| Author | Message | ||
     Chrisb |
Since you two were just out gallivanting... Maximum you have the PIAA Aux lights. Ft_BSTRD you have HID "Low beam" Which one "throws" more light straight down the road? | ||
| Maximum |
Well...they were different. The HID did a great job lighting the road in front...and the PIAA did a good job illuminating trees a 1/4 mile ahead, but honestly I have never taking the time to do a proper alignment of the 510's.  Too busy riding I guess! | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
The HIDs cast a long throw light that really penetrates down range. The 510's cast a much wider pattern. Both are plenty bright. Nearly all of my night riding is at speed on paved, reflective striped roads. In that use, the HIDs make it like Night Driver. If I were doing more off road, I might prefer the wider pattern, since the speeds would be lower. I am considering adding a second 3500K super yellow for my high beam and use it as a fog lamp. Between the two HIDs and the wider throw of the high beam, I should be set. | ||
| Chrisb |
I assume you'll do the jumper mod to run both at the same time? | ||
| Barker |
They were both behind me this past weekend. Both are bright as hell. I had to tilt down my mirror. They lit up the road in front of me. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Chris, I ran the HID directly off the battery with a fused relay attached to the front accessory plug. I didn't need to do the jumper since the accessory plug is hot when you turn the key on. When I hit the high beam, they both come on. I would probably run the second relay off of the high beam switch and run power directly from the battery again. | ||
| Etennuly |
Having ridden with Ft-b at night I can attest to how well the HID light works. I was leading, 86129squids was second, Ft-b was third. His HID system made all of the street signs and road markings light up well ahead of my stock high beam. It was as if the things well in front of my light beams were backlit with a strange blue light. There were these strange burn streaks across the back of my jacket and helmet, must have been where the direct light beam crossed as we were turning to a fro! | ||
| Bosh |
Would HID's work if you kept the stock head light switch configuration.. ie, high and low beams swap on and off. If the ballast takes time to warm up.. how does this work? | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
It takes a few seconds. It's like a flourescent bulb. | ||
| Bosh |
It takes a few seconds. It's like a flourescent bulb. Got it. So you'd have to leave the low beam on all the time and turn the high on and off. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
That's what I do. Others have flashed the HID without issue. The ballast will "flash" better if it's already hot. It is harder on the ballast and more importantly the igniter to flash an HID system. If you detach the capsule from the igniter, you can actually watch it spark (like a bar-b-q grill). |
