installing lights-help

[junglerubber]

I just ordered some clearwater LED lights for my trip across country and back. the directions are to link them through the canbus system. i have an awesome, black, 2007 r1200r. where do I find this canbus item. is it the weird thing under the seat? any help would be appreciated. i am new to the forum and farkling in general.

thanks heaps, jungle rubber

[thepeacebullgrunt]

Huuuhh I am not an expert in that topic and everybody know that... but your post remind me some of mine when I was struggling to install all my electrical add-ons.

I learned through this difficult time that LED stuff are often canbus OK because of there low power draw so you don't have to connect directly to the battery via a fuses boxe.

My admorelightnings are plugged somewhere on my rear lights cables.

But Photons LED in front are I think plugged to my fuse box.

Conclusion: I don't know where is the "CanBus Item"... But I think it is kind of everywhere including the accessory cigar outlet which I think is limited to 7W....precisely by the CanBUs system.

I think it is kind of everywhere

Yeah ! quoting self... I meant everywhere but after the battery and before the stuff that make it under CanBus control. humm hummm scratching my throat.

[celticus]

The can bus is sort of the system by which the R1200R doesn't not have or need fuses. The can bus detects a short or a resistance difference or problem and shuts down that leg of the wiring so as not to burn things up. I have added a fuse box under my seat for things like heated clothing and radar detector so the can bus does not have to work with these devices and approve or disaprove of them. Use the search fuction of this forum and you can find out alot more about the can bus or placement of aftermarket fuseboxes. Don d. and I have the fuse boxes for several years and they work well.

Mark

[deilenberger]

Actually - "CanBus" is the communications link between bike "modules" (small purpose built intelligent components). The CanBus tells the ZFE module you have pressed on the brake, the ZFE module turns on the brake light.

Most electrical functions on the bike are controlled by the ZFE module based on information received from other modules. The ZFE module sends signals to the instrument cluster module that then interprets them and displays the result. It turns power on/off to various devices on the bike - like the taillight, in response to signals it receives.

CanBus is widely feared for some reason - perhaps because it's also widely misunderstood. ALL it is - is a communications path.

Modules like the ZFE monitor things like current draw (shutting down a circuit if it exceeds the limit set in the ZFE), bulbs (testing them for filament continuity - and automatically switching the other taillight bulb into a dual mode - 1/2 brightness for a running light, full brightness for a brake light..)

For auxiliary crap on a "CanBus" equipped bike an auxiliary fuse box is HIGHLY recommended. It can have a circuit in it that is switched with the bikes ignition by using a relay that is triggered by something like the auxiliary socket. The fusebox gets it's power directly from the battery. This means anything connected to it has no chance of interferring with "CanBus"..

Lots of writeups on this - and I'm sure Ferde will share his in detail diagrams, photos, drawings, musings, etc. on his installation.

[websterize]

I had luck with my aftermarket LEDs by connecting them to a switched wire with Posi-taps. The lights use so little power, I don't think the ZFE knows they're there.