Need help with can am light bar install

[Aggie1996]

I have the 10” can am light bar and switch installed. Switch has an orange wire and black wire. I also have the light kit power cables. I can make heads or tails out of the  instructions. Anyone wired this up before? It can’t be difficult.

 

[Aggie1996]

Should say “can’t make”

 

[Stapleton]

If u can take pics of the switch and back of switch and and possibly the harness than maybe be able to help I've wired all my lights direct to the back of the switch and cut and crimped all my wiring to length no harnesses cause I didnt want to run into confusion... cause I'm no electrician by any means.. but the 5 prong switches are super straight forward with the wiring diagram sent with ... ground . Power in . Power out . And optional key power on for dual led switches ..... the pics below are key on and accessories on 

 

[Aggie1996]

I can’t thank you enough for the help. Nothing in line and instructions are awful.

1. First pic is cable from switch to light bar.

2. second pic are light bar power cables provided by can am

3. Third pic are wires coming off switch. Plug goes to cable in pic 1. The two loose wires are black and orange.

 

[Mark]

It's odd there isn't a relay or a fuse in the kit.  I'm like stapleton and wired mine up from scratch so I'm not familiar with the kit.

www.instructions.brp.com should have all the diagrams and contents if you enter the product numbers and see if you are missing something.  If I was to guess I'd say the two circular ends of the wire in the right pic goes to the hot and ground on the bus bar under the dash and the the other end of the wires go to the push connectors on the orange and black from your switch.  Then connect the lightbar to the switch via the waterproof connectors.  Maybe the harness in the second pic on the left is just an extension as it looks similar to the one in the first picture.  Attached is a picture of the bussbar.  Connect to the teminals under the black cover but test them first to make sure whats hot and whats ground.

 

[Aggie1996]

That is what I figured. The power cable on left in pic 2 has a fuse in it. I assume the orange goes to red and black to black?

thanks again!

 

[Mark]

That's what I'd assume also

 

[Stapleton]

I agree with mark and dont think anyone could have done better explaining there thoughts on that... I would do that exactly as he said... and if u still cant figure it out ... pitch it ! No one likes a hoarder lol ! Get ya 2 rolls of 14 gauge wire one red one black some heat shrink connectors , a good set of multi use electric pliers and a sweet 5 prong rocker switch ... start cutting crimping and and runnin wires ... not to many more things more satisfying than hooking up that last connection on the back of ur switch that uve ran and made and flip the switch to gods light on the front of ur defender ! .... I can think of a few more satisfying things but I'll keep it G rated for everyone ha ha 

 

[Aggie1996]

So I got it all done and I am hooked up to the bus bar under the plastic cap. Problem is the light in the lights work without turning the ignition. With the small light in the switch this won’t work. I assume I am getting power from the wrong spot?

 

[Aggie1996]

Got it. Like was advised earlier read the instructions!

 

[Stapleton]

So u did get it working properly as it should or u still having problems? .. and when u run direct from bus bar ur accessories will run with out the key being on ... if u notice in the pics I posted of my switch panel when I turn the key to the on position it lights the bottom section of my switches.. thats because I spliced and ran those jumper wires from a key on hot wire to the key on power prong of my switches .... if my key is off and I flip a switch on only the top half of my switch lights up and the accessory turns on .... 

 

[Aggie1996]

I got it working, thanks for all the help. I’ll post some pics tomorrow.

 

[Aggie1996]

thanks again for all the help 

 

[Aggie1996]

 

[Stapleton]

Looks great ! So does ur machine heres a few pics of my light bar set up 

 

[Mark]

Looks Good!  I kinda figured your rig would be Maroon but the camo is nice too.

 

[Ben]

Nice work. I have just purchased my 1st Defender and have a LED light bar to install (not from Can-Am). Looking for some instructions on the following:

(1) How to connect into the existing wiring to add more lights and switches. I am not experienced at auto-electrical so need some of the basics explained. Any ideas on where to start?

(2) How to dismantle the dash to get access to the wiring etc. Just got my Defender so not keen on breaking the dash yet!!

My light bar is not from Can-Am so I don't have a part number to look up instructions. Do you have a reference I can use? 

PS: is there a "mechanics" manual which provides more detail than the owners manual?

 

[Jerry]

Nice work. I have just purchased my 1st Defender and have a LED light bar to install (not from Can-Am). Looking for some instructions on the following:

(1) How to connect into the existing wiring to add more lights and switches. I am not experienced at auto-electrical so need some of the basics explained. Any ideas on where to start?

(2) How to dismantle the dash to get access to the wiring etc. Just got my Defender so not keen on breaking the dash yet!!

My light bar is not from Can-Am so I don't have a part number to look up instructions. Do you have a reference I can use? 

PS: is there a "mechanics" manual which provides more detail than the owners manual?

1st question Ben, did you get a wiring harness with your light bar purchase?  The harness will look like the link here https://www.ebay.com/itm/12V-40A-LED-Work-Fog-Light-Bar-Wiring-Harness-Kit-ON-OFF-Switch-Relay-Cable-KIT/372385548066?_trksid=p2485497.m4902.l9144.

You really need a relay and fuse with the switch.  This type of kit in the link above has the relay and fuse prewired for you. (keeps it simple)

Question 2)... to remove dash where switches are on the center panel (see pic), reach behind and push on panel and it will pop out.  (FYI, if you have a heater, it needs to be loosened and pivoted out of the way to get to the electrical block as seen in Mark's pic above).  There is a black plastic cap on that covers the terminals (one black terminal is negative or ground referred often as "-" and two red which are positive or Hot referred to as "+").  You will want to connect your ground wire from the switch, to the black wire terminal.  The red wire will go to the opposite red wire on the block (both the black and red you want to hook to are the outside terminals on the block.  The center one stays hot with the key on or off)

When wiring your light bar, see the pic below that has the blue banner regarding "rocker switch.  The diagram there shows which wire goes from the switch to the relay or power.  Since you will be wiring to the terminal under the dash on the Can Am to the hot that only comes on with the key, you can combine the two terminals on the switch that are red on the rocker switch diagram, and also combine the two ground (black wires) on the top of the switch.  These two wires (and usually a yellow wire which goes to the light) are in the harness kit with the relay as seen in the image below of the back side of the switch.

The switches on the dash need to be cut out to accept the switch.  I would recommend that you buy a matching switch (Amber) https://www.ebay.com/itm/SBS-LED-Light-Bar-AMBER-Can-Am-Maverick-Commander-Defender-Rocker-Switch/132498409339?hash=item1ed985477b:g:ZwIAAOSw9vlafK5Q:sc:USPSFirstClass!54025!US!-1

If you use the switch locations to the left of the steering wheel, you simply need to fish your wires over the top of the steering column,

Hope that helps.  let us know if you have more questions.  The first one is always a bit intimidating.

 

[Ben]

Thanks @Jerry this is perfect!! Out of interest, I found what looks to be a spare set of wires (inserted into the black plastic  switch/block to the left of the main block. Any idea what this is for?