of the fader control is the switch for the lamps relay, (also an auto zone item). I have found that , on my machine, they are quite a draw and at low rpms will drop the voltage down 12.5 if Im in slow traffic or in town just putting around. So I primarilly use them just on the highway, or to just get someones attention. As far as where to connect the power for the switch Its your call based on your states law for when the lights can be on. My switch feed is from a keyed connector behind the headlight and the relays feed is a fused feed from the battery. The relay (autozone) has a tab and its connected to the right side battery hold-down bracket. I found its best to have the switch tied to an ignition switch source, because one will eventually forget to turn them off and find they will kill the batt real quick, I know that first hand cause I did it, ( real dead batt ). I also clamped the relays field with a diode (1n4001 ) to avoid the fields high voltage spike. My alternator is stock and from previous posts the cut in rpm would show the same results at idle with the higher amp alt, with the tape deck on and the fan engaged. Our small batt can only supply so much power. I also pull a trailer, but on a long run it all balences out and keeps the batt charged. Gene Kap

.

How do you run the wires from the mount to the bike to hide the wiring?

[Chris near Kansas City]

My wiring tucks in at the lower air dam and fairing on both the '90 and '01.

[ekap1200]

Hey Chris, Where did you tie in for your switch feed, did you tap off of the low beam? and if so did it have any effect on the reserve lighting module ?

[Chris near Kansas City]

I honestly don't remember where I tied into for the relay trigger feed other than it's keyed with the ignition in the accessory position. Not the headlight though. I wanted to be able to turn the lights on without having to have the ignition or headlight on, but not be able to accidently leave the lights on like you mentioned.

[gbakman53]

Saw this post and decided to add some of these to my bike. Bought my lights at Advance Auto, Optronics
#QH68CD, $24.95. Bought a 36" x 1 1/2" x 3/16" flat steel bar from Home Depot, $8.00. Bent the
bar in the visa to the shape I needed to fit under the front fairing just under the headlight. Having it
powder coated black at a local shop for $15.00. Should have it back in about a week or so. Will try
to make pictures and post them. For about $50.00 should have some pretty nice driving lights.
I was going to mount them on the crash bar but the requirement is to be at least 16" off the ground
and no more than 42" above the ground. Decided to be on the safe side to mount them with a
bar under the headlight area.

I have gotten back the powder coated bracket and two light brackets. I did cut off the two
outer tabs from light brackets

Finished light bar. Will post picture
of bar on bike as soon as I can.

[pasam]

ekap1200,
I have my feed to the relay tied into the low beam wire behind the headlamp and it works fine.
Pasam

[debron]

Saw this post and decided to add some of these to my bike. Bought my lights at Advance Auto, Optronics
#QH68CD, $24.95. Bought a 36" x 1 1/2" x 3/16" flat steel bar from Home Depot, $8.00. Bent the
bar in the visa to the shape I needed to fit under the front fairing just under the headlight. Having it
powder coated black at a local shop for $15.00. Should have it back in about a week or so. Will try
to make pictures and post them. For about $50.00 should have some pretty nice driving lights.
I was going to mount them on the crash bar but the requirement is to be at least 16" off the ground
and no more than 42" above the ground. Decided to be on the safe side to mount them with a
bar under the headlight area.

Looking forward to photos when it's on the bike!

[Hip001]

I'm lucky cause my engine protector(crash bar) has light mounts. But if I'm gonna install lights, I want "Cree" LED technology. I have a $20 eBay flashlight a little bigger than a standard AA size with CREE and it BLOWS AWAY my 6-D cell Mag-light!! Not even close!! If I'm gonna go to the trouble of mounting and wiring lights then I want some candle power!!

[Stargazer]

Check out post
http://www.amervoyassoc.org/forum/viewt ... 234#p47234
and this reply too....
Thanks. I got a call this evening from Neal in MI asking about the lights. The lowers are 35 watt 'Fog Lamps' that I use mainly during the daytime to give me what I call the 'triangle affect' to help hopefully make me more visible, along with my hi-viz helmet and jacket. I can't recall the brand name of the lights, but they have served me well and never failed. I once had a little old lady in a Ford Excursion drive right into me head on and said she never saw me. Fortunately just before impact at low speed I was able to 'eject' myself from the bike and was not injured. The bike did not fare so well. It was an '03 Kawasaki Vulcan 750.
The lights just below the headlight are Hella Micro DE HIDs. They draw 35 watts, but I call them my night into day lights. I can only use them on dark roads as they will blind any on coming traffic, but they certainly light up the road. Both of these lights I have switches for and are wired thru the ignition circuit. The lights adjacent to the mirrors are Vision X LED with a medium angle of 15 degrees. They only draw 18 watts combined and are almost as good as the HID's. They really are, they throw a lot of light. These lights are fairly new and untested on a long night ride, but in the short test I did with them I am very pleased. I have them wired to work in conjunction with my high beam. I considered other options, but elected to go this route. I have them adjusted slightly offset to light up the shoulders of the roadway both left and right. In addition to these lights I have the '86 Voyager lower center tail light/brake light, removed the paint from the upper tail/brake light and installed LED lights across the entire section to enhance the tail/brake lights and also installed HyperLights LED tail/brake lights on the trunk near the trunk latches. So my 'rear' is protected too. :-) For side markers and turn signals I have replaced the incandescents with LEDs to help with power management. I also have a digital voltmeter to monitor voltage and because over the years I have been stranded by a dead battery (cell went bad), I actually carry a spare battery in one of the side cases. I am considering upgrading to the new Shorai battery, but that will have to wait awhile.
A BIG thank you to Neal as I learned for the first time today that by placing the headlight switch in the 'middle' position both low and high beams will come on. I never knew that and have been riding Kawasakis since 1980. Never too old to learn something new.
I have two big rides coming up in the next two weeks - Ed's Last Resort Rally in Surrency GA and the Mason Dixon 2020 in Hagerstown MD. So I will have an opportunity to test the new Vision LED lights.
Jim asked if I was going to the Rally in Kanab Utah. It sounds like a great time and would like to go, but that time of year is difficult for me to get away for any length of time due to work/vacation/family obligations. Over the years I have had good intentions since being a member from 2005 to go to the international rally, but just have not been able to swing it and get away. Now if the Rally was in the Spring or Fall........

We can help walk/talk ya thru the wiring....for what it is worth....I am an electrical/aerospace engineer by profession.