I installed the high/low HID light package on my '09 SG and I have noticed that if the bike is not started for a few days, when I turn on the ignition, the light does not fire up. If I shut the ignition off and then back on, the light fires right up.

The bike is 3 months old and on a battery tender, so a weak battery cannot be causing this.

I questioned the seller and was told that since HD ignitions are not solid state units, that is the cause. Does anyone else have this issue?

I'm concerned because if I start the bike to ride off, is the light on or off?? Safety issue as far has I'm concerned.....

I would hate to pull off the outer fairing again but if I have to, so be it.....

 

I suspect that this is not a H-D Brand since you have not mentioned so?

What brand is it?

I know how H-D brand is wired, Can you provide a link for the wiring to the unit which you installed and did you follow those instructions as stated?

 

OBTW, I've forgot to mention, your HID seller is very much mistaken that your '09 SG intion is a solid state ignition.

H-D's have not had points and condensors to set and adjust for I don't know who many years.

Sorry that one is blowing smoke up your tail pipe!

 

This is the third set of HID lights I have installed, 2nd time on a bike, so I think they are hooked up right.

Pretty much plug and play....In fact I ran the positive and ground wires directly to the battery...Only thing I'm wondering about is I used 18G wire for the positive run from the ballast igniter to the battery and the run is about 3'.

But if there's not sufficient juice to fire the unit the first time the ignition is turned on, why does it fire the second time??

I used butt connectors and know I'm thinking maybe I should have soldered and shrink wrapped instead. But I did the same thing on my V-Rod and have not had an issue for almost three years.

It's just funny, once the light fires up, you can turn it off and on many times and it works....

 

What brand HID?

 

Is it stranded?

18G is only a wee bit larger then bell wire.

I'd hoped that you would be using 14 AWG stranded with a 90* or higher jacket temp, and a material thats not effected by oils or fuels. In other words a good grade automotive wire.

Butt splices are not directly going to kill it but as you have stated, soldered terminals and heat shrink (the one with the hot melt center for water intrusion prevention) would be the best and most secure way to fasten all connection points.

And since you have not a link for the wiring diagram, and you state its "Plug and play". Then the unit must be on at all times you have the ignition "On"?

The H-D unit has a relay that is fired by the starter button, this cuts the lamp off (by interupting the voltage to the ballast) when max drain from the ignition/fuel pump/injectors/starter solonoid/starter are causing a big drain on the bikes electrical system prior to the alternator and voltage regulator (solid state also) providing output to the battery since the engine is off just prior to starting in most cases.

This big drain is also harmful to lesser brands of HID ballests that don't have the added internal circuitry to protect against such conditions. (those forign non-brand names from third world counties). The better ballest brands are Osram, Helia, etc... Japan has a few high quailty units. The more expensive units from the quality manufactures have higher prices but have open ckt protection, under voltage and surge protection.

You may have inadvertedly damaged your ballast and the retailer does not want to warrente it since it could be a cheepe by design and have heard of all these problems before, hence the lame statemtent "H-Ds are not solid state ignition". The next thing you most likely will be told that your system is not for street use since the DOT standards are not allowing it for such.

What manufacture?

 

let me tell you what happened to me with my hid light and it was not a hd model and everything does not have to be hd to work on the motorcycle.... i put one on my 07 road king and i had the same problem and i talked to a guy that has a site that sells hids for motorcycles and he told me that he had the same problem with a friends bike and the way they and i solved the problem was to use the acc switch to the light, that way i can start the bike and not have to turn the ig.switch on and off to get it to light so i just turn on the ign.switch and start the bike and when it is started i turn onthe switch and presto it works .... and what a difference it makes so if you just wire the light on a switch by itself you should have no problem

 

There is often a delay as the capacitors in the ballast charge before the light fires. If the bike sits for an extended period of time, it is possible that these caps loose their charge. Cycling the ignition switch twice should recharge them as you have seen.

 

I had the same problem with mine (non HD) The bike was less then a year old. Battery on a Tender. Checked all the connections, grounds,etc. Turned out to be a slight voltage drop across the battery when starting. Swapped it out and problem gone!
I bet a relay woulda solved it too.

 

Only problem with that is you don't know if your headlight is on or off when you ride away...

Unless it's at night.....