New Driving Lights Brown Out

[inspectorrgadget]

This is my first post here. I mounted two 55 watt Hella driving lights to my K75s. To wire it together, I used relays and an autoswitch (uses turnsignal cancel to toggle on and off). I used 14 gauge wire, with positive and negative wires for everything (no using the frame as a ground) and ran the positive and negative wires to the starter relay's contacts.

When I turn on the driving lights, they work fine, until I turn on my headlight and then everything browns out. This happens regardless of engine rpm. I would've thought that there was enough alternator capacity to run these lights. Was I wrong? Maybe my 1988 alternator is just worn out?
Anybody know of a high amperage alternator that fits K75's, like maybe a Police alternator for kBikes?

Maybe there is something insufficient with the wiring I did? I believe I used a 20 or 30 amp relay, which I guessed would have been plenty. I wired up the same Hella FF50 lamps in the same manner on my Concours, with great results, so this brown out has me perplexed.
:violin
Any pointers would be greatly appreciated,

Chad Dada
inspectorrgadget@yahoo.com

[PacWestGS]

Clueless, but Welcome :wave to the right place to find an answer :D

(P.S. it sounds like something you did is shorting out, but not 'fused' I'd be careful and find the problem before you toast your charging system and battery)

[cjack]

This is my first post here. I mounted two 55 watt Hella driving lights to my K75s. To wire it together, I used relays and an autoswitch (uses turnsignal cancel to toggle on and off). I used 14 gauge wire, with positive and negative wires for everything (no using the frame as a ground) and ran the positive and negative wires to the starter relay's contacts.

When I turn on the driving lights, they work fine, until I turn on my headlight and then everything browns out. This happens regardless of engine rpm. I would've thought that there was enough alternator capacity to run these lights. Was I wrong? Maybe my 1988 alternator is just worn out?
Anybody know of a high amperage alternator that fits K75's, like maybe a Police alternator for kBikes?

Maybe there is something insufficient with the wiring I did? I believe I used a 20 or 30 amp relay, which I guessed would have been plenty. I wired up the same Hella FF50 lamps in the same manner on my Concours, with great results, so this brown out has me perplexed.
:violin
Any pointers would be greatly appreciated,

Chad Dada
inspectorrgadget@yahoo.com

What do you mean you ran the postitve and negative wires to the starter relay's contacts? The starter relay is only a switch for Battery + (red) to the starter motor's postitive terminal (those are the two heavy wires...there is no ground wire). The small wires on the relay coil, the ground wire is not sufficient to run the lights and the other wire to the relay is not appropriate. Stay out of the relay box and run the primary power to your installed light relay from the battery directly...red to + and black to -.
We may need a diagram here, but basically the ground wire from the lights goes directly to the battery - and the hot wire from the lights goes thru your new relay and out of the relay directly to the battery+ with a fuse inline. Then the relay coil gets energized however you are doing it with the autoswitch, etc.

[autogiro]

I totally agree with Jack on not using the starter connections, it may damage your starter. And for the best results, either wire directly to the battery or an aux fuse block that is wired directly to the battery. The AutoSwitch has an excellent diagram on the back of the instruction sheet.

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