John Schmidt
Member
Posts: 15199
a/k/a Stuffy. '99 I/S Valk Roadsmith Trike
De Pere, WI (Green Bay)
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« on: August 01, 2021, 01:38:42 PM » |
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Got 2 sets of the H4 headlight LED's from a friend in Florida and they worked great until last Wednesday when the left one crapped out. After removing the bulb and the little box for it, I tested it on the old bike. The bulb lit up but very dim so tried another new bulb from the same package with same results. As a further test, I plugged in a new box(think they're a load resistor) with the crapped out bulb and bingo...eye burner brightness. Eventually it narrowed down to the box was no good. So here's my problem, there's no name anywhere on the box or material inside so I'm stuck unless I can find a duplicate. I installed the new spare unit in the I/S so I do have both headlights, but my son-in-law wanted to install the additional set in his I/S but now it's lacking the load resistor or whatever that thing is. I see all kinds of these boxes on Ebay but only with a plug in connector, not a screw on collar as seen on the short end lead. Any suggestions, I removed the bottom cover on the box and it's a sealed unit so unable to birddog it for possible visible failures.  |
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Bagger John - #3785
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« Reply #1 on: August 01, 2021, 01:53:22 PM » |
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I wish someone made an I/S adapter for a Road Glide style Daymaker assembly. I'd swap mine out and never look back.
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-mike-
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« Reply #2 on: August 01, 2021, 01:53:58 PM » |
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Search term: "h4 led philips luxeon z es" and you'll find them at ebay. Added picture of package.  -mike- |
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« Last Edit: August 01, 2021, 01:56:43 PM by -mike- »
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John Schmidt
Member
Posts: 15199
a/k/a Stuffy. '99 I/S Valk Roadsmith Trike
De Pere, WI (Green Bay)
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« Reply #3 on: August 01, 2021, 02:17:18 PM » |
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Mike, I find all kinds of load resistors but none that will work with my bulbs. All I find on Ebay have plug-in connectors on both ends. As you can see in the picture below, mine have a screw on collar and I haven't found any like that. When you remove that heat sink, there are no blade type pins to be used...just the harness coming out the bottom terminating with the collar as seen. Am I missing something, I copied/pasted your search reference on Ebay and it came up with no matches.  |
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Valkorado
Member
Posts: 10491
VRCC DS 0242
Gunnison, Colorado (7,703') Here there be twisties.
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« Reply #4 on: August 01, 2021, 03:05:27 PM » |
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Pretty sure you wont be able to find just the ballast without buying a whole new bulb. Funny, I've been using those exact bulbs for years with no problems. They even lived through the BonS SmartSwitch shorting out and making them dim and flicker. I thought for sure they were fried but they just keep going and going...
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« Last Edit: August 01, 2021, 03:14:00 PM by Valkorado »
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Have you ever noticed when you're feeling really good, there's always a pigeon that'll come sh!t on your hood? - John Prine 97 Tourer "Silver Bullet" 01 Interstate "Ruby"  |
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John Schmidt
Member
Posts: 15199
a/k/a Stuffy. '99 I/S Valk Roadsmith Trike
De Pere, WI (Green Bay)
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« Reply #5 on: August 01, 2021, 03:22:37 PM » |
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What I find a bit odd is I replaced the headlights in my SUV with LED's and didn't have that little doodad hanging in there. I just removed the halogen and inserted the LED, then plugged the factory harness to the new LED bulb. Just had a discussion with a friend re. that issue and he maintains these I have must be an older and earlier version. He indicated current models just plug in like the OEM halogens, they no longer need that load resistor thing. It apparently has/had to do with flicker some versions had and that box did away with it. Newer chips and internal wiring of the bulb don't have that problem apparently. Next thing is where to find 45/45w HI/LO LED's for the I/S. I'd like to know what other members are using, have they just installed the 55/60w on both sides instead of trying to match the wattage of the factory unit?
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Valkorado
Member
Posts: 10491
VRCC DS 0242
Gunnison, Colorado (7,703') Here there be twisties.
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« Reply #6 on: August 01, 2021, 03:48:20 PM » |
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What I find a bit odd is I replaced the headlights in my SUV with LED's and didn't have that little doodad hanging in there. I just removed the halogen and inserted the LED, then plugged the factory harness to the new LED bulb. Just had a discussion with a friend re. that issue and he maintains these I have must be an older and earlier version. He indicated current models just plug in like the OEM halogens, they no longer need that load resistor thing. It apparently has/had to do with flicker some versions had and that box did away with it. Newer chips and internal wiring of the bulb don't have that problem apparently. Next thing is where to find 45/45w HI/LO LED's for the I/S. I'd like to know what other members are using, have they just installed the 55/60w on both sides instead of trying to match the wattage of the factory unit?
Check these out John. I haven't tried these particular bulbs but I have had good luck with the brand. They look like the plug and play you're seeking after you trim or bend back the lower tabs like we have to do with all h4's on our Interstates. I like how the staggered hi/lo pattern mimics halogen bulbs. Just wondering how well they keep their cool without fan and just the small cooling fins on the bulb housing.  https://www.ebay.com/itm/303625739278 A bit spendy if that is per bulb. |
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Have you ever noticed when you're feeling really good, there's always a pigeon that'll come sh!t on your hood? - John Prine 97 Tourer "Silver Bullet" 01 Interstate "Ruby" |
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-mike-
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« Reply #7 on: August 01, 2021, 11:31:15 PM » |
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Mike, I find all kinds of load resistors but none that will work with my bulbs. All I find on Ebay have plug-in connectors on both ends. As you can see in the picture below, mine have a screw on collar and I haven't found any like that. When you remove that heat sink, there are no blade type pins to be used...just the harness coming out the bottom terminating with the collar as seen. Am I missing something, I copied/pasted your search reference on Ebay and it came up with no matches.
John, I know exactly what you are talking about, because I have the very same bulb laying on my shelf. Screw type automotive connectors for the LED driving box (aka ballast) and so on. Here's the shop where I bought from: https://www.ebay.com/itm/274831685756Not sure if these will ship to US, though. If you were in Germany, I could send it to you for shipping costs only. To US it wouldn't cut it unfortunately (see 2nd link below for cheapest solution) Another quick search on Ebay and I came out with local offers: https://www.ebay.com/itm/282830170899https://www.ebay.com/itm/172220390746BUT - the question is: Why are mine on the shelf... Because I didn't like the fact that the drivers produce RF noise I was able to reduce by 3.5mm ferrite suppressors just to some acceptable level. I found a better option for my headlights: Philips H4 Ultinon Pro9000 LED Headlight Bulbs Kit +250% 5800K great light pattern, bright as hell, no RF noise. Expensive, though and is quite a tight fit in the Standard/Tourer light bucket. -mike- |
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h13man
Member
Posts: 1745
To everything there is an exception.
Indiana NW Central Flatlands
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« Reply #8 on: August 02, 2021, 07:28:01 AM » |
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Bon S Smart Switch and a Silver Star has been my setup for about 7 yrs. I've read that the Smart Switch is being produced by someone else but... The headlight reflector lends itself well in performance on the Valkyrie standard/tourers.
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« Last Edit: August 02, 2021, 07:30:02 AM by h13man »
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John Schmidt
Member
Posts: 15199
a/k/a Stuffy. '99 I/S Valk Roadsmith Trike
De Pere, WI (Green Bay)
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« Reply #9 on: August 02, 2021, 09:58:47 AM » |
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Well, I finally got the I/S together enough to test the portable radio interference thing. Sure enough, it's there...especially on the CB channel of the radio. Mine is a weather radio, very important living in Fla. for 53 yrs., but has multiple channels; CB, AM & FM, Aircraft, etc. I could hold the antenna across the headlight beam and it's frying bacon, move it away and it either goes away or diminishes. It's not super bad, probably due to installing chokes in the wiring leading up to and following the driver box. For the time being it's at a level I can live with since I don't use the radio while riding anyway. If I can find some ear buds with the 3.5mm male plug and long enough cord, I might just use that plugged into my GPS rather than the bike speakers. Now for a case of dumbassery...telling on myself here.  I have the Signal Boss installed on the trike and really like it. In my partially removing the fairing this past week I had to disconnect a couple things including the ground lead for the Boss. Last evening I got the fairing back in place and before closing it up I turned on the key to double check the operation of eveything. In short...it didn't! Ok...do I panic now or wait til morning, I even texted Steve before discovering my own goof. Issues that appeared; when I hit the brakes, the front turn/run lights went off...both sides, when letting off the brakes I got a double flash of all the lights in the Boss circuit, if I hit a turn signal and the brakes...the turn signal went off followed by the double flash when I got off the brake. I started to write a request on here for someone to check their I/S if they had the Boss installed, wanting to know if theirs operated the same way since I had never noticed it before on mine. While typing the question which I never did post, the thought struck me; did I reconnect the ground wire? I headed for the garage, grabbed a flashlight and sure enough...no wire to be seen, but where is it. With the Boss installed there's quite a bundle of wires in the left side of the fairing and the ground wire became entangled and thereby hidden from view. I grounded the system, turned the key on and tested for all the weird things mentioned above. All is well...and I need an emoticon depicting the forehead slap!  Now I'll close it all up and get ready to make the ride west nearly 200 miles to the La Crosse area for the Quad State gathering. Should be a nice leisurely country road ride & the weather looks great...so far. As has been stated...weather is predicted, not scheduled.  |
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old2soon
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« Reply #10 on: August 02, 2021, 12:11:07 PM » |
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John just read yer post and it reminded me of something. Late 70s early 80s a Lot of truckers were having problems with altenator noise in the big trucks that Did affect our C B radios. Somebody knowing more about that than I did suggested I believe it was called a line fikter. When on the hot lead of the power supply to the C B radio. While it Did Not elminate the noise it brought the noise Way down to a more tolerable level. Hope this helps but lookin like ya got er mostly whupped! RIDE SAFE. |
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Today is the tommorow you worried about yesterday. If at first you don't succeed screw it-save it for nite check. 1964 1968 U S Navy. Two cruises off Nam.
VRCCDS0240 2012 GL1800 Gold Wing Motor Trike conversion
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SCain
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« Reply #11 on: August 05, 2021, 05:34:22 AM » |
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Been running these for about a year now, direct replacement, $36.99 from Amazon.
DZG H4 9003 Led Headlight Bulb, HB2 HS1 P43t Led Bulb Headlights 6500K Super Bright, 2 Yr Warranty, 1 Pair
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Steve  |
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hubcapsc
Member
Posts: 16770
upstate
South Carolina
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« Reply #12 on: August 05, 2021, 06:16:31 AM » |
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Has anyone here tried to adjust their headlight "the normal way"
(you know, 28 feet on a level surface from a wall) after changing from
a regular h4 to an led h4? Can you still get the "flat cut-off" line on the
wall?
-Mike
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-mike-
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« Reply #13 on: August 05, 2021, 06:47:06 AM » |
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Has anyone here tried to adjust their headlight "the normal way"
(you know, 28 feet on a level surface from a wall) after changing from
a regular h4 to an led h4? Can you still get the "flat cut-off" line on the
wall?
-Mike
Yes. I did. But that depends on the "bulb" build quality. Severeal cheaper H4 LEDs can't properly be adjusted. |
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