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H4 H7 bulb confusion, why do bike manufacturers do this?

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NutsyUk
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PostPosted: 15:40 - 01 Feb 2023    Post subject: H4 H7 bulb confusion, why do bike manufacturers do this? Reply with quote

My old bike is like this and my new bike is like this too... And it pisses me off.
For my dipped main bulb. The bulb key is for an H7 single beam bulb. But the sodding power socket is a H4! My old bike was like this too but it had adapters on it.
The new bike just had the h7 plug bent to make it just about fit the H4 socket D:

I just got a new bulb to fix what looked like a strange bodge job before I realised what was going on!

Now i have to try and find an adapter socket somewhere... Amazon doesnt appear to have one :/
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NutsyUk
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PostPosted: 16:06 - 01 Feb 2023    Post subject: Reply with quote

Managed to get a socket and plug gonna wire up my own adapter :/
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P.
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PostPosted: 16:31 - 01 Feb 2023    Post subject: Reply with quote

I doubt the confusion is the manufacturer if I am honest... Laughing
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WD Forte
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PostPosted: 17:15 - 01 Feb 2023    Post subject: Reply with quote

^
Yeah, sounds like the result of 'owner improvements'
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NutsyUk
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PostPosted: 17:37 - 01 Feb 2023    Post subject: Reply with quote

i dunno, my old one was like this but had OEM socket adapters plugged in.
This one... The plug looks oem to me... just the wrong type for the light
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WD Forte
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PostPosted: 18:17 - 01 Feb 2023    Post subject: Reply with quote

Originally it had two single filament two prong H7s,
typically a 55W and 60W one HI one LO

H4's are dual filament 3 prong blubs
Someones been fucking about with it so your choice is to put it back
to stock or carry on 'improving' it, but bear in mind the lighting requirements at MOT time.

Edit:
Also bear in mind the reflector was designed to work with an H7
and may not as well with an H4 which has different element structure
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Last edited by WD Forte on 18:22 - 01 Feb 2023; edited 1 time in total
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NutsyUk
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PostPosted: 18:21 - 01 Feb 2023    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ill make sure the light level is correct, but theres nothing against running both left and right lights at the same time on dipped beams right?
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WD Forte
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PostPosted: 18:22 - 01 Feb 2023    Post subject: Reply with quote

See my edit
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NutsyUk
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PostPosted: 18:28 - 01 Feb 2023    Post subject: Reply with quote

WD Forte wrote:
See my edit

Now seen.

The thing is on my tests it looks like the reflectors are mirrored on each side... And on early tests running the right side at low beam still shows a good horizon line cut off.

This is the strange thing. The right side, has a H4 key but was wired to only use the high beam. The spade for the low beam and wire is missing. (this is a mod im doing to "fix that"( running wire from left side Low beam with a new spade to the right socket...
The left light has a H7 key. But an H4 socket as well. But wired for only low beam.

Maybe this was modified. But they couldnt have modified the bulbs housing keys. Thats moulded into the reflector ceramics.
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NutsyUk
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PostPosted: 18:35 - 01 Feb 2023    Post subject: Reply with quote

looking at the service manual...
Spotted what looks like h4 plugs
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stinkwheel
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PostPosted: 19:49 - 01 Feb 2023    Post subject: Reply with quote

NutsyUk wrote:
Ill make sure the light level is correct, but theres nothing against running both left and right lights at the same time on dipped beams right?


As long as the beam pattern is correct. Which it probably isn't. You can see what they check here in the alignment section:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mot-inspection-manual-for-motorcycles/4-lamps-reflectors-and-electrical-equipment
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A100man
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PostPosted: 10:52 - 02 Feb 2023    Post subject: Reply with quote

NutsyUk wrote:
looking at the service manual...
Spotted what looks like h4 plugs


With two H7s in that set-up I can't see how you'd get a dipped beam -just either LHS or RHS..

..unless the two reflectors are so fundamentally different that one can bend the beam down. The H4 bulb seems to have a small internal shield reflector for dip.
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NutsyUk
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PostPosted: 12:47 - 02 Feb 2023    Post subject: Reply with quote

A100man wrote:
NutsyUk wrote:
looking at the service manual...
Spotted what looks like h4 plugs


With two H7s in that set-up I can't see how you'd get a dipped beam -just either LHS or RHS..

..unless the two reflectors are so fundamentally different that one can bend the beam down. The H4 bulb seems to have a small internal shield reflector for dip.


Yeah H4 has shields which focus the beam into the horizontal plane of the reflectors... The H7 is omni, so it hits the vertical plane of the reflectors. Both reflectors are identical... just mirrored. Oh and one side has a H4 key and one has H7 key. Other than that....

oh wait
I see what you mean. brain just twigged... hmmm will have another look today. I have to take the headlight assembly out today to see if i can fix its loose aiming nut :/ (i hope its just come off rather than broken
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Yamaha FZ8/Fazer800 (split headlight one) 2014, gingerly getting used to the massive increase in HP and not killing myself in the process! That was easy to get used to.
Kawasaki ER6F 2007 650 Gonna sell as a project bike!
Lexmoto XTR S 125 Sold!
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A100man
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PostPosted: 12:52 - 02 Feb 2023    Post subject: Reply with quote

NutsyUk wrote:


oh wait
I see what you mean. brain just twigged... hmmm will have another look today. I have to take the headlight assembly out today to see if i can fix its loose aiming nut :/ (i hope its just come off rather than broken


That's good - I'm not sure I do any more.. Wink Confused
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MCN
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PostPosted: 07:32 - 03 Feb 2023    Post subject: Reply with quote

As Stinkwheel suggests, dicking with different bulb styles invariably dicks with the reflector properties.
The lamp manufacturer carefully design the lamp to accommodate a particular bulb style.

It's no coincidence that different styles do not fit every lamp.

Goe to the bike OEM parts list and take it from there.

Some edjits like to think that they know what they are doing.

One doesn't actually know how much one doesn't know until one realises that there's a lot one doesn't know.
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