Seeking a simple circuit for headlight a motorcycle headlight dimmer.

Thread Starter

Seakane314

Joined May 23, 2016
6
I'm looking for a way to utilize the dimmer function of my new baja designs motorcycle headlight with a high/low switch. The light is powered by 12v DC @3.6A and has a third wire that, when grounded, dims the light by 50% via internal pwm or other means.

My switch provides two +12v wires which are alternatly powered depending on switch position. Wiring for the high position is straight forward, it is the low position on the switch and incorporation of grounding the dimmer wire that has me stumped.

I thought to use a normally open relay, wired to the switch's low position to ground and activate the dimmer wire on the headlight assembly and power the light, but this doesn't work as the hi-beam setting would also activate the relay since both high and low meet at the light assembly.

Is this a situation where an appropriately placed diode could keep 12v from my high beam wire from going to my relay coil and activating the relay?

I don't mean to irritate or offend by asking electrically infantile questions on your forum, but truly am stumped as to how to make this work with my standard high-low handgrip switch. Of course I could abandon using the standard hi/lo switch and just use a seperate switch to ground the dimmer wire, but would prefer not to as it would require lifting my hand from the grip to activate it, whereas the standard switch is easily within thumb reach.

Thanks in advance for any solutions you may deliver.
Aaron
 

Thread Starter

Seakane314

Joined May 23, 2016
6
Well crud. Looking at my thread title it looks like english is a second language for me =/ Perhaps I should not make posts so late at night...
 

Thread Starter

Seakane314

Joined May 23, 2016
6
Yeah, you really aren't coming through. Whaddaya mean

Mississippi 1: Power
Mississippi 2: ground
Mississippi 3: Apply ground to dim.

Hand switch sends EITHER a or b.
OK. I think I have it.
Haha, magic dimmer is funny. Sorry i can't provide more info there. Really not sure how it works.

Yes, your digram is much like I was speculating on. Does the diode have to be sized to the the 3.6A of the headlight or the ~.1A of the relay's coil. Perchance would you be willing to recommend size or specs for the diode?
 

Thread Starter

Seakane314

Joined May 23, 2016
6
I did not see those =). Already ordered them, although I paid $4.40 from a different seller as the other seller was shipping from China and I do so love prime 2-day shipping. Thanks, again. And again




And again
 
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