cant seem to find my electrical consumption in service manual.found how much the lights use but cant find out how much the ignition and other stuff uses.would like to make sure im not gonna over tax my charging.also curiouse about hooking engine gaurd fog lights to ***.switch.do i need the relay or can i go directly from the lights to the switch?

 

The fog lamps won't be a problem since you have at least a 45 amp system. The HD Electrical Diagnostic Manual for your bike has the amp draw for the electrical components if you want to total it on your own.

The problem with trying to wire the fog lamps to the accessory switch directly instead of the battery as the HD instructions call for is the accessory switch getting 9 or so amps on their contacts instead of the amp or so that the relay provides.

Frankly, running the wires under the tank of your '08 is a piece of cake and don't know why anyone would find it much of a chore to do it that way. The Service Manual explains removal of the gas tank--partial and complete and since you don't have a crossover fuel line your tank is much easier than my '04.

Good luck with your project.

 

fishing the wires wouldnt be a problem.i just like to keep stuff neat and figured i would use the switch and dont like alot of differant stuff hanging on batt.i also dont wanna be splicing into wires.how about if i wired it to the fuse block?what exactly does the relay do?thanks for your help.

 

The relay is basically a switch that uses lower amperage to control higher amperage circuits. In the case of the fog lamps, they are about a 9 or 10 amp device. The relay is an on/off switch for the fog lamps with the relay controlled by a separate switch that uses only an amp or two--in the case of the fog lamps the switch is a simple rubber booted switch, much like the odometer reset on an EG.

You can wire the fog lamps to the fuse panel but you still use the relay to have a low amperage switch.

Don't understand why you want to "go off the reservation" and not follow HD's installation instructions since you aren't (and I'm not either, by the way) a tech, electrical engineer, etc. As for the battery connection, what other stuff have you got there: a battery tender connection, etc.? No big deal to add the fog lamp harness.

 

yea just a batt tender conection.if i put this on the batt and then end up with air shocks then there on there.like to keep it as clean as possible.doesnt the more stuff you hook up directly to the batt open up more spots to get corrosion?the more wires you run the more you open yourself up to rub spots and shorts.

 

alright finally insalled today.heres how i did it.i used the harness that came with the fog lights.took nalical half i needed off.use prexsiting threaded hole in top tree to secure relay.ran wires to and mounted lights.from accesory switch there are an orange wire and a red with orange stripe wire.the red w/orande is hot and runs to a 15 amp fuse.these are in a plug with 4 spots.with only two used.i cut the fuse off the harness for the fog lights.i put a little metal piece in plug that conects two wire ends together.(this is a stock piece from my 89 heritage harness).this goes to power the relay.i took the grounds for the lights and put them on the same spot the ground from the handle bars are.then i took the wire end on the orange wire off.placed the orange wire and wire that goes to the switch together in a new end.stuck this back in the plug.lights work. no going under the tank or adding more wires to the batt.had camera in garage but never did take a picture.sorry!!!