| Author | Message | ||
     Tenn10 |
I would like to install a HID lamp on the low beam headlight on my 2009 XB12X. I plan to keep the standard high beam. I am working on a circuit to keep the HID lamp off until after the engine is started. I have made a control circuit that senses the supply voltage and will turn on the lamp only after the voltage rises to over 13.5 volts, i.e., the engine has been started. This is adjustable. It occurred to me that I could trigger the circuit manually instead using an input from the high beam or flash-to-pass switch. This would keep the headlight off when I am servicing the bike and do not want the headlight on. I am including a red blinking LED in the instrument cluster next to the Fat Bastard voltage indicator LED that will light any time the headlight is not on as a reminder to turn it on while riding. What do y'all think of these ideas? I am leaning toward the manual operation but would like some input from others with more experience than me. There are probably many things about this that I have not considered. Thanks. | ||
| Froggy |
Its called a "fuse". Remove it, headlight dosen't come on anymore when you are servicing bike  The whole delay start thing is a waste in my opinion. Using that type of circuit you are talking about, will it shut the light off if the power drops? Voltage isn't as high at idle once the fan kicks on. | ||
| Andymnelson |
Cheaper, and MUCH simpler and easier: http://cgi.ebay.com/HID-Relay-Time-Delay-SPDT-10-s econd-delay-/180544858770?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&ha sh=item2a094fea92 | ||
| Ronmold |
Posted this some time ago, it keeps the headlights off if you turn on the key w/ the H/L switch in the H position and puts them back to normal operation if you switch to L.  A good way to have a relay that energizes only when the bike is running is to take a feed from one of the alternator wires (AC) and run it to a diode (for DC +) and then to a relay. This is the factory headlight circuit on my Ninja 250. | ||
| Reepicheep |
I been thinking this same thing Tenn10... I took a different approach on my 9sx. I built a very simple circuit that simply waited 90 seconds cold (60 seconds hot) after it saw power before it powered up the relay. So the way it worked was that you put the key in, fuss with your helmet and gloves for less than 90 seconds, and start the bike. Let the bike warm up for the remainder of the 90 second interval, and on come the lights. For a simple hack, it worked remarkably well for many many miles. For the digital grip thermostat I designed, I have a full PIC microcontroller board driving a MOSFET all designed and working, and it already monitors voltage, so it would be an easy port to make it the HID controller. I want to run it just off the headlight wire so I don't pull another wire through my harness. The headlight shuts off when the starter engages, so I have to dodge that. What I was thinking was: 1) Initial boot, below 13.0 volts (battery will never make that alone) and the light stays off. 2) Controller sees above 13.0 volts, it delays for 15 seconds (to make sure bike isn't going to stall) and turns on the HID. 3) If the controller sees the voltage drop to under 13.0 volts (after the HID has already been struck), it leaves the HID on. So stalled bikes still have headlights. 4) When the lights cut out again for the next "restart", the power stays off for 15 seconds again. I could actually do that all pretty well with the microcontroller. And might, just because I can. Given all the complexity though, my original "just wait 60 seconds" strategy is sounding better all the time. Another sound strategy is to just run them from the low beam, and manually use the high beam switch to keep them off until the bike is running. Once you put the little HID in, the high beam does little more anyway, and the flash to pass button (the one thing I still used the high beam for) does not kill the low beams anyway. The thing is if you forget, you can be bouncing the ballast when you start the motor, and there seems to be evidence that this is hard on them. | ||
| Reepicheep |
Hooked up the kit this afternoon. "Rev 1" is just wiring it up (the 35w version). The ballast and HID was $35 or something, so I don't mind testing the first one with "2x the cycles" because it comes on and restrikes when I hit the starter. No relays, no extra wiring, no muss, no fuss. If it bugs me, I can start the bike with the brights on then switch. If it burns up, I'll improve it. | ||
| Tenn10 |
Thanks for the input y'all. Certainly one of the main reasons I want to do this is because especially in cool weather my bike likes to die once after a few seconds of running on the first start of the day. I don't want the HID lamp cycling off when it is restarted. Reep; the idea of using a micro-controller to manage things is a great idea that had never occurred to me. It sure could create a lot of flexibility. The system I have come up with uses a power mosfet as well for the main current switching. It is controlled by a pair of transistors set to behave like a SCR. Once on it will stay on till power is shut off at the ignition switch. The transistor pair is switched on by a comparator that compares the input voltage through an adjustable voltage divider to a Zener diode voltage fixed at about 5 Volts. This is the version that is voltage sensitive. I like the idea of putting a 10 or 15 second time delay after the comparator to to insure the engine has not died before switching on the transistor pair. In many ways though I am still leaning towards not using the comparator and just manually triggering the transistor pair with a pulse from the high beam circuit. I do intend to change the wiring to have the low beam stay on even if I am using the high beam. I realize that I am probably over thinking things greatly but it is a lot of fun to tinker from time to time. Good luck Reep on the mods you're doing. Thanks again everyone for the input. Dave | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
At $40 a kit, the delay relay thing is kinda pointless. Never had any problems with the bike not starting because the HID had lit. Never had any problems with the HID durability because the igniter being lit during start up. It's probably a fun exercise particularly if you are an electronics nut. Have at! | ||
| Andymnelson |
A delay relay is less than $20, and far from pointless. I am not worried specifically about HID reliability, but also starter and battery- the added power draw and resulting lower voltage is very hard on all of the electronics- the delay solves any of that. Since I was going to relay drive it anyway, why not spend a few $$ more and add a delay? | ||
| Midnightrider |
I took a different approach. It's a little screwy but it works for me. I installed HIDs on both the high and low beam. The high beam I wired to a lighted toggle switch I installed inside the left handguard of my Uly. I can flick it with my index finger without taking my hand of the grip, I did install a relay. The low beam I wired to the low beam wires of the OEM switch but also added a relay there too. After I'm done riding the bike, I turn the OEM high/low beam switch to high. That way the blue light on the gauge cluster comes on - which tells me my low beam is off. When I start the bike back up - no lights are on but the blue light "reminds" me I have no headlight on. Once the bike is running I select low beam, the HID fires. If i want to run both beams, I just hit the lighted toggle switch and I have both. The light on the end of the switch reminds me the high beam is on. The thing I really like about this set-up is when I ride at night the low beam stays on while the high beam warms up to full brightness. If there is oncoming traffic and I have to turn off the high beam, the low is burning brightly and there is no 1-2 second delay while I wait for the low beam to come up to full brightness. Like I said, a little screwy but it works for me (Message edited by midnightrider on September 06, 2010) | ||
| Reepicheep |
I didn't mind the delay relay (or circuit), I minded the extra wire to the battery through the steering neck. It is already tight there, and I have to fuse it, then run it to the battery, then add a relay or controller. All doable, but a headache and more to fail.. so I'll wait until I am sure there is really a problem. So far it hasn't seemed to be an issue (maybe 5 starts since I set it up yesterday afternoon). I have the microcontroller doing much more interesting things right now. | ||
| Valiant_duke |
I have a delay that I can adjust the time on. It was really meant for car alarms and old diesel trucks, but it works great. Currently it is set to like 30 seconds, to allow the bike to prime the fuel pump, start and get to a steady RPM. I think it is great... my HID's dont flash when the power is killed to start the bike, and the power is drawn from the bike at a point which it is ok and the stator can cover the draw. I allow my bike to warm up prior to riding it, so its not like I ride with out a headlight for 22 seconds, so its great for me. | ||
| Sifo |
The ballast and HID was $35 or something, so I don't mind testing the first one with "2x the cycles" because it comes on and restrikes when I hit the starter." My '06 XB12Ss doesn't restrike the light when I hit the starter. I do have a relay that is triggered by the stock wiring, and gets power straight from the battery. It could be possible that you get enough voltage drop to cause a restrike. |
