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H4 bulb, led,to reduce current draw at idle,help to decide on right one?

  • Thread starter Thread starter 81gs7501166
  • Start date Start date
8

81gs7501166

Guest
I'm looking at these 2 h4 bulbs for my bike?
It doesn't charge enough to start when I'm doing lots of test runs to determine carb settings, have to charge battery monthly to keep it starting?
But during summer when riding on longer than 5 mile test run s, I never have to charge?
I'm thinking bout a led h4 bulb to reduce current draw?
Will either of these perform as well as a stock Hal h4?
://www.ebay.com/itm/332336399767
://www.ebay.com/itm/122801160414
Thanks!
I don't understand a all the SPECS?
Recomandation?
 
Personally, I would not trust either one of them. :-k

First of all, you are getting a PAIR of them for less than the price of a known-quality H4 halogen bulb.
Second, they are COB lights, which is "circuit on board". While that is a good way to make a bright light, the overall source is MUCH larger than the stock filament. What that means is that most of the light that is generated wil be out of the focal spot for the reflector, so it won't be a very usable pattern on the road. Yes, it will be bright, but you won't be able to see.
Third, they have fans on them to keep them cool. Unless you punch a hole in the back of your headlight bucket, where are they going to get cool air to push across the driver?
Fourth, that fan housing is probably larger than the available space, which means you might have to put a hole in the back of your headlight bucket, anyway.

While I do advocate having good lights, an aftermarket retrofit to a reflector/lens headlight system is not always a good way to go. There have been several 'bulbs' mentioned here in the last few years, with mixed results. I have chosen to go with a complete light unit from TruckLite, but it might be out of your budget. If you have a round light, it will be about $150, if you have a rectangular light, it will be about $180, but the results are FANTASTIC.

Instead of applying a Band-Aid to the wound, why not fix the real problem? :-k
True, the charging capacity is a bit limited at idle, but what is your idle speed? If it is around 1100, as specified, you should be able to charge the battery about the time you get your helmet on to go for your test ride. The entire time on the test ride will charging the battery. Verify your stator output, install a good R/R (rectifier/regulator), make sure you have a good battery, you should be good to go.

If you still insist on applying a Band-Aid, make it a battery maintainer type charger. The last couple that I got were about $20 at Wal-Mart, they were Schumacher brand. Just hook the harness to your battery, fasten it where it is convenient. When you feel the battery needs to be charged, just plug in the charger/maintainer.

And, ... if your battery is going 'dead' in between rides, you obviously have something wrong. A decent AGM (that's a construction style, not a brand name) battery should not need to be charged, even when sitting over the winter.

.
 
Take Steve's advise and install a good R/R (AKA a Series R/R). Reducing the load on a shunt R/R like what the bike had when it was manufactured can fool it into overcharging your system. I have had stellar results with the newest generation ADVMonster H4 replacement Cree LED, but I also have an excellent aftermarket reflector. With the stock reflector the results may not be so nice but better than what you originally saw on Fleebay.
 
As oldvet66 says don't go led if you have a shunt r/r. They need places to dump energy and if you take a big one away guess where the excess is heading, right back to your stator.
On the basis that 90% of carb trouble is electrical it would be better in the long run to sort the electrical system first before chasing your tail all over the county.
Do the basic charging system health measurements in posplayr's sig and get back
 
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