Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Highwaystar]

The headlamp wires are for switching high-low and igniter on-off. Igniter main power is always hot.

[Smuuth]

I was having this same problem with the Xenonlink HID (The 9003/H4 kit, which uses halogen for the hi beam) I installed on my SERG.  Always the left headlight.  I emailed them about it and they did say they would replace the ballast if I got an RMA from their website and returned it.  They did not indicate this was a common problem, which is apparently the case.

I have not yet removed the fairing to remove and return the ballast yet, but in the meantime, I try to remember to switch to hi beam before I start the bike.

[skippy49]

Thanks Highwaystar,  I'll run a separate, fused wire to for power from the battery and see if that cures it.

[bakes]

hello, I noticed most of the discussion here about HID lighting is regarding the xenonlink products, which seem very affordable. but with several reports of trouble.   I received a recent quote for a digital xenon setup from xtralights.com in the $400. range.
I want to upgrade my stock 01 serg lighting to HID but am trying to differentiate between products.  How can the Xenonlink lighting for under $150 compare to a $400 model?  and why is there not more using the xtralight product.  I doubt price is the issue since we all know the huge sums invested in these machines.  also, does Harley make a HID retrofit kit for my bike and is it any good?  Finally aren't there just better bulbs I can switch to than the stock ones, that would improve my lighting without the need for ballasts and wiring etc etc.

If anyone cares to shine some light on this topic for me with regard to the above I would really apreciate it.  Bakes!

[skippy49]

hello, I noticed most of the discussion here about HID lighting is regarding the xenonlink products, which seem very affordable. but with several reports of trouble.   I received a recent quote for a digital xenon setup from xtralights.com in the $400. range.
I want to upgrade my stock 01 serg lighting to HID but am trying to differentiate between products.  How can the Xenonlink lighting for under $150 compare to a $400 model?  and why is there not more using the xtralight product.  I doubt price is the issue since we all know the huge sums invested in these machines.  also, does Harley make a HID retrofit kit for my bike and is it any good?  Finally aren't there just better bulbs I can switch to than the stock ones, that would improve my lighting without the need for ballasts and wiring etc etc.

If anyone cares to shine some light on this topic for me with regard to the above I would really apreciate it.  Bakes!

    bakes,   I really think after installing the HID lights that I would have been just about as well off if I had just upgraded my bulbs.  I'm not sure that the HID conversion is worth the cost and trouble for the extra light.  I think you can come pretty close with just a bulb upgrade.  But I haven't had mine very long to compare them to original.

[bakes]

that is interesting Skippy.

There are so many blogs on this topic I cannot determine what to do.  I think a simple bulb upgrade is probably a good place to start, but I dont even  know what product to look for , other than its an H4.  Seems there are some 55watt H4 bulbs that have improved lighting  and two of the ones I have heard about are called Silverstar and the other "NAPA Xenon Brightlight".  Im going to spend a few weeks absorbing info before I do anything.

[bakes]

Almost Forgot, here is a cool photo from the Americade Saturday.

[Smuuth]

hello, I noticed most of the discussion here about HID lighting is regarding the xenonlink products, which seem very affordable. but with several reports of trouble.   I received a recent quote for a digital xenon setup from xtralights.com in the $400. range.
I want to upgrade my stock 01 serg lighting to HID but am trying to differentiate between products.  How can the Xenonlink lighting for under $150 compare to a $400 model?  and why is there not more using the xtralight product.  I doubt price is the issue since we all know the huge sums invested in these machines.  also, does Harley make a HID retrofit kit for my bike and is it any good?  Finally aren't there just better bulbs I can switch to than the stock ones, that would improve my lighting without the need for ballasts and wiring etc etc.

If anyone cares to shine some light on this topic for me with regard to the above I would really apreciate it.  Bakes!

The difference between HID and halogen lighting is significant, in my opinion.  If you look at the original thread by Jim Kerr about installing the HID in his SERG, he included pictures showing how much further you can see with the HID.  I also think a lot of after market HID products are considerably overpriced.  Perhaps the xtralight products have additional features that make them better, but it may just be that the Xenonlink people are relying on volume sales to make a profit. 

There does seem to be an advantage to having a relay to interrupt the power to the HID to avoid the voltage drop associated with starting the bike, and that relay is not part of the Xenonlink system.  It was also suggested a higher capacitance value might help in that regard.  Remembering to switch to the high beam before starting the bike serves as a kind of manual relay.

When I had a Road King, I was satisfied with the light output from my single headlight when combined with the passing lamps after I replaced all the bulbs with higher output bulbs and wired the passing lamps so they would stay on with the high beams.   When I bought the SERG, I wanted HID for two reasons:  The difficult access to replace a bulb requiring removal of the outer fairing made me want lights that have a longer life and the desire for more light when riding at night.  The HID lights were my answer. 

Price is always an issue for me as long as the quality is acceptable.  I have never heard of xtralight so I cannot comment on their product and its value.  Maybe it is worth the extra $280, maybe not.

 

[GregKhougaz]

Have the xenonlinks with same issue.  I do have the halogen highbeams though.  I have spoken to Mike, the owner of Xenonlink, several times trying to resolve.  I have checked all the connections and installed relays which I got from Mike which did not help. 

My resolution is that I switch to the halogen highs when starting the bike.  Have not had the problem since.  The drop in voltage upon starting seems to be the problem.  I realize this is not an ideal fix but a practical one until I can run a separate line to the battery, probably one that switches off upon starting. 

[Iglide]

Have the xenonlinks with same issue.  I do have the halogen highbeams though.  I have spoken to Mike, the owner of Xenonlink, several times trying to resolve.  I have checked all the connections and installed relays which I got from Mike which did not help. 

My resolution is that I switch to the halogen highs when starting the bike.  Have not had the problem since.  The drop in voltage upon starting seems to be the problem.  I realize this is not an ideal fix but a practical one until I can run a separate line to the battery, probably one that switches off upon starting. 

Does anyone with the Halogen High Beam and HID Low Beam setup, installed on an 09 SERG, not have this problem?

[Highwaystar]

Again No Problem at all with the Xenon High and low system. The answer is a dedicated fused main power wire strait from the battery to the igniters. No more voltage drop because the battery acts as a dampner against the draw of the starter.

[grc]

I've got no dog in this hunt, but from what I've been reading here I would guess that the low price of the Xenonlink system has a lot to do with lack of engineering.  Why would anyone put together a conversion kit and then obviously not test it before selling it (I would imagine testing would have brought this problem to the fore), and then not include a few bucks worth of wiring and a few bucks more worth of relay to fix said problem in a professional manner.  I'm pretty certain they could have done the testing and then added a nice little wire harness and relay while still not increasing the price to the levels of the competition.  And I don't think switching to the high beams before cranking the engine is a real answer.  This stuff should be automatic.

BTW, even if there wasn't a problem getting the lights to "fire up", you still need a cutout for cranking.  Running the lights while cranking just reduces available voltage for starting, which could become a problem somewhere down the road when that battery isn't brand new and maybe the plugs are a little old and maybe the tune isn't quite right. 

Jerry

[Puzzled]

I have to agree with Highwaystar as far as a dedicated power line to the lights. I have the same problem that everyone else has mentioned. Recently I lost my lights all together, zip, nill, nada. I pulled the fairing to find the fuse was toast, not only blown but also melted. This is why I think a dedicated power line is the answer.

Add that to my list of things "to take care of".

[Puzzled]

I like GRC's idea of a relay to kill power to the headlights while cranking. I don't have a single bike that does this though. They all have the lights on as soon as they key is turned on.

[Smuuth]

BTW, even if there wasn't a problem getting the lights to "fire up", you still need a cutout for cranking.  Running the lights while cranking just reduces available voltage for starting, which could become a problem somewhere down the road when that battery isn't brand new and maybe the plugs are a little old and maybe the tune isn't quite right. 

Jerry

Actually, HID lights require less current during normal operation than the original halogen.  All modern Harleys leave the headlight circuit hot during cranking, so the OE halogens would be more of a reduction in available cranking capacity than the HID.