Topic: Changing out headlights

[Mac]

Has anybody ever changed-out the headlight on their bike just because the light is dim?  That's the problem with my bike, a 1977 CB550 K.  It's not my battery because I don't have a charging issue with the bike.

Do the bulbs on these vintage bikes wear out over time?

Thanks,
Mac

[Sporkfly]

Have you done anything with your electrical system? Upgrades, modifications, cleaned it up?

For example: I replaced my regulator and rectifier with new units and all lighting (dummy lights included) was instantly brighter.

[Mac]

I upgraded my regulator last year to an Electronic Voltage Regulator in an effort to get a brighter light.  The unit was purchased from Oregon Motorcycle Parts.

[TwoTired]

The headlight is only bright if it gets the correct voltage.  The wattage rating is specified for 12.8 V, and at cruise your battery ought to average about 13.8V.

Compare the voltage at the battery terminals to the voltage at the headlight terminals.  If there is loss more than 0.5V, then your wiring, connectors, and switches, etc. need to be overhauled, as power is just being lost through the lossy components as heat instead of being consumed at the headlight to make light.  A higher wattage headlight will only make the losses worse and the voltage drop between battery and headlight greater.

[ev0lution7]

get a headlight from a 82 1100I  and then  you can get a H4 (9003) bulb in just about any color or brightness or do like i did and get a HID kit... (35w) and its MUCH brighter than stock ever was....

[Alan F.]

Won't an old sealed beam degrade over time?  How old is your bulb?

[ev0lution7]

yes they can... also stock headlights were only 40watts on low beam... and 55watts on HIGH beam.. i mean how bright did you want your light... 40watts SUCKS trust me my HID kills the darkness!!!!!!!! its like ridding with my own personal FULL MOON in front of me!!

[TwoTired]

Stock bulb is a 50/40 Watt.  At 12.8V it draws 3.9A/3.25A.  A 9003 Bulb draws 5A/4.58A.  It better flocking well be brighter.
http://www.donsbulbs.com/cgi-bin/r/b.pl/9003~lucas.html

This bulb will tax the 150 Watt charging system on the CB550, leading to weak battery charge.  And, if there is voltage drop in the headlight power circuits, it will be worse with more current drawn through it.  Worse, if the Black wire distribution line gets lower voltage, this is also what powers the electromagnet in the alternator.  A weaker magnetic field means lower alternator output.  (rim shot, please)

When the voltage to the coils drops below 9 or 10 volts, be prepared to curse the darkness and deafening silence. (Or, withstand the curses of other drivers waiting for you to push that " Old POS" out of the traffic path.)

Yes, that new headlight will be brighter for a while.  Just don't ever let the the engine run below 3000 RPM.  And, always keep the battery on the tender when parked.  Just what you need for a convenient reliable street bike. 

I still think he should measure the voltage at battery and compare to what the headlight actually receives.  This will indicate the bikes electrical system health and its ability to really benefit from a brighter bulb (even if it has the same (or lower) power draw of the old one).  IMO

Yes, an old bulb can degrade over time, if the internal reflector components lose their reflectivity.  This can be a function of bulb quality.  The Honda ones were pretty good, until they were used to bash things.    But, the foibles attributed to "old Bulbs" often are a result of less voltage getting to them.  And, that will certainly make them dimmer.

Cheers,

[razor02097]

I replaced my sealed lamp with one from a 81 cb750.  Its easier to find the lamps from the newer bikes.

[ev0lution7]

i replaced mine with a 82 GL1100I  it uses a 9003 (H4) headlight bulb..

[stresssolutions]

Yeah, mine was very dim, kinda orangey, actually till it finally burned out.  hi beam still worked very nicely for the rest of last season.

[bistromath]

TT's right as usual. I run an H4 bulb on mine, and it does in fact tend to run the battery down in traffic. On the other hand, it did that with the old sealed-beam headlight, too. I just disconnected the high-beam line so turning it to high-beam turns it off, and use it selectively during the day. Probably not the safest, most legal, or smartest option, but it works a treat, and it's worth it for the much better visibility at night. I don't use a battery tender and haven't been bit by a dead battery in years. You can usually tell when the charging system isn't keeping up long before it dies on you: the blinkers get weird, the starter is weak, and the headlamp is dim and varies quite a bit in intensity with RPM.

The HID conversion isn't nearly as expensive as it used to be, but it does tend to look goofy riding a 70's-era motorcycle with a blinding blue beam of a headlight. It's also illegal in the US (and probably elsewhere) because the beam of an HID needs to be very closely shaped to avoid blinding oncoming traffic (you'll notice the beam of an HID is shaped to cut off lower on the left side, and the cutoff is much sharper than on normal headlamps). This is why most HID headlamps are of the projector variety. It's also why all the aftermarket HID kits say "for off-road use only". Depending on how anal your local police force is, you may be cited for it.

[Achmed]

Wow, TwoTired. I appreciate your contributions. Don't you have anything better to do than teach us amateurs about bikes? I'm not complaining by any stretch.

[bucky katt]

make sure all your connections are good and clean, be sure you have a good solid ground too

[ev0lution7]

well i paid $99.99 for my HID KIT and the HID is 35watts... Hi/Low it moves/ reaims the light for high low...

as far as blinding light i got the WHITE KIT! i think it was 5000K and it looks like a high tech light instead of some BLUE thing that looks illegal... i've never got asked about it by law enforcement and the city i live in the cops here are known as the GV Gustopo... i did have to RE-AIM the light to better match my low beam pattern of the old bulb so it didnt blind everyone... and best part it draws 3.1A!!!!! and it was pretty easy to install

www.v-leds.com

yes with a H4 headlight will draw alot more than stock and have issues if you decided to do that it might be a good idea to give your charging system a once over....

here is a picture of the HID 5K white light... it doesnt look bad and when i went to the run-a-mucca i got lots of compliments! OH and a side note... since it uses its own power line from the battery... (relay) and a balast... when the voltage drops when the brakes and turn sigs are on the headlight no longer pulses! its kinda nice!

next picture is of the balast

next picture is of the headlight relay

next picture is of the backside of the headlight with the HID installed..

[TwoTired]

OH and a side note... since it uses its own power line from the battery... (relay) and a balast... when the voltage drops when the brakes and turn sigs are on the headlight no longer pulses! its kinda nice!

Probably won't want to hear this.  But, if your headlight was pulsing with other loads applied to the Black wire distribution line, the bike most definitely has issues with inline resistance, from connectors, switches, etc.  Voltage drops across such resistances increase when the loads are increased.

It's the law.  Ohms law, that is; E = I x R.

Cheers,

[Deltarider]

Try to find Philips recently developped 'fuel-efficient' halogen bulb, the EcoVision. Philips claims it uses 20% less electricity. So you'll get 55/60 halogen light and it will consume no more power than an ordinary 40/45 bulb.

http://www.consumer.philips.com/consumer/en/gb/consumer/cc/_categoryid_ECOVISION_CAR_LAMPS_CA_GB_CONSUMER/#/consumer/en/gb/consumer/cc/_categoryid_ECOVISION_CAR_LAMPS_CA_GB_CONSUMER/