HID Vendor recommendation?

[RonKMiller]

Yep, I'm going to the bright side. 30 year old halogens just don't cut it for me. I installed HID on my LT's low beam and its the best $$ I've spent by far.

I know that Xenonrider.com has a bi-xenon H4 kit with digital ballast option. I've got the feeling installing this on a 1979 is going to end up being "chug all day" instead of plug and play...

Does anyone have any favorite vendors they've worked with?

Thanks!

[Anyname]

I don't, but like everyone else, I will cheer from the sidelines and eagerly await your results...

[RonKMiller]

I don't, but like everyone else, I will cheer from the sidelines and eagerly await your results...

hmmm, what's not to like?

By my reckoning, about 25% less wattage requirement than OEM Halogen, (35W for the HID bulb and 8W for the digital ballast) a 400% increase in Lumens, and a whiter, 5000K light.

Some very careful aiming is needed to avoid stray light due to the optics of that old lens, but other than than that it is all good, IMHO... :whistle

[mymindsok]

:lurk :lurk :lurk :lurk :lurk :lurk :lurk :lurk :lurk :lurk :lurk:lurk:lurk:lurk:lurk:lurk

[tommcgee]

Some very careful aiming is needed to avoid stray light due to the optics of that old lens, but other than than that it is all good, IMHO... :whistle

That's not true if you get an H4 HID kit that has a moving shutter, as opposed to an H4 HID kit where the bulb itself moves.

I bought the H4 HID slim digital ballast kit from VVME. Shipping was 2 or 3 days from China. Price was somewhere around $80 and the kit came with relays.

BTW, all 35 watt HID bulbs are actually 39 watts according to Phillips.

[RonKMiller]

That's not true if you get an H4 HID kit that has a moving shutter, as opposed to an H4 HID kit where the bulb itself moves.

I bought the H4 HID slim digital ballast kit from VVME. Shipping was 2 or 3 days from China. Price was somewhere around $80 and the kit came with relays.

BTW, all 35 watt HID bulbs are actually 39 watts according to Phillips.

That's great to know since I'm planning on the bi-xenon (shutter) type! Makes perfect sense when you think about it since you're not changing the position of the filament (arc) in relation to the lens.

NOTHING worse than a "duel" at night with two oncoming drivers blinding each other. :nra I'll probably do a little tweaking if needed since I plan on cleaning the reflector and replacing the gasket. Wife in the car 500 feet down the road is how I aim mine...

I've got OEM bi-xenon on my Mercedes - and while a crazy expensive option from the dealer - I was able to source brand new OEM from a guy in Holland for about half the price.

So it appears I'll be running about 39 + 8 = 47 Watts? I just want to make sure I'm not going above 60 or so since I don't plan on an alternator upgrade until this one bites the bullet - which as I understand is in the near future. I'm kind of hoping the new Thunderchild I installed somehow miraculously will help to delay this event...

I'll check out VVME, thanks.:thumb

[tommcgee]

So it appears I'll be running about 39 + 8 = 47 Watts?

It's close to that. Power draw from the ballast is variable. With a dual H4 HID setup on my Vstrom, and pushing the limits with heated gear, HID definitely saves some watts. I haven't had to pull a headlight connector since I converted and the voltmeter reading doesn't make me nervous.

[85K100LT]

I just replaced my old headlight shell ( cracked) with an H4 bulb with a seal beam unit. You can buy high output sealed beams to replace the shell with the H4 bulb.

Mine was in a faring but a direct replacement:dance

[RonKMiller]

It's close to that. Power draw from the ballast is variable. With a dual H4 HID setup on my Vstrom, and pushing the limits with heated gear, HID definitely saves some watts. I haven't had to pull a headlight connector since I converted and the voltmeter reading doesn't make me nervous.

Kewl, after looking at the VVME site I think I'll go with the 50/55W H4 xenon low beam and halogen high beam set up since I want to run a Kisan modulator on the high beam as well as still be able to use "flash to pass".

This set up was not available last time I looked several years ago.

I also like this option as a backup in case the ballast goes out unexpectedly. I may only have high beam left but it's better than no beam. I can always stop and re-adjust the aim downward if needed.

Is my thinking good on this or am I missing something? :scratch

[10564]

In my experience the the shutter type is a waste if time (puts the high beam in the trees). Look at the H4 bulb, since the filaments are mounted in line one behind the other a moving source is only common sense.
P.S. an ammeter in series with the load confirms 3.1 amp draw for a total of 37.2 W. (3.1x12=37.2). It ain't rocket science folks.:brad

Link for descent price-
http://www.alpha-bid.com/product196.html

[RonKMiller]

I just replaced my old headlight shell ( cracked) with an H4 bulb with a seal beam unit. You can buy high output sealed beams to replace the shell with the H4 bulb.

Mine was in a faring but a direct replacement:dance

That's good to know! I'm pretty sure mine is in excellent shape (except for the leaky rubber gasket) but until I pull it and inspect it you never know...

I plan on cleaning the reflector with some alcohol and a drop of Dawn dish washing detergent diluted with distilled water. I'll use Sontara cloths (a DuPont product) made for cleaning optical surfaces to get any grunge off - hopefully without scratching it.

[RonKMiller]

In my experience the the shutter type is a waste if time (puts the high beam in the trees). Look at the H4 bulb, since the filaments are mounted in line one behind the other a moving source is only common sense.
P.S. an ammeter in series with the load confirms 3.1 amp draw for a total of 37.2 W. (3.1x12=37.2). It ain't rocket science folks.:brad

Link for descent price-
http://www.alpha-bid.com/product196.html

Hmm, most of the shutter type HID's are telescopic as far as I know, so the alignment is the roughly the same as for filaments for both high and low beam... The only issue is that they tend to overall be much taller and may not fit.

I looked at that site, but I can get two bulbs that I want and two ballasts for the same price... always nice to have spares.

It always seems that whenever stuff is "motorcycle specific" there is always some gimmick involved that ends up doubling the profit for the Vendor. Don't get me wrong - I'm all for outsized profits, just not at my expense!

I figure I've got a max 4 amp draw with the HID low beam, so it should be very safe for the stock wiring/switches?