Headlamp turn on

[agedbikeman]

Hi Guys and first Happy New Year.
This may sound cranky to you but is there any way of switching on the headlamps before you start the engine on a 2014 RT 1330 ie combination of switches etc. The reason for this seemingly silly question is I replaced my battery with a Lithium one but they do crank very poorly in cold weather, BUT the engine never fails to start even though the computer kicks out during cranking and I have to push the eco button after the engine fires or the display is wrong. they say the trick is to run the headlamps for a few seconds before staring as the current draw will warm the battery and cranking will be normal. Ignition on current draw does not seem to be enough even after 2 minutes. As I'm an all weather rider and temps here get down to zero I would like to find a soloution to this problem. Does anyone else have this problem?

Thanks in advance for any imput

Alex

 

[Bob Denman]

You could try letting your hazard flashers run a little bit, and see if that helps... :dontknow:

 

[oldguyinTX]

You could try letting your hazard flashers run a little bit, and see if that helps... :dontknow:

Maybe step on the brake pedal too?

 

[Bob Denman]

Anything to get some draw on the battery going... :thumbup:

 

[UtahPete]

I replaced my battery with a Lithium one but they do crank very poorly in cold weather, BUT the engine never fails to start even though the computer kicks out during cranking and I have to push the eco button after the engine fires or the display is wrong. they say the trick is to run the headlamps for a few seconds before staring as the current draw will warm the battery and cranking will be normal. Ignition on current draw does not seem to be enough even after 2 minutes. As I'm an all weather rider and temps here get down to zero I would like to find a soloution to this problem. Does anyone else have this problem?

Interesting problem. Have you tried plugging in something with a higher current draw (like an air pump) to the cigarette lighter outlet in the trunk, to see if that actually does solve the issue with the Li-On battery? If it does, then you know it's worth the trouble to figure out a more permanent solution. Good luck.

 

[Machinegunner]

You could run a fused line from the battery through a switch and then to the lights. Or you could run a line from the fuse box that gets hot when you turn on the key and then to the headlights. I did that on my wife's 2008 GS.

 

[Easy Rider]

I would like to find a soloution to this problem.

Sometimes it turns out that "better" really isn't in the end.

You have discovered one "solution" already which seems to me to be fairly simple.

The suggestions about running the flashers and/or brake lights might help but the LEDs won't draw much current.
Plugging in a hand held halogen spot light should give you a decent current draw......but that's a hassle.

I suggest that you just live with it or put a "normal" AGM battery back in it.

Have you actually checked the resting voltage of your Li battery to see if the Spyder is really keeping it charged ........and that it is capable of delivering the 11.5 or so volts that the systems are expecting to see while the starter is running ??

In the end, you may just have to resign yourself to it not being a good match.

P.S. Have you checked the battery connections ?

 

[Chupaca]

Interesting....

Maybe only me but having to find these strange solutions so you can use a product that does not work properly seem odd. I would use the recommended battery and your problems will be solved. Of course if you have already bought the battery and can not return it your stuck with it. What I see is you may find a solution but you may get other problems along the way. If you can check the wiring harness on the GS/RS/RSS they came with a headlight flash behind the right control module said for reflecting off the frunk lid and see inside....:thumbup:

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

How cold is cold? In my Google search I find a comment that a Li-on must NOT be charged at temperatures below freezing. You might have a problem with the life and safety of the battery depending on how cold it is when you start your bike because it will be subject to charging immediately. I know very little about Li-on batteries for vehicle use but I'm wondering if you may be using it in weather conditions that are not appropriate. When you say the cluster goes dark that means the battery voltage is dropping below 10.5 volts. If this battery is fairly new and it's acting like this now I've got to wonder if it will work at all next winter.

I agree with the comment that in this case better may not be better!

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Hi Guys and first Happy New Year.
This may sound cranky to you but is there any way of switching on the headlamps before you start the engine on a 2014 RT 1330 ie combination of switches etc

There are three relays in the headlight circuit. The ground side of those relays goes to the ECM which completes the ground circuit after the engine has started. All of the wiring directly connected to the relays is part of the fuse/relay block which make it pretty much impossible to splice into them. I wouldn't try to tie into the existing relays since you never know what sort of problem you might be inviting with any wiring that connects to an ECM input.

Your only really viable option, as I see it, is to splice into the headlight wires at the headlamps and provide a separate power feed to them from the battery via a relay and a push button to activate the relay. In other words create a separate parallel power supply to the headlamps activated by a push button.

 

[jwulf74]

If you ride in the cold and just want something to draw current before you start it up... get a heated jacket. Turn that on and stay warm for a bit while drawing from the battery. .. but I second the statement above... if the display goes black, the battery isn't up to the task and something with higher CCA or a standard battery might do better.

 

[jcthorne]

The Li batteries are a poor fit for the Spyders. They are NOT an improvement nor will they last longer. Quite the opposite is the case.

The OP will be going back to an AGM sooner rather than later anyway. The charging system on the Spyder is NOT a good match for Li batteries with a top voltage near 15 volts. The LI battery will not last long anyway.

The solution is not to alter the wiring and relays to run the headlights before and during cranking, the solution is to install the proper AGM battery in the bike and all will work correctly again.