bogieboy's winter headlight project.

[bogieboy]

so...after some testing of my led headlight bulbs, I am not really satisfied with them... they are great for being seen, but seems as though the seeing part is completely absent due to the crap housings they are in... so... browsing ebay and the web in general, I came to the conclusion that I wanted to retrofit some projector style headlights to my current headlight "mask"... stunbled across a set of Morimoto Matchbox projectors for a 1/4th the usual rate with 10 min to go on the auction and got them for $30.50 shipped... they usually go for 120+.... they are the worlds smallest production Bi-xenon (mechanical cutoff for high/low beam) projector... a whopping 1.8" lens... which I think will be about right for my "mask".... pics and more info to come ....hehe

[Darkrider]

I have a feeling you may be disappointed in the Matchbox projectors with LED bulbs. They are a popular projector to use on the one forum im a Mod on and the overall thought is projectors do not do as well with LED bulbs as they do with HIDs.

[bogieboy]

I kinda wondered about that, then again I think a mag lite flashlight would spread a more useable pattern than the housings in my mask... I haven't set myself on using the leds just yet, I would live to throw a set of 55w hids in but I worry about frying the stator and my itsy bitsy 4ah battery....LOL not sure how much output I can get from my stator...

[bogieboy]

so... seller really surprised me, not only did I get them in 2 days (over thanksgiving....wow) they also sent a set of 3000k hid bulbs with the projectors.... so... all I would need is a set (? don't know if you can piggy back the bulbs? kinda looks like you can but I have 0 knowledge of how hids work) of ballasts... I wonder if I could piggy back em off one ballast to save space?

with projectors in hand they seem very well made.... much heavier duty than expected...LOL

[TXDSRIDER]

Originally Posted by bogieboy

so... seller really surprised me, not only did I get them in 2 days (over thanksgiving....wow) they also sent a set of 3000k hid bulbs with the projectors.... so... all I would need is a set (? don't know if you can piggy back the bulbs? kinda looks like you can but I have 0 knowledge of how hids work) of ballasts... I wonder if I could piggy back em off one ballast to save space?

with projectors in hand they seem very well made.... much heavier duty than expected...LOL

Each bulb needs it's own ballast.

[Darkrider]

Since you are seeking low power draw you could get away with using 35 watt ballasts, and to reduce strain on the bikes electrical system i would suggest buying or making a relay harness and using a switch to be able to turn them off during the day. and wire them to run straight from the battery. Depending on how the bike is set up you may be able to have enough juice coming from the stator to keep the battery topped up no matter what. Chances are the stock headlight to the bike is most likely a 35w/35w setup.

[bogieboy]

stock was a single 35/35w but I have a double headlight now, so... not sure on that... as for turning them of in the day, I can do that from the headlight switch already, but in ny it is illegal to operate a motorcycle without a headlight on during the day...

[Darkrider]

Originally Posted by bogieboy

stock was a single 35/35w but I have a double headlight now, so... not sure on that... as for turning them of in the day, I can do that from the headlight switch already, but in ny it is illegal to operate a motorcycle without a headlight on during the day...

What you could do is wire it so one is on on low beam and use a second relay to trigger both on when you are on high beam. the first relay would pull power straight from the battery since you are now asking for 70 watts of lighting. Other option is to wire one per beam and just aim them differently, That way its the same power draw as stock. But HIDs especially in projectors designed for them like the Matchboxes are going to blow your old lighting out of the water. With the right ballast/bulb set up your 35w set up will throw out far more light then even a 100 w halogen off road light. Especially if you have relays between the Ballasts and stock wiring to protect the wiring from the initial surge on start up and draw straight from the battery. I used to sell HID kits at one point as a side venture thus how i know how well they work when properly set up.

[bogieboy]

so, to put it simply, you would run your power straight from the battery to the ballast, (higher gauge wire than stock) and run a relay off the headlight switch wiring for the control circuitry of the ballast? if i am reading right?

as a side note, i would prefer to keep both headlights lit all the time... .not a fan of the one light look, several crotch rockets around here taht they wired that way and to be honest i think it looks kinda stupid...LOL looks like they have a headlight out....and lets just say i dont need to attract the attention of the local troopers....

[Darkrider]

Originally Posted by bogieboy

so, to put it simply, you would run your power straight from the battery to the ballast, (higher gauge wire than stock) and run a relay off the headlight switch wiring for the control circuitry of the ballast? if i am reading right?

as a side note, i would prefer to keep both headlights lit all the time... .not a fan of the one light look, several crotch rockets around here taht they wired that way and to be honest i think it looks kinda stupid...LOL looks like they have a headlight out....and lets just say i dont need to attract the attention of the local troopers....

You pretty much have the concept, the stock headlight wire would go to the relay to trigger it, the power would then be pulled straight from the battery, which would then go to a Y to trigger both ballasts at once when high beam is selected. On the low beam it would be relay to single ballast then ballast to bulb. Later on today i will see if i can find some wiring diagrams to explain it a bit better. Either way the point of the relay is to take the load off of the light gauge wiring of the stock headlight wiring and run it through the heavier gauge that is coming out of the relay and straight from the battery.

[bogieboy]

so some pics..... the projector itself...



and with it next to the crap stock housing with an LED bulb in it and the rest of the gutted mask...

[bogieboy]

another side by side depth comparison of the installed depth of the projector vs the original led setup...




and a mockup of the final look... the outside hole will be a turn signal

[bogieboy]

aaaand we hit a snag.... LOL




anyone have ideas on how to remedy this issue?

[jct842]

make mount for one of the cans at 90 degrees, then turn the socket 90. Its either that or some serious surgery on the plastic. (fiberglass, cutting, and cussing.)

[bogieboy]

ok I was overthinking it....LOL pulled the two screws that were in the way, and sandwiched it all together in there.....also added one screw thru the pre existing holes to hold it all together and square....



aaaannnnnddddd......