Driving Lights

[91nwl]

I want to add some auxiliary lighting to my 91 VR. Has anybody tried these (link below) from Electrical Connection? I don't necessarily want "fog lights", but I want more light in the foreground and side area, so I want something like 30 degrees as opposed to high beams.

 

Also, should I go with 35W or 55W? Could the 55W overload my elect system? I don't run the aux lighting all the time, just when needed at night. I have 55W aux lights on my Goldwing and they really work well.

 

http://www.electricalconnection.com/driving-lights/dl_performance.htm

[Squidley]

Larry,

The lights your looking at are nice, but man are they expensive! For the lighting watt question, I would go with the 35 watt bulbs. You cant notice from the difference with the naked eye and it will save the charging system much grief.

I dont know if your specifically looking for a squared off looking light, but I had these round ones on my '86 and they work great.

http://www.optronicsinc.com/proburners.htm

The model I used was the Qh-75IT and I put 35 watt bulbs in them. I paid $20 at Walmart for them and just had to modify the base slightly. Just an option to think about

[91nwl]

Larry,

 

The lights your looking at are nice, but man are they expensive! For the lighting watt question, I would go with the 35 watt bulbs. You cant notice from the difference with the naked eye and it will save the charging system much grief.

 

I dont know if your specifically looking for a squared off looking light, but I had these round ones on my '86 and they work great.

 

http://www.optronicsinc.com/proburners.htm

 

The model I used was the Qh-75IT and I put 35 watt bulbs in them. I paid $20 at Walmart for them and just had to modify the base slightly. Just an option to think about

 

Thanks. I might give those a try. Did you use a relay, or just a fuse and switch?

[Squidley]

Thanks. I might give those a try. Did you use a relay, or just a fuse and switch?

 

I put a relay on them, I always do that with driving light on whatever I install them on.

[CrazyHorse]

Absolutely use a relay.

[Skid]

I didn't use a relay on my lights, and I didn't use the switch that came with the lights. I used a heavier switch for the lights mounted on the dash. I never liked the fancy lighted swiches that comes with most driving lights. In this link on post number 5 are a couple pics of my lights with Squid's lights brackets......

 

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=738&d=1156370074

 

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=739&d=1156370074

 

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=619

 

 

[Guest Popeye]

Larry,

 

The lights your looking at are nice, but man are they expensive! For the lighting watt question, I would go with the 35 watt bulbs. You cant notice from the difference with the naked eye and it will save the charging system much grief.

 

I dont know if your specifically looking for a squared off looking light, but I had these round ones on my '86 and they work great.

 

http://www.optronicsinc.com/proburners.htm

 

The model I used was the Qh-75IT and I put 35 watt bulbs in them. I paid $20 at Walmart for them and just had to modify the base slightly. Just an option to think about

 

This is what I did recently, my Pic Gallery still show the old rectangle type.

I went with 'Driving' lights instead of FOG because my main goal was visibility for those in front of me.

Now is small round driving lights.

I ride with upper beam during the day & Aux Driving Lights [on own switch] aimed the same as high beam during the day. I use the 55w, since it didn't effect my charging system in the least, but I don't use all my rear lights during the daylight.

 

I've had folks drive toward me & they say I am VERY VISABLE during the day. For night riding, lights go downward, of course.

[Gearhead]

I also wanted to increase my own visibility, but even more I wanted better distance lighting at night. I installed $20 round driving lights from Autozone down by the front brake calipers. This was just a couple months ago, but so far so good. The charging system seems to keep up with the (2) 55W bulbs - with all lights on and engine at 2000 rpm or higher, the gage indicates 13.5-ish V at the battery.

 

I used a relay for several reasons. One, I wanted to get full voltage to the lights to ensure bright operation. Two, I think the factory wiring and switchgear is barely adequate in capacity to begin with, and after 20 years the switches and connections are not the best. A relay eliminates additional load on them. Three, I wanted the lights to go off with the key, and also with the start button like the headlight does. So, I switch the relay with the headlight hot wire, upstream of the hi-lo beam switch; there is also a toggle switch in the switching line. If you wanted the lights to go on only with hi beam, you could take relay switching power from the hi-beam light circuit.

 

The extra light is nice. I've read since I did this that low mounting like I did is not the best for driving lights, but they look cool down there. My cheap lights have no beam control, so they are blinding to look at from almost any forward angle. I can't use them at night unless I am alone on the road, but when other cars are around, their lights help me out anyway so it's mostly when I'm alone that I need the extra light. Something that cost a little more might make more efficient use of the available light and project more of it forward.

 

Jeremy

[Guest Popeye]

Gearhead. I got my 55w aux 'driving lights' at wally's for $20.

My battery is at least 2 years old & NEVER had a charging problem.

 

Those little round, blue lights makes me very visable during the day, which is most important, to me. I drilled holes in the dash for front & rear aux lights, each.

Front aux 'Driving' lights have a tiny green LED on switch & rear aux lights have a tiny red LED indicator at end of toggle switch....so I can find 'em at night & remember which is which during the day. Too perfect.

 

Also, it's just as easy to run 35w bulbs in the lights, if one was worried about charging.

[ArcsSparks]

Wally world Chrome bullets 50 watt, Do-Dad switch and 2 "P" clamps from Kury Total 65.00 Yet to be mounted Pictures when I figure out how