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Author Topic: Will this fry my electrical ?  (Read 1141 times)
Roidfingers
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Tuscaloosa, Alabama


« on: November 10, 2015, 03:24:37 PM »

 Shocked Pk I bought this bulb that is for off road use and I want to increase my seeing and being seen. It is an H4 and will fit. My question is.... is it plug and play? New bigger wires? a relay? thanks n advance
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000COBLKW?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00


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« Last Edit: November 10, 2015, 03:26:15 PM by Roidfingers » Logged
sandy
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Mesa, AZ.


« Reply #1 on: November 10, 2015, 03:37:36 PM »

I wouldn't put that in stock wiring. Add other lighting using a relay triggered by the acc fuse.
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longrider
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Vernon, B.C. Canada


« Reply #2 on: November 10, 2015, 03:40:15 PM »

Others will chime in.  On a standard or tourer You will need to install relays to drive the bulb or you will overheat the start switch as the current runs through it.

Warren
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BonS
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Blue Springs, MO


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« Reply #3 on: November 10, 2015, 03:46:05 PM »

{blush} Geeze, second time in one day that I'm recommending my SmartSwitch {/blush}.

I'd try the SmartSwitch before even putting in a higher wattage and enjoy the extra light with very little effort. You'll get proper gauge wire with a fuse and deliver full voltage to your headlight. It's not even necessary to pull off your gas tank to install it. And you won't end up with failed handlebar switches in the future.

Sandy and Longrider are right, at a minimum you need a relay to avoid stressing out your OEM wiring harness and switches. If you still want more light then go for it. With the SmartSwitch you can go with a higher wattage bulb without fear!

TheDigiSync.com
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Roidfingers
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Tuscaloosa, Alabama


« Reply #4 on: November 10, 2015, 03:51:53 PM »

 cooldude BonS I looked at ur website. Looks good. Also I have a handle bar and driving lights and front turns. How would ur device hook to all that?
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John Schmidt
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a/k/a Stuffy. '99 I/S Valk Roadsmith Trike

De Pere, WI (Green Bay)


« Reply #5 on: November 10, 2015, 04:27:15 PM »

Even with the Smart switch, I'd use a receptacle made for higher wattage. The OEM item that connects to the bulb won't take it for long. Get it at a NAPA store.
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98valk
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South Jersey


« Reply #6 on: November 10, 2015, 04:35:48 PM »

will work with oem socket, use to run one with no problem but have since gone to silver star, but this upgrade should be done with a relay, actually should be done even with std wattage bulbs.

http://www.horseapple.com/Valkyrie/Tech_Tips/Headlight_Upgrade/headlight_upgrade.html

http://www.rattlebars.com/mtz/basicrelay.html
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1998 Std/Tourer, 2007 DR200SE, 1981 CB900C  10speed
1973 Duster 340 4-speed rare A/C, 2001 F250 4x4 7.3L, 6sp

"Our Constitution was made only for a Moral and Religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the goverment of any other."
John Adams 10/11/1798
BonS
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Blue Springs, MO


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« Reply #7 on: November 10, 2015, 05:06:24 PM »

If you're using my SmartSwitch for H4 bulbs then the socket connecting to the headlight bulb is ceramic and won't melt no matter what.
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98valk
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South Jersey


« Reply #8 on: November 10, 2015, 06:11:35 PM »

cooldude BonS I looked at ur website. Looks good. Also I have a handle bar and driving lights and front turns. How would ur device hook to all that?


I did the MarkT relays yrs ago, and after looking at the smartswitch, that would be a much easier and nice way to go. looks almost plug and play.  cooldude
I'm even thinking about getting rid of my current setup and getting the smartswitch, but my setup might have been hacked up too much to make it a plug and play for me. I'll have to pull the headlight and check the wiring, it was done over 10 yrs ago and haven't looked at it since.
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1998 Std/Tourer, 2007 DR200SE, 1981 CB900C  10speed
1973 Duster 340 4-speed rare A/C, 2001 F250 4x4 7.3L, 6sp

"Our Constitution was made only for a Moral and Religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the goverment of any other."
John Adams 10/11/1798
BonS
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Blue Springs, MO


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« Reply #9 on: November 10, 2015, 06:23:38 PM »

cooldude BonS I looked at ur website. Looks good. Also I have a handle bar and driving lights and front turns. How would ur device hook to all that?

(I'm working with Roidfingers to get closer to a solution for his setup with running lights. First we're figuring out what wiring he has in place right now . . .)
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MarkT
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VRCC #437 "Form follows Function"

Colorado Front Range - elevation 2.005 km


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« Reply #10 on: November 10, 2015, 10:04:37 PM »

cooldude BonS I looked at ur website. Looks good. Also I have a handle bar and driving lights and front turns. How would ur device hook to all that?


I did the MarkT relays yrs ago, and after looking at the smartswitch, that would be a much easier and nice way to go. looks almost plug and play.  cooldude
I'm even thinking about getting rid of my current setup and getting the smartswitch, but my setup might have been hacked up too much to make it a plug and play for me. I'll have to pull the headlight and check the wiring, it was done over 10 yrs ago and haven't looked at it since.

Seems redundant to me. If you've done my relay mod you basically have what the Smart Switch is. The latter is a nicely packaged MarkT relay mod. Unless you didn't do parts of it - like change to a hi-temp plug, or didn't use at least 14ga wire for the power supply.  I just did my mod again to Jade.  Parts were already on hand - 2 relays, a plug, some wire and terminals, and hooked it to the PC-8 fuse panel.  On Jade I made looms for all my added wiring.
« Last Edit: November 10, 2015, 10:06:36 PM by MarkT » Logged


Vietnam-474 TFW Takhli 9-12/72 Linebckr II;307 SBW U-Tapao 05/73-4
BonS
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Blue Springs, MO


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« Reply #11 on: November 11, 2015, 04:55:05 AM »

MarkT is mostly right. However, the SmartSwitch is designed with features that aren't called out in the Shoptalk how-to. For example, the supply and ground (or return current path) of the SmartSwitch is sent directly back to the battery instead of the headlight bucket. Passing current through the headstock is not good for the headlight or headstock bearings. The SmartSwitch also includes flyback diodes to protect the handlebar switches from long term deterioration from arcing, pitting and burning, that occurs when the relay coils are turned off. And all the components and connectors are mounted on a heavy duty (2oz copper), professionally soldered circuit board with components that are matched and rated to handle the job without point-to-point wiring that is highly dependent upon the workmanship (and availability of parts) of the installer to get right.
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Roidfingers
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Tuscaloosa, Alabama


« Reply #12 on: November 11, 2015, 05:41:11 AM »

BonS I want to go with your smart switch I just need to wait for about another hour before I fire up the fat girl. She kinda loud and don't want to wake neighbors. I'm gonna answer your last message you sent me about when my lights come on etc.... The prevous owner had some wiring done to install a sat. radio that I have removed so, I'm not really sure how the stock has changed. Thanks for your help so far.
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Roidfingers
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Tuscaloosa, Alabama


« Reply #13 on: November 11, 2015, 06:31:56 AM »

Sent u a PM Bons
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MarkT
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VRCC #437 "Form follows Function"

Colorado Front Range - elevation 2.005 km


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« Reply #14 on: November 11, 2015, 07:49:38 AM »

MarkT is mostly right. However, the SmartSwitch is designed with features that aren't called out in the Shoptalk how-to. For example, the supply and ground (or return current path) of the SmartSwitch is sent directly back to the battery instead of the headlight bucket. Passing current through the headstock is not good for the headlight or headstock bearings. The SmartSwitch also includes flyback diodes to protect the handlebar switches from long term deterioration from arcing, pitting and burning, that occurs when the relay coils are turned off. And all the components and connectors are mounted on a heavy duty (2oz copper), professionally soldered circuit board with components that are matched and rated to handle the job without point-to-point wiring that is highly dependent upon the workmanship (and availability of parts) of the installer to get right.

Thanks for that.  I'd say you are mostly right too.  I've seen your work on the carb synchonizer.  Impressive quality especially out of a small business.  Just from my point of view, I wouldn't redo work that is already done unless it was lacking / done improperly.  Or I just need some chromatherapy and have run out of project ideas and think an upgrade is possible.  I didn't add diodes to mine so if there's back surges when powered down they just happen.  Have not had any problems with the switches or the bearings yet, in about 18 years of use, however. I can easily add a return ground wire and diodes if I feel a need to tweak it.  In fact I already have positioned different gauge wires for future mods, so a few mods can be added w/o pulling the tank to run wire!

You're right, if folks don't have the basic skills of electrical wiring, they can introduce problems that won't appear in a properly built circuit, or in your matched circuit board and components.  e.g., crimped connectors are a common fail point, as well as connections across different metals resulting in galvanic corrosion, or failing to add a sealer when they should, like dielectric grease.  Lately I've preferred "liquid tape" to seal against moisture and oxygen. Though it takes more effort to remove if needed.  I won't even go into the atrocity of using tap connectors and the like to make connections; damaging the wire, opening a corrosion path, increasing resistance and so on.  Those who use such shortcuts will learn the hard way they have destroyed the reliability of whatever they wired with it. The inventor of tap connectors should be made to pay for all the damage his product has caused.  I solder and shrink wrap all connections.

BTW, that Shoptalk article you refer to, is an early version, I didn't authorize it to be posted and wasn't asked.  My current article has edits it doesn't (but those edits don't address your return ground line, or diodes).  However in the interest of benefiting our community I have not asked for articles that were copied and reposted, to be removed.
« Last Edit: November 11, 2015, 12:11:21 PM by MarkT » Logged


Vietnam-474 TFW Takhli 9-12/72 Linebckr II;307 SBW U-Tapao 05/73-4
Roidfingers
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Tuscaloosa, Alabama


« Reply #15 on: November 11, 2015, 01:07:52 PM »

OK. BonS. I just got the single headlight H4. Now get it to me.  2funny
Thanks to all for all your help.  cooldude
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