| Author | Message | ||
     Ratbuell |
(I'll cross-post this in the 1125 forum so it also hits CR riders) Well, I just got a pair of DDM 6000K 35w bulbs and put one low beam in my Uly, and one in my CR. Riding the Uly, they're just a little too blue for my tastes. Decent brightness, but I'm wondering if the lack of perceived brightness is because they're blue (the human eye sees the blue spectrum the least, out of all colors), or if its because they're 35w. Now, I've heard people having reflector issues with the 55w setups...yes? I wouldn't be as concerned about it on the Uly (excuse to get an '09/10 headlight with the better beam spread), but I don't want to cook the CR. Flipside - the CR may not be as much of a problem since it's a larger housing/reflector to begin with. DDM confirmed that all of their bulbs are 60w bulbs, and the ballast is the limiting wattage factor, so I can get a pair of replacement bulbs in 4500K for $15...or I can get a second set including 55w ballasts ("just in case") for $40. Thoughts? With my move, I'll have a lot more deer-infested commuting than before which is why I'm going for more light. I'm not so concerned on the Uly about getting "more" since I have a great aux light setup, but I don't want to lose any candlepower. I've also read that 4500 (4300, actually, but they don't offer 4300) is the "typical" automotive OEM color temperature for HID. Yes? I want the truest, whitest light I can get. I don't like yellow, and as noted above I don't want blue. | ||
| Panhead_dan |
5500k bulbs will give you what you're after. | ||
| Mark_weiss |
I went with 4500k, 35w and have no complaints or reservations at all. If anything, I've almost never used the high beam since installing the new lamps. 100% usable light. No perceived blueness at all. | ||
| Mnrider |
I have DDM 4500 35W in both,nice white light.The highbeam lights fast enough and after it's warmed up it turns right on so I like HID in both. | ||
| Treefrog |
I went with the DDM 4500K 35W in both housings on my 08. Very white. Makes other headlights around you look like a flashlight with weak batteries, unless they are HID also. The only complaint I have is that I waited so long to get a set. | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
I was curious about this stuff. Is it the bulb that defines the color temperature or the ballast driving it? Can you just replace the bulb or do they come as a matched set? | ||
| Rwven |
I got the 6000K also. I agree that they are too "blue". Someday I'll stick some 4500K capsules in it... | ||
| Barkbuster |
I got the 6k 35 watt in both beams along with Sanjoh`s led auxiliary lights. Yes they are a bit blue and if I new better would have gone with the 4.5k bulbs. plenty of light though plus I can run heated jackets and not run out of alternator. | ||
| Ratbuell |
The color is determined by the gas inside. different gasses glow different colors. The *wattage* is determined by the ballast. All DDM bulbs, according to DDM, are capable of 60w. The ballast is the "power supply", and determines how much wattage the bulb sees. | ||
| Uly_man |
5500K to 6000K is vertical daylight/electronic flash and you probably do not want to go above this as they do become very blue to the eye. The colour output of a HID lamp from even the same maker can vary some. It can also vary due to a slightly higher/lower volt input to the ballast and/or its quality. The colour of light, via the human eye is partly perception and you need a "photographic eye" to tell what the true colour is. That or a chromo meter. A 35w HID lamp uses less power than a 55w Halogen lamp IE 20w less for the same light output which is part of the reason to use them. Less strain on the system. The problem on the Uly is not the light output but how it is used. High Wattage lamps can not only damage the reflector/housing but will, in time leave a sort of "heat film" on the back of the lens and reflector which cuts the light output. You will then need to clean out the lamp housing. If the HID lamp you are using is not to your taste just try another. | ||
| Uly_man |
I used to find animals were startled by light and would just freeze IE not always run off the road. A very loud horn or bike and riding slower on bendy roads will help some although you will never odds a beast jumping out on you. Its no fun I know I have had it myself in the past. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
I used a combination of white HID and yellow (3500K) HID. I had the White HID in my high beam and the Yellow HID in my low beam. I found that in foggy conditions, the white HIDs were brutal. The yellow cut through the fog/rain.  | ||
| Etennuly |
Yeah Ft_b, and riding in front of you at 60 mph on a cold night it was actually warmer than beside or behind you. Not to mention your lights lit up signs two miles ahead of us on that trip to March Badness a few years back. But we still all ran over that road kill!  | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Some people like flipping road kill on their riding partners.  | ||
| Rr_eater |
I love my 5300K HIDs. VVME standard 35W ballasts. I hate to think how much more I would get flashed during the day if they were 55W!!! Bruce | ||
| Mikef5000 |
4500K 55 watt HID here. Love the bright white light (I won't go over 5000k). 25,000 miles on them with no adverse effects to the reflectors. Also, nobody flashes me, perhaps yours are aimed a bit too high? | ||
| Pkforbes87 |
3000k low beam / 6000k high beam - both 55W (the high beam is ridiculously bright even during the day)  As for the reflector getting too hot, factory halogen bulbs are 55W. 55W HIDs consume the same amount of power, and put out more light - therefore they have to produce less heat. The only heat related issue I can think of with HIDs is in the wiring. Since current is considerably higher when the bulbs are igniting, factory wiring might not be able to handle it in the long run. I don't think it would be a problem, but just to be safe I ran a dedicated power wire to the HIDs and used the factory headlight wiring only for a relay trigger. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Use the stock bulb circuit to run the relay but ALWAYS run a dedicated fused line to the battery. | ||
| Rwven |
I've run my 35W HIDs on the factory wiring for two years now with no difficulties whatsoever. The wiring is sized for 55W Halogens so it should be fine for 55W HIDs also. I believe some folks are running 55W HIDs on the factory wiring, has anyone reported problems doing this?. The startup current of the 55W ballasts is of such short duration that it should not significantly heat up the wiring harness. | ||
| Mikef5000 |
35 watt hids are generally safe on own wiring, but not always. 55 watt should always have a dedicated relayed power source. HIDs use much more than the stated wattage when they start up. There have been many melted connectors with HIDs running factory wiring on XBs. With today's delayed timer relays, it's a win win running a relay. | ||
| Rwven |
I did have a problem with my HID not always igniting after waiting for the CEL to cycle on starting the bike. I put a DPST relay in the circuit with the light connected to the NC contact. I then mounted a momentary contact pushbutton on the handlebar that fires the relay, opening the circuit while I'm cranking the bike over. | ||
| Dennis_c |
mike what was that 10 second time delay relay I cant find the paper work for it. It was about $10 year ago. That saves the problems of the HID not fireing off when you start the bike Then wire it to the batt. and have both lights on at the same time. |
