Query Approved

Hey Buddy,

First off I do not know the correct answer to your question and in fact I am mulling the exact same question in my mind since I want to do the exact same thing you want to do, viz. upgrade my headlamps from 35/35w to 60/55w. I however am in no mood to carry out any modification like coil rewinding or Ape RR and stuff like that.

As it turns out it is not as simple as it sounds. First off the question of battery only comes if your bike is full DC. My bike on the other hand is half DC half AC. My headlight & tail light run on AC. Turn signals, console, neutral indicator, highbeam flash & brake light run on DC.

So if I plonk in a 60/55w in place of 35/35w nothing is going to happen to battery per se cause my head lights do not run off the battery. But this statement is not completely true, since part of the current generated by the alternator goes to charge the battery (as DC) and some of the current goes to the head light (as AC). So the alternator should not only be able to provide higher wattage to the head light but should also generate enough current to charge the batteries at the same time.

It is only slightly different if your bike is full DC. The only difference being that all current drawn is from the battery and all current generated goes to recharging the battery. Suppose your alternator generates 200watts of power at 5000rpms. Where as at any given time the bike only requires 150W of power to run the electricals (all lights, horns, fuel pumps, starter motor etc.), then that means you have 50watts extra to play around with. So if you change a 35/35 to a 55/60 even then you will have extra current to charge the battery.

Does it work this way? Yes, in fact most Karizma ZMR owners (which comes with a 35/35w stock) simply replace with a 60/55w just like that cause the ZMR alternator produces a load of watts to over compensate.

So the point in question is not whether the battery can take it, the point is whether your bike can recharge the battery as fast as your electricals are draining it. If your bike cannot then no amount ampere hour battery can sustain given enough time. If you bike can then even the smallest 3Ah battery will work just fine on your bike.

I request other members to find loop holes and lacunae in my understanding and fill it with knowledge. Some deeper understanding such as whether heat output of 55w bulbs would affect head light reflectors / or current carrying limit of bike wiring, will it be able to handle a 55w/ or if the bike is half AC/DC (like mine) then can the 55w headlights handle the flickering at low rpms. If people can shed light on these aspects then I will be grateful.

Thanks!

That was quite informative plasma bhai

Can someone put forward a plain mathematical equation in the form X = A+B+C , for example (12V*9Ah)=35+10+15+extra load, or something like that, for a fully DC bike.

it all depends on the alternator output and how much electricity goes where. in short, battery charging current should always be slightly more than consumption.

hi,
In my humble opinion,this calculation is wrong. AH(ampere-hour) is how much time(hour) battery can give 1A. In 5AH battery you can get 1A for 5 hour or 5A for only 1 hour or 10A for 0.5 hour.If charging current from alternator is below 5A, battery will die out of charge within 1 hour.

Indeed, that is why I have put forth this question.

Re: How to know whether your bike will support an electrical modification?

I am also thinking of Installing HIDs/Xtreme vision on my fazer 153cc(With Both Lights on at the same time). Someone please help..

Re: How to know whether your bike will support an electrical modification?

Here - http://www.xbhp.com/talkies/do-yours...eam-fazer.html

Re: How to know whether your bike will support an electrical modification?


Thanks DS, I already have this "Both lights ON at the same time". Last month I went for a long ride of 800Kms and on Highway I couldnt see anything for few seconds after I come across vehicles with High beam ON.. Generally Cars... After that I realized the need of upgrading my Lighting System. Currently I am in a dilemmma whether to upgrade to X-treme Vision or HID, If I upgrade, whether my battery be able to support the system or not. If it cant then what will be the worst cons.

Re: How to know whether your bike will support an electrical modification?

Hey, let me be clear. Aren't you going for the 2013 variant of Thunderbird 500 ?? It has a marvelous projector, why would you want to put a HID and spoil it? The basic 55/60W bulb is more than sufficient to lay the highway tarmac. Even many bus drivers were surprised when I blipped them while overtaking. Moreover an HID will blind the oncomer and its illegal. For safer bet, you could install LED assist lamps or simple 35W bulbs like the one shown below to your bullet crash guard which can act as fog lamp or when you take that dark stretch of road.

P.s: I just took this image off google image search. I really like the indigenous idea of the person.

Re: How to know whether your bike will support an electrical modification?

HID + projector is the way to go. But only HIDs rated within 4300k should be used. Its apt legally as well as won't bother the oncoming traffic.
Try to get the alternator wattage for your bike, i.e, x watts at y rpm. Then, we can see if 55w bulbs can be put or not.

Re: How to know whether your bike will support an electrical modification?

Can you tell me the type of bulb the new Thunderbirds use?? is it H4 or H7?? I was thinking about the same as you mentioned. Got an idea of fitting the H7 Projector from P220. that would need a little mod to the H4 bulb.. However, if the Thunderbird uses H4, I would any time prefer it.

Edit - Found it is a H7 55/55W..

Very True.. and you are right as always

Re: How to know whether your bike will support an electrical modification?

Bingo! Since H7 is single beam, the projector has high/low beam feature built in it, right? I think I found solution to my problem.