Headlights and visibility

[dlaing]

So if this a standard 7" headlight I should be able to install the HID type bulb and lamp contained in the link. I would get better lighting and use less power. Correct or not?

 

http://www.jwspeaker.com/catalog/forward_l.../model_8100.htm

87492[/snapback]

You would use 20W less on low beam and get a bluer light.

On high beam you would be using 35+35 or just 5W more than stock.

Since we spend most of our time on low beam you would have an extra 20W available towards other things like driving lights or heated grips or GPS or radar detector or laptop computer or ....

The ultimate lighting would be something like the above HID lamp plus a pair of big round Hella Rally 4000 HID driving lights (35wx2). And get LED bulb to make another 4Watts available for the lighting.

As much as I like the idea of HID I think a yellower light allows for better night vision as others seemed to indicate.

I also think bigger reflectors are key, as they more efficiently turn alternator generated electrons into light on the road.

Rewiring with relays is also a good idea.

[motoguzznix]

Hello

 

Tell me one reason why this 2*35W HID light with 2 very small reflectors should put out a brighter light like the 55/60 W with an almost 8" reflector on a 2000 V11?

 

Putting in a 90/100 W bulb is a bad idea without additionnal relays for the beam. The switchgear will soon be smoking.... The relays also help keeping the voltage in the 14 V range.

 

I mounted two relays by using the stock sockets added at the front of the relay block. The underside of the seat needs a small cutout for relay clearance. From the relays to the headlight I used 2*2,5 sqmm wire.

 

Ernst

[Tracey]

Compared to my 97 California, the V11 Sport is a friggin' lighthouse! I have to drive the California carefully at night lest putting on the brakes dims the headlight too much to see the road. I really, really, need to do the up-gauge and relay routine with that bike. Especially since I just wired it for a trailer and there will that much more current draw.

87534[/snapback]

 

Amen!

I used to ride a Quota... The Lemans has great headlights in comparison. I've never purchased a bike with the lights aimed correctly.

Make some adjustments... It will help considerably.

[dlaing]

Tell me one reason why this 2*35W HID light with 2 very small reflectors should put out a brighter light like the 55/60 W with an almost 8" reflector on a 2000 V11?

88111[/snapback]

The primary reason is because one 35Watt HID puts out brighter light than a 55Watt halogen.

But keep in mind that brighter is not necessarilly better.

How much you see is more important.

Brighter lights constrict your pupils and won't let your eyes adjust as well to the darkness of the road ahead.

I believe a blue beam will also constrict the pupil more than a yellow beam of similar luminosity.

On the other hand the blue beam(really a whiter white beam) gives a truer impression of objects in the road.

As much as I buy the theory of yellow beams, it is impressive to ride in an expensive car with HIDs.

My one eyed buddy who drives a Lexus with HIDs, greatly prefers it to his Ford Ranger's halogens.

But it could all just be the illusion of brightness making him think he sees more

Is this beam built as well as a Lexus beam?

I am not sure, and it is still just one beam

I have another friend who enduros at night.

He has a 35Watt HID and loves it.

But enduro is a hole different matter as his HID is for high beam and he does not care if he blinds the coyotes.

I still subscribe to the school of raise the beam a little higher than is legal, but stay with a legal bulb.

I wish yellow tinted headlights were legal in California.

I am still waiting for decent LED head, fog, and driving lights.

There are some bicycle lights that could be adapted and they would not drain the charging system much.

The other reason 35W+35W setup could be good is that the low beam is designed for low beam and the high beam for high beam, while on the Bosch 8inch the low beam is a bodge....will not not anymore than squeezing a low beam and a high beam reflector into a 7 inch circle, but it does take away from the ability to optimize the low beam....the trade of is a nice big reflector. (which is what I think MotoGuzzix was getting at when he posed the question)

[docc]

It is a standard H4. Let us be reminded that the current goes through the switch and doubling the voltage doubles the current doubles the heat and doubles the smoke that is so hard to get back in the wires.

 

The Sylvania Silver Star has gotten good revues here before and is around 77 watts. Wiring the lamps direct with 16 guage wire and separate relays is good medicine. Look HERE

 

Aiming the lamp higher is certainly a good trick if you don't scare the squirrels.

 

 

EDIT: May 22, 2007:

 

This is my fourth Sylvania Silver Star. They've lasted from 3000 to 6000 miles at about $20US. I like the light , but the reliability is no good. I've installed a PIAA X-treeme white anti-vibration $50 bulb.

 

We'll see . . .

 

( "see" . . . haha, no pun intended . . .)

[docc]

The PIAA gave up its low beam today after about 7600 miles. That's about twice as far as the average Sylvania Silver Star. Of course, the PIAA is just over twice the money!

 

I don't use the low beam much but flashed a couple cars while passing. Maybe that did it in . . .

[BrianG]

I just completed a HID installation in my 2000 V-11 Sport.

 

The trouble with H4 replacement HID units is that the mechanical hi-lo shift device behind the HID bulb is too long to fit in the V-11 nacelle. I ended up using a less preferreed HID option.... that which piggybacks a quartz bulb for high beam along with the HID bulb which stays on all the time. The high-beam selection is not significantly different than the low beam setting as the quartz bulb is pretty weak.

 

That said, the HID provided MUCH more light than the OEM unit.

 

There and many "color" options in HID lighting. The higher the "temperature/color" rating number, the more "violet" the output color. If you prefer a less-blue color from your headlight, pick a "color" in the 4000 range. 6000 is very blue. 7000 is quite violet.

 

Old eyes like cooler light.....

[dlaing]

The PIAA gave up its low beam today after about 7600 miles. That's about twice as far as the average Sylvania Silver Star. Of course, the PIAA is just over twice the money!

 

I don't use the low beam much but flashed a couple cars while passing. Maybe that did it in . . .

Could be a clue as to why your GEI relay died. Or not.

You probably already know not to touch the bulb with your hands when installing and if you do touch, but sure to clean/degrease any skin oil from the bulb.

My OEM bulb is going strong at about 45K miles.

The internet has much discussion of the short life of Sylvania Silver Stars, so the short live you experienced could be normal.

I am still waiting for a pair of cheap, efficient HID or LED driving lights.

[docc]

The GEI I had trouble with were in the FI and ECU functions. I have the lamps wired with a separate circuit and separate relays for lo and hi.

 

I tried fixing mine the way Jaap fixed his, but no dice.

[GuzziMoto]

I'm suprised no one has mentioned the standard practice of running your hi beam during the day to help others see you.

[Foxy]

I'm suprised no one has mentioned the standard practice of running your hi beam during the day to help others see you.

 

And how does that help you see where you're going?

 

And while it might be standard practice where you are it is still pretty stupid.

[GuzziMoto]

And how does that help you see where you're going?

 

And while it might be standard practice where you are it is still pretty stupid.

It doesn't help you see where you are going. It helps OTHERS see where you ARE. In the UK it might be "stupid", but in the US drivers do not see motorcyclists very well. They are usually to busy talking on their cell phone or putting on make-up. Anything you can do to increase visability and make yourself seen is a good thing. And during the day the hi-beam is much more visable then the low beam.

[Ryland3210]

If you will excuse my saying so as the supplier, users report that installing Omrons results in brighter lamps. The Omron's use heavy copper conductors and larger contacts with more use of precious metal. The contact resistance specifications are better than the other brands as well, so this is no surprise.

[docc]

I wonder if the Omron micro relays would be better than the dimensionally larger units I have in the headlamp bucket. I recall they are 30 amp.

 

And, yes, I'm running hi-beam at all times until it darkens enough to become agitating to oncoming drivers. Passing yesterday, I used the bright-dim switch to flash to pass. That may have been a mistake as it switches the dim on and off. The flash-to-pass switch only flashes the hi-beam and leaves the dim (dipped) on.

[dlaing]

Oh, you have relays in the bucket.

Excellent! that should be helping deliver more volts to the bulb.

My point about your GEI relays failing was not that the failing relay would cause the bulb to fail, but that bad connections or a voltage regulator that was not properly regulating caused the pre-mature failure of both the bulbs and the relays.

I don't really understand how bad connections cause an increase in amperage, but apparently they can.

Be sure to check your 30A charging system fuse for signs of melting, and make sure your maximum voltage at the battery with engine revvvvvved does not exceed 14.6V.

The Omrons should be perfectly suitable for inside the bucket. The big ones may be a little too close to the heat of the reflector. The Omrons are the better choice for the bucket in my opinion. You don't need a 30A rating. A 20A rated relay may actually last longer due to the self cleaning action of moderate amperage. But it is probably not worth the headache of changing to if you made a harness with sockets to only fit the larger relays. If they are simply connected with individual blade sockets, I say go for the Omrons. Who knows, they may even extend the life of your bulbs and they should last longer than your average brand, and you may be saving half a watt of energy as the Omrons likely use less energy than the 30A relays!!!!