Headlight DRL Connection

Recently bought a headlight that has the DRL function, instructions say to connect it to the +ve of the ACC. Probably a dumb question but where is the best/easiest place to connect to?

[Flip]

I’m guessing those instructions are intended for a late model motorcycle where the lights are permanently on whereas yours has traditional ‘off/position/on’ and ‘dipped/high beam‘ switches.

Therefore I would assume the DRL connection would go to the ‘position’ terminal while the remainder goes to the headlight on terminal.

Mine are always on as soon as the bike comes on and a switch for high/low. The actual headlight just plugs straight in, it's the separate wire for the DRL that I don't know where to connect.

Trying to connect it to side light bulb connection = blown fuse (yes I tried lol)

[Nickj]

As the DRL functions just tend to power up the lights when certain conditions are met such as handbrake off, in gear or somesuch.
As the S2R same as mine has the lights up once the ignition is on then it is already running as a daylight lamp...
If the light comes on and flips between main/dip then it's fine. What the 'spare' wire is doing is to ensure the light comes on regardless of any switch position the driver can select, so for your use it's not going to do anything
Ignore it but make sure the end of the wire is covered with something insulating like a bit of shrink sleeve or amalgamating tape.

Sorry for the confusion, the new headlight has a separate DRL that runs across the middle. I know the headlight will be on anyway but if the feature is there I might as well try and use it! If it's too complicated to connect then I will just leave it and tape up as you've mentioned.

Did the last headlight for your bike have a sidelight/parking light in the shell? If so, that's where your DRL should connect to. I've piggy-backed two white eagle-eye DRLs to that source, and mounted them on the radiator support bolts of the S4R. Very neat they look, and they effectively increase the visible width of the bike's illumination considerably, without being stupidly-bright like those things ADV riders feel compelled to fit.

Nick

Yeah it has a parking light but when I connected it to that it blew the fuse. I probably did it wrong to be fair. How would I connect it to that?

Originally Posted by rac3r

Yeah it has a parking light but when I connected it to that it blew the fuse. I probably did it wrong to be fair. How would I connect it to that?

Sounds like you connected the positive feed straight to earth! Maybe you need a multimeter or help from someone who knows their way round bike electrics. It ought to be very simple but obviously depends on the unit you've bought and how that's earthed. What is the ACC you mentioned in your first post? Don't recognise that acronym...

Nick

[slob]

surely s2r uses low beam as a running light?
all monsters produced since 04 have no headlight on/off switch?
the parking light only comes on when you turn the ignition switch past ‘steering lock’ to ‘park’, you want any permanent (with ignition ‘on’) 12v you can find in the headlight shell, low/high beam however will be either/or 12v.
acc is ACCessory, eg radio/cigarette lighter/usb/sat nav ie ignition switched 12v

Originally Posted by slob

surely s2r uses low beam as a running light?
all monsters produced since 04 have no headlight on/off switch?
the parking light only comes on when you turn the ignition switch past ‘steering lock’ to ‘park’, you want any permanent (with ignition ‘on’) 12v you can find in the headlight shell, low/high beam however will be either/or 12v.
acc is ACCessory, eg radio/cigarette lighter/usb/sat nav ie ignition switched 12v

Oh, I didn't think of that, or of the side-light being only a parking light on some bikes. My '04 S4R has no main lighting switch but it does have a sidelight that's always on with the ignition in GO, so that's where I pinched the 12V for my DRLs from.

Nick

[slob]

if that’s how the 04 on bikes are wired, and it worked for you, then i suspect azar shorted something out to blow a fuse. if you’re trying this without a multimeter, i hope you have plenty of fuses handy.

Haha I only did it once, it was a 'what if I try this...' moment. I may leave the DRL and just plug the headlight in, as you say it's always on anyway!

Here is the headlight I bought, you can see the DRL across the middle (ignore the thing about the red/yellow wire as it's not what they told me in the email)
https://www.originalcaferacer.com/pr...ke-e-approved/

[mickj]

I have my Suzuki headlight wired up so it does not come on with the ignition, just the side or position light. You could use my setup to power the DRL (assuming you do have a side/position light) and then when you want the main lights on you can select them from the light switch.

[Flip]

Ahh I didn't realise your bike has it's lights permanently on and so yes I guess the DRL would have to be wired into the dipped beam as others have said.

Also as Slob says, a meter or test light would make things a whole lot easier than blowing fuses as you attempt to find where to spur off from.

I know a meter is great for many things but for this kind of job a simple test light/voltmeter with the capability of detecting +ve and ground circuits makes it a lot easier when poking around at connector terminals.





Out of interest does anyone know when they changed from a conventional switch to headlights permanently on and is it a legal/MoT thing or could I retro fit a switch giving me back control as to when I want my lights on?

[350TSS]

Too ashamed to ask before - what does DRL stand for?