AdMore Lighting

[centaur650]

I guess I am the only one having this problem because I don't see any threads about it. Hopefully there is someone out there who has some insight into this issue.
I purchased AdMore Lighting for my GIVI cases (E52 top case and side cases). They are terrific lights BUT. Almost immediately I had problems with the lights blinking on and off while I was riding. I found that if I just touched the wires or jiggled them a bit the lights would either blink or go out completely. This phenomenon was first noticed by fellow bikers when I was going over some rough spots in the road, but once started kept happening even on smooth surfaces. The first time I encountered this I contacted the folks I bought them from, and they contacted AdMore. The solution for the top box was to exchange the straight in connection with a 90 degree elbow connection to help stabalize the wiring at the input site. This seemed to work for a while. At one point last year I was so frustrated with the side case lighting I just diconnected the wires. A couple of months ago I discovered that I was now having the same problem again with the top case, and disconnected it. With the later rising sun and the soon to be earlier setting sun I need to solve this problem. I commute everyday in relatively heavy traffic.

I have isolated the issue (I think) to the fact that right behind the connection there is a round portion that allows the wires to turn a bit. If I turn this portion just a bit or twist the wires just a little the lights blink or go out completely. There is no other place along the wiring - either inside the box or under the seat - that casues this same effect. Neither GIVI nor AdMore lighting have any suggestions to make.

Not being an electrician I think the solution is to change out how the connection is made, and have the connection just outside the box - something like a male-female weather-protected connection. Part of the issue of course is that there are three wires that operate the lights not just one. I figure if I can come up with a solution for the top box I can apply it to the side cases also.

Please do not respond with, "Well, just don't touch the wires, and they won't do that." The way I discovered this problem was from drivers who come up behind me or pull to the side and start honking their horns. They can't tell what I am trying to do - stop, turn, what? Very dangereous. Also, very dangerous not to have these lights working on my tail when it's dark. :var_52:

[Skinnifatkid]

I installed the same kit and have had no issues. I do have a concern with mine which is where the recomendation for the connection is. I am worried that the connector on the outside will get booted when i throw my leg over or that my wife will inadvertantly do something to it mounting or dismounting.

For your question...Call admore directly so nothing gets lost in translation. From all that i have read and from my own experience, they are excellant to deal with. Do a search for Kenneth Moore, he was a Beta teste for them and also believes that they have excellant customer service.

I am certain that they can assist you.

[Guns]

Mine did the same thing on my last trip.

[LordSmoke]

I have had no known problems (I ride alone, so I'm not sure I would know) with mine since the install. I did move the exterior connector to the lower left near the lock and siliconed a notched piece of PVC around the connector on the inside to protect with wires for my cargo.

I would definitely call admore directly. Somehow my wiring blew out during my install, and they were absolutely great in helping me sort out and remedy the problem.

[donstrom6]

I just came upon an E52 through winning an ebay auction (still waiting on shipment), and I want to install the AdMore LED lighting kit.

With 3 people reporting problems, I know it's not good statistical basis for analysis, but I have to ask the question...Should I buy AdMore?

Or better yet, would YOU buy the AdMore E52 kit again??

Inquiring minds need to know...

Thanks! -Don

[LordSmoke]

I just came upon an E52 through winning an ebay auction (still waiting on shipment), and I want to install the AdMore LED lighting kit.

With 3 people reporting problems, I know it's not good statistical basis for analysis, but I have to ask the question...Should I buy AdMore?

Or better yet, would YOU buy the AdMore E52 kit again??

Inquiring minds need to know...

Thanks! -Don
Hell yeah, and without a second thought! This is the only post I have seen with anything other than unreserved praise for the product.

[Skinnifatkid]

Go to the Admore Lighting website and read some of the reviews. As LordSmoke mentioned, this is the only place I have seen anything bad. The system went in super easy and the Positap connectors that they provide are incredibly easy to use and connect to the wiring. I would also suggest looking at Kenneth Moores install thread because the wiring colors are generic that come with the kit and the VStrom wire colors differ.

Buy the kit! I was going to purchase the Givi kit and every repsonse my my question had a "Buy the Admore kit" response. Here north of the 49th parallel, the Givi was $80+ dollars, and the Admore kit...well it was in the end was $163 cdn. Just for the lack of the PITA factor with the install, it was worth it. The quality is there and so is the customer service.

[donstrom6]

Well, those are some endorsements! Thanks LordSmoke and Skinnifatkid!

I'll be ordering one as soon as the treasury fills back up!

[jawmail]

I've got the kit installed on my E52 . It worked great for a while then started flashing like a lot of them. I remember that when I was going to buy my E52, like 2 years ago, I read a few reports of people having problems with the spring contacts going bad on the bottom of the E52 where the external electrical contacts are. I ended up just hard wiring the box to the bike and bypassing the spring contacts. You have to drill a hole in the bottom of the box to fish the wire through. I used weatherproof spade terminals so I can take the box off easily. All works perfectly now.

[ADML]

Of the thousands of kits that we’ve sold over the last several years, we’ve had fewer than a dozen complaints of this nature. In the past we have replaced the main harness but several months ago we had a customer who complained of this same problem and this is what he wrote us:

"Fixed the problem.
On the female side of the connector there are the barrel plug-ins that the male half of the connection fits into. These barrels are split by the factory.
All I did was, using a dental pick, I closed the barrel by pushing on it slightly with the pick.
This tightened the barrel to pin connection and now the connection is tight with no vibration flickering.
Used die-electric grease on both.
Good to go. Thanks for your help! Love the lights!"

We provided this information to centaur650 and asked him whether he wanted to try this himself before we replace the harness. We are still waiting to hear back from him. Jawmail, do you have the AdMore kit installed on your E52 case? The connector you are referring to is the GIVI hands-free connector that mounts in the top rack. This connector comes with the stock GIVI light kit (not with the AdMore kit).

Thanks to our many loyal supporters on this forum! We work very hard to build innovative quality products that add safety and good looks to every bike. We also work very hard to look after our customers. Our customers are #1. Nothing is more important to us than our customers.
If anyone has any questions or problems with any of our light kits, we encourage you to contact us directly. We will look after you. We are committed to our customers! We are here to help.

[donstrom6]

Thanks for the update ADML...this thread only reinforced my belief that there were just a few glitches out of many units.

I am confident enough that I ordered the E52 kit yesterday and got the shipping notification today (before you sent your update!).

And the fact that you monitor and respond to this forum means that you care about customer feedback and satisfaction...two big pluses for you!

[jawmail]

Jawmail, do you have the AdMore kit installed on your E52 case? The connector you are referring to is the GIVI hands-free connector that mounts in the top rack. This connector comes with the stock GIVI light kit (not with the AdMore kit).

Yes I have it installed on an E52 and you are correct my issue was a GIVI issue not AdMore. Sorry for the confusion. I do love the lighting kit as it adds a lot of light to the back of the bike and for me works as advertised.

[dtalk]

I read a few reports of people having problems with the spring contacts going bad on the bottom of the E52 where the external electrical contacts are.

The E52 is great, but those pressure contacts are absolute garbage. I don't know what they are coated with, but they very quickly become charred from arcing and form a high-resistance connection that will never be reliable. Either a much stronger spring, a copper coating, or a self-cleaning wiper-type connection would be highly desirable.

As part of my case rewiring for accessories and homemade LED conversion, I junked that contact and replaced it with an Anderson PowerPole connector, which is much less convenient, but can be relied upon.

[dtalk]

You have to drill a hole in the bottom of the box to fish the wire through.

I just knocked the stock connector out of mine and used that hole. No drilling. It's an inline connection, not a fixed plug; I just fish it through and plug it in. Connector stays dry inside the box.

[centaur650]

First I want to start by saying that I love the lights. I have an E52 top case and E48 side cases - all with AdMor lighting. After a year of blinking on and off - mostly off, trying various solutions (both from here and AdMor) and just plain not having the time to deal with them my mechanic and I agreed on a solution. We cut the external connectors off split the wires and attached "turn-signal" type connectors to each wire. All the connectors are on the outside of the cases, and they are heavy duty plug-in types. Well, protected from weather, dirt, bumps, etc. I have had them on for about 3 weeks now under differenng conditions (I commute @ 50 miles a day), and I am loving the solution. The lights work perfectly everytime, which gives me lots more confidence when riding in the dark and rain.