I installed the Givi light kit in my E450 topcase on my 2008 Norge. It has five LEDs and a single ballast resistor. By the way, G. Lucas had nothing on these guys for wiring assemblies. I can see why the light kits are not installed in top cases from the factory, they would never meet US vehicle wiring standards if for no other reason that if you open the top case there are two large and protruding male pins exposed that will have voltage from the brake light circuit perfectly positioned to be shorted out by any metal object resting on the open case rim. (pictures at bottom)
Now I am trying to figure out how to wire it in so that the lights in the top case emulate the tail/brake lights. I *think* I understand the circuit, and as I understand I cannot just wire it in and rely on the feedback voltage to give me the tail light function because the six LEDs in the topcase light will draw enough current to cause more voltage drop in the internal ballast resistor of the stock light assembly and dim the tail light function.
If I am understanding correctly what I will have to do is put a blocking diode between the new lights and the green wire, then use a separate ballast resistor between the new lights and the yellow wire to give me the tail light function.
If this is the case does anyone have a clue as to the running ballast resistor size? Would it perhaps be double or 1.5x the resistance of the resistor in the new light assembly?
Or if i do this do I need yet another diode to block feedback voltage from this new circuit from going back to the bike wiring?
I have been searching the threads but so far every discussion I have seen talks about how to separate the brake and tail light functions, not how to emulate the combined function as it is in the existing assembly.
There is one connector pair that mates the top case to the top case mounting plate and another connector pair at the topcase lid right by the latch. They do supply a small plastic cap to cover the supply side (dis)connector when the topcase is off. I give that about a week before it is lost.
