Headlamp Modulators?

[egsols]

Ernie I hope you know that they are NOT legal in ON

Hey Carl,

This may shine some light on the legality debate http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/mvstm...ev4_e.htm#_Toc specifically section 7.9.4

[olebiker]

Ernie all that did was give me a head ache. Can you translate that for me? I thought that the province had control over lighting?

[egsols]

I dunno, but me thinks Transport Canada has more authority then the provinces. Mind you I am only assuming that based on the hierachy of Government I learnt back in school, however, you know what happens when you assume.

I believe what they have done is that since they are allowed in the States then we have adopted the same ruling so that any bikes with them on can be legally imported into Canada.

The Highway Traffic Act states "Alternating highbeams on other vehicles prohibited.....
(2) No person shall use highbeam headlamps that produce alternating flashes of white light on any vehicle other than a vehicle referred to in subsection (1). R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 169 (2)."

Vehicles in section 1 are emergency vehicles.

So....I guess the feds say its okay to bring them in but the Province says okay but don't ride em.

Anyway I've sent the MTO a note asking for their clarification. Where's the smiley for "holding my breath"

[xs11jack]

Prices

I just looked up the two semiconductors in my Jameco.com catalog. One costs 78 cents and the other, 35 cents. If a heat sink is called for that is the pricey item, running as high as $2.50.
The rest of the components are cheaper than the semiconductors.
So, just get a small piece of breadboard and solder away!

[madmax-im]

Originally posted by egsols
madmax-im,

You're right...my suggestion is ridiculous....I wasn't serious.....I just remembered years ago when a certain make of bike had bouncing headlights which weren't originally designed as a safety feature

yeah I remember those bikes with the shaking headlamps tooAlso the link for the HM at JC Whitney looks pretty good too!Thanks!

[madmax-im]

Originally posted by strippedFJ
Here's a schematic for a simple and cheap headlight modulator for those interested in building their own.

http://www.mindspring.com/~wayne.orwig/utils.html#smlmod

Parts should be no more than $10 retail.

There you go! Now thats cool...I have lots of experience with electronic components....great info..Thanks!

[strippedFJ]

Originally posted by madmax-im

There you go! Now thats cool...I have lots of experience with electronic components....great info..Thanks!

No worries mate, enjoy electronics myself. Still have to pull finger and finish my electronic dash unit, but I'll get there.

One point to note that may affect the arguement for the Canadians. The circuit that I pointed to allows you to select the low beam only, or both beams, depending on how it is wored in. If only low beam is selected (which would be my choice) then the headlight modulator should be legal. ie "Alternating highbeams on other vehicles prohibited....."

[madmax-im]

Originally posted by strippedFJ


No worries mate, enjoy electronics myself. Still have to pull finger and finish my electronic dash unit, but I'll get there.

One point to note that may affect the arguement for the Canadians. The circuit that I pointed to allows you to select the low beam only, or both beams, depending on how it is wored in. If only low beam is selected (which would be my choice) then the headlight modulator should be legal. ie "Alternating highbeams on other vehicles prohibited....."

The diagram also allows for it to be wired to the high beam only..if you want....at any rate there should be a switch to turn it on/off...regardless of how you wire it up...realizing the illeagality of it north of the border...but down here not sure...during the daytime I run with my highbeams all the time...so a HM for me might be better wired to the highbeam....hmmm maybe I'll jus wire it to both As for how this unit modulates...Is it in the ideal range as mentioned (in the link for the schematic)concerning how many times it flashes in a given minute?

[strippedFJ]

Should be, but if you don't like it try changing the resistors connected to the 0.1 uf capacitor at the bottom of the schema, they should affect the on-off cycle rate.

I have not built this circuit myself, might give it a go this week, if I do I'll play with the resistors and let you know which one affects what.

[madmax-im]

That would indeed be of interest! Be interesting to see how small it can be made too.

[ClarkGriswald]

Never forget you can always build something better yourself than things that are mass produced. You can optimize something to be its best rather than how it will be assembled and how fast.. Im all for building stuff.. interesting thread.

[Pat Kelly]

Why not wire a turn signal flasher into the low beam circut. RLU will engage the high beam as the low beam cuts out. Add a by-pass circut around the flasher to turn it off at night for a continous beam.

[egsols]

Hi Pat,

Good thought.....these are the sandards though...

S7.9.4.1 A headlamp on a motorcycle may be wired to modulate either the upper beam or the lower beam from its maximum intensity to a lesser intensity, provided that:

(a) The rate of modulation shall be 240 ± 40 cycles per minute.

(b) The headlamp shall be operated at maximum power for 50 to 70 percent of each cycle.

(c) yadda yadda yadda bla bla bla

[madmax-im]

Originally posted by Pat Kelly
Why not wire a turn signal flasher into the low beam circut. RLU will engage the high beam as the low beam cuts out. Add a by-pass circut around the flasher to turn it off at night for a continous beam.

Hi Pat...an interesting idea...never thought of that one...gonna consult some ppl on how this could be done...

[DJinNH]

These things seem like a pretty good idea. I definitely see them coming from a distance...it's hard not to look at it at first.

I'd put one on my bike but it took me so long to get the fuse/wiring to work for my headlamp that I am going with the attitude, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Don