Resolved: Running Lights with dimmer not turning off

[JamesB]

Hello,
I installed some running lights on my BMW R1100RT yesterday. It's an old police bike, which I converted by putting a pillion seat and top box on. The lights look really good on the chrome crash bar platform where the police sirens went. I'd like to upload photos to the gallery. Should I email them to you?
Anyway, yesterday I left work and it was dark, and I think the lights might have been too bright, so I attached a switch between a wire from the positive on the battery and the white cable. The switch works to dim the lights when riding in the dark. However, I need to remember to undim the lights when I park so that the lights turn off after twenty seconds. If I forget, the dim lights remain on forever and the battery dies.
I read a similar message which said I can take the positive feed from the side lights. That post related to some bullets and not the running lights. Can I do the same for the CREE running lights or will it frazzle my ignition (or something? -- I'm not too hot on electronics). Also, perhaps this is a silly question, but what are the sidelights? Are they the indicators. And finally, splicing the cable -- is that soldering the wires together or using some junction box thing.


Many, many thanks for any advice. And please let me know where I can send the pics for the gallery.
Cheers, James.

[Fluke]

Hi James and welcome

Glad the Cree lights are up and running. I'll research the dimming option on monday to see if this is the case.

The cree lights must power direct from the battery, it's just the way the controller works

I'd love to see some photos, if you could email them to sales@bikevis.com

I will post back here with the dimming results

Regards

[Fluke]

Hi

We have just run some tests and you are correct in you must turn off the dimming function to start the 20second timeout on the lights.

You can do this before or after turning off the engine, but it must be done or the lights will remain on.

I don't think there is a way around this from initial tests, but I'll get the fitting instructions modified to mention this is the case. Very few people use the dimmer function as previously it was undocumented so I don't think it's a major issure for most.

Thanks for the heads up

Regards

[JamesB]

Thanks for carrying out the tests. So far I have remembered to switch the dim off. It shouldn't be a problem. I only use it when riding at night, but perhaps I should leave it undimmed then too.
   

[RCE]

Is not possible to feed the switch for the dim signal from the sidelights, so the signal can only be on when side  lights on ?

[JamesB]

I don't know much about electronics, but if it's a positive feed then it should work. Isn't the issue that the load is too great or something?
 

[RCE]

I don't know much about electronics, but if it's a positive feed then it should work. Isn't the issue that the load is too great or something?

Let Dan confirm but I think it will only be an input to the electronics to tell them to dim, therefore it ought to be a very low current draw.

[Fluke]

Hi RCE

You are right, that should work fine..... I don't know why I didn't think of it, I think I was too focused on the problem rather than a solution :)

James, so just take the feed to your dim switch from a sidelight or headlight. If you give it a try please post back with your results.

Regards

[JamesB]

That's my project for the weekend. Thanks both of you. I'll let you know how I get on.

[JamesB]

It works!

I connected the white dim switch wire from the running light control module to a switch on my dash with another wire going to the positive feed for my dipped headlight. Now, when I flick the dim switch on at night the lights dim, but they turn themselves off when I turn the ignition off. No more worrying that I left my lights running. Of course, the Cree LED running lights go back to full beam for a few seconds when the ignition is off before automatically switching off.

An added benefit to using the dimmed headlights as the positive feed for the white wire is when I flash someone the running lights flash too. When I've got full beam on the running lights are on full brightness but they dim as soon as I dip.

Perfect. I leave the running lights on full during the day and dim at night, so not to startle anyone, and I've noticed the London traffic parting to let me through. The lights do make my R1100rt look like a beast.

[Fluke]

Hi James

Thanks for the info on the dimming... I've changed our user instructions to reflect your install method.

Cheers for all the help and your patience, if you ever need help in future just yell

Regards