Powering 12V accessories from the 60V main pack

[Gilgameshhh]

I ride a '23 Sur-Ron Light Bee X and wanted a budget way to add lights for evening rides around my property in Missouri. I used a Baja Designs headlight kit with a small battery tucked behind the plate, then wired in a universal LED tail light from Speed Moto. My roommate helped me solder the connections, and we ran the wiring under the fender. Has anyone tried running a direct line to the main pack instead of a separate battery?

 

[desthuilliers_78]

I ride my Light Bee around my uncle’s farm and looked into tapping the main pack too. Some guys run a DC-DC converter off the main battery to step down voltage safely, but you gotta make sure it matches your light setup. What voltage are your lights rated for?

 

[thatguyrex]

I ride a '23 Sur-Ron Light Bee X and wanted a budget way to add lights for evening rides around my property in Missouri. I used a Baja Designs headlight kit with a small battery tucked behind the plate, then wired in a universal LED tail light from Speed Moto. My roommate helped me solder the connections, and we ran the wiring under the fender. Has anyone tried running a direct line to the main pack instead of a separate battery?

That's a solid budget setup! Honestly though, I wouldn't mess with running directly to the main pack unless you know exactly what you're doing with voltage regulators and step-downs. That DIY light setup could easily turn into a $1000 controller or battery fry, so it's too much risk. The separate battery would be the safe and proven way to go. But if you want a cleaner solution, look into a 12V converter that plugs into the bike's stock wiring harness. It taps the main pack safely at a regulated 12V, eliminating the separate battery hassle.

 

[Gilgameshhh]

Seems like a DC-DC converter is the proper solution, so I’ll move in that direction instead of keeping the extra battery. This brings up a question about long-term use, though. Has anyone here run a converter for a long time without issues or do they tend to overheat or pull the main pack down when the bike sits?