Top Box Lights

[dankly1]

Hello all,

I got a Givi B37 Top case for my 2019 a few weeks ago. This is what I got:

https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/giv ... _id=914307

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In an effort to increase my visibility from the rear, I decided to get the light kit for the box. In addition, I got a Skene IQ-260 Rear Lighting Controller so the lights on the top box would function as running lights and brake lights. This is the link for the controller:

https://www.skenelights.com/online-stor ... -p80153945

I have used Skene stuff before on my Africa Twin and I have always been very impressed.

I started by Installing the lights and associated wiring on the box and the mounting plate.

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It's pretty neat because the light kit includes contacts that make a connection when installed but just pull apart so there aren't any wires to disconnect when I want to take the box off. After getting this done, I had to get the Skene controller wired up and installed. This required removing the top box mount and rear plastic cover to get to the taillight wires. The connector is on the left side of the scoot under the rear cover.

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I used my multi-meter to figure out which wire is which. Solid green is the ground, black is the 12 v to the tail light, and green with a yellow stripe is the brake light. I used posi-taps to splice the wires from the light and the Skene into the existing wires.

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I wired it according to the diagram included with the Skene.

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I then mounted the Skene next to the seat latch using the supplied duo-lock tape

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This is the finished product. The running lights are on all the time and then they get significantly brighter when I apply the brakes. The Skene includes three programmable brake light options but I haven't messed with them yet. I'm very happy with the install and feel really good having extra lights on the back of my scoot.

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Cheers!
dankly

[Jge64]

Nicely done…..

[Mel46]

Nice!! I had my Givi box lights connected through their magnetic hookup but for some reason if I hit a bump in the road the connections would be broken. I also found that I could not connect additional lights through that connector. Eventually I pulled the connector and hooked everything through a quick connect. Not the cleanest hookup, but it is easy to disconnect when I need to take the box off, which is seldom. I have a much smaller box than you do, but your lights are so much better! Still, I am a believer in plenty of tail lights, so you have done well.

[dankly1]

Thanks Mel, it's nice to see another Coastie on here. I did 20 years and retired in 2019. Really enjoyed my time in the organization. What did you do for them?

I'm hoping for the best with the top box connectors. They seem pretty robust, but you never know. One thing I really like about the Skene controller is that the lights flicker at a very high frequency. The flicker isn't very evident when looking directly at the lights but it's very noticeable in peripheral vision.

I also put Skene visibility lights on the front forks that have the flicker as well. Really makes me feel better to know I am more likely to be seen.

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Cheers!
Alex

[Mel46]

Another Coastie...wow! Glad to meet you.

I spent a lifetime as an aircraft electrician, and flight crew on helicopters and C-130s, and was deployed on icebreakers as well as various bases throughout the United States. After "fun" trips to the Antarctic, the Arctic and various ports of call, I transferred to Hawaii and flew the Pacific. Eventually i got out and finished college, after which i went to work for lockheed, the manufacturer of the C-130...retiring from there after 25 years. I can't say every second in the Coast Guard was fun, but it was educational, and the experiences were beyond exciting. I would never have thought that I would spend my life saving lives, but I did. There is no amount of money that can replace that feeling you get after pulling people off of sinking vessels or out of the water in the middle of a storm...or off of rooftops after a hurricane. Their look of gratitude says it all. Isn't life grand!?

[dankly1]

Cool. I was a QM and BM for the first 8 years then went to OCS and flight school. Flew 65s out of Savannah, HITRON and North Bend. I had some really good times, especially as AVDET on cutters!

Totally agree about having the honor of rescuing people. Unforgettable...

[Mel46]

dankly,
Congrats on being able to proceed through OCS and flight school. I gained some stick time by way of being an E6 with a pilot who wanted to fly without a copilot occassionally. I don't think they let them do that now.
You were one of the few Coasties that I have known who were allowed that route all the way to flight school. I was in the aviation group and yet we had enlisted men who could outfly many of the officers, but they were turned down for OCS because of various factors, such as age or they hadn't finished college yet. I knew of several enlisted men who had instructor's license in multi-engine jets, but they were considered too old for OCS...which also meant too old to go to flight school. Many of these enlisted men had flown for the army while in Viet Nam, so they were very familiar with helos. In fact, right now one of my grandsons flies Apache helicopters and just came home from Afganistan. However, he only has a little over 2 years of college, which would shoot him down if he applied to the Coast Guard as a pilot... so count yourself as lucky...and you went to Oregon?! Lucky! I tried for one of those spots my entire career!

[Kilgor270]

Hi Dankly,

Thanks for posting about your lights. Great article. I had a couple follow up questions regarding the front Photon Blasters:

- How did you mount them on the PCX? What bracket?

- What sold you on the Photon Blasters for the front vs anything else?

- I've been thinking of putting a single 6" amber Diode Dynamics LED light bar, the SAE FOG version for daytime riding to increase my visibility. I'm a little concerned that if I mount it directly center under the headlight that the suspension travel might cause me to hit it. On the other hand it would have to be a huge bump.
https://www.diodedynamics.com/stage-ser ... -pair.html

Any thoughts would be appreciated ?

[dankly1]

Kilgor,

Glad I could help a bit. I'll try to answer your questions:

-I mounted the light to the reflector bracket that is already on the fork. I just removed the reflector and used the T1 front mount bracket. The holes in it were the perfect size.

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-I chose the Photon Blasters for a few reasons. They are very small and light weight and match the size of the scoot well. They do this flicker thing that makes them very noticeable, especially in peripheral vision. And the best thing, the current draw is VERY low. They didn't require a separate power wire and could just be tapped directly into the headlight power. I used a multimeter and test light to figure out which wire is which and used Posi-Taps to connect them.

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As far as the Diode Dynamic light, I would also be a bit worried about mounting it under the headlight. Every bit of light will certainly help with cagers noticing you but I think the research says that having as much separation as possible between lights is a good thing. I think the best is to have them as far up and to the outside as possible. Then again, mine are down low and pretty close together, but we can't all be perfect Good luck!

Cheers
dankly

[BobW55]

First thing I want to add to my PCX when it gets here is B37 box and the lights. Not sure about the running lights brake light controller.

[dankly1]

Hi Bob. The biggest reason to use the Skene light controllers for me is the slight flicker the lights have. They look steady when you look directly at them but in peripheral vision they are VERY noticeable. My riding buddies have said they catch their attention from a long ways away.

Congrats on the new scoot!

dankly

[BobW55]

Hi Bob. The biggest reason to use the Skene light controllers for me is the slight flicker the lights have. They look steady when you look directly at them but in peripheral vision they are VERY noticeable. My riding buddies have said they catch their attention from a long ways away.

Never say never as they say. I did order the light kit. Need to get the Scoot here first.
I may add it later on. 90 degrees here today, would have been a great day for a ride.

[dankly1]

IMPORTANT UPDATE

I can no longer recommend any Skene light controllers on the PCX. I have had 4 of them fail and Skene cannot figure out why. They replaced them under warranty but their engineers can't figure it out. There best guess is that their is something about the electrical system on the PCX that isn't compatible with them. My front visibility light controller died on me 3 times, the last time it only lasted 2 days. The rear light controller also died recently. I have given up on seeking replacements because it isn't worth the hassle anymore.

I apologize to anyone who bought these on my recommendation and has also had issues.

Cheers
Dankly