Potential Stock Headlight Improvement?

[rickypanecatyl]

I've got an older motorcycle with a pathetic headlight. Unless it is pitch dark I usually don't even know if it is on.
It has a 55 watt H4 bulb in the stock reflector. The electrical system is a 12 volt, DC system (not one of those magneto systems if that makes sense) and my alternator puts out 300 watts.

I just a volt meter and was playing with it. (Obviously I'm not an experienced veteran!) My battery was putting out 13.23 volts. When I unplugged my bulb and put the probe in the bulb I got 11.92 volts.
I'm curious if this is a simple math question:

IF I could somehow get the full 13.2 volts to the bulb and
IF I changed the 55 watt to an 80 watt bulb
What percent brighter would my light be?
If for example it was putting out 200 lumens OTF before would it go up 50% to 300 lumens?


I'm also planning on replacing the lens which is yellowed and the reflector which isn't shiny like the new lights and I'm sure that will make and even bigger difference but I asked the other question first as I figured it would be more straight forward!

 

[-Virgil-]

Your idea isn't a good one for several reasons (won't work well, won't last long, will probably overheat the headlamp, will require rewiring and adding relays, will throw a tough load on your charging system). Is the headlamp a standard size (round or rectangular), or if not could the headlamp be replaced with a standard-size one, perhaps in a different housing? If so there are some excellent standard-size LED headlamps that draw very little current and produce very good beam patterns.

 

[rickypanecatyl]

I had no idea there were any "Scheinwerfermann recommended" excellent LED headlamps out there!

My housing is rectangular... any recommendations? Thanks!

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[-Virgil-]

"Rectangular" covers a pretty wide field. Are they 165mm x 100mm? 200mm x 142mm? And if they're one of those sizes, are they standard SAE-dimension units (like automotive sealed beams) or are they model-dedicated lamps that fit only your motorcycle? Or are they some other size? For that matter...what kind of motorcycle is this?

With fully detailed information and maybe some photos of your present headlamp, a helpful answer might be possible. :-)

 

[rickypanecatyl]

It looks like it is about 140 by 70mm. I'm doubting there is anything that will fit straight in, but if there was a good complete sealed unit somewhat close that was waterproof I'd be happy to start from there and have someone fab up a bracket.
The motorcycle is a Kawasaki KLX250. It has about 120 extra watts to play with.
My lighting needs are greater than average... at the moment I am in Thailand driving up from Malaysia to the war zone in the Kachin province of Burma where I work with an NGO.
The roads are dark and treacherous with massive holes, washouts, large animals and none of that helpful reflective paint they have in modern countries.







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[-Virgil-]

No, that's non-standard sized, you're right. But it is also no longer a headlamp. It is the remains of what used to be a headlamp. Specifically, the reflector is toast! It also looks cracked. Of course you can't see! Replace it with new stock parts and your ability to see will take a giant jump upward.

 

[AnAppleSnail]

Is that ex-headlamp missing the front cover?

 

[Hamilton Felix]

I'd say most cost effective for starters would be new factory headlight and a Philips Xtreme Vision standard wattage bulb.

After that, I'd consider heavy duty wiring and a relay harness, to minimize voltage loss.

If I had the money, I'd consider fabricating a mounting bucket for one of the standard sized LED headlights - but JW Speaker lights are not cheap.

 

[rickypanecatyl]

Of course I can't see with it now! :-) It was horrible when it was new though!

With a new reflector and glass I tried the extreme vision bulb. NOT much help or difference there.

Next step I took the glass off and installed a minimoro? HID Bio xenon in the housing.



That was by far the best beam pattern I had but I was told on this forum that it was both unsafe and illegal and so I really did listen to you guys, uninstalled it and threw it away. (That decision was helped by the fact that despite its beam pattern that helped me see it was very cheaply made. The hi/low flap constantly stuck, the HID holder was cheap and bounced around radically changing the beam etc.)

I needed something last minute before this trip and spent $600 US dollars on 2 Denali driving lights.



They have the beam pattern of a Thrunite TN31.

From the Kawasaki dealer it is about $200 USD for a new stock reflector which as I've mentioned is a horrible amount and pattern of light. Thus my original question - what kind of improvements could I expect to see with a new reflector, cover and 85 watt bulb and voltage jump to 13 from 11.9 over just a new reflector which I already know is lame.





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[-Virgil-]

Next step I took the glass off and installed a minimoro? HID Bio xenon in the housing.

"Morimoto Bi-Xenon".

despite its beam pattern that helped me see it was very cheaply made. The hi/low flap constantly stuck, the HID holder was cheap and bounced around radically changing the beam etc.

Yup, "Morimoto" is junk.

I needed something last minute before this trip and spent $600 US dollars on 2 Denali driving lights.

Yikes. Not only is that a huge spend, but "driving" lamps are high beams. I hope "this trip" didn't involve any use in traffic.

what kind of improvements could I expect to see with a new reflector, cover and 85 watt bulb

I doubt that reflector will hold up to the heat of an 85w bulb for very long. Seems to me you had the right idea but the wrong product with that "Morimoto" install. You could buy a Hella BiHalogen or BiXenon 90mm projector (you could have bought the BiXenon for about what you spent on those "driving" lamps), install it and have excellent lighting and durability/quality.

 

[rickypanecatyl]

Thanks for that info Scheinwerfermann! I was just looking at JW speakers LED 90mm projectors. Any thoughts on how they would compare to the Hella 90 mm bixenons?
From the specs it looks like the hellas are a bit stronger - I like stronger. I was wondering if the LEDs would be more durable though? In regards to shock, vibration, water getting in etc?

BTW $600 USD is a special Malaysia price!
As an American living here I often have friends co workers come over and if I have the time I ship to them and have them bring them bring stuff. "Last minute" means I didn't have time to have something brought over.

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[-Virgil-]

I've seen most all the non-toy 90mm LEDs on the market, and I can't think of any I would want to drive with at night. These need more time.