Tell me about HID lights

[Freebird]

OK, the 2005 Venture I bought has HID lights in the headlight and the running lights. It is wired so that the running lights are only on with the high beams. I had my '99 wired where they were on all the time unless I manually turned them off. This one has the manual switch on the running lights also. I may rewire it the way I had my old one wired.

 

I had never paid much attention to the HID lights because I always planned to go with LEDs. Since they are installed though and seem to be VERY bright, I'll just stay with them. I know nothing except that he said he bought them from Trucklights or something like that. I think I've heard that company mentioned here a few times. Are they supposed to be pretty decent lights?

 

I've also read where people put relays and etc. and something to do with the bike had to be running so full voltage is applied to fire them up. I have no idea how these are wired. I guess I'll have to split the fairing at some point to check it all out. Is there likely some type of relay or something to prevent them from coming on unless the bike is running? I haven't even looked to see if they come on with the ignition. Just want to know more abut what you folks think of the HID system.

[cowpuc]

Back toward the end of my dirt riding days I did a fair amount of single track night riding - talk about fun!! This was before the perfection of LED lighting and HID was state of art, all the rage and VERY expensive (700 dollars per light was not uncommon).. I know high output lighting coils (stator) and battery was required to keep those puppies glowing but MAN were they awesome!! I also know that current LED lighting has an advantage by demanding far less amperage than the HID's reguired back then. Personally, I would check the amp draw on those HID's brother and see just how much of a strain they are putting on the system and make my call from that perspective. Lower amp load means easier on the system and a cooler running scoot too.. If it's reasonable, I would keep em and enjoy them after getting them rewired to your liking...

[Flyinfool]

First off, I love my HID.

Check to see if your HID comes on with the ignition switch. the reason that you do not want the HID to come on with the ignition is that when you go to start the bike and the battery voltage dips while the starter is cranking, if the voltage dips below the safety cutoff in the HID it will turn off the HID. If the Cut off turns off the HID, then to reset it you have to turn off the ignition and restart the bike and hope that this time the HID stays lit. With a fairly new battery is not near as much of an issue as once you get a couple of years on your battery. To solve this many people put the HID on a switch so that they can turn it on after the bike is running, but you have to remember to turn it on in the daytime. I have mine connected thru a latching relay that taps into the brake light so the first time I use either brake the headlight is on. I never get far without using the brake so this way I can never forget to turn it on in the daytime. Some people use a 10 second delay relay so that they have 10 seconds to get the bike started before the HID turns on.

 

As far as power, Don't let the term LED fool you about amp draw. A lot of the new very bright LEDs actually will pull more power than the stock Halogen bulb, some pull a lot more. Read the specs on what you are looking at. If they will not say what the watts or amp draw is, there may be a reason they don't want you to know.

 

HID are available in either 35W or 50/55W. A 55W HID will match the power draw of the original halogen bulb, the 35W HID will draw even less power that the factory bulb while at the same time put out about 3 times more light. The 55W will put out about 5 times more light than stock.

 

While there are now LED systems that can match the performance of an HID. They will not work well as a retrofit. LEDs have a directional light output and your stock lens and reflector were designed for an omnidirectional light source. The HID bulb still gives you an omnidirectional light source so the retrofit will work much better, your beam will be properly focused and not be blinding oncoming traffic. LED conversions tend to scatter light with a poorly focused beam, blinding oncoming traffic, and because the beam is not properly focused they look very bright right in front of you, but do poorly with lighting things up way down the road. Now an LED in a housing designed for an LED is a wonderful light source that will match the HID in light output because its beam will be properly focused.

 

So once you figure out how yours HIDs are set up, we can help you to get it to the way you want it. It is not hard to do. MD is coming......

[slowrollwv]

I have the 35 Watt in my bike with the trucklight LED passing lights and like them.

[RedRider]

I assume the HID headlights are run through a relay. Replace said relay with a 10 second delay relay and you are good to go.

 

RR

[Freebird]

I'll take a look at it and see how they are wired. I know that they come on and work fine but it also has a new battery on it. Thanks for the replies. I'll take a closer look when I have time. This guy was pretty thorough so he may have it all done right.

[Freebird]

Just went out and checked and it does come on with the key. Worked fine but he did put a new battery on it yesterday before I picked it up. Will likely add a relay in the near future. I'll have to split the fairing at some point to wire up my GPS mount. Will probably just do it all then.

[cowpuc]

I assume the HID headlights are run through a relay. Replace said relay with a 10 second delay relay and you are good to go.

 

RR

 

That Red,, he's a smart cookie!!!

[MJ44]

And I would gladly pay someone to upgrade my headlight! I keep reading every post, but it's beyond my capabilities.

My friends all have LED on their bikes, but that's an easy switch on a HD. I'm the dull little light at the back of the pack.....

Anyone in the Pittsburgh area that can help me out?

 

Sounds too involved for Maintenance Day.

 

Thanks to all for the information.

[djh3]

Don a little more probably semi-useless info on the HID I have picked up. First off I think Flyin gave me the wiring set up for a on/of switch I used with a flashing LED to let me know I did not have headlight on. Worked great the entire time I had it.

Anyways, the headlight has only so much life on it. And it is somewhat based on "starts" of the light, that is on cycles. So if you flip key on and light comes on then goes off because of voltage shortness then when bike starts light comes back on. You are doubling the amount of starts on the bulb. They are kind of like a carbon arc torch and its hard on them and burns away at the filament.

[djh3]

And I would gladly pay someone to upgrade my headlight! I keep reading every post, but it's beyond my capabilities.

My friends all have LED on their bikes, but that's an easy switch on a HD. I'm the dull little light at the back of the pack.....

Anyone in the Pittsburgh area that can help me out?

 

Sounds too involved for Maintenance Day.

 

Thanks to all for the information.

 

The kit I got (less the on/off switch) was about a 30 min job once fairing was split. It included a relay along with the harness. If you found a time delay relay you could swap with the one supplied with the kit in be done in maybe an hour and half tops.

[MJ44]

The kit I got (less the on/off switch) was about a 30 min job once fairing was split. It included a relay along with the harness. If you found a time delay relay you could swap with the one supplied with the kit in be done in maybe an hour and half tops.

Thanks! I'll show this to my mechanic

[bongobobny]

If you want to go LED instead of HID there are plug and play bulb assemblies. It's only for the HID that you have to play the relay game. HID (High Intensity Discharge) is overall probably brighter than LED (Light Emitting Diode) lights but LED's are "whiter" looking and show up really good in the daytime. HID's use a little more power than LED's do...

[SilvrT]

I assume the HID headlights are run through a relay. Replace said relay with a 10 second delay relay and you are good to go.

 

RR

 

Did this on my Wing coz with the Wing, it would "turn off" the headlight automatically when you hit the start button.

 

I have HID high and low on my Vic. I did not wire them through a relay .... guess I didn't think of it at the time. This topic reminded me that I'd better do it.

 

The only thing with converting and existing halogen headlight to an HID is the beam configuration is designed for halogen bulbs and HID disperse the light differently than a halogen so the beam is not the same. Low beam will appear to on coming drivers as though you have your high beam on.

 

For a motorcycle, I see this as a good thing coz oncoming drivers/riders will see you coming much sooner.

 

I've had lots of folks comment on how impressed they are with the brightness of my headlight.

 

I believe I went with the 6000 intensity ... 5000 is considered "bright white" whereas the 6000 has a blue tint (minimal ... hardly noticeable)

[syscrusher]

Alright, just use the H4 HID bulb that has an HID capsule for low beam and a standard halogen capsule for high. Then you can either start it in high and then switch it to low to bring on the HID or start it in low and toggle to high and back again to start the HID. This way you have the option of a much less bright beam when that would be best and you still have two separate chances for some sort of headlight when something goes bad. And you can use the existing wiring with no added relays and such. HIDs should use less power than halogens after they have been properly "excited".

[ToyOdie]

Rather than retype, here is a link to the LED lights I put in......

 

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?115134-New-LED-Lights

[Atoolnut]

I have hid and led passing lamps..both are wired using kuryakyn 3switch assemnly that sits on front master cylinder..wired with relays for both .been on bike since 2008 with 42000miles of use..3rd switch runs two led spots 2" diameter mounted on front crash bars....cree leds ...only problem i had with hid is a whine when using cb and have to turn squelch up high...but if using cb just switch headlight off and run led's lights