low beam brighter than high beam?
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Cruiser
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low beam brighter than high beam?
I recently installed a billet headlamp shell on my 06 dyna low ride. The headlight comes with the clear reflector optics and I added a PIAA H4 Bulb. It seems that with the new reflector my low beam is much brighter than my high beam. I have aligned the headlamp per the instructions and even matched it a street glide by placing them side by side and comparing high beam locations on a wall.
I did note that the new optics do not have a metal dome in front of the bulb, this may be the cause as the low beam is now a very large circle of very bright PIAA light. I did run this bulb in the stock reflector and did not have the problem of the low beam being brighter than the high beam.
I noticed the difference the other night after riding home in the dark alone. I would turn on my high beam and felt like I lost visibility. At first I thought the switch was wired backward with the new shell but the light patterns indicate the switch is wired correctly (in high beam there is a broad flat concentrated light).
I am not complaining, with the new shell (on low beam) and the new HD fog lamps its like daylight in front of the bike so all is good just wanted to see if someone else had this problem on any bike (the billet shell fits multiple families so I posted here in general as opposed to dyna forum).
I did note that the new optics do not have a metal dome in front of the bulb, this may be the cause as the low beam is now a very large circle of very bright PIAA light. I did run this bulb in the stock reflector and did not have the problem of the low beam being brighter than the high beam.
I noticed the difference the other night after riding home in the dark alone. I would turn on my high beam and felt like I lost visibility. At first I thought the switch was wired backward with the new shell but the light patterns indicate the switch is wired correctly (in high beam there is a broad flat concentrated light).
I am not complaining, with the new shell (on low beam) and the new HD fog lamps its like daylight in front of the bike so all is good just wanted to see if someone else had this problem on any bike (the billet shell fits multiple families so I posted here in general as opposed to dyna forum).
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2005
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From: Hudson Valley- NY
RE: low beam brighter than high beam?
Stupid question #1- Any chance you got the Hi and Lo beam wires crossed when you put the new HL shell on? Other than that, I can't think of anything a straight HL change out would cause the difference.
Stupid question #2- does the Hi beam light come on when the low beam light is on? If it does, I think the wires got crossed.
Stupid question #2- does the Hi beam light come on when the low beam light is on? If it does, I think the wires got crossed.
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Cruiser
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RE: low beam brighter than high beam?
I started to think but you but the kit is a Harley kit, pre-wired to just plug right back in so there was nothing to reverse. I did pull the harness tonight when I got home and all the wires match on both sides of the connection (ie, white to white, yellow to yellow, etc).
The high beam indicator on the dash is also in sync with the switch.
What puzzles me is the light beam is technically correct. That is to say that on low beam there is a broad circle of light from the headlight, when high beam is activated the light beam flattens (or focus's) to a wide flat beam.
The high beam indicator on the dash is also in sync with the switch.
What puzzles me is the light beam is technically correct. That is to say that on low beam there is a broad circle of light from the headlight, when high beam is activated the light beam flattens (or focus's) to a wide flat beam.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Northern VA, Madison GA
RE: low beam brighter than high beam?
When mine are on low, with the highway lights and I switch to high, the highway lights go off and the high beam is much higher and a wider beam so while it is brighter, things just are not as focused. (note this is for a stock set up)
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Cruiser
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RE: low beam brighter than high beam?
I see what you are saying but I wired the fog lamps to be always on independent of the headlight switch. I may to just play at more with the alignment at night to set things where I want. I rode some more last night and am convinced that the new reflector is the culprit. This reflector does not that have that metal shield in front of the bulb that used to cut down on my load beam light, hence everything is brighter on low beam.
Road Warrior
Joined: May 2006
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From: west coast
RE: low beam brighter than high beam?
well if you read your own post carefully with the others you have answered your own question
the problem is you have your driving lights as always on thus causing a load against your charging system
also not allowing the High Beam to project a clear large range beam to brighten up your visual distance
try turning off your driving lights when the high beam is on and you will see the difference
the problem is you have your driving lights as always on thus causing a load against your charging system
also not allowing the High Beam to project a clear large range beam to brighten up your visual distance
try turning off your driving lights when the high beam is on and you will see the difference
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Cruiser
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RE: low beam brighter than high beam?
I will try turning off the driving lights and check again on the road but a cursory exam in the garage with the motor running did not indicate there was a electrical supply problem when all the lights were on. With the high beam on there was no noticeable difference in light output with the fog lamps on or off.
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From: SW Minnesota
RE: low beam brighter than high beam?
ORIGINAL: Crushertx3
well if you read your own post carefully with the others you have answered your own question
the problem is you have your driving lights as always on thus causing a load against your charging system
also not allowing the High Beam to project a clear large range beam to brighten up your visual distance
try turning off your driving lights when the high beam is on and you will see the difference
well if you read your own post carefully with the others you have answered your own question
the problem is you have your driving lights as always on thus causing a load against your charging system
also not allowing the High Beam to project a clear large range beam to brighten up your visual distance
try turning off your driving lights when the high beam is on and you will see the difference
A standard low beam is 55 watts, high beam is 60.The difference in amperage is less than 1/2 amp. Insignificent unless you're running an old, weak system. Some of the bikes already have two headlights (Roadglide as an example) with twice the draw. Lighting accessories available are easily run.
I run an 80/100 bulb, and driving lights, with no problem. The new alternators crank out plenty of power. 450 watts, I believe, which would be 37.5 amps of output.
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Cruiser
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RE: low beam brighter than high beam?
yes but if they are wired correctly your driving lights will turn off when turning on your High Beams
As for the theory that the fog lights are diminishing the effect of the high beam that is not the case, rode tonight without the fog lamps on and still felt as if I had more visibility on low beam. Besides, I don't see how turning Off two lights would make my high beams brighter unless I was overloading the circuits which I am not.
I am just going to live with it and chock it up to to the different reflector without the built in bulb cowl. Low beam is just throwing a lot more light down the road which is blocked by that cowl in the standard reflector.