What's the easiest to wire the hi/lo beams so they both come on in the hi mode, besides leaving the headlight switch between hi/lo.

 

Go to search and type in mudrunner in "seach for author" and click on his link he wrote down the hole wirring instuction to do the job.

 

I would like to know this information too. I did the search by author for mudrunner and did not get any hits? Anyone else know where we might get this information?

Thanks!

 

I am not sure of the original poster, but floodrunner had instructions in his website. Here they are. If you would like the link to his website, let me know and I will post it.

From floodrunner:

For three headlight operation I’ve had a push-button switch patched between the hot wire for my low beams and the hot wire for my high beams on four different Polaris machines with no problems, except for dirt and water occasionally fouling the switch. If you like you can just patch a wire between the two hot leads so that no mater if your switch is in high or low, all three lights will come on. The addition of the switch in this “patch” line just gives you the option of opening the connection so your handlebar switch can function normally. On most late model but pre-’99 Polarises you can fiddle with the OEM light switch in-between its low and high detents and get all three lights to stay on, but it’s not so easy on ’99 & up with the new switches. As I said, the addition of patch wire with an auxiliary switch will give you the option of getting all three to light up, but last week I tried a new idea and so far it’s worked flawlessly. Instead of a switch patched between the two hot leads I installed a diode. Actually, since I already had the switch there, on mine I just installed the diode between the two wires that go to the switch and left the switch in place. If the diode should burn out on the trail then I can still use my switch as a back-up to light all three lights. But after the diode worked so well on our “test” rides last weekend I really see no need for the switch. We had both our machines running with all three lights on, low beams powered through the diode, for many periods of up to an hour both Friday and Saturday nights without the slightest flicker or any other indication of malfunction. It was really nice to have only one switch to deal with for either the two low beams on low or all three lights on high. All you need to do is install the diode between the yellow high beam hot lead wire at the back of the pod headlight bulb and the green low beam hot lead that runs from the handlebar switch down to the low beams. The diode needs to be installed with the current able to flow through it from the yellow wire to the green wire. In addition to the diode you’ll need about a foot of 18 gauge wire (min) for your “patch” lead. Once you get the wire’s insulation removed in the proper places you can easily test which direction the diode needs to be installed by temporarily connecting it with alligator clips at each end (roach clips, for those of you in Rio Linda). This differs from the auxiliary switch method in that you will no longer have the option to light just the pod high beam alone.

For those who are unaware, a diode acts like a check valve, or one-way valve, in an electrical circuit. Current is able to flow through it one way but not the other. I bought the diodes I used from a place that rebuilds starters and alternators. Ask for one that is rated for 25-30 amps at 12 volts. Their appearance may surprise you. Because they’re designed to be pressed into a fitting on an alternator they look a little like a stick with a small cylinder on one end, or a tiny piston without the bearing collar on the crank end of the rod. The “stick” or “rod” is one terminal of it, anywhere on the sides or top of the “piston” is the other. Tin a dab of solder anywhere on these two points to solder the wires that will perform your “patch” between the hot leads. Once the diode is installed wrap the entire body of it with electrical tape to insulate it from shorting to a ground.

Just a word of caution here. Because of the amount of additional current draw I suggest you not allow the machine to idle for an extended period with all the lights on. I’ve made these modifications to more than one machine with success, but that doesn’t mean there won’t or couldn’t be problems in the long run from doing them. This info is provided strictly on a “what I’ve done” basis. I’m not encouraging anyone to do anything they may regret. That’s my disclaimer, so I hope you enjoy the mods as much as we do if you choose to do them. I’ll also try to help by answering any questions there might be via personal email, as my time permits.



Hope all this helps

 

Whoop's I mean" floodrunner".Hope that didi not cause any trouble.

 

Guys,

It is a cheap and easy mod that is well worth the effort. Here is my version of the instructions. I started out with Floodrunner's info and then documented how I did it:

I have used the following method on a few of the machines in our riding group. It originated here in the forum and works well.

Remove the front rack (4 screws) and pop the hood off. Locate the solid green and yellow wires coming down the handlebars from the headlight switch. Strip (don't cut) a short portion of each wire (1/4"). Attach a diode between the two wires, with the cathode (line on the diode) end of the diode towards the green wire. Solder the connections and tape up (or better yet seal with silicone) the bare connections.

The post I got the information from suggested a heavy diode. I agree, to a point. The current that flows through this diode feeds 60w. At 12V this means 5 amps flow though the diode. Therefore you need at least a 5 amp diode. I used two 3amp Schottky Barrier diodes in parallel (tied side by side between the yellow and green wires). This is the equivalent of a single 6 amp diode. The diodes I used were part number 1N5822T. They cost 47 cents each. They should be readily available at any electronics supply store or Radio Shack.

With this arrangement the low position on the switch gives you the two lower lights (as it always did). The high position on the switch gives you all 3 lights at the same time.

This is a great mod for the Sportsman. It is very easy to do, and inexpensive. I have done the mod to 1 '97, 2 '98's, and 1 '99. We don't have any battery drain problems with this arrangement.

The draw from the 3 lights at once is about 120W. This is a fraction of what the battery and alternator produce. We have never had any battery or power problems.

A simple and inexpensive mod that really improves the lighting. I run with my two lower lights turned out to the bush at about 15 degrees.

DJ

 

Thanks for the info and cool instructions, I'll give it a whirl and let you know the outcome. Craig