HID Issues

[Falco9]

I recently converted my dip beam on my 2007 R1200GS to HID using a Canbus friendly 35w balllast and a H7 HID bulb of course. Removing the standard H7 bulb from the headlight housing turned out to be a major project in itself with the bulb appearing to be almost welded into the headlight housing.

However once removed I fitted the HID bulb & ballast and like everyone else was amazed at how bright these lights are.

The problem I have with this conversion is that there appears to be no defined cut off to the light spread. Just a huge ball of bright light is the best way I can describe it. I've checked and the bulb is seated properly and I now have adjusted the headlight as low as it will go (and even used the "touring" flip dip switch) and I'm still lighting up half the night sky.

The light is filling the inside of cars I'm following and anything lower than a Discovery is lit up like a Xmas tree.

Having searched all the threads on here I can't find anyone with the same problem. So why is my conversion so rubbish?
Are there different H7 HID bulbs? or is the issue with removing the original bulb an indicator to a different problem?

Can any assist or dare I say "shed any light" on the problem

F9

 

[D6]

there are different bulbs,
although it sounds like yours isnt fitted correctly ?
im not far away if your avin probs still after checking, (knottingley)

 

[Les Wassall]

it really sounds like the bulb is in the wrong position, it is easy to get it the other way round in the housing or as the old bulb was stuck has it left some rough edge and throwing the light up.
Other than that I would try another bulb, there is a difference in bulb quality or if it's one of mine it may have a fault.

If you are out on a run Saturday you can always pop over to me I'll have a look.

 

[Falco9]

Thanks for your replies, I'll check the fitment again this morning. I do have two bulbs and have already swapped them over with no improvement.

Les, these are not your bulbs or ballasts I'm pleased to say

I think you're both probably right as both bulbs have proved difficult to fit, but it seems as though the actual bulb aperture in the housing is too small rather than the bulbs being faulty (wierd eh) I did spend a while on this last time and I'm as certain as I can be that the bulb is now fully seated and being a H7 they will only fit one way of course

I'll report back

F9

 

[CrashOverride]

my HID dipped beam is much the same, fantastic output but the light is all over the place, seriously considering going back to halogen I've checked the bulb seat and like you i've adjusted the headlight aim, even took it to BMW and got them to adjust it, flipped the 2-up switch on the back of the light, turned up my preload but still I get every other car flash me at night

 

[Big Nick]

I had HIDs on my previous bike and experienced car drivers regularly flashing their lights at me which I put down to the brightness of the HIDs rather than adjustment issues.

Unless you ride regularly at night (which I don't) IMHO its not really worth the effort having them and I haven't bothered with my current bike

 

[Roadsweeper]

As above it the HID bulb has a plastic base check it for casting seam. (extra plastic) which may stop it seating.

Also from experince if you have had the front light assembly off check that it has seated correctly.

RS

 

[chipsonfriday]

As above it the HID bulb has a plastic base check it for casting seam. (extra plastic) which may stop it seating.

Also from experince if you have had the front light assembly off check that it has seated correctly.

RS

+1

I had to trim my bulb 'base' with a Stanley knife before it would fit nicely in its seat.

Beam is bright AND has a clear cut-off now.

 

[Falco9]

I spent some time yesterday ensuring that the bulb was fully seated including trimming the bulb base. I also swapped and used both HID bulbs I have with no improvement.

I double checked to make sure the HID bulb was as fully seated as the halogen bulb and they appear to be. However as night fell the situation was just the same. With no more adjustment on the light unit left I've now been forced to switch back to Halogen

I don't do an awful lot of night riding to be honest and the main aim of fitting the HID was to increase my visibility to other drivers but.................being flashed by every other car at night and filling the cars in front with HID light (and the abuse it brings) wasn't for me.

Even the lads I ride with said it was too much and the light completely blinded them once night fell. Last night I rode up an unlit dual carrigeway and there appears to be very little pattern to the light, very bright of course and flicking the main beam on made no difference at all. But the road signs were reflecting back from miles away

So............... no real answer to the problem. Obviously loads of people have done the swap with no issues, maybe I have the wrong bulb(s) are there different HID bulbs to be bought? Mine have a black plastic base. Or maybe I have a deformed light housing It hasn't been removed to be of my knowledge and all the fixings look untouched.

Thanks again for your advice

F9

 

[anthonybrown]

On the bottom of the headlight unit is a hole for a pin to fit into to fix the unit into position, mine was a bit loose so removed headlight put a bit of insulation tape around the pin and carefully refitted unit. That stopped the unit shaking around. It might be worth looking at that pin to see if it is fitted into headlight unit properly.

 

[Falco9]

Latest update...........thanks for all the advice by the way

I think I've got it sorted!! I bought a pair of new bulbs (6K this time) off fleabay for the princely sum of just 99p

Fitted (again) adjusted and voila...............perfect (well close to perfect) no more lighting up the night sky, no more being flashed by every 2nd car etc..etc..

So I reckon I had a pair of dodgy bulbs. Certainly this bulb mounted into the headlight unit with ease, where as I had to trim a bit off the others to get the bulb to mount OK

Nice to have a happy ending for once eh?

F9

 

[andy white]

Hi Falco9,

Im not an expert with H7 lamps, however I recently converted a the headlamps on my car to HID.
The lamps that i purchased were Bosch H7R, the 'R' meaning for a rear reflector lens, like on the 1200GS, the standard H7 will work great on the 1150, as they are fitted with a projection reflector. The H7R rear reflector lamps have a shroud on them to blank out the un-needed light pattern which could cause a dazzling effect of lighting the sky up on dip beam.

Hope this helps

 

[BeemerBaz]

I bought a pair of new bulbs (6K this time) off fleabay for the princely sum of just 99p

Who was the seller, can you let me know so I can get a spare ?

 

[Falco9]

Who was the seller, can you let me know so I can get a spare ?

I got them from this seller :-

http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/mckenna11/

Delivered within 2 days, boxed and work fine (for how long I don't know though)

And for the record I'm not affiliated with this seller in any way

F9

 

[Falco9]

Hi Falco9,

Im not an expert with H7 lamps, however I recently converted a the headlamps on my car to HID.
The lamps that i purchased were Bosch H7R, the 'R' meaning for a rear reflector lens, like on the 1200GS, the standard H7 will work great on the 1150, as they are fitted with a projection reflector. The H7R rear reflector lamps have a shroud on them to blank out the un-needed light pattern which could cause a dazzling effect of lighting the sky up on dip beam.

Hope this helps

I checked both sets of bulbs and they look exactly the same apart from the fact the 8k bulbs have a blue strip on them the 6k have white. But the rest of bulb including the length etc.. is the same. I think the bases on the first bulbs I bought were cheaply made (they certainly look it) and that the actual seating of the bulb in the housing was the issue (as pointed out by other respondants)

The headlight is now fantastic and I'm thinking of going with HID for the main beam as well (although how often it'll get used is debatable)

It sounds as though the bulbs you have would / could improve the situation even further maybe???

F9

 

[Deleted account 190920001]

wouldnt bother doing the high beam unless you spend a lot of time riding with it switched on. They take too long to heat up and give their full light output. My last bike I did both of them and it was a waste of time. You probably wont need it now you have sorted the low beam anyway.

 

[cookie]

wouldnt bother doing the high beam unless you spend a lot of time riding with it switched on. They take too long to heat up and give their full light output. My last bike I did both of them and it was a waste of time. You probably wont need it now you have sorted the low beam anyway.

not my experience at all.

if you have a properly adjusted HID dip, it's not going to light up any distance, and you're certainly not going to fill in with a halogen.

admittedly, the effect of an HID full beam is not so dramatic, because of the brightness of the HID dip, but still well worth the investment if you want to see more than 100m or so.

 

[BeemerBaz]

I got them from this seller :-

http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/mckenna11/

Delivered within 2 days, boxed and work fine (for how long I don't know though)

And for the record I'm not affiliated with this seller in any way

F9

Wicked, 'Watching' some now