Author Topic: 2G "S" headlamp upgrade (Read 73928 times)

Vlad · « **Reply #45 on:** March 05, 2006, 02:55:59 AM »

Voltage has to drop under load - I wouldn't be surprised if id drops under 10V when the bike is not running. My Ohm's law knowledge is a little rusty, but someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

That said, there is no harm in re-wiring with thicker wires. I'd just make sure they are not considerably stiffer, i.e. use the wire with as many strands as possible.

Bazza · « **Reply #46 on:** March 05, 2006, 03:37:41 AM »

I will definetly let you all know how it turns out. I think someone passed along this site earlier, but I will share it also.

I priced everything to set up a relay system and it would not be a whole lot cheaper doing it from scratch with top quality relays.

I ended up purchasing a harness from this site. The guy had put it in the mail within two hours after I placed the order.

I have heard him recomended before by a few BMW riders.

I am going to do a little experimenting tomorror to see what type of load drop I get using thicker wire straight off the battery. I have the old units out, so this will be easily done in the garage. I can tell you though that when I compared the light off my new hella units (which I hooked up to a spare battery in the garage) compared to the stock units which where mounted on the bike (stock) There was a huge difference in light. I don't know if it was that the new Hella units are that much better, or that it was because they were hooked up to heavier wiring with less of a voltage drop occuring because of the way I had it jury rigged.

http://easternbeaver.com/Home/Main/main.html

Bazza · « **Reply #47 on:** March 05, 2006, 07:44:05 PM »

Ok, folks I am convinced.

I repeated this experiment today using the stock units, and a spare battery. I was only able to record a 0.3 voltage drop once power was applied to the bulb.

Now here is the thing, the voltage drop I experiance may not happen on every B-12, but if your headlights suck as much as mine did, you may want to check for a voltage drop at your headlight bulb connections.

I will repeat this once I install the new wiring harness.

mklep · « **Reply #48 on:** March 06, 2006, 10:48:16 AM »

Yea, I noticed the smaller guage wires when I was tinkering with my headlights. I ended up installing 14 guage wires from the battery, via relay, to each headlight. Then, installed Silverstar high beam bulbs in each light housing. (low beam socket had to be changed out, of coarse)

Big improvement. Not blinding to other drivers. Took about an hour to do it. I still get the "dude, you got a headlight out". Oh well.

Getting the correct voltage to any appliance, whether a light bulb or a refrigerator, will make it run more efficiently and last longer. (most of the time

)

scooter69 · « **Reply #49 on:** March 06, 2006, 11:48:50 AM »

Quote from: "mklep"

Yea, I noticed the smaller guage wires when I was tinkering with my headlights. I ended up installing 14 guage wires from the battery, via relay, to each headlight. Then, installed Silverstar high beam bulbs in each light housing. (low beam socket had to be changed out, of coarse)

So where exactly would I get this High Beam casing....direct from Suzuki or chance it on e-bay??

So many different ideas on how to modify the lights....makes it hard to decide what to do.

mklep · « **Reply #50 on:** March 06, 2006, 01:34:55 PM »

Quote

So where exactly would I get this High Beam casing....direct from Suzuki or chance it on e-bay??

If it is the socket you are referring to, I got mine from my local auto parts store. (socket for a 9005 bulb) The bulb itself will twist into the original low beam housing- but will be a little loose. I chose to use an o-ring on the base of the bulb to take up the difference. About 4,000 miles on this setup and doing fine, through all sorts of weather, too!

Bazza · « **Reply #51 on:** March 06, 2006, 05:08:56 PM »

As far as the relays & wiring goes, I could not find anything locally that matches the link above in quality & price. Most of the local relays that I could find were not waterproof and lets just say rather bulky. I have not yet seen the Headlight harness I purchased from Eastern Beaver, but he does come recomended from the BMW crowd.

The headlight bases are available at any parts store.

I just wish I would have discovered the Voltage drop before doing the Hella mod! (But I am certain the Hella units will be a bigger improvment).

RowdyRed94 · « **Reply #52 on:** March 09, 2006, 12:26:53 AM »

You'd still have had the black dust and the poor focus. Be glad you did it.

I'm probably going to order the relay kit tomorrow. It's a small price and time committment for even a 10% improvement. I'm guessing it will be more than that.

Red01 · « **Reply #53 on:** March 09, 2006, 11:14:53 AM »

I'm pretty sure the black dust comes from the deflectors... some bikes seem to have a bigger problem with it than others. I tore into my headlight assy for my bulb mod when the bike had almost 40K miles and there wasn't much dust in mine, but I could see where the deflectors had been rubbing on the housing.

I'm real happy with my headlight mod so far and it is a helluva lot easier to do than the Hella mod.

Bazza · « **Reply #54 on:** March 16, 2006, 12:39:51 PM »

As with me, I did not find a great deal of dust in my stock lights. On mine it apperaed that the reflective coating had come off in a few spots. (Wait for the picts) I am thinking it could be another cause of the dust. Maybe the reflective coating is not taking heat well.

But on mine I just did not have much light period. It was like I had a dimmer switch on both bulbs.

I may get the bike together this weekend (I now have all the parts) & will provide before & after picts of the Hella/Wiring mod.

Bazza · « **Reply #55 on:** March 20, 2006, 12:53:21 AM »

Well I am almost there! A nasty dump of snow cancelled my visit to the garage this weekend but I did manage to get the Hella lights, wiring Harness, and harness for my heated grips in place. I am hoping to get the beast all back together next weekend and will have some picts for you.

I had the bugeye unit with the Hella lights in place on the bench in my garage and I can't emphasize how much better focused the Hella units are compared to the stock lights. The light these things emit is much brighter and clearer than the stock units.

Photo's will follow shortly. I have before picts, of the stock units, the IR bulbs and will have the Hella units also as a comparison.

It's not that big of a job when you get into it.

Bazza · « **Reply #56 on:** March 26, 2006, 03:23:01 AM »

Ok finally I got out to the garage.

Here is a link to my web page for the before & after picts of the Hella Mod.

http://members.shaw.ca/zukeman/bandit_headlight_mod.htm

Red01 · « **Reply #57 on:** March 26, 2006, 02:39:37 PM »

I was hoping you'd have pics on there that showed the HIR bulbs, too.

Nice difference between the stock & Hella - and the wiring upgrade!

Bazza · « **Reply #58 on:** March 26, 2006, 03:38:35 PM »

Hey Paul:

I still have the IR picts somewhere in my puter so once I locate them I will post them.

But really I feel the most bang for the buck was the wiring harness.

Bazza · « **Reply #59 on:** March 27, 2006, 08:34:39 PM »

Hey Everyone:

I managed to locate the I.R. Hella comparison pictures and posted them on the same link as above.

My final recomendations would be the new wiring harness for starters, the I.R. Bulbs if you are happy with the focus and have no black dust issues on your stock projector units. I would do the Hella mod it this was the case.

I have to say that over all, the Hella units project the best light. Believe me I did lots of pondering before taking apart the bug eye unit.