NEON kit help - wiring problemo

[Jag_V4Ape]

I see that your in Brampton, I can help you out with this. PM me if you want

Thanks! That'd help alot. I'll send you a PM.

[djltoronto]

You're right, I just read/looked over it again. It does seem easy but.. also unnecessary? Dont understand why a relay would be required as the original kit already has a fuse on the red wire.

Relay and fuse provide completely different functionality.


If you are running this stuff directly off the battery (constant power), then a relay is simply a waste. If you want to have the LED's switched on/off with the vehicles ignition, adding a relay would certainly be the way to go.

There are hundreds of ways to make it work, some are more right than others, some will last longer than others, some will cause wires to melt and smoke, as you already experienced. Which method way do you prefer

[Jag_V4Ape]

Relay and fuse provide completely different functionality.


If you are running this stuff directly off the battery (constant power), then a relay is simply a waste. If you want to have the LED's switched on/off with the vehicles ignition, adding a relay would certainly be the way to go.

There are hundreds of ways to make it work, some are more right than others, some will last longer than others, some will cause wires to melt and smoke, as you already experienced. Which method way do you prefer

Originally, the system is suggested to just connect straight to the battery. Since it has a fuse already on the wire - it would protect it from exploding or w.e incase something happens. But on the side note, it still consumes small amount of power since the CPU or w.e is on standby (for the wireless remote) - so it suggests adding a switch to the power wire. I just want to have it off (riding or not), than randomly turn it on if I have it parked somewhere on a rare day. So in my opinion, a switch is best suited for me, as I dont really want anything to do with the ignition to be used as a switch.

I guess we'll see what frekey guy does with this. Im hoping the switch idea pulls off as it seems a lot more simple to me.

[Jag_V4Ape]

Alright guys, here's an update of what just happen.

1. I go to "the source" and pickup a set of 18 gauge wires (red/black/brown?)

2. As I begin to strip it, my hand wire clipper was measuring the LED Unit's power wire as a 22 guage (the manual says 18, and same with the LED guys who sold the unit to me). The wires I bought were 18 - so as I strip these nicely, the wires seemed to be more thicker than the Units red wire. So I'm like, eff this, I aint going to use this as an extension. So I look at the other wires that were on the unit as secondary power options (such as breaks/alarm, etc setups) and these wires were blue and yellow. I decided to cut them both and solder them together nicely than add a shrink tube over it to make a nice seal.

3. I used the same switch before that did an epic fail melting - I connected the red power wire from the LED Unit to one end of the switch, and connected the yellow wire I just cut off and soldered, etc, to the other side of the switch than connected it to the battery.

What happens?
The thing ended up giving a nice set of short sparks for 2 seconds or so, and from there the unit stopped working. Most likely the fuse blew thats on the red wire on the unit.

Anyone know wtf keeps happening? You think it's possibly the switch? Or even, this type of setup doesn't work with just a switch with 2 prongs but rather 3. I'm not even sure anymore as this thing is driving me crazy.

[stevestang]

Switches with 3 prongs usually have a light built in them, 2 prong switch is fine.
Make sure you dont have the 12V constant power hooked up to one prong and the ground hooked up to the other....thats where you will get sparks and melting wires.
It should be basically like this Battery--------switch-------light transformer----neon light.
then the ground wire from the light goes directly to the ground of bike or spliced into a common ground wire that your bike uses already for other acessories.

[Jag_V4Ape]

Thats exactly what I did. This switch was connected mainly to the power wire. The ground was directly from battery to LED Unit. But yet, it still sparked! =(

Is this switch suppose to be "after" the power wire fuse, or before? Because I have the switch "before" the fuse. So its Battery---Switch--- Built in Fuse/Red wire --- Unit.

http://www.thesource.ca/estore/produ...roduct=2701238

It's like one of these. The fuse is right in the middle of the power wire.

[djltoronto]

Anyone know wtf keeps happening?

I know exactly WTF keep happening.
What keeps happening is that you are not taking the advice you are asking for.

There's nothing wrong with not understanding simply electrical stuff, which is why I recommended earlier that you seek assistance before proceeding

Frekeyguy offered to help - why did you not take him up on that?

[djltoronto]

Thats exactly what I did. This switch was connected mainly to the power wire. The ground was directly from battery to LED Unit. But yet, it still sparked! =(

Is this switch suppose to be "after" the power wire fuse, or before? Because I have the switch "before" the fuse. So its Battery---Switch--- Built in Fuse/Red wire --- Unit.

http://www.thesource.ca/estore/produ...roduct=2701238

It's like one of these. The fuse is right in the middle of the power wire.

fuse BEFORE the switch. The fuse is always first. BUT this has absolutely nothing to do with your problem. It would work fine as drawn in your sketch, but the switch, and the wire leading to the switch, all the way up to the fuse would remain unprotected from potential shorts to ground.

[stevestang]

What do you mean its "mainly connected to the power wire"?
Hooking up lights is pretty easy on the difficulty meter. I would move that fuse to before the switch, closest to the battery, but that shouldnt not have caused it to spark as long as you hooked it up right. Maybe there was an exposed power wire that sparked on the frame..i dunno.
what is the LED 3 prongs?

[djltoronto]

It should be basically like this Battery--------switch-------light transformer----neon light.

You do know the OP was misleading everyone by saying NEON. He doesn't have any neons, or any transformers, he has a simple LED low voltage, low power accent light kit with a wireless controller. And apparently, some source told the OP that this device had some sort of parasitic current draw even when the device is off, and the OP wants to add a hard switch inline to eliminate the parasitic current draw, the OP is turning this simple task is turning into a compounding problem.

[stevestang]

You do know the OP was misleading everyone by saying NEON. He doesn't have any neons, or any transformers, he has a simple LED low voltage, low power accent light kit with a wireless controller. And apparently, some source told the OP that this device had some sort of parasitic current draw even when the device is off, and the OP wants to add a hard switch inline to eliminate the parasitic current draw, the OP is turning this simple task is turning into a compounding problem.

ahhh, in that cause his best avenue would be to take frekeys offer for help, lol

[Comrade Yeti]

I laugh at the irony that the OP jumps all over another noob for having trouble with the choke and starting their bike, but then comes in here and makes even worse mistakes. Pot calling Kettle.

OP. Stop, take this to someone who knows what they are doing before you damage your little LED lights (if you haven't already) or do real damage to your bike.

[Jag_V4Ape]

I know exactly WTF keep happening.
What keeps happening is that you are not taking the advice you are asking for.

There's nothing wrong with not understanding simply electrical stuff, which is why I recommended earlier that you seek assistance before proceeding

Frekeyguy offered to help - why did you not take him up on that?

LoL, I PM'ed him! But his latest PM said he wanted me to ride down to his place (which is fine but, I just bought the bike and it's un-insured) till next season.
We'll probably set something up down the road when he's free and willing to travel down. Till than, I gave up on the unit.

[Jag_V4Ape]

What do you mean its "mainly connected to the power wire"?
Hooking up lights is pretty easy on the difficulty meter. I would move that fuse to before the switch, closest to the battery, but that shouldnt not have caused it to spark as long as you hooked it up right. Maybe there was an exposed power wire that sparked on the frame..i dunno.
what is the LED 3 prongs?

I dont think anything was exposed as I did the wiring perfect this time around. Leaving no faulty wiring cutting, nor soldering. What do you mean LED 3 prong?

Anyways, I think you guys are right, this system just needs a better fuse setup which Frekeyguy should know/be able to do-up. One thing is - the silly manual made it sound so easy "add the switch to the power wire". How hard can that possibly be? Anyways, theirs more to the story than just "adding a simple switch to the power wire". As djtoronto stated, "but the switch, and the wire leading to the switch, all the way up to the fuse would remain unprotected from potential shorts to ground" sounds proper. That is something I shouldn't be able to do myself without someone knowing what to do.

Thanks! =)

[Jag_V4Ape]

You do know the OP was misleading everyone by saying NEON. He doesn't have any neons, or any transformers, he has a simple LED low voltage, low power accent light kit with a wireless controller. And apparently, some source told the OP that this device had some sort of parasitic current draw even when the device is off, and the OP wants to add a hard switch inline to eliminate the parasitic current draw, the OP is turning this simple task is turning into a compounding problem.

The manual states itself the unit draws power when its turned off. How else would the wireless controller work if this unit was not on standby?

The entire manual is also found on their site:
http://freymoto.com/media/MC-X6_Manual.pdf

Have a look for yourself, (Page 7 on manual) a question comes up:

QUESTION: HOW DO I KEEP THE SYSTEM FROM DRAWING ON THE BATTERY WHEN
THE SYSTEM IS NOT BEING USED?
SOLUTION:
- Like all wireless devices, in order to keep communication lines open between the CPU
and remote, current must be consumed. The cheapest solution is to pull the fuse if your
bike will be sitting for a longer period of time. The convenient solution is to place an
on/off switch on the red power wire in a location that is easily accessible.

So see where it says "The convenient solution is to place an on/off switch on the red power wire in a location that is easily accessible". Thats what I've been trying to do!

And yes.. I think I did mislead the people with saying it's a neon system, but than again, I sorta consider this as a neon system. But to me, I define neon as almost anything that glows and is part of automotive. lol So sorry for that, it's just the terminology I use myself to describe something.

[Jag_V4Ape]

Hey guys - I foundout that the switch I was using wasnt really made for 12V DC applications, but rather AC. So I bought a switch made for neons and other sorts of automotive stuff with a Max 15A 12VDC rating. This one also has 3 prongs though. The guys at who made my unit said in an email:

"OK – from the information on the switch and the diagram, I do not see anything done incorrectly. Are you sure you are not feeding both power and ground into the switch?"

So the makers said my design was right, but this can only be the switch that was causing the problem in my conclusion. So I shall give it another shot once I buy a new fuse and give an update.

[djltoronto]

Hey guys - I foundout that the switch I was using wasnt really made for 12V DC applications, but rather AC. So I bought a switch made for neons and other sorts of automotive stuff with a Max 15A 12VDC rating. This one also has 3 prongs though. The guys at who made my unit said in an email:

"OK – from the information on the switch and the diagram, I do not see anything done incorrectly. Are you sure you are not feeding both power and ground into the switch?"

So the makers said my design was right, but this can only be the switch that was causing the problem in my conclusion. So I shall give it another shot once I buy a new fuse and give an update.

take a video this time around.... lets see these sparks/smoke your talking about.

[Jag_V4Ape]

Hopefully I shall lol. Hopefully there is none this time around with a proper switch!

[djltoronto]

Hopefully I shall lol. Hopefully there is none this time around with a proper switch!

The switch isn't/wasn't your problem.

[Comrade Yeti]

The switch isn't/wasn't your problem.

+1 I believe the problem is elsewhere: located just above the seat.