Help Needed - Looking for 21 RTL "High Beam" Wire

[Drwerner]

I am installing a pair of the new Denali D3s () on my 21 RTL. (To replace the existing Focus 3 1/2 inch driving lights - which aren't very bright). I am wiring them using the Denali Dial Dim lighting controller which will strobe the lights upon activation of the horn (east to get to) and run them at 50% power during the day and 100% with the high beams. In order to do that, I need a 12v + high beam or shutter signal that will toggle the lights to full power.

I am looking for any detail on where to find that wire. I admit, I haven't looked yet, but before i start taking things apart, I thought I'd check the wisdom of the group to hopefully make my life easier

Any suggestions would be a great help!

Happy Holidays,

David

[RICZ]

I'm not too clear as to what you said, but I suggest connecting the lights to a fuse block to avoid the bike's fussy electronics.
Power it through a relay that's energized only when he ignition is on. I had a pair of Clearwater's Darla lights on my last bike and they also operated through a brightness controller. I also fed them via a fuse block.

[Drwerner]

Thanks, that is exactly what I did (wire to a Show Chrome Fuse Block Isolator). The Denali Dial Dim controller features high beam, turn signal, and horn inputs to unlock intelligent flash features that can cancel your aux lights with your turn signal, flash your aux lights as a turn signal, or strobe your lights when you sound your horn. I installed a Bad Boy horn, so getting to that wire is easy. I just need to find a 12v+ "high beam" signal.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Thanks, that is exactly what I did (wire to a Show Chrome Fuse Block Isolator). The Denali Dial Dim controller features high beam, turn signal, and horn inputs to unlock intelligent flash features that can cancel your aux lights with your turn signal, flash your aux lights as a turn signal, or strobe your lights when you sound your horn. I installed a Bad Boy horn, so getting to that wire is easy. I just need to find a 12v+ "high beam" signal.

I have been looking at the " Denali " LED lighting products for awhile now ..... so keep us informed about how they perform for you .... Did you get the Fogs or the Spot version ????? .... they arn't cheap but if they perform as advertised I think they might be the best value out there v...... Thanks .... Mike

[BertRemington]

Dr -- it's complicated. The Spyder wiring harnesses accommodate the differing lighting requirements of several countries, CAN/US being only one combination. In which instance on a 2014 RT-S (I can't speak to your 2021) you want the Gray wire leaving RFB R1 and arriving at Pin 3 of the headlight's AMP SuperSeal connector. This wire activates the High Beam shutter. Because Low and High Beam are the same bulb with the shutter controlling the beam pattern I was able to use HID bulbs at my preferred color temperature of 4,500K.

I'm curious how the "cancel your aux lights with your turn signal" function works. Would you explain what manual operations accomplish this.

WRT "flash your aux lights as a turn signal", is the off-side aux light turned off while the on-side is flashing? The fog light flasher I'm building will do this (I use three Timer Shop relays).

I'm using 3,000K LEDs to better match the turn signal color temperature. What is the color temperature of your "aux lights"?

Thanks.

[RICZ]

I'm just a simple guy, and like to keep things simple. So I'll stay with the Clearwater system. Always on...100% on high beam and whatever you dialed down to when in low beam. Great quality and instructions and easy to wire in. Did I say SUPER BRIGHT?

[Drwerner]

I have been looking at the " Denali " LED lighting products for awhile now ..... so keep us informed about how they perform for you .... Did you get the Fogs or the Spot version ????? .... they arn't cheap but if they perform as advertised I think they might be the best value out there v...... Thanks .... Mike

I had the D7s on my Goldwing set to run at 50% on low beam and 100% on high beam. On my BMW R1200 GS, I had the same. In addition to 50% on Low/100% on high beam, on the BMW, they strobed with the horn. This is how I will run them on the RTL.

I ordered the D3s for their balance of performance and size. I ordered the spots because they are actually hybrid lenses that combine wide and distance.

I am a big fan of Denali (and Twisted Throttle) - a great company and a top-quality product backed by knowledgeable salespeople and excellent support.

[Drwerner]

Hi Bert,

The Denali Dial Dim wiring does all the work. Essentially, it is a gate (electronic relay) that controls each light independently. Here is what Denali says -

"Our ground-breaking DialDim™ Lighting Controller features a multicolor halo dimming switch that allows you to independently turn on/off and dim two sets of auxiliary lights from a single consolidated wiring harness. The LED halo switch displays your exact settings and allows for effortless dimming on the fly. The blue halo controls light set one and the green halo controls light set two; simply double click to switch between the two circuits.

The controller also features high beam, turn signal, and horn inputs to unlock intelligent flash features that can cancel your aux lights with your turn signal, flash your aux lights as a turn signal, or strobe your lights when you sound your horn."

The D3s are a nice color, matched to my 21 RTL factory lights - I don't know what the exact color is.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

For issues and questions like this it would be money well spent to buy a service manual. They're only about $30 at www.canammanuals.com. You can decipher the wiring harnesses much better with a wiring diagram in the manual than from a narrative here.

[Jetfixer]

High Beam Relay.jpg High Beam Dash.jpg Headlamps.jpg

[BertRemington]

Jetfixer -- nifty color pictures. Did those come from the 2020 service manual? Nice upgrade. My 2014 is grayscale.

Dr -- same Gray color wire as 2014 but a different connector. And with 20AWG wire I assume the 2020 headlight is LED.

I read the Denali description but still have questions:

* Cancel with Turn Signal – When enabled the main lights (blue circuit 1) will cancel in sync with your signal to prevent “washing out” your factory turn signal. Simply connect the yellow and orange input wires to your vehicle turn signal circuit to enable this feature.

* Flash as Turn Signal – When enabled your amber visibility lights (green circuit 2) will flash in sync with your factory turn signals. Simply connect the yellow and orange input wires to your vehicle turn signal circuit to enable this feature.

1. Do you have the dual lights (main and amber)?

2. If you have the amber visibility lights, is the Off-side light dark while the On-side light is flashing? (I believe it must to avoid turn direction confusion.)

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

I am installing a pair of the new Denali D3s () on my 21 RTL. (To replace the existing Focus 3 1/2 inch driving lights - which aren't very bright). I am wiring them using the Denali Dial Dim lighting controller which will strobe the lights upon activation of the horn (east to get to) and run them at 50% power during the day and 100% with the high beams. In order to do that, I need a 12v + high beam or shutter signal that will toggle the lights to full power.

I am looking for any detail on where to find that wire. I admit, I haven't looked yet, but before i start taking things apart, I thought I'd check the wisdom of the group to hopefully make my life easier

Any suggestions would be a great help!

Happy Holidays,

David

In case you don't already know, if the the 2020 wiring follows much of the same convention as the 2014 RT, the horn button makes/breaks the ground side of the horn, not the positive side. Most devices on the Spyder are on/off controlled on the ground, or negative, side. The headlights are the main exception. Keeping these straight is one good reason to buy the manual.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Here is what Denali says -

The controller also features high beam, turn signal, and horn inputs to unlock intelligent flash features that can cancel your aux lights with your turn signal, flash your aux lights as a turn signal, or strobe your lights when you sound your horn."[/I]

Be on the lookout for issues related to connecting to the turn signals. The Spyder turn signals are electronic controlled in the cluster. Connecting the electronic control of the DenaliDim unit to the turn signal wire may, only just MAY, cause the two electronic controllers to fight each other. I don't know if that will happen, but be on the watch for it.

[Jetfixer]

Jetfixer -- nifty color pictures. Did those come from the 2020 service manual? Nice upgrade. My 2014 is grayscale.

Dr -- same Gray color wire as 2014 but a different connector. And with 20AWG wire I assume the 2020 headlight is LED.

I read the Denali description but still have questions:

1. Do you have the dual lights (main and amber)?

2. If you have the amber visibility lights, is the Off-side light dark while the On-side light is flashing? (I believe it must to avoid turn direction confusion.)

yes, from 2020 service manual...

[Drwerner]

I did not know that about the horn. Indian motorcycles do the same with the rear turn signals - the ground is flashed and the 12v+ is constant. This seems odd to me. In the event of a problem (horn gets ripped off) - you could end up with a constant 12v+ loose and shorting - makes no sense! I'll have to add a relay to that circuit. I do not ploan on tapping into the turn signals. I added turn signal LEDs to the mirrors, and they are plenty visible - even with the DRLs on.

[Drwerner]

Thanks all, I am getting a service manual. In the past, they don't typically tell where a wire is located. Knowing the color is a big help - I was hoping someone here has done something similar and could tell me where the best place is to tap into the 12v+ high beam wire.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Thanks all, I am getting a service manual. In the past, they don't typically tell where a wire is located. Knowing the color is a big help

I wouldn't depend on the colors used in printing the wiring diagram. To me the colors of some of the wires in the snippet above from jetfixer don't match the letter designation alongside the wire.
Unless they've changed things, which I doubt, BRP has in the wiring diagram a table of connectors and their location. The location is indicated by a zone number with a leader pointing to the location on a diagram of the Spyder. There are very few wires accessible without cutting into the harness wrapping. That's one reason why plug and play is the preferred method for connecting accessories into the Spyder wiring.

[Drwerner]

I just heard from Twisted Throttle - the D3s are in the 6k temperature range - more white than yellow. The beam pattern can be seen below. I have the hybrid lenses installed:
D3.jpg

[Drwerner]

I use Post-tap connectors - which are minimally invasive when I can get to the right wire.

[BionicChewbacca]

I just heard from Twisted Throttle - the D3s are in the 6k temperature range - more white than yellow. The beam pattern can be seen below. I have the hybrid lenses installed:
D3.jpg

I also have the 3.5 focus lights and would like something better…I’ve been looking at the D3’s myself and they look to be a great option.
A few questions if you don’t mind?

How do you like them as far as visibility ?
Does everything play nice with the can am systems?
Did you re-use the focus mounting plates for them?
Pretty straight forward installation?

Thanks
Bill