Driving Lights

[ardvark1]

Getting me SF back on the road after 12 years off.
I've added some indicators from a UK model and put clear lenses to create a pair of driving lights in addition to the headlight.

http://s844.photobucket.com/user/ard...tml?sort=3&o=0

The object of the exercise is to be seen by "window licking" drivers and keeping me sucking wind.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f1...psa18ecbf2.jpg

Maybe not as bright.

My question to members is :-
If I use normal indicator bulbs as driving lights alongside the headlight, will the bikes system cope with the demand from these three lights OR would it be better to put LED bulbs in the driving lights. My theory is that if the bikes system can't cope then the LED bulbs (not needing so much power) would help the matter.
What do members think?

[3Phase]

Hmm... I never thought about it but it should work unless the electrical system is baked.
Try it and see what happens?

A pair of 1156 lamps would use about 54W/4.5A that's close to the limit for an additional continuous load without baking the electrical system and possibly brighter than you want for front lamps anyway.

A pair of 1157 lamps would only use about 16W/1.3A for the normal riding filaments and add 27W for the turn filament BUT! they might not work correctly with the stock self-cancelling turn signal flasher that's only expecting a 54W/4.5A load, not an 81W/6.75A load .

A pair of 1157 or 1156 LEDS should work with the stock 1157 lamps without baking the electrical system or overloading the flasher.

[kboehringer]

Aux Lamps $20

I recommend these:


LED and minimal draw. A little bit of wiring to get them all set-up but fantastic for a measly $20.

I have them on all my XS11's and will soon mount them on the FJ1200. I refer to these as SEE ME LIGHTS and I never drive without them on! They also can be switched to FLICKER bu quickly turning then off/on.

Also..... provide a hell of a lot of extra light for night riding the ole' XS11 lamps just ain't up to the modern tech.

Additionally, all the front turns on my XS11's have been converted to dual filament 1157's. They are on always (one filament) like modern bikes..... One more way to BE SEEN!!

[thebottle]

Where do you get those Kurt?

[kboehringer]

Evil-Bay

https://www.ebay.com/itm/CREE-U2-30W...53.m1438.l2649

This is not the same seller I purchased mine from but these are the lamps. They are now less than $17 a pair.

CREE U2 30w ARE the units mounted on my bikes.....

You will have to do a little wiring. I power mine using the accessory fuse unit or on the bikes with the new modern fuse assembly installed I used the extra fuse spots. It WILL take a little work (a couple hours) to do a NICE job but WELL WORTH THE EFFORT.

[ardvark1]

Back to part of my original question being :- Will using two indicator bulbs plus the headlight being on all the time be too much for the bikes system. Bearing in mind I'm talking about original bulbs NOT led ones.

[kboehringer]

Back to part of my original question being :- Will using two indicator bulbs plus the headlight being on all the time be too much for the bikes system. Bearing in mind I'm talking about original bulbs NOT led ones.

Absolutely not any issue whatsoever. Go for it.

[3Phase]

Back to part of my original question being :- Will using two indicator bulbs plus the headlight being on all the time be too much for the bikes system. Bearing in mind I'm talking about original bulbs NOT led ones.

"A pair of 1157 lamps would only use about 16W/1.3A for the normal riding filaments and add 27W for the turn filament BUT! they might not work correctly with the stock self-cancelling turn signal flasher that's only expecting a 54W/4.5A load, not an 81W/6.75A load."

An XS1100 normally uses about 12A to 14A so an additional 16W/1.3A for the two extra 1157 running light filaments will be fine.

I still have no idea what the three 1157 brake/signal filaments and the 81W/6.75A load will do with the stock self-canceling turn signal relay.
My best guess would be a faster signal flash rate because the stock flasher is a thermally controlled unit.

If you're going to add two additional light/signal stalks, wire them up in the headlight shell.

For the left/right signals and the running lights, fab three wye adapters with one male crimp bullet terminal and two female crimp bullet terminals.

Plug the male ends of the first two wye adapters into into the factory female right and left signal terminals, then plug the four signal wires into the appropriate female wye terminals.

Plug the male bullet terminal of the third wye adapter into the factory female terminal on the blue auxiliary light wire, then plug in the four running light wires from the stalks.

Or, just grab your trusty pocket knife and hack up the wires, then use as many different sizes of wire nuts as you can find after twisting all the wires together.

Make sure you wrap everything in gobs of electrical tape/self-amalgamating tape and position it directly on top of the headlight so it can melt in place.

[MaximPhil]

Back to part of my original question being :- Will using two indicator bulbs plus the headlight being on all the time be too much for the bikes system. Bearing in mind I'm talking about original bulbs NOT led ones.

Hi Ardvark1,
I added driving lights to mine and found it could just about keep up with 2x35 watts bulbs. I recommend adding a volt meter. LED bulbs will help for your running lights.

Phil

[kboehringer]

BUT! they might not work correctly with the stock self-cancelling turn signal flasher

Scott,
FYI. I have the dual filaments in all my XS11's. The self-cancelling features work properly.

In order to do this, I replaced the bulb holders inside all the forward signals. The signal system still only sees the single filament. The secondary filament is tapped into the driving lamp. The OEM signals use an 1156 single filament bulb which also requires only one wire in the stalk, the ground wire is on the end of the stem inside the headlamp. To install the 1157 holders, i actually had to drill the stems out a little to accommodate the additional wire (one for signals, one for running lamp).

There is no effect on the self cancel as it is still only "seeing" one filament.

Kurt

[3Phase]

Kurt, Aardvark's picture links that he posted with the question show four running light/signal stalks mounted on the front forks.

Aardvark has a 1979F Standard that, unlike the Specials, uses 1157 lamps in the front and rear stalks for running lights and signals.

If he mounts two more stalks on the front forks with 1157s that will make a total of six 1157 lamps on his bike.

That will slightly bump the running light load which is no biggie but it will add another 27W to the flasher, making an 81W load instead of the stock 54W load.
I'm pretty sure 81W will make the thermal flasher flash faster.

I doubt the extra lamps will affect the self-cancel feature, that's a different circuit that uses the analog time/distance computer.

[Schming]

Back to part of my original question being :- Will using two indicator bulbs plus the headlight being on all the time be too much for the bikes system. Bearing in mind I'm talking about original bulbs NOT led ones.

Maybe, maybe not, depends on how clean the whole system is and good earths go a long way in keeping the system flowing freely.
Testing the charging system will tell you if it can or can't.
A good battery and a clean, properly wired system is needed for even the stock setup to run barely. Any add-ons seem to tax the stock charging system unless extra measures are taken. Changing all lights that you can to LED's help greatly. I have a Pacifico fairing and a trunk with a total of ten running lights, four are combined with turns and six are combined with brake lights. The stock charging system was inadequate so I opted for LED's where I could and an aftermarket regulator/rectifier to cure the problem.

Member, Geezer, has built Regulator/Rectifier units that really work well.
More info on these for the Elevens and other makes and models can be found here:
http://www.oregonmotorcycleparts.com/

I am using these units on all my Elevens and 650 Yamaha with excellent results.

[MPittma100]

All led

I've changed every light on a Venturer to LED. Not a single incandescent left. Also have the Geezer reg/rec. Charging system and battery have never been happier. Volt meter while idling shows 14.2 VDC. Also improved all grounds to direct battery grounds. No such thing as a chassis ground on this one.

Superbrightleds.com

[skids]

Or, just grab your trusty pocket knife and hack up the wires, then use as many different sizes of wire nuts as you can find after twisting all the wires together.

Make sure you wrap everything in gobs of electrical tape/self-amalgamating tape and position it directly on top of the headlight so it can melt in place.

Scott! The horror! =8-O

[3Phase]

Scott! The horror! =8-O

That was actually done to a buddy's bike and I had to sort it out because he's hopeless with electrical work.

Oh, I forgot to mention adding a bunch of short extension wires of various unrelated gauges and colors to make up for hacking off too much from the ends of the original wires and now they won't reach one another.