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Gusmyster


Posted on Saturday, January 15, 2005 - 11:56 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Ok, I know this had to have been discussed here somewhere, but I can't find it. I have a 2004 XB12S and I want to have both headlights on. When I flip it to high beam or low beam only 1 goes on. I've read about the XB12R's and removing the blinder thing, but what about the Lightning?
thanx,
g u s
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Coppertop


Posted on Saturday, January 15, 2005 - 12:39 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Gus easiest way is to leave the switch in the middle between both positions so that both lights are on.
I do that sometimes, and then when I want to use my flash to pass button I can easily switch my lights back to the low beam position
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Gusmyster


Posted on Saturday, January 15, 2005 - 01:39 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

I didn't even know there was a "middle" position.. Just checked it out. Thanx!!
g u s
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Dcmortalcoil
Posted on Saturday, January 15, 2005 - 02:22 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

There is no middle position. The easiest thing to do is rewire them by the headlight. I believe S models use 4 wires. You only need three wires. Ground (black) and two other ones (forgot which is which). But you can easily check with a volt meter which wire becomes hot when the ignition is turned on at a low beam position and the other wire that becomes hot at a high beam beam position.
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Fullpower


Posted on Saturday, January 15, 2005 - 03:51 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

On my lightning i used one of the unused fuse box positions to connect low beam to. made a splice from one side of fuse to keyswitch relay, other side of fuse DIRECT to low beam. now low beam comes on with the ignition, and is always on when bike is running. the hi beam switch now ONLY controls the HI beam. very clean, very simple. the fuse holder is already in place, just need to hook up two wires. recommend using solder and heat shrink.
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Coppertop


Posted on Saturday, January 15, 2005 - 05:16 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Easiest way---run between positions in the middle
Most permanent---rewire,solder,insulate
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Gusmyster


Posted on Saturday, January 15, 2005 - 08:16 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Dcmortalcoil,
I did not realize there was a middle position till today. I went to my garage and tried it and sure enough there is. Not sure if it's suppose to be there or not but it works. Not sure if I'm up to rewiring yet. May do it sometime in the future...
g u s
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Dcmortalcoil
Posted on Sunday, January 16, 2005 - 02:31 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

The so called middle position is not a positive position, but a point at which both contacts are made, and held merely at point by friction. And that middle position isn't stable on my bike. In fact, revving the engine will take it out of that position. I don't believe it's a practical solution.
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Exfatboy
Posted on Sunday, January 16, 2005 - 02:36 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

If the bulbs were changed(and the holders) would it be possible to have two lights with dip/high?
Q. Would this be too much for the alternator?
Would the reflectors both be the same,as one is a dip and the other a high,would they work as two dip/high setups?
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U4euh


Posted on Sunday, January 16, 2005 - 09:01 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Tried it! I don't believe that it was worth the headache of blown fuses, tryng to get the holders changed, splicing this wire to those two, and this one to those two, and
just way easier to do what either of the two above did.
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Exfatboy
Posted on Monday, January 17, 2005 - 09:46 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

U4, When you'd finished,did you get two dip/high beam patterns, ie each light showing the same?
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U4euh


Posted on Monday, January 17, 2005 - 03:10 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

You will if you take the time to remove the holders and reverse one them. If you don't when on low beam one side will shine low and the other high. When switched to high you get vice-versa. It just turned out to be a bigger headache than it was worth. I used the Navigator XQ-h4WPK replacements. Believe it or not, they weren't as bright as the stock bulbs. Should I say they didn't project a beam as bright. Because the reflector lenses were made for a certain length of bulb, putting the longer in changed the properties of reflection. If I could get another headlight assembly i would try tinkering a bit to see if mounting position could be adjusted with out compromising the sealed rear end of the light. But I like to ride too much to have my bike down, so I put the stockers back on and I am gonna wire in a relay for the low beam. Besides I believe it to be more than enough light. I just want it on to light up the area out to about 40' when the high beam is on. Gives me more secure feeling having the low lighting up directly, and the high lighting up the distance! Hope that helps a little. U4EUH
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Fullpower


Posted on Monday, January 17, 2005 - 03:13 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

"Q. Would this be too much for the alternator?"
A. NO. Your alternator is good for half a kilowatt, and runs at maximum output all the time anyway. all unused alternator output is used to warm up the voltage regulator, and is completely wasted. at an idle, your xb is quite capable of running quantity (4) 55 watt halogens, and still maintaining full battery charge. dean
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Exfatboy
Posted on Tuesday, January 18, 2005 - 02:37 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Thanks Guys. It's always dark here so looks like a busy weekend ahead...
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Biofilter


Posted on Tuesday, January 18, 2005 - 04:19 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

I think the easiest way would be to connect the positive feed for the high directly to the positive feed for the low but put a diode in between so the current will only travel in the direction of high to low and not the opposite way.
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Exfatboy
Posted on Tuesday, January 18, 2005 - 05:37 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Using a relay to isolate the two outputs would be better I think. At what voltage/current would a diode give in?
With high powering both beams,the current would want to go back to the switchgear through the dip feed. Might need to isolate this through a relay.
Power to the relay would be the (always on) dip,one wire each to dip and high on one side of the relay,one wire to dip only on the other side.High beam from switch becomes the trigger wire.High on,both beams,dip on,and the high feed drops so the relay goes to rest on dip.
Hmmm needs more thought but sounds do-able...
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Opto
Posted on Wednesday, January 19, 2005 - 12:50 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

I bought 2 dual filament globes that will not fit a couple months ago. One day I hope to make them fit and rewire it so I will have 2 x low beams on dip and 2 x low beams plus 2 x high beams on high. Sounds like a plan...if the housings melt then I'll have to replace them with a real m/cycle headlight.
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Rageonthedl
Posted on Wednesday, January 19, 2005 - 02:49 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

ok here is how you do it, pull the fly screan, find the left switsh harness, pull bac the conduit, cut the blue and the yellow wire, take a butt connector and put a blue and the yellow in the top and a blue and yellow in the bottom, crimp them and pull the conduit back down and your good to go
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Exfatboy
Posted on Wednesday, January 19, 2005 - 03:44 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Didn't get that Rage,can you be a little clearer? What wire are you cutting/joining (not the colour,what does it do?).
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Rarebird
Posted on Thursday, June 02, 2005 - 02:30 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Slightly different take on this whole subject: I want both lights on ONLY when I go to the brights (03 XB9S), the same as holding the "Pass" switch. The roads to my house are REALLY dark on my way home from second shift!
Anyone know a way to accomplish this?
Thanks!
-Mike
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Rarebird
Posted on Wednesday, June 08, 2005 - 02:39 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Never mind... Went back and actually READ the previous posts, and figured it out. Went the "blue/ yellow splice" route, which seems to be working fine.
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