Fog Lights and the "Nanny"

[BlueKnight]

Are the fog lights on the RT connected to the "nanny" system ? Will the nanny show if a fog light is out or disconnected?

[Bob Denman]

Nope; she's not hooked-up to the foglights...

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

IMHO.....everything electrical on every Spyder is " hooked " up/into the "NANNY " in some fashion. ....Mike

[Deanna777]

I have fog lights on my Spyder, I have not had any issues. Deanna777

[bruiser]

No. Not hooked to the lights. If it was there would be a lot more posts on the nanny, that's for sure.

[Bob Denman]

Besides; isn't she busy-enough, keeping Roger out out trouble on these slippery roads??

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Nope; she's not hooked-up to the foglights...

From what I can read in the manual, and see on the wiring diagram, it looks like the headlights aren't either, other than the hi beam indicator being on the cluster gauge.

[kyspyder]

I can assure you that if you put the "wrong" H.I.D. foglights on your Spyder the Nanny will know especially if you have an SE5 or SE6.
I went through 4 different sets of H.I.D. foglight kits before I found the "right" kit @ Xenon Depot ( one of SL sponsors)
I got all types of "codes" and transmission would not shift out of 1st gear.

KYSPYDER

[Bob Denman]

And it WON'T trigger Nanny if the lights aren't properly adjusted!

[kyspyder]

I believe the confusion about the nanny and lights comes from the experience that GS owners had.
I think the GS had a current monitor hung on the light circuit that triggered the nanny if out of bounds (either high or low) current conditions were detected.

Mine is a 2010 RTS-SE5!

KYSPYDER

[NancysToy]

Having the Spyder experience problems and throw codes because of RFI interference caused by HID ballasts, ir because of too much amp draw due to inrush currents, doesn't mean the computers are monitoring the lighting system. The only lighting monitored by the "nanny" on the Spyders is the brake lights on the GS/RS, as far as I know. They thought it would be a safety feature to go into limp mode if the brake lights burned out (low amp draw). Why they didn't have it just flash a warning is beyond me.

[BajaRon]

Anything is possible if you have no idea what you're talking about.

[bruiser]

Anything is possible if you have no idea what you're talking about.

Ouch.

[NancysToy]

well then I guess I was wrong.
But high inrush current causing the nanny to throw codes differs effectively how?

or for that matter low currents causing the nanny to throw codes?
I probably should not have said it had a current monitor hung on, but as I recall the GS models were much more prone to throwing codes due to lights.

I stand corrected & chastened but I think effectively it amounts to the thing.

The high inrush currents don't directly trip the nanny. They cause momentary low voltage, which does trip it. The ballast RFI issue causes electronic glitches in other systems, which in turn can cause limp mode or warnings. Again, the nanny is not directly involved. It only monitors the GS/RS incandesant brakelights, as far as lighting is concerned. No need to be corrected, you really are not wrong.

[Bob Denman]

Let me see if I can understand all of this...
Nanny is NOT actively monitoring the headlights, or foglights; she just keeps an eye on the electrical system as a whole...
And a great source of electrical "issues"; could always just be the lights?
Would that be accurate?

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Let me see if I can understand all of this...
Nanny is NOT actively monitoring the headlights, or foglights; she just keeps an eye on the electrical system as a whole...
And a great source of electrical "issues"; could always just be the lights?
Would that be accurate?

I don't think nanny is keeping an eye on the electrical system as a whole. It looks to me like the Can Bus leads all go to to modules and not to anything like lights or grip heaters.

HID lights operate at high voltage, apparently as high as 20,000 during start up and 80+ in operation. This voltage is generated in the ballast by pulsing the current. I don't know the exact details of the technology. This pulsing sends out radio waves, i.e., electromagnetic radiation noise. It's kind of like a microwave oven. Because of the close proximity of the ballast and nanny, nanny get bombarded with this electromagnetic radiation and it gives her a headache.

KYSPYDER, I wonder if you had wrapped the ballast and wiring of the units that gave you trouble in aluminum foil if that would have solved the problem. The foil would have trapped the electromagnetic radiation and kept it away from nanny.

At least that's what I think is/was going on. If any electronics experts are here and need to correct me, please do.

[Bob Denman]

I have Xenon Depot lights all around with no aluminum foil and everything is ducky.

Are You Sure.jpg
Are you sure?

[BajaRon]

Sorry, didn't mean for my 'Anything is possible if you have no idea what you're talking about' comment to be a put-down for anyone. It was meant as a general statement which applies to me as well. I did not mean for it to be directed at any particular person or comment.

Here is my understanding of what I think we are discussing here.

The VSS does keep an eye on the electronics. Not sure what all is involved, but voltage and resistance, at least on some circuits, seem to be included.

The HID lights are a different issue, I believe. (Here is where the 'Anything is possible' adage may apply).

HID systems include high voltage conversion circuits (Usually housed in a thin, finned, aluminum box) which do not affect system voltage or resistance in any meaningful way. Instead, what they can do (if you get cheap and dirty units) is put out a large amount of RFI (Radio Frequency Interference) and EMI (Electromagnetic Interference) which radiates out from the converters and is picked up by all the wiring in close proximity, which acts like an antenna. That is why Grounding and Aluminum Foil can help. But getting a quality unit is a better idea.

In the old days spark plug wires were notorious for this. You could hear it as popping on your AM radio. Some electric field fencing (like for cattle) that is shorting out can still cause a pop on your radio as you drive by.

The cheap voltage converters on some HID systems put off so much interference that it interferes with the signal transmitted to the ECU (Electronic Control Unit) which is the brain of your Spyder. It would be like someone in a crowded room yelling instructions to you but you can't quite make out what they are saying because of all the background noise. You don't want the ECU guessing at the messages coming in because the ECU controls the breaking, fuel, spark, etc. So there is a fail-safe built in called 'Limp Mode'.

When the ECU decides it can't make heads or tails of the input coming in, it just throws up it's electronic hands and says 'Limp Mode' (or 'Tilt' for you arcade game players)! Giving you a chance to sort out the problem.

I tried a set of the cheap HID light kits. Looked just like the high end stuff so why not save a buck. They worked OK at first. But pretty soon it got to where I had trouble with my Spyder shutting off as soon as it fired. The lights are off when you crank the Spyder but as soon as it fires, the light circuit is energized. It got to where I could not start my Spyder at all. Luckily it was daylight when it got this bad. I just pulled my headlight relay and I was able to ride it home. Not sure why the VSS didn't put a halt to that but it didn't.

Bottom line, the Spyder is VERY sensitive to RFI and EMI. HID systems can put out a lot of RFI and EMI. If you don't get well made units you're likely to be sorry. I've got a set of almost brand new cheap HID lights if anyone is interested.

[billybovine]

yes, but usually only at night.
It quiets all the voices in my head that are telling me that a 1330 ACE is the only way to go.

Listen to voices Roger.

[Bob Denman]

.
Bottom line, the Spyder is VERY sensitive to RFI and EMI. HID systems can put out a lot of RFI and EMI. If you don't get well made units you're likely to be sorry. I've got a set of almost brand new cheap HID lights if anyone is interested.

So... throw one nuclear blast at all of us from about 30,000 feet, and the electromagnetic pulse is gonna make all of our Nannies, as sick as a dog!

[BajaRon]

So... throw one nuclear blast at all of us from about 30,000 feet, and the electromagnetic pulse is gonna make all of our Nannies, as sick as a dog!

I think, at that point, we'd have bigger, more pressing issues...

[Bob Denman]

That's right...
Wal Mart is gonna run out of ammunition MUCH quicker than normal!

[Revalden]

That's right...
Wal Mart is gonna run out of ammunition MUCH quicker than normal!

Ever seen a Roger TX on automotive? I have the conversion kit and 100 ground mugs around here somewhere. Maybe I was just dreaming. I don't really have the KIT or the mugs.

[Gwolf]

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[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Got magnetic stick on locker mirrors on the toolbox right in front of where the Spyder is parked. Easy to see the lights as they come on after starting the engine and when they shut off after turning the key off. Got in the habit of checking before backing out.

Please send a PM to " Revalden " because He's sure His headlights are ON - even when the engine is OFF …..thanks …. Mike