Let there be Light : Bike Lighting, HID etc

[abhijitkn]

Micro-De if it fits your purpose & purse!

thanks for the links...

what is the difference between Hella-- comet 500 and premium micro light DE, which one is better.

which is better if used single and not iin pairs

Hi Prince,

Both are meant for fog not for driving. Will perform better than HIDs in rain & fog.
Micro De is smaller in comparison to Comet 500.
Price is almost the same. Go for Micro De. It is my personal opinion.
You can discuss with the dealer at Nana Peth since they know better about the practical use. Dealer won't sale single. If you need one then buy online.
And from the above discussion now you must have understood that Micro De can be converted to HID, not easy but possible.

[princesirohi]

Hi Prince,

Both are meant for fog not for driving. Will perform better than HIDs in rain & fog.
Micro De is smaller in comparison to Comet 500.
Price is almost the same. Go for Micro De. It is my personal opinion.
You can discuss with the dealer at Nana Peth since they know better about the practical use. Dealer won't sale single. If you need one then buy online.
And from the above discussion now you must have understood that Micro De can be converted to HID, not easy but possible.

and what about comet 550, it is even cheaper, though comes in pair, i want the cheapest one, and i will only install one single..........yes i want for fog and rain only.

also as per the website, it seems the cost is of reflector housing only and excludes bulbs etc.

[fauzan_gorgeous]

Xenon Lights

Hello bikers

I would like to install xenon lights on my R15 wjich is 3 months old. Can i go ahead unhesitatingly or will it cause any kind of problem toh the battery or something.

Also I dont have much knowledge about the lights so I would be happy if anyone would advise me what kind of xenon lights should I use.

Please Help.

[abhijitkn]

Not Sure...

and what about comet 550, it is even cheaper, though comes in pair, i want the cheapest one, and i will only install one single..........yes i want for fog and rain only.

also as per the website, it seems the cost is of reflector housing only and excludes bulbs etc.

Hi Prince,

I'm not sure. Looking at the price it should include H3 Halogen bulb. Micro-DE includes halogen lamps.
Call up the distributor & confirm regarding what includes in pack & if they sale single. If they sale in pair then buy online.
Also it is for upright mounting so be sure about the mounting option i.e. how you going to mount it? Once your are done with the mounting option then try out the Fog Lamp holding at that location & check the beam spread just to make sure you are fine with it.
But still personally I feel Micro-De will be best fit even with single set up. You can add 55W 4300K HID kit to it as shown on ZMA (Navnish) in the earlier post & discussion with Srini. Though fitting is not straight but still manageable if you want it. Comet will cost you Rs.2K & Micro-De will cost you Rs.2450 but has better housing (magnesium) & comes with projector lens. So it's up to you. I suggest visit the distributor & check both the lights by yourself. If you want I have his number or we go there together.

[Shreeni0403]

Prince, AFAIK Comet 500/550 or 450 comes in both driving beam and fog beam. Its the difference in lens. You need to check with the dealer what beam he has and get them. If you are planning to mount them on bike then these are huge.

Comet 500 item numbers
Driving Lamp White:IAM005 750-301
Driving Lamp Yellow:IAM005 750-051
Fog Lamp Yellow:IAM005 750-041
Fog Lamp White:IAM005 750-001

For more info check this link on what you want then approach the dealer.

Hi Srini,

Yes, that was the option but these Micro-De lamps are based on Hella's De technology, different reflector & glass lense & also I was aware that it includes halogens not HIDs. The construction is different hence you can mount any HIDs as a standard fit. It's a good option but technically not straight forward.

First time I saw the Micro DE's with Navnish. And AFAIK he has HID's which are direct fit for them. No juggad's. I too don't recommend spoiling the expensive lens of Hella. If its a straight fit, then why not?

[sajjt]

If you need an aux lamp for distant visibility go for aux driving lamps from Hella not the fogs and if you are specific on rain and fogs do go for fogs only as they can only give a better peripheral vision.

Micro De is purely a fog lamp, its got a driving lamp also but its very expensive and not available here. Here's the Micro De specs.




And finally the beam spread which is very important for an aux lamp



Now compare the Hella Comet 550




And the beam spread of C550 driving lamp


Here's C450 Driving Lamp





If you can shell out bit more on aux lamp, consider Comet 200 which has more range than any other compact aux lamps.

Hella Comet 200

[abhijitkn]

First time I saw the Micro DE's with Navnish. And AFAIK he has HID's which are direct fit for them. No juggad's. I too don't recommend spoiling the expensive lens of Hella. If its a straight fit, then why not?

Hi Sreeni,

I'm not sure it will be a straight fit since the back of HID will not fit with the clip on. So you have to remove the clip. Once the clip is removed you will have to hold the HID bulb by some means. I liked the idea of washer as mentioned in the links above. But yes I'll explore this option may be next year. Thanks..
Just out of curiousity I have one question if I eneded up monuting 2 HIDs (35W 3200k) in both the fog lamps then I'll end up having 3 ballasts , now how I shall make the connection to the battery? I'll have to add another 2 wheeler switch since I do not intend to use Fog Lamps & HIDs together. Don't you think wiring will be little complicated?

Micro De is purely a fog lamp, its got a driving lamp also but its very expensive and not available here.

Hi Sajit,

This is not true. Hella's Micro De Fog & Driving lamps are very much available in India. The driving lamps are too costly but fog lamps you can get it in bet'n Rs. 4500 to 5K. Check the few posts above.
Can you PM me your number? I sent the request long back but got no reply.

[sajjt]

Hi Sreeni,
I'm not sure it will be a straight fit since the back of HID will not fit with the clip on. So you have to remove the clip. Once the clip is removed you will have to hold the HID bulb by some means. I liked the idea of washer as mentioned in the links above. But yes I'll explore this option may be next year. Thanks..
Just out of curiousity I have one question if I eneded up monuting 2 HIDs (35W 3200k) in both the fog lamps then I'll end up having 3 ballasts , now how I shall make the connection to the battery? I'll have to add another 2 wheeler switch since I do not intend to use Fog Lamps & HIDs together. Don't you think wiring will be little complicated?

You can have as many as connections till your battery and alternator can support, provided you should've enough gauge wires with relays to make sure that nothing under rated. I guess now you've used one switch to drive both the fogs with relay. If the relays are rated not less than 30A surely it can support 2 ballasts too. Ballasts will hardly take 6-8A at start up and later it will come to 3-3.5A so, 30A will be more than enough to drive even 2X55W HIDs. Any good toggle switch will do as its not powering the HIDs, its just driving the relay which is hardly 2W max. In my case, am using the engine kill switch to drive the spots so no extra switch is required.

Hi Sajit,

This is not true. Hella's Micro De Fog & Driving lamps are very much available in India. The driving lamps are too costly but fog lamps you can get it in bet'n Rs. 4500 to 5K. Check the few posts above.
Can you PM me your number? I sent the request long back but got no reply.

Few months back I've checked with our local distributor who's dealing with Hella products and that's what I got from him, may be its available now with him also.

Sorry for not replying for ur PM, some how I missed, hardly I miss any of the PMs though. BTW, what was your query?

[harshitcyborg]

HID eating up Battery

Hi guys, this is Harshit from Chennai. I own a pulsar 180 UG3. Recently i have installed HID on my bike and then the problem started. My HID is eating up the battery and the battery level has drop considerably that i cant honk when the headlight is on and the head light goes off after sometime. I changed the battery since i was told that i need a new battery to withstand HID. He even installed a rectifier to reduce battery drop. Now if i drive in the night i have to avoid honking and sometimes the headlight just turns off. It takes another 5 minutes to switch on the light again. Is there a remedy for this..? Please guys help me out with this...!

[Noor]

Thread 'HID eating up Battery, T10 Led Socket and Xenon Lights' approved and merged

[HotAntivirus]

T10 Led Socket

I have tried at various places but I'm unable to find this holder anywhere, Does anyone know where I can buy it in New Delhi? Would be a big help.. I need around 50-60 pc of the holder.

[danny king]

Whoever gave you that information - Please do your homework.

Explain to me how can a 35W HID consume more power than a 35W halogen??? HIDs are energy efficient. If you want more info, our Wikipedia will give you a good class.

In Halagon, majority of the radiation is heat, minority is Light.
In HID, majority of the radiation is light, minority is Heat.

Yes with a cheap make HID and wrong wiring/circuit setup your battery will drain. In this scenario there is only one person to blame.

He must be new here.

I came up with the comment from reading various posts in this thread itself. Yes, I may be wrong. And I certainly agree with you on the fact that HIDs are energy efficient when compared to Halogens.

At one point, I was about install HIDs in my FZ. But later decided not to.

If it is because of safety concerns, that people fix HIDs, then there is a question to that: is it the driver's safety? If yes, then what about the safety of an oncoming driver who is blinded by the glare of an HID headlamp. Wouldn't that increase the risk of a head-on collision.
Wikipedia talks about that too.

An excerpt from Wikipedia on the safety and disadvantages of HID headlamps:

Increased Safety
The HID headlamp light sources (bulbs) offer substantially greater luminance and luminous flux than halogen bulbs – about 3000 lumens and 90 mcd/m2 versus 1400 lumens and 30 mcd/m2. If the higher-output HID light source is used in a well-engineered headlamp optic, the driver gets more usable light. Studies have demonstrated drivers react faster and more accurately to roadway obstacles with good HID headlamps rather than halogen ones. Hence, good HID headlamps contribute to driving safety. The contrary argument is that HID headlamps can negatively impact the vision of oncoming traffic due to their high intensity and "flashing" effect due to the rapid transition between low and high illumination in the field of illumination, thus increasing the risk of a head-on collision between the HID-enabled vehicle and a blinded oncoming driver.

Glare:
Vehicles equipped with HID headlamps are required by ECE regulation 48 also to be equipped with headlamp lens cleaning systems and automatic beam levelling control. Both of these measures are intended to reduce the tendency for high-output headlamps to cause high levels of glare to other road users. In North America, ECE R48 does not apply and while lens cleaners and beam levellers are permitted, they are not required; HID headlamps are markedly less prevalent in the US, where they have produced significant glare complaints. Scientific study of headlamp glare has shown that for any given intensity level, the light from HID headlamps is 40% more glaring than the light from tungsten-halogen headlamps.

From this it is understood that HIDs are far superior to Halogens only when supported with suitable headlamp optics (reflectors, projectors, the entire headlamp assembly) and thus, gives excellent night-time visibility to the driver without glaring oncoming traffic.

In other words, HIDs when used in assemblies meant for Halogens without additional modifications, result in a blinding glare to oncoming traffic (even when in low beam). All headlamp reflectors for halogens are engineered in such a way that the light from headlight bulb gets spread out to light the road. HIDs must be used with good projectors so that the light is cut off at an angle without glaring oncoming traffic, but at the same time, illuminates the road ahead. A majority of the HID users use HIDs in regular headlight assemblies without projectors.

So, HIDs in standard headlight reflectors give much more glare.

This does not mean I am hell bent against HIDs. Just use them responsibly.

And as far as I know, HIDs without projectors are illegal in India. However, one can use HIDs globes that minimizes the direct contact of the light source to on-coming vehicles thus minimizing distractions (I really don't understand that).

He must be new here.

BTW, I am not new here.

[abhijitkn]

Use Projector Lense

If it is because of safety concerns, that people fix HIDs, then there is a question to that: is it the driver's safety? If yes, then what about the safety of an oncoming driver who is blinded by the glare of an HID headlamp. Wouldn't that increase the risk of a head-on collision.
Wikipedia talks about that too.

Hi Danny,

Yes you are correct. HID has to be mounted with the projector lens to control beam spread & I don't know if we get different reflector but I use smoked one. I travel to office daily in the night & I'm having lot of issues due to the people using HID without considering these issues & also many people here drive with High Beam that causes more problems. This has been reiterated so many times but people just don't want to follow.
Forget abt motorcycle, I was travelling in my brother's Ford Fiesta at Wakad, there I came across many Cars & Bikes with HID w/o projector lens & proper reflector and it was so difficult to see, forget abt the potholes but the road also. So whoever have HIDs without lens...just one thing to say, have mercy!

[pankajshirke]

60/55 watts headlight for bike

I had done this 3 years back on my bike TVS Victor GLX and running a 60/55 watts bulb without any problem

3 years back I did one thing
Took round Omni/Ambassador reflector of lumax,fitted a 45/40 watts incandescant bulb of Omni Philips make from Maruti Authorized service centers
I took a Pulsar headlight dome and round headlight rim
Fitted the Omni headlight in it with clips,put the 45/40 watts bulb in it

Without any modifications to wirings,I fitted it to my bike.TVS Victor GLX/GX Apache 150/RTR has got 90 watts coil for kick start and 100-120 watts for electric start
TVS bikes coils generates 50 watts for headlights around 2300 rpm according to technical specifications of master ignition the OEM suppliers of magneto and coils for TVS

Hence when I tested this 45/40 watts bulb it was amazingly bright that a 35/35 watts halogen bulb plus the reflector for Omni is damn good.I think that even if a 35/35 watts bulb will give amazing light with Ambassador/Omni/Mahindra Jeep reflectors

In the meantime I contacted a person named Shrikant Chavan in Pune who fitted a Bajaj scooter regulator of 60 watts to run a 60/55 watts halogen bulb

Basically TVS alternator generates 50 watts for headlight but the regulator/Rectifier unit cuts off wattage above 35 watts to the bulb
So according to Shrikant,what he did was he disconnected the wires which were going from rectifier to the headlight.
He added the scooter regulator of 60 W rating in between alternator and the wires connecting the bulb.
This scooter regulator is nothing but is a capacitor based device which gets charged and provides current to the bulb and since its rating is high,I can use a 60/55 watts bulb
Also a LML regulator of 96 watts can be fitted if I want a 100/90 bulb but since my coil generates 50 watts for headlight hence i decided not to go for 96 W regulator since it will put lot of load on my other electrical system and my battery is just 2.5 AH and there is no space for big battery like 5 AH

In Maruti Omni round headlight reflector,One can put a H4 P45T style halogen bulb and I got one Philips 60/55 watts premium bulb(Philips claim to give 30% extra light with this bulb)
If you want to go for the new H4 P43t Bulb,instead of maruti Omni you can go for the new Bullet classic 350/500 headlight,remove the reflector from the assembly and fit it to the Pulsar headlight rim
By doing this you can go for Philips Xtreme Power which gives 80% bright light as compared to mormal 60/55 watts bulb.

But my suggestion is that in 60/55 watts bulb dont go for Osram Nightbreaker bulb though it claims to give 90% bright light 10% more than Philips Xtreme power.It is waste of money.It costs 900 rupees plus you will not be able to see roads properly in rainy nights.
Philips Xtreme Power scores over nightbreaker here

The reason is that Nightbreaker gives white light just like a HID and since it is white in color hence you have problem of water droplets shining and causing glare.
Basically yellowish white color or light is useful for visibility in fog and rainy conditions.White light is totally useless for night driving
Just do one experiment
In a dark room(Completely dark) place a black color object which is significant in size.First put a yellow light(night lamp) and try to visualize that black object in the room with a yellow light.You will find that your eyes are not strained.
Secondly just take a white light LED torch which gives light almost similar color like a HID but very low wattage.Try to visualize that black color object.
I bet that the black object will appear whitish in color and you will have problems in visualizing that object and it will cause too much strain on your eyes

So just imagine that you are travelling on a dark/poor illuminated road and a person wearing all black/any animal like bufallo comes in between of road,You will have difficulties in visualizing that with a HID.
Plus our roads are black in color hence inspite of too much light from HID,you will not be able to visualize potholes on road.I have not used a HID but I am making some conclusions based on my experiments in dark room.
Maybe HID users can tell more about their experiences during night time riding.

Whereas with a normal 60/55 watts bulb due to to max yellow light,Road visibility is very good and in Ghat areas during night time,I can even visualize areas from 500 meters to 1 kms(in case of Philips Xtreme power).
I have rode my bike many times in Tamhini Ghat,Varandha Ghat,Khandala Ghat,Mahabaleshwar Ghat and almost every Ghat in Sahyadris and since I have 60/55 watts my most of driving in these areas was around 10 pm during night time.No problem with this light anytime.I have travelled in these ghats many times during night and it gives amazing illumination almost twice to that of a P-220 projector lamp.I have checked it with my friends P-220 hence telling you.

HENCE I DONT NEED A HID.It is costly plus battery consuming plus it is totally illegal to use it directly in headlight.You need a projector like P220 for a HID.

But I have sticked to Philips/Bosch 60/55 watts bulb and sometimes xtreme power.Basically light from these bulbs are equivalent to sunlight around evening time(Say around 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm).This type of light is pleasant for night riding.

Please note that this is only for Kick Start TVS bikes only.Not for self start bikes of any make.

So if you have a older TVS bike having incandescant bulb, you can go for a 45/40 watts halogen bulb from Halonix(Ask for Caliber/Bullet 45/40 Halogen bulb) without any modification.
First check your bulb and check this halogen bulb and check whether it fits properly.
For rest other TVS bikes,you can go for Omni headlight fitting in pulsar round dome and 45/40 watts halonix P45T H4 bulb
For 60/55 watts you need to do scooter regulator kind of work
But this is only for TVS bikes only because so far I know Honda,Hero Honda,Suzuki,Yamaha dont provide that much powerful alternator coil for kick start bikes.

[Aneesh@4GHz]

^^^^ Awesome write up bro..I loved it. and you gave very usefull information to us.Thanks,Thanks a lot for this. Even i was planning to go for a 55/60 W bulb on my karizma.So which one will be the best according to you?