How can I run both headlight Filaments on my Bike???????

[Flashanator]

Hi!

I need more light out of this little ct110 headlight. It runs a 45/40w Bulb.

I want to run both filaments on high beam. Any idea on how to do it?

Switch.



The Bulb.



More wires. :candle::candle::candle:



any advice is needed, thanks.

 

[-Virgil-]

All that'll do is put a bunch of light on the road surface right in close to the bike, which doesn't help when you're in a high beam situation -- you need more light reaching out into the distance.

Your bulb is a BA20d base 45/40w plain tungsten item. Rather than fool with the wiring, why not get a better bulb? You can get halogen ones from Classic & Vintage Bulbs, in 45/40w or 60/55w, and the filaments are placed correctly to work with your existing headlight.

 

[Flashanator]

thanks for the link.

With this bulb, as soon as I go over ~50km/h its hard to see the road up ahead.

Wish they sold a 130/100w :(

 

[lctorana]

One day, I'll get around to putting headlight relays in my old car.

You see, there is nothing at all wrong with the stock bulbs.

It's just that the lights see only 10V at the bulb when they are on. Not nearly enough.

Try it yourself - you may have the same problem on your bike. And if you do, you must fix that problem first, before you load up the loom and switch with extra current. You'll burn something out - probably the pictured switch - otherwise.

 

[Flashanator]

Thanks.

I did upgrade from the original 35/30bulb & noticed a BIG difference.
So would that mean its getting 12v at the bulb? I reckon.

I mean for a 45watt bulb it does look about right for what you would expect.

 

[cleonard]

Hate to tell you this, but the stator output will likely not support both lighting elements. Your best bet is to retrofit some kind of halogen setup in there. I have a 1980 CM400 and the stock headlight was completely worthless. With a little work I was able to fit a seven inch round automotive halogen 6024 headlight. It made a tremendous difference.

Perhaps you can go this route. The six volt electrical system will make the selection of bulbs much smaller.

 

[Flashanator]

Yea, Ill leave it as it is.

On smooth roads its ok, just when you cant see a pothole or nocturnal animals up ahead that worries me

 

[lctorana]

I did upgrade from the original 35/30bulb & noticed a BIG difference.
So would that mean its getting 12v at the bulb? I reckon.

Try to measure your headlight voltage, at the bulb, with the engine running. In your "More Wires" picture, put the hot voltmeter lead into the appropriate bullet connection, this is close enough to the bulb.

I am certain you will be amazed at how low the bulb voltage is. Installing a relay near the bulb can lift bulb voltage from anywhere down to 10V to the full 13.8V of the generator, which would more than double the output.

Your headlight switch is exposed to the weather, and will have more contact resistance than new. Plus the resistance of the wiring loom. And now you have uprated your headlight, you are exceeding the design current for both the switch and the loom.

I'm sure a replacement switch would be expensive - all auto parts always are. But delivering just the 80mA that a headlight relay asks for wil extend its life indefinitely.

 

[Flashanator]

not sure with what is involved in adding the relay?

 

[-Virgil-]

The concept is explained with diagrams here.

 

[Flashanator]

This is a little over my head.

Are there places I can take the bike to, to get a relay put on & increase the V at the bulb?

Thanks.

 

[spencer]

Depends where you live. I don't know where the 11th dimension is.

 

[cleonard]

What year is your CT?

Many of this type of bike have AC headlights. If this is the case the relay will do nothing, literally. It will not even work on AC.

If the headlight is only on with the engine running, it's a AC headlight. Every CT that I have ever seen has an AC headlight.

The CT110 is a six volt system. The DC system has a small 6 volt battery and that runs the signals, tail and stop lights.

 

[Flashanator]

Its a late 1997.

The light only works when the motor is on. But I don't have a battery. The bulb is 12v, not sure if the rest is 6v.

 

[cleonard]

Its a late 1997.

The light only works when the motor is on. But I don't have a battery. The bulb is 12v, not sure if the rest is 6v.

There is your problem right there. Check and you will see that it's supposed to have a 6 volt headlight bulb. The proper bulb will work better.

 

[Flashanator]

from my understanding these bikes as of 80's or early 90's up all run 12v head lights. Well my stock one was. Even my indicator & brake lights are 12v bulbs.

The battery for this bike is 12v. But I don't have one. Soon as I give the bike a small rev the bulb is bright.

 

[cleonard]

from my understanding these bikes as of 80's or early 90's up all run 12v head lights. Well my stock one was. Even my indicator & brake lights are 12v bulbs.

The battery for this bike is 12v. But I don't have one. Soon as I give the bike a small rev the bulb is bright.

The 11th dimension must be somewhere down under. I know the later "postie" bikes were 12 volt. The US CT110's were all 6 volt.

Lighting power on your bike is limited. The best increase in lighting would be to get a 40 watt or so halogen bulb in there. I doubt it has the power to run a 55 watt bulb. It might though so it might be worth trying.

 

[Flashanator]

Yeah in Australia we have them at 12v.

Is tungsten pretty close to halogen? When comparing this 45w bulb lumen wise to a single 55watt car headlight. It isn't far off at all imo.

 

[Illum]

Is tungsten pretty close to halogen?

:thinking:

Tungsten is the filament, Halogen is the inert gas...how close is tungsten is to halogen is the same as asking how close is a carrot to propane;)

 

[Flashanator]

opps. I doesn't say halogen on my bulb package. Thought it might be different.