How to Hook Up Deadlights (without voiding warranty)

[jonlink]

Using Lil' Buddy's deadlight system is an easy, hassle-free way to go. There is one problem for new scooter owners, though. Splicing any wires means a voided warranty. Buck up, champ, here is another way to hook things up without voiding the warranty! I'll try to figure an easier way to do this, because the current system requires a bit work and (minor) soldering.

You need:
• wires (red & black 22 gauge)
• wire cutter/stripper → like this one on amazon (it doesn't look like radioshack has a decent one)
• sumitomo male connectors (x2) → Sumitomo 110 2 position, like these
• butt connector (x2) → stuff like this is at radioshack
• male quick connectors (x2) → something like this will do
• piggyback connectors (x2) → like these
• switch → for example
• soldering iron & solder → also at radioshack
• electrical tape (to make sure everything is weather proof)
• LED's (x2) → lights to replace blinkers— like this (you need 1156)*

Steps (depending on your skill level it should take around an hour total):
1) open up the front of the scooter (three screws— one in the front two in the back at the top)
2) disconnect the charger
3) put the piggyback connector on
4) reconnect the charger
5) connect the 2 male quick connectors to about 4in. of red and 6 in. black wire
6) solder the red wire to the switch
7) solder another 4in. of red wire out of the switch
cut 1 red & black wire long enough to reach the left deadlight, and then again for the right
9) use the butt connector to connect all the red wires together, and then again for the black wires
10) solder the end of the wires into the sumitomo male connectors
11) use the electric tape to wrap all the connections (especially the butt connector!)
12) to install the switch you'll need to cut a hole into the back panel of the scooter. I put mine down and to the left of the charger, it is invisible unless you crouch down. Use the washer on the back of the switch to trace a circle and cut it out. I recommend cutting it a little small and then filing it so that you have a tight fit.
13) install the switch & connect it to the piggyback connector and deadlights (& test it), then close the front of the scooter.

The big benefit of this system is that your warranty is still valid. The big drawback is that you have to use the switch because the line is always on, even if you scooter has no key in the ignition. Luckily, LED's don't draw too much power, so you have a little breathing room if you forget about the lights for a few hours (like I have).

*if you use anything but LED's you'll almost definitely blow the 1A fuse.

[Syd]

Your wiring diagram image was not visible to me (that's probably due to my proxy), but why do you think that this method is warranty safe? Not being argumentative, but I don't see why soldering is any less invasive than the other method? Have you checked with your dealer/Genuine?

[neotrotsky]

Just re-route the DOT blinkers to the "deadlights" rip off the DOT flashlights and there you go! Back to factory stock and those ugly bug eyes are gone

[jonlink]

Your wiring diagram image was not visible to me (that's probably due to my proxy), but why do you think that this method is warranty safe? Not being argumentative, but I don't see why soldering is any less invasive than the other method? Have you checked with your dealer/Genuine?

Good question. You are only soldering your own wires. None of this will permanently alter the stock electric system. The reason I know this won't void the warranty is because I emailed back and forth with a person at Genuine.

@neotrotsky, I think that might void the warranty

I like having running lights to improve my visibility.

[bgwss]

Very thorough write up!

[bluebuddygirl]

Just re-route the DOT blinkers to the "deadlights" rip off the DOT flashlights and there you go! Back to factory stock and those ugly bug eyes are gone

And illegal!

[jasondavis48108]

Just re-route the DOT blinkers to the "deadlights" rip off the DOT flashlights and there you go! Back to factory stock and those ugly bug eyes are gone

And illegal!

so is installing Prima pipe and removing the charcoal canister but is sure does make a difference, at least on the Buddy 50.

[bluebuddygirl]

Just re-route the DOT blinkers to the "deadlights" rip off the DOT flashlights and there you go! Back to factory stock and those ugly bug eyes are gone

And illegal!

so is installing Prima pipe and removing the charcoal canister but is sure does make a difference, at least on the Buddy 50.

Yeah, and I admit the original turn signals are much better looking, but the distance of the new ones are for safety, and everything that we can do on these small bikes to alert others to what we are doing should be adhered to, in my opinion. I just wanted to make sure that anyone thinking of doing this knows that it is illegal, cause I think some don't.

[Syd]

Your wiring diagram image was not visible to me (that's probably due to my proxy), but why do you think that this method is warranty safe? Not being argumentative, but I don't see why soldering is any less invasive than the other method? Have you checked with your dealer/Genuine?

Good question. You are only soldering your own wires. None of this will permanently alter the stock electric system. The reason I know this won't void the warranty is because I emailed back and forth with a person at Genuine...

Great, thanks jonlink.

[jasondavis48108]

And illegal!

so is installing Prima pipe and removing the charcoal canister but is sure does make a difference, at least on the Buddy 50.

Yeah, and I admit the original turn signals are much better looking, but the distance of the new ones are for safety, and everything that we can do on these small bikes to alert others to what we are doing should be adhered to, in my opinion. I just wanted to make sure that anyone thinking of doing this knows that it is illegal, cause I think some don't.

Completely agree, it's always good to know when your a law breaker

[Lil Buddy]

The reason I know this won't void the warranty is because I emailed back and forth with a person at Genuine.

Unless you have a different email response than this one you posted from Genuine, "Sorry but if you look at the Limited Warranty document that comes with your scooter it basically says any damage from modifying any part of the scooter will void the warranty.", I have a hard time believing that this method will not void the warranty.

You are only soldering your own wires. None of this will permanently alter the stock electric system.

Yes, you are soldering your own wires, but they are connected to a stock component that you have now altered. And that altered component is connected to the stock electrical system.

This could be great news if indeed it does not void the warranty but again, I believe it does.

Just re-route the DOT blinkers to the "deadlights" rip off the DOT flashlights and there you go! Back to factory stock and those ugly bug eyes are gone

You would then need to either increase the wattage of the remaining blinker bulbs or install a universal flasher relay to correct the flash rate.

[jonlink]

The reason I know this won't void the warranty is because I emailed back and forth with a person at Genuine.

Unless you have a different email response than this one you posted from Genuine, "Sorry but if you look at the Limited Warranty document that comes with your scooter it basically says any damage from modifying any part of the scooter will void the warranty.", I have a hard time believing that this method will not void the warranty.

You are only soldering your own wires. None of this will permanently alter the stock electric system.

Yes, you are soldering your own wires, but they are connected to a stock component that you have now altered. And that altered component is connected to the stock electrical system.

This could be great news if indeed it does not void the warranty but again, I believe it does.

This is the second email I got from Genuine, in which I am told to use a piggyback connector:

There is a chance that you could tap into the 12 volt outlet (cell phone charger) because it has a built in fuse that will protect the wires from being overloaded. The other existing issue is the current bulbs that ship in the "deadlights" are 10 watts a piece so combined there will 20 watts which is almost a headlight. You will have to install lower wattage bulbs like 5 watts which will still give you good visibility. You may also be able to find L.E.D. style bulbs in the same size which use very little power and are actually brighter than standard. I attached a picture of a connector that you can attach in line at the back of the outlets positive and wont require cutting/splicing.

If anyone has even the slightest doubt, I encourage you to email Genuine and get the lowdown firsthand.

[Lil Buddy]

I hope you don't think I'm trying to argue. I'm just trying to make sense of what you have been told. You were first told that any alteration would void the warranty. But then you were told how to make even more alterations to achieve what you wanted. But I don't see where Genuine says this will not void your warranty. I only see an email from them that offers a different method of wiring the deadlights.

Either way, it's a good option.

[jonlink]

I hope you don't think I'm trying to argue. I'm just trying to make sense of what you have been told. You were first told that any alteration would void the warranty. But then you were told how to make even more alterations to achieve what you wanted. But I don't see where Genuine says this will not void your warranty. I only see an email from them that offers a different method of wiring the deadlights.

Either way, it's a good option.

No worries, it doesn't hurt it get the facts as straight as possible. I guess it would help to see it this way:

from my email

Do you know if there is anyway to connect them without voiding the warranty? I do like the idea of heightened visibility/safety, but I don't want to sacrifice my warranty in the process.

from Genuine's response

There is a chance that you could tap into the 12 volt outlet (cell phone charger) because it has a built in fuse that will protect the wires from being overloaded. The other existing issue is the current bulbs that ship in the "deadlights" are 10 watts a piece so combined there will 20 watts which is almost a headlight. You will have to install lower wattage bulbs like 5 watts which will still give you good visibility. You may also be able to find L.E.D. style bulbs in the same size which use very little power and are actually brighter than standard. I attached a picture of a connector that you can attach in line at the back of the outlets positive and wont require cutting/splicing.

I'll just say again, if anyone is worried it never hurts to ask again. You can even point the folks at Genuine to this posting.

[TVB]

Genuine makes (and repeats) a disclaimer about altering the vehicle voiding the warranty because they don't want to have to spend money fixing your scoot if you mess it up.

If you (for example) hook up your deadlights, and several weeks later your brakes fail, or your mirrors fall off, or a defect in your carburetor causes your bike to stall 10 seconds after you start it, they will honor your warranty. Because you did not do anything to cause those things to happen. However, if you hook up your deadlights, and it starts blowing fuses, drains your battery, or some other problem that is caused by your alteration, they aren't going to fix that for you. That's the responsibility you accept when you start making alterations.

I'm not in the habit of telling people to just use common sense in interpreting legal documents, because it often requires more than that. But in this case, based on what Genuine has said, and what they've done for other owners on many occasions, that appears to be appropriate regarding their warranty.

[Lil Buddy]

Hmm, I still have questions about this but I'll leave good enough alone.

Thanks jonlink for the time you put into finding this alternative method. I have added an Optional On/Off Switch for the Running Light and BOB Combo Adapter.

To those that chose this method, keep in mind that your LED running lights will draw anywhere from .33-.83 amps (depending on bulb type). So anything you plug into the 12v outlet must draw less than .17-.67 amps or it will blow the fuse.

[nickcornaglia]

I bought an almost new Psycho from my brother-in-law. Even though there was only 10 miles on the scooter, the warranty could not be carried over.

Thus, I did not care about about voiding anything so I wire-tapped the dead lights into the dot blinker wires. A $3 fix from Lowes. Plus, I couldnt bring myself to spending $35 for the Blinker Adapter Y harnesses.

[Capt_Don]

If you have the dealer do it I supposed it still would not be covered then, eh?

[kymur]

Is this for connnecting the deadlights or can't I just put in a new bulb?

[thatvwbusguy]

The "deadlights" are actually the stock turn signals that are used in most locations outside the US. In the US, we have the high mounted DOT turn signals, which supposedly offer better visibility and safety.

Instead of making two sets of front body panels (which would increase the cost because of the expense of additional molds), PGO just leaves these lights disconnected and tapes the wiring leads out of the way inside the front panel.

Depending on how they are connected, you can convert the deadlights to come on as running lights with white bulbs, or to act as secondary turn signals with amber bulbs. Using LED bulbs is recommended because they draw less power than a standard filament bulb and won't overtax the Buddy's marginal electrical system.

The wiring harness from Voodoo makes it easy to connect the deadlights without having to cut any wires. If you don't mind cutting the connectors on the deadlight wires and you are handy with 12 electric systems, you can make your own harnesses with readily available parts.

[brewsky]

Does anyone know how to purchase the Voodoo deadlight adaptor? The voodooscooterparts web site is closed, and am unsure if VSP still sells them.
I PMed him, but no response so far.


Thanks

[Vortechs]

I purchased a Voodoo deadlight adapter from VSP (Ethan) this January. He replied to all my PM's, though it sometimes took a few days.

[BuddyRaton]

I wire-tapped the dead lights into the dot blinker wires. A $3 fix from Lowes.

That is exactly what I did in 06, well...I'm not sure the parts came from Lowe's...and have never had a problem. Also I have never heard of anyone needing or being denied warranty service related to a deadlight mod.

[theflash784]

I also bought an adoptor from VSP earlier this month. He answered my PM- once it took a few days. Just give him some time to get back to you.

[koyla87]

You can just make the same adapter for $10 from Home Depot or 20$ I you go to auto zone.

[LDB]

Using Lil' Buddy's deadlight system is an easy, hassle-free way to go. There is one problem for new scooter owners, though. Splicing any wires means a voided warranty.

Untrue, at least in the U.S. It might void a portion of the warranty but it legally cannot void the warranty. The Magnusson-Moss Act prohibits that. Under law, anything the owner does can only void the warranty on something if it is directly responsible for failure of a specific system. For instance, if one messes with wiring and later there is a failure of say the turn signals due to the modification then warranty won't fix it. If one messes with wiring and later there is a brake problem or a suspension problem or similar the warranty must be honored because one is not directly related to the other.

[Stormswift]

I wire-tapped the dead lights into the dot blinker wires. A $3 fix from Lowes.

That is exactly what I did in 06, well...I'm not sure the parts came from Lowe's...and have never had a problem. Also I have never heard of anyone needing or being denied warranty service related to a deadlight mod.

can you please describe how to? Iwill be opening front cover in the nearest future to replace blown lighter fuse so it would be great if I could do both at the same time.

[thatvwbusguy]

Using wire taps is definitely the cheapest and quickest way to connect the Deadlights. Unfortunately it is also the most likely way to experience an electrical failure caused by using badly chosen components.

Wire taps cut into both sides of the insulation to make contact and weaken the integrity of the wire significantly (this is especially problematic on thin wires prone to high levels of vibration like you find on the Buddy). I work on automotive wiring on a daily basis and fix dozens of bad connections every year caused by the use of wire taps on thin gauge wires.

Failure of a wire tap can exhibit symptoms that range from an erratic connection (lights only work sometimes, flash when hitting bumps etc) to a broken wire that grounds to the frame and causes considerable damage to the wiring harness.

Voodoo is charging a fair price for a well produced Plug & Play solution. You can't buy the connectors, wire and the proper tools for assembly as cheap as they are selling the Deadlight Harness. Supporting small businesses that cater to niche marketplaces like Modern Buddy is always money well spent.

I like to connect the power for the Deadlights to the +12V tab for the horn. This connection is only live when the ignition is on, so there is no need for an additional switch. Use a 1/4" female piggyback to make the connection without cutting or tapping into any wires and protect it with a small piece of 1/2" shrink wrap.

[KABarash]

I like to connect the power for the Deadlights to the +12V tab for the horn. This connection is only live when the ignition is on, so there is no need for an additional switch. Use a 1/4" female piggyback to make the connection without cutting or tapping into any wires and protect it with a small piece of 1/2" shrink wrap.

Could you post pics and/or a bit of a 'tutorial' how to do that for those of us whom happened to be 'challenged' with such skills?

[thatvwbusguy]

Here are a few pics showing the 1/4" piggyback installed on a generic scooter horn. The Buddy horn has the same male connectors, so installation will be similar. It may be necessary to rotate the horn slightly to allow clearance of the connectors.


1/4" Piggyback disconnect terminal. Available at Radio Shack or any electronic supply store.



Male terminals on horn.



Piggyback installed on horn positive terminal.



Shrink Wrap covering connectors.

Installation Instructions:

1) Disconnect the positive wire to the horn by pulling it off carefully. Use needle nose pliers to grip the wire connector if you can't fit your fingers into the space, don't pull on the wire itself.

2) Install Piggyback connector onto positive male horn tab by pushing firmly until completely seated.

3) Slip shrink wrap upward over stock power wire and new wire from Deadlight harness (or whatever 12V accessory you are installing).

4) Install wires onto Piggyback connector.

5) Lower heat shrink wrap over connection and carefully heat the tubing to reduce diameter using a heat gun or small butane torch (Aim & Flame works fine) to make a safe and secure connection.

[cookemonster2311]

• sumitomo male connectors (x2) → Sumitomo 110 2 position, like these

As you were, Do not get the "male" connectors. It is counter intuitive, however the website does have them labeled correctly (I had a brief discussion with the owner about it). To make these harnesses you need the female sumitomo 110 2 position.

I will have some harnesses just like the ones in the video for the buddy 50 available soon.

Is voodoo scooters down btw?

Be safe out there!

[thatvwbusguy]

The 2.8mm terminals used in the Sumitomo housings require a special crimping tool to make a proper crimp: http://www.amazon.com/SARGENT-Tools-102 ... B00CIRFSEG. I have purchased several less expensive versions of this type of crimping tool for testing over the years, but have been disappointed with the results from all of them. A normal crimping tool for insulated terminals (like you would get at Radio Shack or your local home center) will crush the small terminals, which usually results in a bad connection and prevents them from being inserted into the housings.

I can provide any Modern Buddy member who already has access to the proper crimping tool with two sets of Sumitomo terminals and housings (enough to make one complete deadlight adapter) for $4.25 including shipping via 1st Class Mail in the US.

I have been working with several members here to make a plug & play deadlight adapter for the Buddy 125, 150 & 170i. This allows the deadlights to be powered from the 4-way Sumitomo plug in the front wiring harness and doesn't require a wire tap or splice of any type, so the factory warranty will not be compromised. The prototype kits for the Buddy 125/150/170i have been installed and run for a few weeks and are working flawlessly. I will put some photos and pricing info on my website in the next few days to make them easily available to anyone looking to bring their deadlights to life.

I have come across a few different possible ways to power the deadlights on a Buddy 50 without tapping or splicing wires, but the method seems to vary between model years (or perhaps more randomly?). So far I haven't taken the time to track specific changes by model year, but it shouldn't be too difficult to offer a "no-cut, no-tap, no splice" plug & play version of the deadlight to running light adapter for the Buddy 50 as long as Genuine has been consistent with their wiring harnesses during production runs. If anyone with a Buddy 50 would like to help me sort out the best method for powering the deadlights for various model years, I would be happy to offer a deep discount on a deadlight harness in return for their assistance. To gather the required data, all you will need is a digital camera and access to a 12V test light http://www.amazon.com/Tools-129-Low-Vol ... B000CODDYO or volt meter http://www.amazon.com/Multimeter-Digita ... B00066ZZO4

Please contact me via PM or email me directly at [email protected] if you would like to help collect the necessary data to make a plug & play deadlight adapter available for the Buddy 50.

[MYSCTR]

Ask anyone who just got their first Buddy and they may say the warranty helped them to decide to buy a Buddy or a new Buddy. Our first couple of Buddy's we did there same making no engine mods until we hit 10,000.

After riding for several years and owning 7 (family) Buddy scooters and putting a whole heck of a lot of miles on them we have yet to have the warranty ever come into play. They are rock solid which is why Genuine can offer such a warranty in the first place.

A while back we did some research and I believe the deadlights are within an inch of being legally spaced for DOT. Really not such a big deal when you consider that, yet of course someone has to draw the line somewhere. We have always added them to the US DOT's just to be seen better especially at night and we have never reduced the bulb size and everything works fine.

Just our two cents worth...

[PeteH]

I'm helping test Jay's upcoming plug-and-play deadlight harnesses. You'll see when photos go up, but trust me: the build quality on this wiring is unbelievable. Top quality. And no wire splicing or 'vampire taps' are needed.

I'm running with some LED 1156-base clusters from superbrightleds.com. Loads of front visibility now.

[Bluestorm909]

Hi, I just bought a used 2006 buddy 50, would any of the part for sale is work with my scooter?
I want to change them all to LED lights,
And also led strip for whole scooter, what do you recommend?
Thanks

[thatvwbusguy]

To be honest, there is so much variability in the Buddy wiring harnesses over the years that it's impossible to say with 100% certainty whether the plug & play harness will work for your 2006 Buddy 50 or not.

Check to see if you have the 4-pin connector shown in the photos here: https://sites.google.com/site/vanagonhe ... g-location . If the 4-pin connector is present, it is simple to test the orange wire with a 12V test light or a multimeter to ensure it only has power when the ignition is turned on.

If the 4-pin connector is not used on your 2006 Buddy 50, there is a good chance that you can power the deadlights via the positive horn connection as shown in my post above. You will still need to test for voltage at the horn to ensure that there is only power present when the ignition is on to determine if this approach will work for you.

To me, the least desirable method would be to use a wire tap to power the deadlights, due to the risk of damage to the stock wiring. If that is the only design that will work with your scooter, I can still make that type of harness.

All of the other scooter products I offer should work well for your Buddy 50: https://sites.google.com/site/vanagonhe ... oter-stuff

The legality of adding LED striplights to the underbody of the scooter will vary by location. I don't personally advise installing unusual lighting on any vehicle, since it can lead to momentary confusion from other drivers and can actually decrease safety instead of improving it.

[Argee]

Just did the mod, wired a $4 switch to the accessory plug with piggybacks. Cut the 2P.110 connectors off, spliced some wire on, stuck some 68-SMD warm white LEDs in the sockets (supposed to be about 3.5W each), works great. Flickers a bit with the engine running, not sure why...

[Moyesdriver]

I wanted to repost a comment I made about VWBUSGUYs deadlight wiring harness and suggestion for LEDs (W3Ws) that I put under a different topic in November:


Just installed the deadlight wiring. Outstanding quality, better than the factory wiring harness. Perfect fit. Thanks for an excellent product-

I cut, splice, wiretap etc. on boat trailers because I have to. Use VWGuy's plug-and-play harness and save yourself the trouble (and future vibration induced failures.) His bulb suggestion is spot-on as well, they are bright, don't flicker, and look like they belong there.

A five star review, and no, I don't get a cut.