| Author | Message | ||
     Mesozoic |
Does anyone have a nice way to add a delay to the lamp relays before the engine is running? I've gone through one ballast on my high beam already. I tried to find some time delay relays but they were looking really expensive. Any ideas? | ||
| Reepicheep |
Sure. How ambitious do you want to be? Do you want a circuit that uses a microcontroller to wait until the bike is actually running for 5 seconds, then the lamp is struck? Or do you want something simpler that would just wait 30 seconds from the time the ignition is turned on? Not as fancy, but you could make that one with parts from Radio Shack. | ||
| Reepicheep |
I just say your profile. You need the microcontroller one, and you need to build it yourself. You can do it with an Audrino or something... it will be a bit pricey at $50 to $100, but you will then know how to use that platform to do other stuff, and it's a great expandable and powerful setup. I took the other approach, seeing how much I can do for how little $$. I was very happy with the result, and use the little PIC microcontrollers. I could build the circuit you need for under $10 worth of parts (maybe under $5). The reusable programmer to program the PIC's is $18 or so. I like these guys for cheap decent stuff: http://www.piccircuit.com/shop/ Not the fastest shipping, but very well made and well engineered cheap stuff (a dying art). If you go the PIC route, I'll tell you a couple of good chips to start with, and send you some source code. I've been on the edge of open sourcing it anyway... | ||
| Terrys1980 |
This has been covered a couple times over the last month or so. There are SPDT relays with a built in 10 second timer for around $20. http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/HID-Relay-Time-Delay-SP DT-10-second-delay-/180544858770 Here is timer delay relay kit for $40. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Motorcycle-HID-Headlight-T imer-Delay-Relay-Kit-New-/200737151471?_trksid=m7 If you bought a $40 hid kit from DDM tuning you will get what you pay for and will burn through a few ballasts. A good practice is to let the ballast fully warm up before starting the bike and using the flasher with HID's is a bad idea. | ||
| Terrys1980 |
This is a new one and very interesting. It doesn't engage the relay until 13.5VDC is seen. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Jatronx-HID-delay-relay-vo ltage-sensitive-activates-after-start-up-/30070509 8203?hash=item46036ba9db&item=300705098203&pt=Moto rcycles_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr (Message edited by terrys1980 on May 09, 2012) | ||
| Reepicheep |
Cool! That relay is what I was suggesting be built. I already have it baked into my heated grip controller, and have the code to run it. I'd like to try it with a MOSFET instead of a mechanical relay as well, I think it would work great. That looks nicely set up and packaged, a nice off the shelf option. | ||
| Mesozoic |
I was trying to avoid using a uC to control the timing because then I'd have to deal with the enclosure and weather sealing, etc. The bike, being a Lightning, is pretty exposed to the elements. Another issue is the amount of space I have to work with behind the flyscreen. The drop in time delay relay is really the way to go since it doesn't consume any additional precious real estate. I just wasn't able to find anything cheap on Digikey and the like. I did find this guy who modifies a regular relay to add the delay. A bit ingenious, but also a bit time consuming: http://www.pbase.com/time_delay_relay/inbox Cheers! (Message edited by Mesozoic on May 09, 2012) |
