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Headlight upgrade

Huskyfatman

Huskyfatman

Joined Mar 2006
254 Posts | 83+
SO.NV.
I recently installed PMXTEC http://pmxtec.com/ headlight upgrade kit on my '05 FE650e. The kit consists of an adaptor and wires to install the supplied H7 bulb. The standard kit goes for $43.99 with a regular H7 bulb, but I opted for the recommended Osram 65w bulb ($15 extra) which is said to be brighter and more durable. It took about 7 minutes to install and made a noticible improvement over the original 35w bulb, or 55/60w that I had. It produces a much brighter and whiter light seems to throw a more narrow beam pattern.
 
70W, I guess the SEM crowd can only dream of using one of these, unless... unless... Sparks?
 
Thanks for the tip. I was going to install a headlight modulator but this upgrade will help day AND night. Now I just have to get a tail-light modulator.
Lou
 
Cheers for that, now that IS a must have mod.

any of the Aussies heard of these kits in Aust yet??

Azza.
 
I used to have a problem with filament based tail light bulbs going kaput after one month, probably due to vibrations. :)

For the last year I've been using the LEDtronics 1157 lamp. No complaints.

http://www.ledtronics.com/ds/aut1157/

137-dr.gif


red.jpeg
 
I was also running the old "cluster" type led, but it was sorta dim behind my red tail light lense. The newer Luxeon bulbs are far brighter though more expensive.
 
HFM, how many hours do you have on the H7 conversion? I made up an adapter for my stock headlight and put in a 55W Osram/Sylvania Silverstar H7 bulb. The Silverstar looked to have the heaviest filament of the common automotive bulbs. After 6 hours of use, the heat has made the reflective silvering go all hazy. The headlamp reflector now looks like frosted glass, although the clear plastic lens is still OK. We always run our lights in the woods as it is much easier to keep track of each other that way.
 
warning

...After 6 hours of use, the heat has made the reflective silvering go all hazy. The headlamp reflector now looks like frosted glass, although the clear plastic lens is still OK...

Thanks for that warning Neil. I just received my H7 kit from PMXTEC and now I think I will try to put some cooling vents into the number plate/headlight shroud to see if that will prevent the effect that you experienced. JD
 
Re: RE: Headlight upgrade

LeFrog said:
70W, I guess the SEM crowd can only dream of using one of these, unless... unless... Sparks?
Click to expand...

The stock SEM should handle that with no problem.
 
RE: Re: RE: Headlight upgrade

Jack, the stock reflector has some holes in it where the clip tabs are molded. There may be sufficient venting from those if you leave the rubber cover off, or add holes at the top and bottom of the cover. Does the Pmxtec adapter have some holes or slots in it? I made my adapter out of rubber to help cushion the bulb from vibration, but did not add any ventilation.
 
headlight heat venting

There are no holes in this adaptor, only the solid ("heat resistant" and hopefully not heat conductive) plastic. I think that any and all ventilation will only aid in avoiding the deterioration that you experienced.
 
Neil_E. said:
HFM, how many hours do you have on the H7 conversion? I made up an adapter for my stock headlight and put in a 55W Osram/Sylvania Silverstar H7 bulb. The Silverstar looked to have the heaviest filament of the common automotive bulbs. After 6 hours of use, the heat has made the reflective silvering go all hazy. The headlamp reflector now looks like frosted glass, although the clear plastic lens is still OK. We always run our lights in the woods as it is much easier to keep track of each other that way.
Click to expand...

I only have a few rides on it. Now that is is cooling down I hope to get more ride time in. I haven't seen any difference in my reflector yet, but thanks for the warning.
 
Neil_E. said:
HFM, how many hours do you have on the H7 conversion? I made up an adapter for my stock headlight and put in a 55W Osram/Sylvania Silverstar H7 bulb. The Silverstar looked to have the heaviest filament of the common automotive bulbs. After 6 hours of use, the heat has made the reflective silvering go all hazy. The headlamp reflector now looks like frosted glass, although the clear plastic lens is still OK. We always run our lights in the woods as it is much easier to keep track of each other that way.
Click to expand...

I only have a few rides on it. Now that is is cooling down I hope to get more ride time in. I haven't seen any difference in my reflector yet, but thanks for the warning.
 
Huskyfatman
why did you go with a H7 bulb when you can fit a regular 60/65W H4 bulb in the stock
headlight and you can get hi/low beam

Lefrog
you have a true 140W AC or DC at your disposal with a SEM thats better than a
Kokosan

happy trails VIKING
 
VIKING said:
Huskyfatman
why did you go with a H7 bulb when you can fit a regular 60/65W H4 bulb in the stock
headlight and you can get hi/low beam

Lefrog
you have a true 140W AC or DC at your disposal with a SEM thats better than a
Kokosan

happy trails VIKING
Click to expand...

The H7 bulb is more durable, and brighter than the 60/55w H4 I had. I tried a PIAA 80/80w and it seemed too much draw for the stock stator. I don't miss the lack of the HI/LO beam because the H7 seems to throw out a better spread of light than the 60/55 did in either the hi or low setting. I don't know how or if the reflector problem will effect the light's output as mine hasn't suffered any damage yet. Thanks!
 
Further thoughts: The bulb I tried is the 55W Silverstar which operates at a higher output level and has a whiter light output. This may be why I had reflector issues. The H7 filament is noticeably heavier than the H4 filaments.
 
Huskyfatman
a H7 from the looks of it is single filament H4 all bulbs are not created equal and the
bulb wattage does not equal luminescence I did some tests since I do some night riding
and I want the brightest light possible for the power consumption, the light output was measured with a light meter, a napa 100W H4 had 7800 candle power, a bulb that
called bright lite 65W had 7600 CP a bulb called true view 65W had 7400CP and a
napa 65W had 7200 CP, bulbs that has colder light ( read a more whitish / blueish )
loses luminescence since they have to color the glass to get that colder light and in doing
so it loses total light output
other factors in light output is voltage at the bulb .5V can yield a increase of 1000 CP
and if put 80W bulb on a stator that only puts out 70 W now you have a low voltage
at the bulb so the bulb would look dim
I don't know what year/ model of bike you have but it is really easy to over power the stator and that results in dim lights

VIKING
 
VIKING,
Thanks for the info. I took the 80watt PIAA H4 bulb out of my '97 ATK, which has a super high output stator. The 80w bulb in my ATK is VERY bright, and doesn't get dim at all during low revs, of course it shouldn't as it runs off the battery. I have an '05 Husaberg which doesn't seem to have enough juice to power the 80watt H4 and my LED tail light adequately (my turn indicators are LED as well). The main thing I like about the H7 in the stock Husaberg head light is the beam, or spread pattern of the light is much more to my liking than it was with the H4 (both 35/35w & 60/55w). Candle power is important, but you also want the light focused where you need it. I think the H7 throws a different spread of light because of the filament is at a different proximity to the reflector. I could be wrong. Not a very scientific explanation, but my eyes like the H7 better than a comparable H4, and they do appear more rugged.
 

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