HID Headlamp Upgrade

Dawg68 said:

Thanks Barbagris, I went down to take a look at a HID bulb and yes Sir you are correct, they won't work properly within the Triumph headlight projector, or at least provide any benefit. Not to mention, as you stated it would be a challenge to find a spot to install the ballasts.

I also agree with your opinion with respect to if I wish to upgrade my headlights, do so with units such as the JW-Speakers.

You pose a lot of information that I find very interesting but I would like to interject on one of your points. Understood what you mean by light scatter but I have to slightly disagree with your definition. Scatter is when light from a source hits a reflective surface that is not uniform and it sends light rays in multiple, unintended directions. What I think you are referring too is light shielding. There are some halogen bulbs that have built in shields and some shields are built into the projector. This shield controls light output. As you described seeing the filament when you stare at it, this can hurt your ability to see/focus. Think of when you walk into a room with a candle, the glare from the candle hurts your ability to focus on what you’re trying to see. Most people put a hand up in-between the candle and their face to block light. Some projectors are designed to work with bulbs that have no shield but the Triumph projectors do not and I think this is why you refer to them as useless…I agree, poor design. I wonder if changing the bulb to a halogen with a shield would be better. It would not increase how well they work but would be better for oncoming drivers.

That said, I just checked my current halogen bulbs and they have shielding. Did earlier models come without shielding?

Cheers

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Scatter to me is uncontrolled light. If it's not passing over a reflectors or refractors (in this context) - in my book - it's uncontrolled and WASTED. And there is a lot of light coming off the reflector that goes where it should not - so it's scatter. A shield does not per se control - it blocks. I.e LOST LIGHT. If the shields reflect back any light (and they do so btw - and not in a controlled fashion) then it will almost certainly not bounce off the mirrored reflector as the designer intended - scatter.

I have been stopped twice on the R3 in Spain by the police for riding with blinding lights. An inspection naturally cleared me of wrong doing. Incidentally not are they only cruddy lights - they are incorrectly marked so despite being € marked - actually do not fully comply. The 17.5 next to the E13 mark is the homologated diameter in cms - they're NOT 17.5cms in diameter. 17.5 is roughly 7".

I did some sums a while ago and came to a number of about 15-20% of Triumph H4 dip filament light actually going where it's needed on the road. Given the average dip filament is rated (actually may be restricted to) about 1000lumens - this means very little usable light. Main beam is better as well as being rated to about 1600lumens - but it's still well shy of 70% useable - I've a mate in Hella who reckons closer to 50%. They are recessed further back into the light - so more light is controlled.

H4 bulbs have 1 shield - Below the low beam filament is a cup-shaped shield (called a "Graves Shield") spanning an arc of 165° so that no light can shine down onto the reflector and be thus projected forward (and upwards). And the end of the bulb is blacked (or otherwise painted/silvered) to block direct forward uncontrolled light. Some VERY EARLY H4's did not have the blackened bit - They've always had the Graves Shield.

The electromagnetic dipping H4 HID burners generally have a forward projection shield - but it's exactly this that wont fit into a Triumph bulb aperture. I have tried them in other 5&3/4" light units and on some this shield hits the lens inside face before the bulb seats correctly. - 5&3/4" lights are shallow.

Older light units additionally had built in bulb shields to stop forward light that did not first pass via the reflector. These were generally pre H4 (P43T) availability light units (P45T base) with a different bulb seat. These are still generally (ime) superior to most new light units. I have NEVER seen a 5&3/4" unit with one though - quite possibly because then the bulb would hit the shield before it seats.

This is what I'm going with the center is 265.00 and fog is 199.00 they are suppose to fit right in

Watcher said:

This is what I'm going with the center is 265.00 and fog is 199.00 they are suppose to fit right in

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On a "T" - those are what I'd recommend where they're legal. Sadly not € marked so not legal in the EU. I'd be interested to see before and after night shots btw.

will do it will be a few before I do it this is a winter project as well as rear shocks and front springs

Watcher said:

will do it will be a few before I do it this is a winter project as well as rear shocks and front springs

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Have you actually purchased them yet? - If not look on e-Bay - some VERY good deals. Truck Lite Phase 7 | eBay

YA I have got them thanks though

Off tack a bit - But I've been playing this morning. Removed the left hand triumph fog light and made a VERY QUICK AND DIRTY SPACER to see how a "Dominator" headlight shell would look in its' place.







Freeware Ideas Inc.

imo needs to be about 5-10mm further out - but I didn't have a longer bolt handy - Well not in stainless anyway

Doesn't look bad, you could always get the housing chromed.

Dawg68 said:

Doesn't look bad, you could always get the housing chromed.

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Not sure I want chromed - and they're only around 50 pounds a pair anyway. I had these in the bits'n'bobs bin.

barbagris said:

Not sure I want chromed - and they're only around 50 pounds a pair anyway. I had these in the bits'n'bobs bin.

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Either way they don't look too bad. Another question for you with respect to the Triumph auxiliary lights you have. I was reading over the install instructions and noticed that they show the switch housing having two knock-outs, is this correct, can the supplied switch bracket hold two toggle switches?
Thanks