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HID headlight conversion
- Thread starter ThePsuedoMonkey
- Start date
jonjkim12
'77 XS360 Owner
I attached my HID Projector Lens to test it out and it works, but seems a little dim.
I realized once i looked at the wiring in the headlight bucket that the PO had some a pretty bad job of connecting a lot of the wires.
i was curious if anyone could tell me what the best way to connect two wires would be on our bikes? i got a few options from radio check, heat shrink connectors, pinch connectors, male/female connectors. is soldering the best way to ensure the best connection?
the male/female connector seems the best connector that can separate, but even those need soldering in order for it to be the best connection right?
I'll post pictures of my HID Projector set up as soon as i differ this out.
I realized once i looked at the wiring in the headlight bucket that the PO had some a pretty bad job of connecting a lot of the wires.
i was curious if anyone could tell me what the best way to connect two wires would be on our bikes? i got a few options from radio check, heat shrink connectors, pinch connectors, male/female connectors. is soldering the best way to ensure the best connection?
the male/female connector seems the best connector that can separate, but even those need soldering in order for it to be the best connection right?
I'll post pictures of my HID Projector set up as soon as i differ this out.
With an HID, there is either enough power, or there isn't. You should see, and possibly hear, the ignitor fire to establish the arc when it is turned on. Mine makes a faint cracking sound, followed by a fairly loud whine. Once the arc is established, the HID should get to full intensity within 15 seconds or so.
Soldered connections, with heat shrink for protection, are the best connections. If using crimp connectors, tin the wire first before crimping on the connector. Generally speaking, the faster/easier the connections, the less reliable it will be.
Soldered connections, with heat shrink for protection, are the best connections. If using crimp connectors, tin the wire first before crimping on the connector. Generally speaking, the faster/easier the connections, the less reliable it will be.
jonjkim12
'77 XS360 Owner
got it,
thanks Dave,
a lot of stuff online about soldering breaking due to vibration, wasn't sure what the rest of you guys normally do.
thanks Dave,
a lot of stuff online about soldering breaking due to vibration, wasn't sure what the rest of you guys normally do.
jonjkim12
'77 XS360 Owner
also,
can anyone tell me where the wires labeled #7 are supposed to go? are those to make the halo ring an indicator light? my kit looks exactly like this,
http://www.ebay.com/gds/Motorcycle-...lens-wiring-diagram-/10000000177198931/g.html
can anyone tell me where the wires labeled #7 are supposed to go? are those to make the halo ring an indicator light? my kit looks exactly like this,
http://www.ebay.com/gds/Motorcycle-...lens-wiring-diagram-/10000000177198931/g.html
Those wires would connect to the rear marker lights, or the gauge lights, or the horn circuit, or any other ignition on circuit.
jonjkim12
'77 XS360 Owner
Hey Dave,
how do i figure out where the positive vs negative goes? From what i've read about these eBay (chinese) kits, if the positive is put on the negative it can kill the halo light.
how do i figure out where the positive vs negative goes? From what i've read about these eBay (chinese) kits, if the positive is put on the negative it can kill the halo light.
Well, since I've never seen one of those kits in person, I'm going to suggest you follow the instructions. Red to switched power, black to ground.
jonjkim12
'77 XS360 Owner
Thanks Dave,
there were no instructions, i figured it out though, used the instrument light wires, black to red, red to black.
there were no instructions, i figured it out though, used the instrument light wires, black to red, red to black.
My bike's PO mangled the electrical with crimped butt splices.
I've opted to go back to stock Japanese 3.9mm bullet connectors. Looks good when the right ratcheting crimp tool is used.
Just have to figure out the extra blue wire in the headlight bucket before thinking about a HID conversion.
Norman1950
XS400 Addict
I just went through my harness last night. On that blue wires there is one that connects both right and left hand switches together. Then one that plugs into the main wire bundle from the left switch.
The cross-connect is there.
If I'm remembering the blue from the left switch has another female bullet connector split off from it.
Pretty sure the PO hardwired an aftermarket headlight. Might have messed up other things too.
I'll try to have a look tonight.
If I'm remembering the blue from the left switch has another female bullet connector split off from it.
Pretty sure the PO hardwired an aftermarket headlight. Might have messed up other things too.
I'll try to have a look tonight.
Send us a Pic, we love throwing our 
jonjkim12
'77 XS360 Owner
So i just finished assembling and installing my HID projector lens conversion. New bucket, lens, bulb, projector, and some wires. I had swapped all my turn signal lights to LED and the HID projector kit is supposed to use a lot less power BUT when i turn it on it drops my idle by about 500. It sucks because at night i need to warm up my bike (which i already have set to 2k idle because of this) and then turn on my light.
the battery is good, small but new and in good condition. Is this a symptom of my charging system? it makes me uncomfortable riding at night because sometimes after revving pretty hard my idle will drop 500k for a quick second but with the headlight on that's 1000 lower and it'll stall if i don't catch it with a little throttle.
I've seen a "few" charging posts here but i wanted to know if anyone here had successful solutions with the same set up/situation as me. the closest solution i could find was on the 650 forum, but i'm not sure if it's compatible with ours.
anyone have any suggestions?
its a 35W HID projector kit btw.
the battery is good, small but new and in good condition. Is this a symptom of my charging system? it makes me uncomfortable riding at night because sometimes after revving pretty hard my idle will drop 500k for a quick second but with the headlight on that's 1000 lower and it'll stall if i don't catch it with a little throttle.
I've seen a "few" charging posts here but i wanted to know if anyone here had successful solutions with the same set up/situation as me. the closest solution i could find was on the 650 forum, but i'm not sure if it's compatible with ours.
anyone have any suggestions?
its a 35W HID projector kit btw.
The big bro model, has a weak charging sys to begin with, look up "charging.sys"
http://www.xs400.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7707
Wow, that is a low number, that post was started 144473-7707=136766 ago. Wow that is alot of threads. Talk about off topic.
http://www.xs400.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7707
Wow, that is a low number, that post was started 144473-7707=136766 ago. Wow that is alot of threads. Talk about off topic.
A 500 RPM drop when you turn the lights on? That sounds like a weak idle. The charging system will obviously put more of a mechanical load on the engine when you increase the electrical load on it. But a 500 RPM drop is excessive. I'd be looking at the basic tuneup stuff. Valve adjustment, idle mixture, carb sync, etc.
jonjkim12
'77 XS360 Owner
Thanks Dave/Arf,
i had been through all the charging posts here. I'm hoping Dave is correct because my symptoms don't check out with a lot of what was discussed in the other posts.
and 500 is a major drop for sure, i could live with 250. I'll do a tune up this weekend and hope it fixes.
thanks.
i had been through all the charging posts here. I'm hoping Dave is correct because my symptoms don't check out with a lot of what was discussed in the other posts.
and 500 is a major drop for sure, i could live with 250. I'll do a tune up this weekend and hope it fixes.
thanks.
jonjkim12
'77 XS360 Owner
UPDATE:
So i've been digging through my bike trying to solve this charging/headlight/grounding issue on my bike. thought it was my HID kit originally, sifted through all of that, then assumed carbs were just making a weak idle which was why it kept dropping. and now for the dreaded stator.
i opened it up, and it looked like maybe the PO got to this since it all looked so clean (pictures) couldn't find an frayed wires.
The white triangular plate with the 3 screws did confuse me. The PO used it to pin back the wires, i unscrewed it and popped it off to make sure it was broken there, was is that white plate?
The two grounding wires also confused me. Both the blue and the yellow grounding wires looked a little weak especially with all the crud there, any opinions?
POTENENTIAL HID KIT CUSTOMERS:
my HID kit from eBay had a short grounding wire. because of this i tried grounding it to the frame tab off the left ignition coil. I believe (because my frame is painted) this was one of my major grounding issues. Ended up soldering an extension wire and brought back near the seat grounding point.
Now, what is the normal drop in rpm at idle with the headlight on? i have led lights on all other lights, but even with the fix it drops about 200rpm. with the new grounding wire, it seemed like i was able to idle much lower with the headlight on. But i also still noticed a slightly weaker spark when i'm riding, feels almost like i'm riding my bike with an extra 50 pounds.
So i've been digging through my bike trying to solve this charging/headlight/grounding issue on my bike. thought it was my HID kit originally, sifted through all of that, then assumed carbs were just making a weak idle which was why it kept dropping. and now for the dreaded stator.
i opened it up, and it looked like maybe the PO got to this since it all looked so clean (pictures) couldn't find an frayed wires.
The white triangular plate with the 3 screws did confuse me. The PO used it to pin back the wires, i unscrewed it and popped it off to make sure it was broken there, was is that white plate?
The two grounding wires also confused me. Both the blue and the yellow grounding wires looked a little weak especially with all the crud there, any opinions?
POTENENTIAL HID KIT CUSTOMERS:
my HID kit from eBay had a short grounding wire. because of this i tried grounding it to the frame tab off the left ignition coil. I believe (because my frame is painted) this was one of my major grounding issues. Ended up soldering an extension wire and brought back near the seat grounding point.
Now, what is the normal drop in rpm at idle with the headlight on? i have led lights on all other lights, but even with the fix it drops about 200rpm. with the new grounding wire, it seemed like i was able to idle much lower with the headlight on. But i also still noticed a slightly weaker spark when i'm riding, feels almost like i'm riding my bike with an extra 50 pounds.
Attachments
The white plate is part of the neutral switch and the attached blue wire goes to the neutral indicator light. Were the wires just tucked behind the lip of the plate? That is the usual routing for the wires. Perfectly OK unless the wires are being pinched.
The yellow wire is attached to the oil pressure switch and goes to that indicator light.
Sadly I can't comment on idle rpm as my bike won't idle....
The yellow wire is attached to the oil pressure switch and goes to that indicator light.
Sadly I can't comment on idle rpm as my bike won't idle....
jonjkim12
'77 XS360 Owner
So i THOUGHT that i had fixed the issue with the HID kit grounding wire, but sadly this morning's ride proved me wrong.
still dropping my idle with the headlight on. Right now i'm getting 14k-15k V between idle and 4k rpms.
with the headlight on i'm getting 13k-13.5k between idle and 4k rpms. which would explain me weak idle, due to a weak spark? i'm not sure if that amount of V drop would make my idle drop almost 500rpms
i've replaced my regulator to the O'Reilly's r292, sync'd the carbs, checked the stator wires.
only thing i can't think of is possibly a bad rectifier?
still dropping my idle with the headlight on. Right now i'm getting 14k-15k V between idle and 4k rpms.
with the headlight on i'm getting 13k-13.5k between idle and 4k rpms. which would explain me weak idle, due to a weak spark? i'm not sure if that amount of V drop would make my idle drop almost 500rpms
i've replaced my regulator to the O'Reilly's r292, sync'd the carbs, checked the stator wires.
only thing i can't think of is possibly a bad rectifier?
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