SOHC.co.uk Forums > CB500/550

CB550 HID headlamp conversion

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deltarider:
In some European countries like Holland and Germany later 500/550 models came standard with the H4 55/60 Watts. Sometimes the change was done by the importers. The H4 for the CB500-550K3/K4 is shown in the parts list on p.44 (#17) however. http://www.honda4fun.com/pdf_parts_list/pdf_spac500-550/CB500-550_K3-K4.pdf It's a Philips H4 btw and if you wonder why the models with area code F (France) had a different partsnumber, in those days a yellow headlight was still the norm in France. 

matthewmosse:
I think my 500 and 550 have h4 halogens, not a clue as to wattage, I think 45/60 - the only times I have had issues were with a dodgy altinator running only 2 of 3 windings and when I ran a brighter sidelight ( I actually ran a bates headlight with a 35 / 40 w or somit like it) on the sidecar, it really couldn't cope, after 30 miles it would conk out unless I switched the lights out. On both bikes I was able to wing it home with lights mostly off and just putting them on when I saw oncomming headlights - a benefit to living in the middle of nowhere. I took to carrying a jump start pack in the sidecar so I could keep going running off the boost of the jump pack, then I started bunging a car battery in the chair, even only running 2 coils that would do a week of running before needing a charge. Running a standard bike I think the system is at near on max with a 55w light, heated grips on mine caused issues if you had to run under 60mph for any length of time.

deltarider:
Although the output is certainly not overwhelming there's plenty juice for normal riding and some extra's.
Since decades the little PA slideswitch (to give lightsignals) on mine is lame. I always ride with headlight low beam on. The number of times that I discovered (for example when entering a tunnel and seeing the blue high beam idiot light on) that the slide switch must have accidentily slided in the on position causing both the low (55Watts) and high (60 Watts) filament in the H4 to be on... Yet I never had a depleted battery.
Now heated grips is another story.

Ashdowner:
Instead of the problems of the Honda 400/4 parking light can we focus on HID for the 550 which was the original question?

The issue is the draw on the alternator and I understood that the HID had LESS draw on than the standard halogen (which my the way on my K3 is not at all bad).

The problem is that with electronic ignition and the headlight on my battery is slowly discharging unless I'm tearing along, hence I need to know if HID is effective as a means of lighting the road ahead.

deltarider:

--- Quote ---What's surprising though is that if the later 550s came with H4 bulbs and these would normally be 55/60w bulbs why wasn't the alternator uprated to accommodate the extra wattage.
--- End quote ---
Because there was no need to. There was no issue. OK, the US CB550 models didn't have 55/60 but did have (silly) extra running lights in the front indicators adding at least 10 Watts more consumption. I've been riding my 500 (supposed to deliver 200 Watts @ 5000 rpm) with a 55/60 Watts halogen since I bought the bike in 1980 (it was already fitted and everybody has them here) and I have always returned from trips with the battery well charged. In fact the two Yuasa batteries I had, have each lived 6 and a half years, be it that the last six months I had to use the kickstarter. With cheaper batteries I've always managed 4-5 years.

--- Quote ---The problem is that with electronic ignition and the headlight on my battery is slowly discharging unless I'm tearing along, hence I need to know if HID is effective as a means of lighting the road ahead.
--- End quote ---
What electronic ignition is that? Have you measured how many amps go to your electronic ignition?
If I were you, I'd look for the Philips Ecovision, a H4 that perfoms like a 55/60 halogen with 20% less draw. Excellent halogen light and with 44/48 Watts consumption it's a relative cheap solution.
So far I've read nothing that has convinced me of 'advantages' of HID and I find Led lights disappointing. Brightness is not the same as good usable light on the road in front of you.

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