KTM 640 Adventure HID Upgrade w Centech

[Geekventure]

All too true there! I installed some generic off-road halogens (both mounted on my front fender) 2x55w

...at highway speed, it still ends up draining my battery after an hour or so ride!

Isn't there anything else one could do to boost the systems power, besides the internal stator upgrade you mentioned before? Like some kind of step-up transformer or something generative like that?

What about those units that are being hooked up to the HID lights (digital ballast)...couldn't they provide more power to the system?

[vulture]

Originally Posted by dirty_sanchez

I'd go the 35w version.

These bikes aren't blessed with electrons.

I was just looking at this too. The stock bulbs are 55W (58311038000 BULB H1 12V 55W WHITE). If replacing the stock bulbs with the HID kit, do the HID bulbs at 55W use less juice than the stock bulbs at 55W (I'm guessing not since a watt is a watt)? Or is the deal that the 35W HID bulbs are already as bright or brighter than the stock bulbs?

Thanks.

[Geekventure]

I believe the point is to get the Amps (of the system) down as low as possible...?

W = V x A (or) A = W ÷ V

So......

35 ÷ 12 = 2.916 Amps
55 ÷ 12 = 4.583 Amps


2.916 Amps < 4.583 Amps

As far as the output of light is concerned...it all depends on the Design/Engineering
put into the bulb to efficiently utilize the available
Watts, Volts and Amps in the system.......I think....?

So we should be finding the highest Luminosity 35w HID kit...yes?

E =VOLTS ~or~ (V = VOLTS)
P =WATTS ~or~ (W = WATTS)
R = OHMS ~or~ (R = RESISTANCE)
I =AMPERES ~or~ (A = AMPERES)
HP = HORSEPOWER
PF = POWER FACTOR
kW = KILOWATTS
kWh = KILOWATT HOUR
VA = VOLT-AMPERES
kVA = KILOVOLT-AMPERES
C = CAPACITANCE
EFF = EFFICIENCY (expressed as a decimal)

[meat popsicle]

Originally Posted by Geekventure

...

As far as the output of light is concerned...it all depends on the design/Engineering put into the bulb to efficiently utilize the available
Watts, Volts and Amps in the system.......I think....?

So we should be finding the highest Luminosity 35w HID kit...yes?

...

It's complicated...

From my reading it is not just the bulb that matters, but the lamp that is designed to project the light in a useful pattern (or not... ). And luminosity is not the only criteria involved, because various qualities of the light influence things like color rendering, which effects how your brain sees things and ultimately how it tells your body to react to things.

[dirty_sanchez]

Originally Posted by vulture

I was just looking at this too. The stock bulbs are 55W (58311038000 BULB H1 12V 55W WHITE). If replacing the stock bulbs with the HID kit, do the HID bulbs at 55W use less juice than the stock bulbs at 55W (I'm guessing not since a watt is a watt)? Or is the deal that the 35W HID bulbs are already as bright or brighter than the stock bulbs?

Thanks.

I'd suggest going with a 35 watt HID H1 bulb...NOT a 50 watt HID H1 bulb.

The other decision with a 35 watt HID H1 headlight conversion kit you see by the thousands on Ebay is color temperature aka "K" or Kelvin.

On the grey 640 I put bought 6000 kelvin bulbs, on the orange '07 I opted for the 4300k bulbs.

I like the 6000 better. They seem brighter to my eyes, and stand out to oncoming traffic a bit better.

Dirty

[flux_capacitor]

Dirty, first of all thanks for this thread. It's been a great help... I'm gonna be doing this conversion in the future and was wondering if you might have pics of both the silver and the orange bikes' lights turned on at night you could post. I'm afraid of attracting too much attention and blinding other drivers at night. I don't want to be "that guy" if you know what I mean. Do the 4300K lights still do a decent job of lighting the way vs the effort it takes to do the install?

Thanks in advance.

[dirty_sanchez]

Originally Posted by flux_capacitor

Dirty, first of all thanks for this thread. It's been a great help... I'm gonna be doing this conversion in the future and was wondering if you might have pics of both the silver and the orange bikes' lights turned on at night you could post. I'm afraid of attracting too much attention and blinding other drivers at night. I don't want to be "that guy" if you know what I mean. Do the 4300K lights still do a decent job of lighting the way vs the effort it takes to do the install?

Thanks in advance.

Flux- I'll get a few photos up this week in preparation for our riding groups Dirt Bike Campout.

The conversion is definately worthy of a Saturday project.

Dirty

[flux_capacitor]

Originally Posted by dirty_sanchez

Flux- I'll get a few photos up this week in preparation for our riding groups Dirt Bike Campout.

The conversion is definately worthy of a Saturday project.

Dirty

Thanks for that, I will be looking forward to it. I'll be making the conversion soon as I can free up some scratch (gonna do a seat and crashbars first, then lights will come 3rd).

Again, great thread.

[bmwktmbill]

Dirty,
Planning to use two 35 watt HID's with slimline ballasts.

Hard at work on a two relay wiring system where the ignition switch powers the low beam relay for a constant on low beam and the hi/low switch powers the high beam relay as needed. With the high beam activated both lights would be burning. This concept would still utilize the trigger switch for momentary on/off on the high beam ballast if necessary. It would eliminate a blackout period for safety reasons by use of the constant low beam.

This system would use on heavy duty power wire off the battery positive to power both relays. The wire gauge would have to be capable of 70 watts at 12V as the low beam would never turn off except when the ignition switch is closed. High beam would be controlled by the high beam switch.

It's getting late so I have to figure out how to fuse this system, probably I would just follow KTM's lead since the concept is similar.

Seems simple to me.
What do you think?

bill

[dirty_sanchez]

Bill- PM me your regular Email addy and I'll send over the wiring diagram.

Using the diagram, it'll do what you want and will not leave you in the darkness.

Seriously though, the blackout problem is virtually nil-especially if you're going to use the slimline ballasts.

Dirty

[mars]

i started mine today. Ran 12 guage lead wire to the front of the bike. I used a Molex connector near the carb to facilitate taking the rear subframe loose to change the shock etc. I was also able to snake the 12 gauge through one of the soft pvc conduits, it made for a tidy looking install. I also put an inline fuse at the battery for easy access. will probably put some other fuzes with external access on the dash board. I plan on straight 12 volt power for the low beam power with a switch and the current high beam wire to activate a relay to run the high beam, this way i can use the standard high beam switch. I was alarmed at how small the wire to the accessory plug was, i am surprised it didn't over heat from using my vest.
my bulbs would not fit the light assembly, it is going to require some largening.

[dirty_sanchez]

Mars-

I had to enlarge each hole the bulb passes through for the high and low beam on the '03. It took all of 30 seconds with a dremel and then blew out any metal shavings.

The bulbs slipped right in on the '07. The bulbs that came with this HID rig might have been a different brand.

Dirty

[mars]

thanks for the tip, i actually have a dremel tool. Will get that done tomorrow.

[bmwktmbill]

Originally Posted by mars

i started mine today. Ran 12 guage lead wire to the front of the bike. I used a Molex connector near the carb to facilitate taking the rear subframe loose to change the shock etc. I was also able to snake the 12 gauge through one of the soft pvc conduits, it made for a tidy looking install. I also put an inline fuse at the battery for easy access. will probably put some other fuzes with external access on the dash board. I plan on straight 12 volt power for the low beam power with a switch and the current high beam wire to activate a relay to run the high beam, this way i can use the standard high beam switch. I was alarmed at how small the wire to the accessory plug was, i am surprised it didn't over heat from using my vest.
my bulbs would not fit the light assembly, it is going to require some largening.

Mars,
Doing the same install you are and trying to keep it simple.
I have mixed feelings about this but from a safety standpoint I hadn't planned to fuse the power wire off the battery.

I do plan to use two relays, one controlled by the ignition switch and the other by the highbeam switch. The low beam would come on with the ignition and stay on always, the high beam would be switched by the highbeam switch or the trigger. I will use an emergency shut off on the low beam ground wire.

With this system a total failure would be less possible.

What do you think?
bill

[bmwktmbill]

Originally Posted by mars

i started mine today. Ran 12 guage lead wire to the front of the bike. I used a Molex connector near the carb to facilitate taking the rear subframe loose to change the shock etc. I was also able to snake the 12 gauge through one of the soft pvc conduits, it made for a tidy looking install. I also put an inline fuse at the battery for easy access. will probably put some other fuzes with external access on the dash board. I plan on straight 12 volt power for the low beam power with a switch and the current high beam wire to activate a relay to run the high beam, this way i can use the standard high beam switch. I was alarmed at how small the wire to the accessory plug was, i am surprised it didn't over heat from using my vest.
my bulbs would not fit the light assembly, it is going to require some largening.

Mars,
Doing the same install you are and trying to keep it simple.
I have mixed feelings about this but from a safety standpoint I hadn't planned to fuse the power wire off the battery.

I do plan to use two relays, one controlled by the ignition switch and the other by the highbeam switch. The low beam would come on with the ignition and stay on always, the high beam would be switched by the highbeam switch or the trigger. I will use an emergency shut off on the low beam ground wire. The trigger wire would be connected to the high beam relay. The neat thing is that the trigger is on a different fuse than the hi/lo circuits in the OEM wiring so it's doubtful everything would fail unless the main power wire was dead shorted.

With this system a total failure would be less possible.

What do you think?
bill