Lighting

[Shinysideup]

I think I've finally solved what for me is unacceptably dim OEM lighting for high-speed night driving.

First, I installed a HID conversion kit. As Flar pointed out, these are problematic because the OEM reflector is made for a halogen bulb. Fortunately, the result wasn't too awful, though it still wasn't quite enough light to suit me. And the resulting pattern was, well, very weird.

So I added on two Vision X Solstice Solo LED lights. I found these on Amazon, here:

http://www.amazon.com/Vision-XIL-S1100-Solstice-Square-Light/dp/B001TQ6DI2/ref=pd_sim_sbs_auto_1

The stock bulb on high beam draws 55W. My HID replacement draws 35W and each of the LED lamps draws 10W, so my total is equal to the stock high beam. No worries about blowing fuses.

The light is spectacular. I aimed the main headlight fairly low, because it has the most spillage and I wanted to avoid glare for oncoming drivers. Then I aimed each of the LED's just above the HID center of brightness. The result is all I could hope for, fairly far throw, good side coverage, and, so far, nobody flashing their brights at me. I cruised along the local freeway last night and had no trouble with my aging night vision. I've got to think these things really add to my daytime conspicuity, also.

I really don't like adding any farkles that mess with the beautiful lines of the Empulse, but in this case, safety trumps style and I don't think the result is too much of an eye sore.

I mounted the LED's to a piece of 1/8" thick aluminum stock which I attached to the back of the instrument cluster, using the original lower cluster mounting screws, which were long enough to do the job. I rattle canned the hardware to match the flat black of the lamp housings. These lights are very well made. Their shells are aluminum and are finned to dissipate heat.

Not having my favorite Positaps on hand, I cut into the two wires leading to the headlight and soldered in my leads from the LED's. There was just the right amount of length on the LED wires to make this happen. I taped those connections up with gaffer's tape and buttoned everything back up. It's getting full behind my headlight!

Here's some pics. Just scroll through on the "Newer button" to see them all.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/10852133@N02/8417464305/#in/set-72157632567075439

[Brammofan]

Looks great, Shiny.

[FreepZ]

Nice job!

- Did the lamps come with some mounting hardware? It looks like they slot onto that articulated piece that is bolted to the stock which is in turn bolted to the bike.
- How do you prevent the lamp from sliding off? Glue? A very tight fit? Setup (i.e. the wind is pushing the lamp onto the slot, rather than pulling it off)?

[Shinysideup]

Nice job!

- Did the lamps come with some mounting hardware? It looks like they slot onto that articulated piece that is bolted to the stock which is in turn bolted to the bike.
- How do you prevent the lamp from sliding off? Glue? A very tight fit? Setup (i.e. the wind is pushing the lamp onto the slot, rather than pulling it off)?

Thanks FreepZ and Brammofan.

Yes, the lamps come complete with the mounting unit, which is a flat-bottomed-U-shaped piece of steel that has a 1/4" bolt in the base to go onto the vehicle, held with a Nylok nut.

The top of the U has a longer, thinner bolt and Nylok nut that runs through a very clever piece of steel, a key that slides into any of the slots on the four sides of the lamp. The slots are tapered and the connecting key gizmo is also tapered, so it wedges into the slot.

What holds it there is a small socket head cap screw that goes through the gizmo to thread into a tiny hole in the lamp housing, at the base of each slot. Allen key supplied with each lamp. This arrangement is much easier to figure out when the parts are in your hand, than to write about it!

The system also has another piece of steel key to connect lamps together on any of their surfaces, so guys with off-road vehicles can string, say, 20 lights together in a light bar and turn night into day for only $2K the cost of maybe 4 PIAA HID's.

These are the first LED's I've owned other than small ones in flashlights and headlamps. I really prefer them over HID's. Less current draw, instant on, more vibration resistant, longer life, no ballast to try to cram in somewhere.

[flar]

That install looks great - like it came from the factory that way.  The front view now is pretty impressive, and kind of almost looks like a face. 

[Mr.Rodgers]

How about doing a true HID conversion like this instead?

http://www.theretrofitsource.com/retrofit_examples.php?retrofits_id=15

There should be plenty of room in that headlight and it would look sweet!

[Shinysideup]

Had I known, I woulda done it! Looks good.

[Gavin]

A lot of work...but we'll done...full write up is here...

http://modernvespa.com/forum/wiki-bi-xenon-hid-projector-kit


Gavin

[flar]

Nice, but a bit of that work is way beyond my pay grade. 

Any place selling drop in replacement headlight housings?  I'm good with a wrench and with wiring and I'm only good at making messes with a dremel.  The fire department has forbid me to do any welding after the last incident...