getting ready for HID light install?

[h2smokin]

I'm wondering for those of you who installed the A&r HID's . Did you just mount everything per the instructions they have online? or did you figure out a better way? I want to make sure the wires are not hanging up but the leads for the bulbs seem a little short, at least over to one side if mounted like they say. Thanks

[Gumby]

I did not mount them where the instructions suggested. I found doing that hindered the steering. Test a few places but make sure you are turning your handle bars back and forth. I worked with that aspect of the install for quite some time before I was happy with the placement.

[maxtog]

I mounted everything exactly according to the instructions and everything fit.  It seemed a bit strange removing the air box and wrapping the wires around it, but I figured they knew more than I did and I wasn't in the mood to experiment

That said, it is possible to move things around some, although the leads on the the bulb holders are pretty short, restricting placement.

[h2smokin]

I could not figure out what they meant by rubber shield on left side for ballast? I ended up mounting ballast to the intake tube. Anyone know about burn in time I read about? I can't find where I read it. Something about 5 minutes .

[h2smokin]

well fired it up after the install and both work on hi beam but only one is switching to low beam. Would'nt you know it. Have to give A&R a shout now. At least they worked though , sort of

[Pokey]

Better man than me, I won't dick around with installing an HID kit until they make it smaller with one unit and easier to install. I am considering adding some more lighting "lower" but still not sold on HID yet. Good luck with install by the way.

[maxtog]

I could not figure out what they meant by rubber shield on left side for ballast?

It is the vertical rubbery "wall" that separates the front of the engine compartment from the side where the coolant reserve is.

I ended up mounting ballast to the intake tube. Anyone know about burn in time I read about? I can't find where I read it. Something about 5 minutes .

It is in the instructions.  It is important that the first time you turn on the lamps, you let them burn for a min of 5 min so the insides of the bulbs can gassify and disburse properly.  At least, that is what I think they mean.  I am not sure how important it really is, but, again, I followed the instructions exactly.

[h2smokin]

I did burn them for 5 minutes so to speak . I'm just waiting on a reply now from A&R about 1 low beam not working. I was hoping to get out tonight and see how they are . I'll have to wait now as I don't want to pull any bodywork off twice.

[maxtog]

I did burn them for 5 minutes so to speak . I'm just waiting on a reply now from A&R about 1 low beam not working. I was hoping to get out tonight and see how they are . I'll have to wait now as I don't want to pull any bodywork off twice.

The bulbs, by default, are low beam.  It requires energizing a magnetic coil to make a lamp move into high beam mode (retract into the bulb holder/carrier).  Are you sure you don't have a light that is stuck on LOW beam?  That would be fare more likely.  And if so, it could be the small wire pair has come disconnected.

[B.D.F.]

The burn in time is supposed to give the electrodes a chance to produce a surface for the arc without the violence of a hot re- strike. It is not a bad idea but not required either; if you do it fine but if not then the lights will work fine too.

As far as the physical mounting of the ballast and igniters goes, all that is required is that they not fall off the bike- literally. Mine are strapped loosely to the rubber air intakes on each side; you have to be careful not to actually tighten the tie wraps as you will collapse the air intakes. I do not think there were actual C-14 instructions when I installed my kit but again, just kind of tuck everything <someplace> and route the wires so they are out of the way and everything will work fine. The installation of this 'kit' (more like a bunch of parts really) is not a high precision thing and nothing to worry about.

One thing you might want to do though is to tape over the 'extra' H4 bulb connector from the bike when you are done. That will keep all the rain and road debris out of that connector in the event you have to use it sometime in the future, perhaps to power up an original H4 type lamp should one side of the HID fail. It is the easiest way to restore light to the failed side of the bike (putting in an original lamp and plugging the 'extra' H4 connector into that lamp), especially on the side of the road at night.

Brian

I could not figure out what they meant by rubber shield on left side for ballast? I ended up mounting ballast to the intake tube. Anyone know about burn in time I read about? I can't find where I read it. Something about 5 minutes .

[B.D.F.]

You could try swapping the wiring from one lamp to the other and that will tell you if it is a bad HID lamp (burner) or a bad wiring harness. If the problem stays on the original side after you swap the relay connections (the only wiring connection with two wires in a single attachment point) then the problem is the burner itself. If the problem moves, then it is a faulty harness. I am sure A&R will walk you through that process or just send you new parts as they thing they are needed.

Brian

I did burn them for 5 minutes so to speak . I'm just waiting on a reply now from A&R about 1 low beam not working. I was hoping to get out tonight and see how they are . I'll have to wait now as I don't want to pull any bodywork off twice.

[B.D.F.]

Yep, theoretically it is a good idea. In practice it does not seem to make much difference. Now for the reality: do you really thing anyone who buys a Mercedes Benz follows any kind of directions to 'burn in' the headlights? It is like bedding brake pads / rotors; the theory is great but in practice it is rarely done and makes little difference in longevity or actual performance (real world performance, not lab or racing track testing).

Again, nothing wrong with doing it and it may be beneficial but I just do not think it is very important, and absolutely nothing to worry about. Besides that, HIDs are so cheap now that it is not worth spending any time worrying about their longevity anyway; they will most likely outlast the installer's ownership of the vehicle. Predicted lifespan of HIDs is 2,500 hours or more and that is a lot of miles even in the motorcycle world where our headlights burn all the time the bike is running. Just as an aside, the automotive world expects HIDs to last the life of the vehicle as most vehicles are not used for that many hours of night time driving.

Brian

<snip>

It is in the instructions.  It is important that the first time you turn on the lamps, you let them burn for a min of 5 min so the insides of the bulbs can gassify and disburse properly.  At least, that is what I think they mean.  I am not sure how important it really is, but, again, I followed the instructions exactly.

[h2smokin]

I may try swapping the wires around and see what happens just in case like was mentioned . I sure hope it is not a harness. It was a pain to run this stuff around the 1st time . Thanks

[B.D.F.]

Odds are it is the actual HID light (burner) itself rather than the harness. Either way A&R should take care of you and it won't be all that bad to fix probably. The safety and overall improvement provided by the HIDs will last a lot longer than the slight sting of working through the fault you have now.

And as Max said, it is most likely that both lights work on 'low' beams and one will not switch to high which is perfectly safe to ride the bike in that fashion. Some folks actually use one low beam and one bi-xenon light (high and low beam) on purpose to have a higher light pattern when the high beams are used.

Brian

I may try swapping the wires around and see what happens just in case like was mentioned . I sure hope it is not a harness. It was a pain to run this stuff around the 1st time . Thanks

[just gone]

It was a pain to run this stuff around the 1st time .

Well at least someone besides me says it was a pain to install. Either I really missed something
in the instructions, or my kit is different, or my brake hose is routed different or something...
but it was a pain getting that in there (especially the stuff for the right light) and not have stuff
rubbing as I turned the front wheel side to side. If it were not for so many saying that the
install was a piece of cake, I would tell everyone to just bite the bullet and spend the extra
money (+$55?) and get a separate system for each side. If I were to do it again that's what I'd do.
Next summer (my farkling season, as it's usually too hot to ride much) I may see if I can
dissect my current system into two separate units.

[h2smokin]

Its definitely stucked on high beam currently. Hopefully I get it done and taken care of by thr weekend. I hate all this body work sitting around. I did get the rad fluid and air filter changed so at least something positive came out of it

[The Pope]

Pull out the bulb that isn't working properly. With a clean rag (and the bulb cold) take hold of the glass end and see if it will move forward and aft in the housing. There have been issues with the bulb being stuck in one or the other (low/high) and by physicaly working the bulb, most of the time it will resolve the issue. I had to do this on one of the bulbs when I did my install and it was what A&R told me to try. In my case, it resolved the issue.

[h2smokin]

They told me the same thing Pope. I did it and its changing beams now. Hope its not something that will occur on a regular basis if I'm out riding. At least now I can say success on my install. Have to get some bodywork mounted back on the bike now

[maxtog]

Pull out the bulb that isn't working properly. With a clean rag (and the bulb cold) take hold of the glass end and see if it will move forward and aft in the housing. There have been issues with the bulb being stuck in one or the other (low/high) and by physicaly working the bulb, most of the time it will resolve the issue. I had to do this on one of the bulbs when I did my install and it was what A&R told me to try. In my case, it resolved the issue.

I was going to suggest the same thing, but didn't want to take the heat if something went wrong   My hypothesis was that the bulb slider is just jammed and can't retract by spring.

[Ddfee]

Perhaps it is just me but I found the install to be a breeze. I mounted the ballast and igniter where it was easiest to install. I never removed the sides of the fairing either. I too had a sticky bulb but the suggestion to manipulate the bulb in and out to did the trick. I suspect the overall build quality to be sketchy... for example the housing the bulbs mount inside are supposed to have those two little nibs (or whatever they are called!) that run along the grooves in the bulbs to lock and unlock the bulbs in place. One of mine had no such nibs but A&R sent out a replacement pronto. In the meantime I made my own with jb weld...yea for jb!

Other than that, the lights work as advertised and I'm satisfied...for the time being.

Dave