Halogen and HID comparison - hi/lo and driving lights

[saaz]

In the tradition of Ozstoc, the ACT will be organising a comparison of various headlight and driving light combinations. So far on the list are:

Growly's trike with 100+ halogen lights - the ones he has tested and considers the best)
Growly with some HID driving lights
Lionel with 35W HID hi/lo in an ST11 and Lightforce 140mm 100W halogen driving lights
Saaz with 55W eurobeam HID driving lights and 70W HID hi/lo in an ST11

I am interested in how they will compare in the real world, as well as 'bang for buck' and the need for other than just a bulb change.  Not everyone wants to get too personal with the electrics of their bike.

[saaz]

As a baseline I just went out to see what sort of power requirements the lights and other things made on a 96 ST11 40 amp alternator.

The results are pretty boring.  With the current 35W HIDs in the hi/low, 55W HID driving lights, heated grips, McCruise and Zumo GPS at 1000rpm idle voltage was 14 to 14.1 once the slightly higher starting charging voltage was over (the McCruise has a test mode that lets you keep a set idle speed set, so it simulates having it operating). So basically in normal riding when you might expect all the high load items to be on, no big deal as there is plenty of capacity to handle that sort of load.  Even with the 28 amp model (pre-96) I think that at riding speeds there would be no problems.

Next test will be with the 70W HIDs in for the H4 hi/lows.

After that, on road testing.

[Tackleberry]

Here are a couple of piccies for your comparison that I prepared earlier. 

Standard ST1100 h/light v 35w HID: 

          v           


Compac 80 spotlight v 35w HID from Shoreline Imports (Featured in the link you recently posted)  (Picture doesn't really do justice to the actual difference) 

          v             

Compac 80 v 35w HID import 

 

With your results I may have to go brighter....

[Shiney]

I like the comparison pictures on the road
In the first picture it's just road with some signs in the distance, and in the second there is suddenly trees on the side of the road

That’s a big difference
Thanks for sharing and keep the info coming guys

Cheers
Shiney

[Tackleberry]

Shiney that is the benefit of the Eurobeam.  There is that little traffic in that area that the bike actually didn't move between removing the Compac 80's and fitting the HIDs.  I should have covered up the HID Hi/Lo beam also. 

If I knew how to operate the camera you could see there is a much greater difference than shown in the pictures.  The Eurobeam has a centre spot light beam with a tapered edge to show up the drains as you can see.  That tree on the right was actually very clearly visible standing there.  The mate that was helping me was amazed also.  He was over a hill in front of me on the way home and thought I was a road train coming over the crest with lights on high beam. 

[saaz]

The compaq 80 (and 100) is a decent little spotlight for its size even with the standard hologen bulb in it.  You could do worse if you did not want to get too serious, but I don't think this is the crowd to say that to!

[sac468]

Guys,

just a quick question, with the drivin lights either Halogen or HID do you notice any real change in pattern due to lean angle? ie on highways or back country roads through corners.

[saaz]

It depends on the beam patter. Spots and flat spreads will tend to be more obviously changed.  The more the beams are euro/spread, the less this would be the case.

[Hanno]

I remember a friend many years ago had 2 X 100 Watt aircraft landing lights and 55/85 head lights in his Monaro, when you went to low beam you were blind....I just want small lights to fill in on either side of the bike.

[horizontal]

I had this problem when I had 4 inch hids and + 50 h4s. After putting  35w hids it has gone a long way to solving this problem.  Another way of doing it is to drop off spotties to hi beam then to low beam.  You can never have enough light.
                                                                              Cheers Greg

[Tackleberry]

I remember a friend many years ago had 2 X 100 Watt aircraft landing lights and 55/85 head lights in his Monaro, when you went to low beam you were blind....I just want small lights to fill in on either side of the bike.

 

Hanno with the HID main lights you don't tend to have this problem because of the patterns.  Send me a PM as a reminder and I will arrange to meet up with you one night so you can see the lights in person.  The shots above were taken out near Oak Valley.  Both sets of lights are currently mounted on the bike and you can see the comparison between the two in person. 

I also have mounted the Compac 80's as "fog" lights under the nose cone now and they only run from the low beam pointed downwards.  This allows me to have them pointed towards the drain when i go onto low beam and I can easily flick them off before passing a car to avoid blinding the driver if necessary.  These however may soon be converted to HIDs also and therefore be replaced with something small. 

[saaz]

The comparison should take place next week. Just waiting for a delivery.  What will be compared:

35W HID hi/lo in ST11
70W HID hi/lo in ST11
HID Euro spread driving lights 55W x 2
HID 1 x Euro spread 55W and 1 xHID 55W spot in a oair - I will be interested in how these work in combination
Lightforce 170mm 100W halogen driving lights - used to be as good as it got
Growly's setup hopefully - spots of some sort, perhaps the 3 x headlight setup with higher powered bulbs

[Tackleberry]

"Can't wait for that one Victor...." 

Should be good to see saaz.

[sac468]

The comparison should take place next week. Just waiting for a delivery.  What will be compared:

35W HID hi/lo in ST11
70W HID hi/lo in ST11
HID Euro spread driving lights 55W x 2
HID 1 x Euro spread 55W and 1 xHID 55W spot in a oair - I will be interested in how these work in combination
Lightforce 170mm 100W halogen driving lights - used to be as good as it got
Growly's setup hopefully - spots of some sort, perhaps the 3 x headlight setup with higher powered bulbs

SAAZ when you get them set up i'd love to have a look one night for comparison.

[saaz]

No problem.  I will report how we went a bit later, but we did not get around to any photos. We needed somewhere with some more signs/posts/objects to show the differences better.

But initial impressions are:

The 70w hi/los are pretty good, and may be all that many need. Much brighter and penetrating than the 35W HIDs, but may not be that much more than 55w HIDs.  The rough output for each bulbs (it will vary depending on how good the bulb and ballasts are) are roughly 3150 lumens for the 35W, 4600 lumens for the 55W and 6000 lumens for the 70W.

The twin euro beam 55w HIDs add the extra penetration and spread missing from the main headlight.  One of mine decided not to work just when we started the comparison, but even one was great (along with the 70w hi/lo)  Since fixed - a wire was chaffed and not supplying sufficient voltage to fire up the ballasts

The spot/euro combinations seems very good.  I am interested in testing this more as I may go that way myself as with the 70W headights in that may take care of the spread of light ahead.

The Lightforce 170mm driving ligts with 100w bulbs still work well, but they use twice the power

We did get one photo

[Diesel]

With my recent delivery of the self contained 55W HID spotties, I found that, although I was expecting 2x Euro beam lenses, I was actually supplied with 2x Spot lenses, so I may put up a swapsies of 1 spot for 1 Euro beam with someone out there who has 2 Euro beams and wants a spot for extra night penetration.

I'll wait and see first - because I also have 2x 55w Halogens mounted that are aimed toward the tabledrains (giving me, effectively - a great spread of light).

Finally, I have 55W Xenon HID Headlights too - which keeps the road filled in when I have to dip my hi-beam for oncoming traffic.

Great thread Saaz.     

Cheers, Diesel

[saaz]

I would try the spots out first and see what they do. With the 55W HIDs in the headlights and the halogens you may have a great setup.  I have to compare when on twisty roads rather than just straight ahead, which is where a combination of spot/euro might be good.

Once we get back from hay I will find a better location to do all this, and get photos beyond some of the best looking members 

[tj189]

With my recent delivery of the self contained 55W HID spotties, I found that, although I was expecting 2x Euro beam lenses, I was actually supplied with 2x Spot lenses, so I may put up a swapsies of 1 spot for 1 Euro beam with someone out there who has 2 Euro beams and wants a spot for extra night penetration.

I'll wait and see first - because I also have 2x 55w Halogens mounted that are aimed toward the tabledrains (giving me, effectively - a great spread of light).

Finally, I have 55W Xenon HID Headlights too - which keeps the road filled in when I have to dip my hi-beam for oncoming traffic.

Great thread Saaz.     

Cheers, Diesel

Don't think you need to change anything, if you did not have the lights underneath then I would have suggested the euro beam on top but as you have them then I don't think you would do much better, but then again its what your eyes can see not mine.

I actually have 35w HID in the spotties and could not see any difference between them and the 55w HID, but thats my eyes, I think you get the drift 

[Hanno]

Lastnight Tacklebury and I went out on Herveys range Road so he could show me wht his lights were like, unbluddybelievable! I felt like I was running on parking lights on the way back.
Hanno

[saaz]

I used to use the Philips vision plus 60/55 bulbs, and while they were quite ok, I would never go back to them now.