Hi,

I replaced the wiring harness on my kids 110cc Gio quad and have a problem. The quad is equipped with rear lights which are 2 wire. However the new harness doesn’t seem to have plugs for the rear lights. I was wondering about splicing into the headlight wires, but they are 3 wire because of the high/low beams. Any ideas on how to connect up the rear lights so that they stay on regardless of whether the headlights are in high or low beam?

Thanks

Steve

 

If the system has separate switches for on/off and hi/lo, tap into the wire that goes from one switch to t'other. If it is a single switch that does both, then either tap into the wire that goes from ignition switch to light switch and have the rear lamp on all the time the ignition is on, or bring both hi and lo beam wires to the rear light, with a diode in each wire.

 

Thanks Merryman. Unfortunately it is a single switch that turns the lights on, and then slides further to go to high beams. What kind of diode would I need?

 

Personally, I would go for the rear light on all the time option. I am no electrician, so can't comment on what size diode to use, they will need to stand 12v and 5amps, but you do need to know how to wire them in too, positive side to front light on each wire, negative sides to rear light

 

The new harnesses only come with one connector for the rear lights. It's a 3 wire connector. Wire colors are green, brown and yellow. Green is the ground. One of the other 2 is for brake light and the other comes on with headlights. If you have a multimeter you can test which does what by pressing brakes and looking for a reading.

 

Green is switched power, and brown is ground, The Green with yellow stripe is the brake light. I’ve got the tail lights working when the key is switched on but the lights are only a single filament little build with a 2 wire socket (power / ground). I was planning to switch the sockets out for an 1157 type which would allow me to have both brake and tail lights. I know the standard 1157 bulbs are available as a dual filament for brake/ tail light, but what about LED bulbs? Will any of the 1157 LED bulbs work as both tail & brake light?

 

If you are going for LED, just fit an LED rear lamp with brake/tail built in. LED bulbs for old type bulb holders are more expensive and you are intending to change holders anyway. Incidentally most Chinese ATVs use Honda wiring colours which are green for earth, brown is often positive as well, doubtful if anyone uses the brown earth and green live you describe.

 

Thanks for the heads up. I didn’t actually put a meter on them so it’s likely the green is ground and brown is power. Either way, they are working. I’ve left the green with yellow stripe disconnected which I deduced as the brake light as it is the same as the wire connecting to the brake switch. The new holders and LEDs are ordered but are going to 20 days to get here so I’ll update once I can switch to them. Thanks for all the help!