HIDing FF50/DEs

[stolzy]

Not being one to do things by half as well as being one whose night vision is not improving with the years, I'm considering HIDing my FF50s and DEs.
Is it hard to do this yourself (rather than buying a pre-built kit).
I was thinking of buying some cheap HIDs and doing it myself - ho hard is it?

 

[brassmonkey001]

Les Wassall is your man to talk to.

 

[stolzy]

I know...

Les Wassall is your man to talk to.

But I was considering doing the conversion myself.
I appreciate Les's work is top notch - I've got my dip and main HIDs from him. But they are expensive and I'm a little less persuaded by the quality argument after my dip ballast failed on me at the start of a long trip recently. HIDs are now relatively cheap, and I was wondering how hard it is to convert DEs and FF50s yourself.

 

[brassmonkey001]

To convert the DE's you'll need new bulb holders inside the housing. These are AFAIK only availible from Les.
I don't know about the FF50s.

 

[Flipfly]

But I was considering doing the conversion myself.
I appreciate Les's work is top notch - I've got my dip and main HIDs from him. But they are expensive and I'm a little less persuaded by the quality argument after my dip ballast failed on me at the start of a long trip recently. HIDs are now relatively cheap, and I was wondering how hard it is to convert DEs and FF50s yourself.

Don't let your past problem lead you down the wrong path.

Les has sold many hundreds of these kits with a miniscule failure rate. I have spoken to some of the top names in powertools, and the best one quoted a failure rate of 8-10%

There will always be the odd one that fails, unfortunately you were the unlucky one. Now if you bought another and it fails, then you are either very unlucky or justified in your questioning the quality.

I have experienced at least 4 of Les's kits and the only failure I ever had was with a cheap ebay one that died after a year.

As for the conversion, it may be worth speaking to les anyway as he has some special little plates made that keep the bulb in situ.

 

[Les Wassall]

I can supply just the bits for a DIY if you want

 

[zerocool]

can you supply some info please Les, im interested in the MicroDE conversion too.

 

[Flipfly]

can you supply some info please Les, im interested in the MicroDE conversion too.

Please let me be the first to say:




You are one cheeky fecker. Suppose you'll be doing a cheaper De kit next of the "same" quality

 

[zerocool]

ive got no intention of getting micro DEs, but want a set for myself on my 1150GSA.

Im dumb struck between the difference between the MicroDEs and FF50s though, TBH, I prefer the FF50s as it seems all GSes are equipt with Micro DEs, but im guessing thats because they are the dogs danglies.

It would be interesting to see the scatter pattern from both sets of lights.

 

[dlevett]

Converting FF50's is fairly easy (no new burner holder required), converting DE's (and I suspect all H3 Halogen's) is more difficult - you either need Les' conversion rings, or to make up something yourself since the 'bulb retainer' will not fit over HID H3's where the wiring (2 instead of one) comes out of the back rather than coming out sideways - not imposible, but quite a bit of work!

(Les' 'rings' are lazer cut and bolt straight in!)

 

[Flipfly]

It would be interesting to see the scatter pattern from both sets of lights.

FF50 are generally a spot light, MicroDe's are a fog light.

The FF50's give you a wide and high pattern whereas the Micro's give you a wide but narrow pattern.

Hope this helps

 

[brassmonkey001]

FF50 are generally a spot light, MicroDe's are a fog light.

The FF50's give you a wide and high pattern whereas the Micro's give you a wide but narrow pattern.

Hope this helps

Wide but narrow?
Hot but cold.
Wet but dry.

You mean wide but low surely?

 

[littleredrooster]

FF50 are generally a spot light, MicroDe's are a fog light.

The FF50's give you a wide and high pattern whereas the Micro's give you a wide but narrow pattern.

Hope this helps

Nope. I've got 2 x FF50 Fogs and 2 x FF50 Driving lights on mine. Different beam pattern on each, the fogs are much the same beam pattern as the DEs but at half the price....

 

[Les Wassall]

Nope. I've got 2 x FF50 Fogs and 2 x FF50 Driving lights on mine. Different beam pattern on each, the fogs are much the same beam pattern as the DEs but at half the price....

Simular pattern with the ff50 fog to the DE but the DE is way better quality light in build, body and lens, if you are Hid'ing any of them then the DE is the one.

 

[zerocool]

I thought the lens in the DE was just a diffuser, unless you pay for the driving lamps which are really dear, then they have projector lenses???

 

[Les Wassall]

I thought the lens in the DE was just a diffuser, unless you pay for the driving lamps which are really dear, then they have projector lenses???

Diocromatic Lens or something like that

 

[Max]

A vote for Les here!
Whatever you need in the lighting dept he has probably tried it and has a view.
Re quality, mine did 12k and have just been moved over to the new bike. Still just as good as they ever were.

 

[Les Wassall]

A vote for Les here!
Whatever you need in the lighting dept he has probably tried it and has a view.
Re quality, mine did 12k and have just been moved over to the new bike. Still just as good as they ever were.

Cheers mate