Led or what?

[Sylvester]

I have been riding my 02 Venture for a week or more (for work and normally drive a pickup) and the light out put sucks at 5:00AM. I do have Adjiure reflectors in all lights (Headlight and pass lights).

I have read articles about the Cree headlight unit, HID headlight and the Truck Lite pass units, what else is out there, or is this what we have available for now?

 

Thanks,

Sylvester

[djh3]

HID works good for headlight. A couple fellows have tried the CREE headlights, but I don't recall a report back on how well they work. I added some small CREE LED driving lights down at the road bars that help at night in addition to the CREE LED passing light bulbs I installed.

[Sylvester]

So can you tell me what you used for the pass lights. That would be a help.

 

[djh3]

I will have to look the bulbs up. The housing I guess you would call it is an Adjure clear. It came with Halogen bulb I think H3. I replaced it with CREE LED. Will have to check wattage.

[crowrod]

Try larsenlights.com, par-36s

[djh3]

OK here is the bulbs I put in the housings. Kind of like these. Only with the H3 bulbs. These would probably work, you would just want to make sure there was a replacment LED bulb available if thats what you decide. Also would need the correct connector, but it looks to be a standard type for automotive fog lights. My 02 Durango has connectors like this.

[slowrollwv]

My HID headlight went out so I put a stock bulb back in till I could get another headlight. I am glad that I have the Truck light Phase 6 driving lights because that stock headlight isn't worth a s%$T.

[Sylvester]

Thanks SB, I will look into this.

 

[Sylvester]

Thanks to you also djh3, looks interesting. Many thanks.

 

[Sylvester]

This is what I am going through with stock crap. I have Adjure lenses in all three lights but the high beam works way out with no close in lighting, and the low beam with the pass lights light very well but not far enough out. There are lots of deer where I live and I need more light, that is the bottom line.

 

I thank all of the replies and will look and all for a solution.

 

[djh3]

Hmmm Maye some additional lights like my bottom ones? That way you could point them where you want them a little better. My HID had sort of a "no mans" zone with the halogen bulbs in the passing lights. I think its better with the LED's. The little ones I have mounted down by my feet are off e-bay and were around $35. 1200 lumins

[Sylvester]

I went with the Canadian Custom Afterburnner 4500LM and the Larsen Lights PAR 36 Trapazoidal LEDs. Hope the Larsen Lights don't make Sylvester sound like a Farmal Tractor, LOL.

Thanks for all of your replies, the fall isn't far away and I needed to do something quick. I do find it interesting that I can have product shipped from Canada cheaper than in in the US, even though it is postal.

[Sylvester]

The Canadian Custom Afterburner arrived today, I received the Larson Lights yesterday and all are installed and working. All I can say about the Canadian light is WOW. Haven't had it on the road in the dark yet but that will happen soon. The Larsen Lights par 36 are very white but can't tell until I get it on the road. Much better than the halogen from before.

 

Will post again soon.

[ragtop69gs]

The Canadian Custom Afterburner arrived today, I received the Larson Lights yesterday and all are installed and working. All I can say about the Canadian light is WOW. Haven't had it on the road in the dark yet but that will happen soon. The Larsen Lights par 36 are very white but can't tell until I get it on the road. Much better than the halogen from before.

 

Will post again soon.

 

Looking forward to your impressions on the new lights.

 

And don't forget the PICTURES !!!

[JohnT]

The Canadian Custom Afterburner arrived today, I received the Larson Lights yesterday and all are installed and working. All I can say about the Canadian light is WOW. Haven't had it on the road in the dark yet but that will happen soon. The Larsen Lights par 36 are very white but can't tell until I get it on the road. Much better than the halogen from before.

 

Will post again soon.

Did the Canadian Custom Afterburner draw enough current on low beam to not activate the "headlamp out" function? I have been considering that head lamp but do not have my circuit board soldered to defeat the auto switching feature. (1st Gen) I have ben considering that head lamp but it oly draws like 28 watts o low beam if I remember right. I would also like to put that lamp in my new to me Kawi Voyager.

[Sylvester]

All I can say is that yesterday it worked great. Today I got up to make a ride early in the dark to see how it performed, but before I got out of the drive it dimmed and started flickering and then blew the 15 amp fuse. I sent email to Canadian CC about warranty and then later today I re-installed the halogen bulb in the light and it did the same thing. I will be working on this for the near future for sure. I don't think this is a problem with the Afterburnner. It was perfect on Friday and lit up the shop. Old Sylvester has over 200k miles so this could be an age issue.

 

I will keep all posted.

[Sylvester]

OK, got the headlight and all else back on as should be. Have an issue with a run/turn in a new Kuryakin rear mirror. I can deal with it. Hoping to finish tomorrow after work and ride it on Tuesday morning back to work. Then I will post the results as I see them.

 

[Sylvester]

Update!!! Kuryakin is awesome, they are sending me a new LED repair kit since the circuit board on the right turn won't work. They wanted me to send the whole thing back but it is installed and a pia to take apart. Other issues are that my bike is fourteen years old and upfitting wiring then is way different than today's heat shrink and cold solder. All works now and will take a morning ride this weekend, I hope. We are in a rain pattern that I appreciate since we have been in a deficit all year, but looks like rain through Sunday 10/4/15.

 

[Sylvester]

No ride this weekend due to much rain and Jouquin coming ashore.

All is bright in the shop.

[Sylvester]

Due to weather issues and work schedule I did not have a chance to ride in the dark until this morning. My results not encouraging. The afterburner was very little improvement over my Silverstar Ultra on low beam and overshot the road in high beam (I mean like tree top high). I have a PIAA Extreme white H4 that I will most likely replace the Cree with to see how that effect works. The Larsen lights in the pass lights works very well but I am concerned that oncoming traffic will not like the bright diffused light it casts.

 

I guess that two hundred dollar experiment is an overall failure. To be fair to the Afterburnner, I do have an Adjure wave cut light reflector on my Venture.

 

Anyone have experience with "Truck Lights" pass lights?

 

[Flyinfool]

Did you try adjusting the aim of your headlight?

I have never replaced a headlight bulb in any car truck or bike that was still aimed perfect after the replacement some are close, probably close enough for most people. Even when changing to the exact same stock bulb. All bulbs have manufacturing tolerances that will have an effect on the beam, that is why the headlights are made to be adjustable. If the HI beam was up in the treetops, it sounds like you need to mess this the aim a bit.

 

I know I have sure been happy with the light output of my HID, And my HID draws less power than some LED headlights.

In fairness I must admit that I have yet to see an LED replacement headlight in person. I have also never heard anyone ever say that they thought an LED was brighter than an HID. I really like my HID so I will not be experimenting with LED headlights. I may try a set of LED H3 bulbs in my driving lights. If I don't try HID in them first.

[Sylvester]

All is work in progress. What HID did you use? The light out put of the headlight was brilliant, just misplaced. If...I adjust the headlights down, then the low beam lights are in the dirt or roadway. One big positive of the LED is that my ampmeter has never been so high.

 

Just blowing in the wind until I get more info.

 

[Flyinfool]

The company I got my HID from is no longer around. I liked them and bought 7 HIDs for my various vehicles.

I don't know who makes good ones right now.

 

If you go HID you want the Bi-Xenon so that you have bright light on both HI and Lo beam. Mine is focused great on both.

The HID is 35 watts where the stock headlight is 55/60 watts. So that is a power savings for the bike while getting a LOT more light.

 

A high ammeter is not a big positive, that is a bad thing.

[Sylvester]

I am talking 13 volts on the high and 12.5 normal. Usually with Halogen headlight and two 35 watt pass lights it is 12 volts. Although I have never had a discharge battery.

 

[Sylvester]

Update, got up with Larsen lights and now have installed the 20 degree Led spot lights. Took Sylvester out this morning (bbrrr) and they are much better for me. Granted it was a brief ride but showed me more road light without blinding on coming traffic. Have not addressed the Afterburner headlight yet.