Wiring in additional lights

STRider said:
I doubled up the wires going into the terminal for circuit downstream of the brakelight switch, so it's hot when either the front or rear brake is applied.
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It sounds like you're saying you tapped into both brake-light switches, which is unnecessary, as the share the same wire.
 
Larry Fine said:
It sounds like you're saying you tapped into both brake-light switches, which is unnecessary, as the share the same wire.
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????
No, I didn't tap into both switches. I tapped into the circuit that is turned on by either switch. I just happened to do it by tapping into the connector close to the rear brake light switch. It's much easier to access that one than the the one near the front brake switch.
 
STRider said:
????
No, I didn't tap into both switches. I tapped into the circuit that is turned on by either switch. I just happened to do it by tapping into the connector close to the rear brake light switch. It's much easier to access that one than the the one near the front brake switch.
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Got it. I misunderstood what you meant by "doubled up.".
 
northwestparider said:
This is the exact type of connection I want to make. I just wasn't thinking I was going to have to go so far up the bike to get to a connector. Thanks for the pictures and information. It looks like you have the right side fairing off. Do you have to take it off to get to this connector?
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Yes, you do have to remove the right middle cowl to access that connector. Though you can access that circuit via the connector on the back of one of the brake lamps (like that you show in message #6), those connectors and their terminals are much harder to source and more expensive than the ubiquitous Hitachi connectors I used. Plus, accessing those connectors in the taillight are a royal pain in the arse by comparison to removing the middle cowl. I can do that in my sleep at this point.
 
STRider said:
Yes, you do have to remove the right middle cowl to access that connector. Though you can access that circuit via the connector on the back of one of the brake lamps (like that you show in message #6), those connectors and their terminals are much harder to source and more expensive than the ubiquitous Hitachi connectors I used. Plus, accessing those connectors in the taillight are a royal pain in the arse by comparison to removing the middle cowl. I can do that in my sleep at this point.
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What do you call the "right middle cowl"? Are you talking about the one that is held on with three screws right below the drivers seat?
 
northwestparider said:
What do you call the "right middle cowl"? Are you talking about the one that is held on with three screws right below the drivers seat?
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Negative. You're describing the right sidecover.

Newbies, you'll find that many of us experienced hands use the formal Honda parts names from the parts lists.

You don't have to buy from them, but Revzilla has a very easy, accessible parts diagrams you can bookmark.

Here are the ones I use for my ST1300 and ST1100



This is the right middle cowl you need to remove to get to the connector in question.

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The right sidecover does need to be removed to allow routing the wire to the tailsection. That's where the battery is on the 1300. It's opposite of the 1100.

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northwestparider said:
I just wasn't thinking I was going to have to go so far up the bike to get to a connector.
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But you get to make that pigtail connection. I knew that cycleterminal only had one half of the needed pair didn't know the mod could be done farther upstream.

I prefer not cutting into a wire in any way if at all possible though if that's what it takes I can handle it. I've bookmarked STRider's posts!
 
My bike is a 2008. Does this look like a factory connector? Under the rear seat, right side just forward of the turn signal bulb

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Well, the other company I was working with on a mat for these connectors finally got back to me. She had checked with two suppliers and both came up empty. At this point in the game I think I will probably cut into the harness above the tail lights and install a connector from a kit like this. That way I can make a splitter that will fit right into it to do what I want. Then if I change the box out for something different I can do it easily enough.
 
STRider said:
No wire cutting. NO Posi-taps or Scotch-lock wire taps. No OEM insulation was violated in this project. Should I sell the box I can revert to factory fresh configuration in minutes.

"No wire hangers Posi-taps or Scotch-locks ever!"

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Amen brother! I've worked on too many butchered harnesses. It is a downward spiral.
 
I haven't finished exploring things. I put it on hold while I waited to hear back from the gal at the connector company. If I can find a clean way to pick up a feed to the taillights without cutting I'll do that.
 
It just popped into my head, get a quartet harness and you can come right off the factory connectors, or just come off the connector for the quartet harness.
 
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