HID Temperatures

[cpsiohio]

I have a 02 CB750K and currently have a halogen lamp in my head light.  I wanted to know if there are any problems with heat when switching to a HID bulb?

[TOOLS1]

I would not think so. It is mounted out in the open air.
TOOLS

[shinyribs]

Have put a few in some older cars     heat not an issue except one race car had light weight plastic head lights...they melted...but it took awhile.not instantly     but they ALL ALL ALL gave trouble with melting the factory wiring/harnesses from the increased amperage they apparently draw.    What we do is use the factory wiring to operate a relay and pull a 30 amp fused wire straight from the battery to feed the bulbs  BUT  these cars are also using two and four headlights per car,you only got one lamp   so you can judge that for yourself      just putting it out there             oh yeah   also saw very little improvement when retro-fitting into preexisting head lamps    the HID really need the reflectors to do their thing      just my experience      not trying to scare you,just putting it out there     good luck!!

[Re-run]

I dropped in a hid conversion this spring. Only trouble I had was the +battery connector was flimsy and I had to replace it. Other than that, it has been good. I got it from hidcountry.com, actually from their ebay store which had free shipping at the time and was still $5 cheaper.
It is BRIGHT. And yet I have not had a chance to ride at night so I am not sure on my dispersal pattern.
The kit came with a ballast, relay, and some high voltage box with all its own wiring. it uses the headlight controls but that is it. No heat or wiring issues. I think the bulb is cooler as it is more efficient and draws less wattage.
I got the "dual" bulb 35w kit. The dual bulb is misleading though as it is just an electromagnet to change the angle of the bulb.

[Lucky 1]

Cars may not have a problem with HID headlights ,but motorcycles could have problems because the headlight nacelle (enclosure), has a lot of wires stuffed into it. The back of the headlight bulb could come into contact with the heat from the bulb.

Better check on that.
Just turn the head light on for a couple minutes and see if the wires are getting hot or look in your headlight
nacelle and see if any wires are brown or scorched.

The wire insulation is made to take some heat but the question is ...how long.

Modern headlight bulbs were not tested in these old cb750's.
You have to do your own testing.

[sgtslag]

The relay, with a direct-connect to the battery is pretty much a necessity, as the amperage draw is very likely to be much higher...  Wattage (which translates to heat generated) will likely be much higher, as well (hence the warning about smoking/melting your wires...).  Be sure to check your total amperage drawn by your bike:  add up the wattage on all of the lights (on the brake light, add up both the running light wattage, and the brake light wattage -- separate filaments, both are lit simultaneously when the brakes are applied), add in the wattage used by the engine (found in the FSM, or in a Clymer Manual), and make certain your alternator is putting out MORE than that much wattage, so you have some amps charging up your battery while you ride!  If you draw more watts than your alternator is putting out, or an equal amount, you will drain your battery (not enough amperage to charge it, because all of the lights, etc., are sucking up all the alternator's output!), and you will stall somewhere, at the most inopportune time...

There are other means of increasing light output, such as using high output LED's (prices vary, depending on how much light you want, and for what purpose).  I added two, 3W LED's, with heatsink cases, waterproof, to my Voyager's engine guard bars, for less than $30 (had to fabricate a simple, aluminum bar mounting bracket:  cut to length, drill screw holes, then mount LED's, and attach bracket/LED's to C-clamps around the bars, with a bolt, and wire up) for improved conspicuity -- not for better road illumination.  I avoid riding at night -- too dangerous, too much risk for my taste.

For additional conspicuity, there are brake light flashers (been using mine for five years, on three bikes), as well as Headlight Modulators (again, on all three of my bikes, for five years).  Both of these devices really make a difference, in my completely un-scientific opinion.  I've had people stare at me, as I approached; numerous cars started to pull out in front of me then stopped, and stared; I've had folks stick their head out of their windows, and ask me if I knew my headlight was flashing...  Thank goodness I was wearing a full-face helmet -- I was barely able to contain my laughter.  I also wear the flourescent green vests of construction workers.  If someone hits me, it is because they were trying!  I am nearly impossible to miss seeing -- and I like it that way.   Cheers!

[Re-run]

When comparing lights, you have to compare a 35w hid to about a 100 watt halogen to make an accurate comparison.
http://www.intellexual.net/hid.html

Also, much of what I find shows hid using less power than halogen and less heat.
I think people get confused with a true HID set up and a bogus hid bulb. There are bulbs out there that are termed hid but in reality are not. these bulbs are "zenon halogen" bulb meant to simulate a true hid bulb.
As they are still halogen, they DO get very hot and pull a lot more wattage. very easy way to tell, if the bulb has a filament, it is NOT an HID bulb.

I have run my true hid bulb kit now since march with an on time generally a minimum of 30 minutes on days into the upper 80s to low 90s with high humidity, crammed into the bucket with all the wiring. Zero problems have shown up other than just fitting it in with all the wiring and that is an issue anyways.

Like I said, get a true hid kit with the ballast and such. Also, do not get it into the 8K range and higher as light quality actually diminishes from what I have read. 4k - 6k is best. At 35watts, an hid is putting out 2500-3000 lumens. Halogen in 55 watt range is half that or less.

[sgtslag]

Re-run is correct:  check the wattage!  I jumped off the cliff without looking into the chasm, first.  

It usually all boils down to wattage/amperage.  Check on the temperature rating, if any is available, but wattage of 35, or anything less than 65 W, is pretty safe, as the halogen bulbs run, standard types, at 55 W/65 W, though some folks buy 80+ W headlights for more Lumens (which, by the way, are illegal in nearly every state, for on-road use).

The days when Watts = Brightness, are gone.  LED's, for example, put out many more Lumens/Watt than an incandescent (halogen) bulb ever could.  Same with HID's.  Thanks for clearing this up for all of us, Re-run.  Cheers!

[cpsiohio]

It has been a few days since I checked the responses but I want to thank you all for your insightful contribution!!  Great perspectives on the heat/wattage/lumens and especially the amps for the alternator!  I'm installing soon so I will post a response once I have it tested out!

Thanks again!

[Re-run]

Well on sunday I got a chance to really test my light. I rode a long day and the light is always on of course. No damage and little heat. When night came, it was not super dark but the hid really lit things up. It was quite amazing. I do not regret putting in my hid.

[Lucky 1]

Thanks for that very helpful report Re-run.

[shinyribs]

Same here. Good to know.Thx bud! Later

[Piute]

 Yeh,Thanks Bud,believe I'm going to need some running lamps / fog also ...Piute...