I did the 35 watt route, exactly the same as Slow... 'cept placed the horn on the opposite side. Amazing difference over the old lights and an easy install for anybody considering.
I did get annoyed alittle and wasted time figuring out the various instructions I had. (2-3 from badweb, and the basic kit instructions) I had to hard wire the headlight harness, (I messed up the connector trying to push the pins out) That was supposed to be a 15 min. mod. (LOL) I had to ADD 6in. to each wire so I had enough slack to make the connection. (everything soldered/shrinkwrapped of course) Would have been easier just to cut it out. I also pulled the ground and power wires from the kit going through the new dustcaps so I only have the 2 ballast connectors coming out of the headlight dust covers. (why they did that??) They connect Ballast to the relays. But that didn't happen till I figured out how I was gonna wire it all. Trial and error is bad for electrical work. LOL. Live and learn.
Someday I will reopen my lid an tidy up the wiring like yours Slowride. I have a ground wire for the ballast, one from the existing headlight wiring and another from the relays. LOL. The rest looks good.
hehe...yea... my final test, I had it all connected and and all wires soldered and sealed up with everything just hanging out all over, Then I shut it down and I tried to make it more neat and ended up switching the ballast cabes by accident. Eh...still worth the pita.
I just received my kit, from what I have read I can either cut off the old H7 plug in for the old bulbs or plug the spades that come with the DDm kit into the plug. Is that right?
I didn't know about that!! (if it's true) But I cut the old H7 plug for the bulbs AND the 2 spades (male) off the kit and soldered and shrink wrapped new female spades to make the connections to the new relay.
I've used relays before for headlights in my car, it nade the lights ALOT brighter. The juice come direct from the battery to the lights (thru the relay) instead of thru the original harness and switch.
Got the low beam all wired up and it works awesome. Have to wait till Monday to go for a ride and get it aimed. Sure makes the old high beam look dim. Install was a lot easier than I thought it would be. Along with the auxillary light relay and voltmeter its gettin very tight under the sheild but I think the high beam is next...
I installed 35 watt high and low. I ended up bundling the flat square DDM ballasts together and wrapped in a piece of inner tube. My concern is heat. I am not sure how hot these may get. I don't want them to melt the inner tube - yuck. I think this should work but if anyone has noted that they get very hot I would like to know that.
Also, they both work but the high beam buzzes a little while warming up.
Now I have to decide how to keep the low bean on all the time. I think I will bridge the line at the grip switch.
They get warm, but not hot. I don't think melting is an issue, but I wonder if they will get a little hotter than normal due them being enclosed like that vs being able to radiate easily to open air.
I separated them slightly with an air gap and held with wire ties. Then wrapped in a sheet of rubber (from the inner tube) and wire tied them again. There is some ventilation but less than ideal. I feel they are protected from vibratory damage with the rubber.
I am hoping that they will run for a LONG time without attention. I allowed for a return to the regular bulb in an emergency so I can take a couple of them with me on trips where lights might be critical.
I took a lot of pictures I just have to review how to reduce them and post them up AND find the time to do it.
Now to working on keeping that low beam on all the time.
Blue wire that goes to the left handlebar control cluster. Dig it out of the harness, yes you have to cut some of the sheathing, use that for the low. That wire comes from the lighting fuse. ballast mounting:
Oh sure, do it the easy way! The benefit of the pin swap is that you do have 2 fused circuits in case the HID electronics were to fry, you'd still have H beam.
Of course when you move the low beam via the pin swap now you have to remember that the call out for the fuses must be changed. If the ballast fails then you "might" blow fuse 8 (10 amp) on the accessory line and not the indicated fuse 5 (15 amp) for headlamps (now hi beam only).
My experience with ballasts is that they more often fail open (killing the lamp but not blowing the fuse) rather than as a short that would pop the fuse. But I have no direct experience with these ballasts so that experience is likely useless.
None of these mods is without the potential for added confusion. I think I am going to go with the left hand switch gear bridge between the blue and yellow wires since I am familiar with soldering. If I had the proper tool for pulling the pin then I "might" go that way but I don't.
I will mark the bridge with red so it can be easily identified and snipped to return to normal if needed.
Instead of pulling the pin just cut off that connector. I still think the 1 ground pin in that connector is inadequate to handle the current of both lights on and has been a known meltdown problem. Although many have used it successfully some have not. The HID's already have a disconnect and you just don't need a connector going to a connector.
When ever I get around to installing mine, I plan on sandwiching a thin sheet of neoprene between the two ballasts to give them a little vibe protection. Anyone know if the ballasts get warm enough to cause any melting or smoking problems with neoprene?
