headlamp bulb

[JimbosToys]

Lo beam burned out. Been using hi all the time. Now it burbed out. Must replace.
Finally got it out (very tight) and it's hanging under the plastic.
What the hell is this? The connection is not standard H4 - now an inline connector on the feed wire.
HELP!

 

[670cc]

Hmmm. Bought your bike used, maybe? Came with an aftermarket LED headlight? If you trace the wiring back maybe the standard headlight connector is still there and you can revert to an incandescent lamp.

 

[JimbosToys]

Yes, used.
found it has a power supply:

 

[StratTuner]

Seems to me you could remove the power supply and the LED bulb...if you don't like those two....what's left will almost certainly be the standard plug you're looking for.

You might just replace the LED bulb/power supply. I got [THIS] one last time, and it's working well.

The 3-tabbed metal collar is removable. the light twists in and out of it... knowing that may make installation easier.

 

[JimbosToys]

Thanks Greg, I got it! Removed the power supply/bulb and installed a regular H4 halogen (the rgular connector still there z whew!). Not sure of brightness/power draw yet, but at least I'm back in business.
Don't trust the reliability, best buy a spare...

 

[JimbosToys]

Strat - appears to be it. Yep - I discovered it twists out. After!
I might want to go back to it. Where did you get it? $$?
was it brighter, or just lower power consumption? Life? My 2012 scoot has 20k miles.
You guys are great - thanks!

 

[frozenpoet]

That's not very good life really, my halogen bulb lasted just as long.

 

[JimbosToys]

I thought short life, as well. The sticker says 20W, 2000/2600 lumens, and 30000 hours. I should return for warranty - but to whom?! Such is life...
Might buy a new pair - back up.
Still plan on some driving lights for extra coverage and get home lighting - already have the light bar installed and some cheapo 10w LEDs on order. Separate fused switch direct to battery.

 

[treybrad]

Yeah that's interesting. In theory the LED should have longer life over the halogen. I've been waiting for my halogen to die on me to 'upgrade' to LED, but at 3.5 years / 55k miles the OEM halogen keeps on ticking. If the LED's go boom after 20k, that's not good at all. Wonder if you're the outlier, or that's typical real life longevity...

trey

 

[the4Dman]

LED element life depends on junction temperature INSIDE the element (the temperature at the p-n junction of the gremainium/silicon, right where the photons are produced). junction temperature depends on how well it's designed and heatsinked. you can have the best heatsink in the world, but if you don't get cool air to the heatsink (and heated air away), then it's all for naught, LED life will go down exponentially with slight rise in junction temperature.

I haven't looked inside the headlamp housing on the NC yet, but I'm willing to bet that the housing doesn't breathe all that well (since it was designed for a halogen, not really affected in the same way).

The heat created at the junction is also a function of the voltage and current, delivered to the LED, the controller you have, does it have any adjustment on it? if so, turning it down slightly could have a huge advantage in lifetime.

Also running it on high all of the time is probably not what the intention of the designer was at the time it was engineered. That is a factor called Duty cycle, when they did the lifetime calculation and came up with 30K Hr. hi/lo duty cycle might have been more like 50%/50%, or 20%/80%, so that would certainly effect lifetime, I doubt it was 100%/0%

If you do plan to use the same element (replacement) see if there's a way to get some better airflow in and out of the headlamp housing (yes, better airflow adds liquid susceptibility), you will probably have better life results.

 

[JimbosToys]

4DMan - yep, LEDs cannot stand heat. As you see in the pic, there is a small muffin fan in the head (I confirmed it works). That theoretically addresses the temp issue, but maybe this was an outlier. Or the little 7 year old Chinese girl that made it was not feeling well that day...
Perhaps some others can weigh in with their experience? I certainly want longer life, more lumens, less power, more life - but $5 vs $40 is a tough value equation if they don't perform as promised!
thanks to the group - really helps.

 

[frozenpoet]

Speaking of, my high beam bit the dust first, and at the time I was running highs during the day, lows at night.

 

[JimbosToys]

I run high during the day, lo at night, as well.
A related question - do headlight flashers extend life? I mean both the bulb AND the operator!
And aren't they illegal in some states? Which ones?
And are blue lights really illegal on a highway vehicle? Now THAT gets attention.

 

[670cc]

I run high during the day, lo at night, as well.
A related question - do headlight flashers extend life? I mean both the bulb AND the operator!
And aren't they illegal in some states? Which ones?
And are blue lights really illegal on a highway vehicle? Now THAT gets attention.

Headlight modulator manufacturers claim headlight bulb life is neither longer nor shorter when using a modulator. I have experienced no shortening in incandescent bulb life.

In the US, federal law permits the use of motorcycle headlight modulators that meet proper design criteria in ALL 50 states. The law further prohibits states from making laws that supersede the federal law. Put another way, they are legal in all 50 states and the state cannot make them illegal. I carry a copy of the law with me in case an LEO is uninformed of the law. So far I've had no trouble.

I don't know the legality of blue lights, but as a motorist I find blue headlights quite annoying.

 

[GregC]

Not to divert the thread, but …

I use a headlight modulator. This weekend at a stoplight the guy next me said "hey man, did you know your headlight is flashing?" " yeah" said I. He says "I ride, and I think that's a bad idea - it looks like your trying to send a signal." I say "I am - the signal is SEE ME, and apparently it works."

I know there's disagreement on modulators, but it does seem to get noticed.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[StratTuner]

Not to divert the thread, but …

I use a headlight modulator. This weekend at a stoplight the guy next me said "hey man, did you know your headlight is flashing?" " yeah" said I. He says "I ride, and I think that's a bad idea - it looks like your trying to send a signal." I say "I am - the signal is SEE ME, and apparently it works."

I know there's disagreement on modulators, but it does seem to get noticed.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

How do you flash your lights so you can signal a big rig truck that it's OK to change lanes in front of you?
(rhetorical question... sorry... there is no way.)

I suppose I'm not ready yet to give up that communication, but am I willing to die for it? hmmmmm......

 

[StratTuner]

Strat - appears to be it. Yep - I discovered it twists out. After!
I might want to go back to it. Where did you get it? $$?
was it brighter, or just lower power consumption? Life? My 2012 scoot has 20k miles.
You guys are great - thanks!

Well... there's a link in the text where it says [THIS], and it links to Amazon.
It was $45. I don't recall how many lumens brighter it is than stock, but I sure like the look of it.

• Kit includes: 1.Two Pieces of Cree H4 /HB2 /9003 LED HeadLight; 2.Two Pieces of Drivers; 3.One Piece of Installtion Manual
• Lumen: 5200LM /Pair, Operating Voltage: 10V-32V,LED color: HID White(6500K),Life Span: 50,000hours
• LED Type:CREE LED Light 30W/ each bulb and 60 each set.
• Application: Headlight LO/HI Beam
• US Based Company, Specialized in LED Lights. You are buying directly from the MANUFACTUER!100% Satisfaction Guranteed!Free shipping Via USPS First Class Package. For 48 continental states, you will get them in 3-5 working days.

 

[670cc]

Not to divert the thread, but …

I use a headlight modulator. This weekend at a stoplight the guy next me said "hey man, did you know your headlight is flashing?" " yeah" said I. He says "I ride, and I think that's a bad idea - it looks like your trying to send a signal." I say "I am - the signal is SEE ME, and apparently it works."

I know there's disagreement on modulators, but it does seem to get noticed.

The arguement against modulators often revolves around their potential misinterpretation by other drivers.

If I'm coming at you on my Goldwing, with 2 fog lights on and 4 headlights blazing, two of them flashing brightly, I don't see how that could be interpreted as "go ahead and turn in front of me". Actually, I sometimes have drivers pull over thinking I'm an emergency vehicle.

In reality I use my modulator with discretion, where I believe it's needed for attention, and when it hopefully will not be misinterpreted.

Now back to our regular discussion.

 

[670cc]

How do you flash your lights so you can signal a big rig truck that it's OK to change lanes in front of you?
(rhetorical question... sorry... there is no way.)

Answer: there is a way. My headlights are wired to modulate only the high beam. So as I'm riding along with my low beam, to signal the truck I would flash my high beam quickly just as I would if I had no modulator.

Ok, NOW back to our regular discussion.

 

[JimbosToys]

Thanks Strat - did not realize the link was there (am on my smartphone).
Chasing some bulbs on ebay.