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lee8040
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Joined: 27 Jan 2006
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PostPosted: 20:13 - 05 Mar 2011    Post subject: bulb wattage Reply with quote
how can i find out what the highest/brightest bulb my bike headlight will take without causing power problems or zapping the battery to much? the bike is a 1992 suzuki gs400.
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iCraig
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Joined: 04 Jun 2004
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PostPosted: 21:34 - 05 Mar 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
55w is the road legal limit, anything above that and your likely either going to melt your lense (if its plastic) or melt the wiring going to the headlight.

If you want something brighter go for a Phillips X-treme Power, or the new X-treme Vision. Both are road legal, put out 80-100% more light than a standard bulb.
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L4Isoside
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Joined: 08 Mar 2010
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PostPosted: 21:40 - 05 Mar 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
iCraig wrote:

If you want something brighter go for a Phillips X-treme Power, or the new X-treme Vision. Both are road legal, put out 80-100% more light than a standard bulb.



+1 Got top rated in RiDE test... use them my self after I read the review and they really are fantastic.
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c-m
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Joined: 12 May 2006
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PostPosted: 21:57 - 06 Mar 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
iCraig wrote:
55w is the road legal limit, anything above that and your likely either going to melt your lense (if its plastic) or melt the wiring going to the headlight.

If you want something brighter go for a Phillips X-treme Power, or the new X-treme Vision. Both are road legal, put out 80-100% more light than a standard bulb.


eek! mines 100w. Been using it over a year now. There's some slight cracking of the plastic above the bulb but nothing to worry about.
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kawakid
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Joined: 15 Mar 2005
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PostPosted: 22:34 - 06 Mar 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
L4Isoside wrote:
iCraig wrote:

If you want something brighter go for a Phillips X-treme Power, or the new X-treme Vision. Both are road legal, put out 80-100% more light than a standard bulb.



+1 Got top rated in RiDE test... use them my self after I read the review and they really are fantastic.


I will 2nd that, they are shxt hot.
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tahrey
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Joined: 07 Jul 2010
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PostPosted: 18:52 - 08 Mar 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
iCraig wrote:

If you want something brighter go for a Phillips X-treme Power, or the new X-treme Vision. Both are road legal, put out 80-100% more light than a standard bulb.


But do they make them with a BA20d fitting to replace my horrid 35w incandescent? Very Happy
(the only halogens i've had so far proved to be unreliable...)


c-m wrote:

eek! mines 100w. Been using it over a year now. There's some slight cracking of the plastic above the bulb but nothing to worry about.


Bloody hell, where did you even get that? Rally/offroad foglight spec, surely...? Or just modify some kind of 12v interior lamp? Smile Good alternator, then.
(I do kind of wonder how you need something brighter ... but then remember how I'd still like to have some proper driving lamps for the car even though it has 2x 55w and 2x 60w on full beam...!)
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iCraig
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Joined: 04 Jun 2004
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PostPosted: 19:01 - 08 Mar 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
tahrey wrote:

But do they make them with a BA20d fitting to replace my horrid 35w incandescent? Very Happy
(the only halogens i've had so far proved to be unreliable...)


BA20d? Never heard of one of them. Bikes I've owned are usually H4s or H7s!
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tahrey
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PostPosted: 20:01 - 21 Mar 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
Bosch Bayonet, I guess 20mm or something. Seems fairly common on older/cheaper bikes and for lower wattage bulbs. But I could swear I've seen them up to 55w...
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iCraig
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PostPosted: 20:54 - 21 Mar 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
tahrey wrote:
Bosch Bayonet, I guess 20mm or something. Seems fairly common on older/cheaper bikes and for lower wattage bulbs. But I could swear I've seen them up to 55w...


Have a look on Powerbulbs.com, I think they've got some better bulbs on there.
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tahrey
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Joined: 07 Jul 2010
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PostPosted: 18:43 - 24 Mar 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
"your search returned no results"

and looking through their list of cars, they don't list anything even REMOTELY old enough to have anything that's not an easy-peasy H1, H4 or H7.

I have seen that you can get replacement e.g. H4 (or whatever the twin filament one is) bulb holders, but I just don't trust my own electrical ability enough to try installing one of those when it's a fairly critical item to keep working!

not a massive issue at the moment, so i'll leave it be a while, but thanks anyway Smile
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Raffles
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Joined: 14 Apr 2009
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PostPosted: 22:41 - 24 Mar 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
tahrey wrote:
Bosch Bayonet, I guess 20mm or something. Seems fairly common on older/cheaper bikes and for lower wattage bulbs. But I could swear I've seen them up to 55w...

I also believe that I have seen 55w conversions but I am unable to find them at this moment.
Meanwhile, could these items be of use to you?
https://www.redlineuk.co.uk/headlight-bulbs/aceparts-com-xenon-bulbs/55w-superwhite/ba20d-417-35-35w-super-white-xenon-motorbike-scooter-headlight-bulbs-12v-pair.htm
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tahrey
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Joined: 07 Jul 2010
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PostPosted: 00:20 - 26 Mar 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
That was the sort of thing, yeah, but in a 45-50-55w variety. I'm a bit dubious on them and their similar looking cohorts though... e.g. why is the glass blue? Xenon itself sure isn't, so it's just tinting, which means we're losing some of the precious light output for shaky reasons ie a fake HID effect so you can hack people off without actually getting much more light.

Or ... are they UV-cut (my headlamp lens is plastic and yellowing of it will further cut the brightness of a blue bulb)? Will they fit better than the rubbish halogen ones I had from Halfords (decently bright, but first one fell apart internally and the second one couldn't keep a good contact). Why's it say "100w max at 12v" in the description when it should only be 35w? And, "50% brighter" ... than what? Regular halogens? A standard "globe" incandescent of the same wattage (which i'd expect of normal halogen - xenon should be brighter still)? A wax candle?

Still for all my moaning that's the best link I've had so far and didn't even have to work for it. Plus I can probably put the questions to them. And they're only £7 a paid, which ain't much. Cheers again Smile
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c-m
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Joined: 12 May 2006
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PostPosted: 00:41 - 26 Mar 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
tahrey wrote:


c-m wrote:

eek! mines 100w. Been using it over a year now. There's some slight cracking of the plastic above the bulb but nothing to worry about.


Bloody hell, where did you even get that? Rally/offroad foglight spec, surely...? Or just modify some kind of 12v interior lamp? Smile Good alternator, then.
(I do kind of wonder how you need something brighter ... but then remember how I'd still like to have some proper driving lamps for the car even though it has 2x 55w and 2x 60w on full beam...!)


It is a Sumex.com Race Sport Helium Quartz bulb. Its a H4 fitting 100w and has a colour temp of 5500k which is damn close to HID.

It gives off 2300LM

The back of the packet says warning: These bulbs are no road legal and are to be used for decorative purposes, off road or circuit only.
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stirlinggaz
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Joined: 22 Jul 2007
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PostPosted: 22:08 - 26 Mar 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
ba20d bulbs are fairly common , i've had them in a few smaller &/or older bikes.
pretty poor output normally (35w) & i usually replace them halogen replacements & have sometimes converted the bulb holders to H1/H4 or H7.(& also upgraded the wiring) which is easier & cheaper than it sounds
I currently have these https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/HEADLIGHT-BULB-12V-50-50W-HALOGEN-BLUE-BOSCH-FIT-BA20d-/330531303114?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item4cf5336eca#ht_3424wt_1112
& they seem ok,
cheers,
GAZ
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tahrey
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Joined: 07 Jul 2010
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PostPosted: 20:17 - 05 Apr 2011    Post subject: Reply with quote
c-m ... did none of those characteristics tip you off? Very Happy


stirlinggaz wrote:
ba20d bulbs are fairly common , i've had them in a few smaller &/or older bikes.
pretty poor output normally (35w) & i usually replace them halogen replacements & have sometimes converted the bulb holders to H1/H4 or H7.(& also upgraded the wiring) which is easier & cheaper than it sounds
I currently have these https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/HEADLIGHT-BULB-12V-50-50W-HALOGEN-BLUE-BOSCH-FIT-BA20d-/330531303114?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item4cf5336eca#ht_3424wt_1112
& they seem ok,
cheers,
GAZ


Yeah ... that's my problem, being stuck at 35w. I do keep seeing higher wattage ones but only when I haven't really got time to deal with it (like now - still at work catching up on much neglected forumage ... time to go home!).

I may have a punt on that one given that it's a personal reccomendation and they have 100% positive FB over a lot of transactions, but the price, the apparently dark colour of the envelope (wonder if it peels off and lets lots of lovely UV out?) and the general shittily-made appearance of the bulb (even in their publicity shots!) is putting me off a bit.

Anyway, still haven't got a circular wheel yet. Today's the first chance I'll have had in about 2 weeks to even sniff at ebay.
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