Improving the Airhead headlight.

[boxerboy81]

My low beam blew the other day. Lasted 32 months. My headlight has a new nice and shiney reflector and I don't want to go the way of hid. The headlight relay isn't too old either.

I'm looking at H4 replacements now. The PIAA is twice the price of the Osram, but both make similar claims. Anyone made real comparisons between H4 "lamps"?



Tests, but no info. Just the results in recommended order as "best buys".http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/product...t_h4_blue.html

Originally Posted by http://www.danielsternlighting.com/p.../products.html

The H4 +50 bulbs from the big four reputable European bulb makers (Philips VisionPlus, Osram SilverStar, Narva RangePower+50, Tungsram Megalicht) are functionally identical. When we pick ten samples of each and put each one through photometric, optical comparator and life tests, there's a very narrow range of performance and life differences, and those differences are randomized among the four brands.

[advNZer?]

even a new lamp will be better than the old one of the same rating.I got some "plus 80" replacements for some H1 lamps once and they were def better.Cannot comment on the makes you mention there sorry.

[supershaft]

The bulb plug is a big week spot. Especially on higher wattage bulbs. It gets hot enough there to melt the plastic but the real problem is the cooked wires. If your wires are hard close to the connectors, they have been over heated and need to be replaced. If your multimeter won't pick up the extra resistance a meg ohmer will. Chances are a voltage drop test will too. It all adds up and it only gets worse making more heat as the resistance goes up.

I wanted to add that I think a lot of these new bulbs are getting out of hand. You can't see when they are coming at you or when they are behind you and now a lot of people are using them. I am guessing the cops don't care anymore?

[DoktorT]

All it takes to cut the life of those bulbs is a fingerprint. Simply do not touch the glass. Hold it by the base only.

If you must go to higher that stock watts, do get a ceramic plug.

Any stock plug 30 years old will have heat cycled plenty to affect the terms. If you see the typical signs of heat stresses, purty colors on the terms, cooked insulation, do replace the terms and an inch or more of the wire ends.

Verify resistance in each leg of the circuit. Just a volt drop test will do it. A drop of a half volt headlght to battery is more heat that shows up somewhere. Headlight terms, ignition switch and starter relay are the weak points that bear the brunt of the heat caused by resistance anywhere in the circuit.

[tdrrally]

how about something like this?


a 1 volt drop in power will bring you about a 10% loss in light
make sure you have a 12+v going to you light

[goathead]

I installed a relay that runs the low and high beam at the same time when the high beam is on I can not remember where I got it . It helps

[Rucksta]

+2 on relays.

I have two mini relays in the headlight shell switched by the OE headlight relay.
The extra relays are supplied by 2.5 mm wire, fused, straight off the battery.
Plug to bulb is ceramic.

Output increase on same 60/55 H4 bulb is a bit over a 1/2 stop measured on incident light meter or around 60% increase.
The setup handles a 100/80 bulb no problems.

Component cost around $20.00

[SOLO LOBO]

Originally Posted by Rucksta

+2 on relays.

I have two mini relays in the headlight shell switched by the OE headlight relay.
The extra relays are supplied by 2.5 mm wire, fused, straight off the battery.
Plug to bulb is ceramic.

Output increase on same 60/55 H4 bulb is a bit over a 1/2 stop measured on incident light meter or around 60% increase.
The setup handles a 100/80 bulb no problems.

Component cost around $20.00

The eastern beaver kit perhaps?

you are saying with the kit you get 60% more light?

[mpilot]

Where does one find the ceramic headlight plug?

[boxerboy81]

Originally Posted by mpilot

Where does one find the ceramic headlight plug?

Plenty on ebay.

I might look into that too, as my plug looks well used, as it should after 31 years. I like the idea of KISS, so a new plug and a decent H4 might be all that's required.

The Eastern Beaver stuff looks simple enough too, but just adds a little more circuitry in a crowded headlight and doubles the cost.

[craydds]

Originally Posted by mpilot

Where does one find the ceramic headlight plug?

eastern beaver

[DoktorT]

You can get a decent 90 degree ceramic plug at NAPA, IF the parts man will order it. Same for most FLAPS. If the dude can spend the time to find it in the catalogs, he can order it. But sometimes managment has advised whatever you do, switch them to something in stock. No spezial orders for do dads.

Wirewerks (sp?) on here provides elec goods. He just might have them.

[Rucksta]

Originally Posted by SOLO LOBO

The eastern beaver kit perhaps?

you are saying with the kit you get 60% more light?

Don't know about the Eastern Beaver kit.
It's probably similar as this is just wiring

2 x mini relays, a plug, some heat shrink, a fuse & holder, spade connectors and coloured bits of wire.

On my bike the modification resulted in a measured increase in light output approaching 60% or just over one half stop measured incident light.
(Gossen Luna 6 with incident light diffuser measured at one meter HiBeam 19EV Lo 18 EV @100asa)

This result did exceceed my expectations but not by a long way.

Individual results may vary
Variables would include the condition of the existing wiring, relays & switches.

[bmwloco]

Depending on your charging system, the new light may be bright, but heated grips or clothing may suffer.

I suppose it all about how much and where you ride.

There are hardened and upgraded charging systems on all my BMWs. I particularly like 55/100 halogen bulbs. As I am growing older, I do bigger miles in the morning and ride less at night. Surprising how you change in 31 years of riding boxers.

Dang. Like Pete Townsend said "no one said getting older never hurt..."

[craydds]

Originally Posted by boxerboy81

The Eastern Beaver stuff looks simple enough too, but just adds a little more circuitry in a crowded headlight and doubles the cost.

The Eastern Beaver relay systems are elegant, simple, and very tidy; really not too expensive. I made my own double-relay system, and it looks crude compared to Eastern's, but it works well. A fellow inmate observed that I could have bought the Eastern product for cheaper than my cost to build my own. An Eastern headlight relay system is pretty much "plug-n-play".