HID lights...What wattage is safe?

The Ant

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I have just fitted 50 watt HID lights to my Busa.

Are 50 watt HID lights safe to use on a 2000 model Busa without spiking occuring or other damage to the electricals and ECU?
 
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Im inerested in what people have to say about this too as i have the same question. I think to be safe I am going to get a higher output stator because i will have these HIDs plus a full lighting kit and some other gadgets
 
Most find the 35W more than enough for the low beam. 55W bulbs are about 40% brighter than a 35W and best suited for high beams. Take into consideration oncoming drivers when selecting a low beam HID because even the 35W units will blind others (I always had people from work complaining that I need to leave first because even in the rear view mirror is was unbearable).

The 35W low beams will completely smother the standard halogen hi-beam on the Busa. 55W high beams are best suited for those who live in the boonies (like me) and have to worry about wildlife while riding home at night (particularly deer).
 
Jds,
do you use the 55w in the high beams?
I have 35w in both, and the high beam isn't terribly effective. I was wondering if the 55w would make a difference?
 
Jds,
do you use the 55w in the high beams?
I have 35w in both, and the high beam isn't terribly effective. I was wondering if the 55w would make a difference?
If it's aimed right, you will notice a substantial difference. So will oncoming traffic. :laugh: If you use a 35W in the high you might need to adjust it up a bit to see more of a difference.
 
Yeah, the problem is that the GENII only has a single adjustment for both lights.
BAD mistake by Suzuki!!

Meh....forgot about that. I had a Gen 1, sorry bout that. You could always aim both up, but that may draw unwanted attention from the po-lice. :laugh:
 
But will the 50 watt or 35 watt HID lights cause any problems to the electricals or ECU? One person told me HID's can create an electrical spike.

Also when I connected the HID's and turned them on my instruments cluster went eratic and the gas warning light stayed on even with the key out of the ignition. I disconnected the battery waited 5 mins then tried it again and everything was fine working well and 2 weeks later still is.
 
I have the 55w for lows and highs and dont experience any promblems. I tried to adjust my low and high's but on my gen 2 they are attached like yall stated. and my low beam is too low and my high beam is too high so when I try to raise the low beam it really makes the high beam too high.:dunno:
 
But will the 50 watt or 35 watt HID lights cause any problems to the electricals or ECU? One person told me HID's can create an electrical spike.

Also when I connected the HID's and turned them on my instruments cluster went eratic and the gas warning light stayed on even with the key out of the ignition. I disconnected the battery waited 5 mins then tried it again and everything was fine working well and 2 weeks later still is.

You should mount the ballast as far away from your gauge cluster as possible. Lots of people have reported resetting of their clock, erratic tach or speedo function, etc due to the ballast being near the gauges. Most mount them as far back as wires will allow on top of the ram air ducts.

HID's draw a lot of juice when they're starting up. It's best to engage the start button prior to turning the key on if your Busa is new enough (05 and up are good to go I believe), otherwise simply wire a toggle switch to the negative wire on the HID's and only turn them on after the bike is running.
 
Ok... 35 watt HIDs are what I recommend! I have done 55watt kits too! I think too bright for one! More so then the 35watt kits....the 35watt kit seems right! Less draw on electrical system after start up too then the 55watt kit. On 06 on up suzuki's Busa...1ks etc. The start up method I use is this.... been doing this for almost 2 years and no issues:

1. Insert key in to ignition (dont turn on yet!)

2. Click the red ignition switch to the run position.

3. Thumb the starter button (Keep holding thumb on the starter button)

4. Turn key on (let fuel pump and all the gauges cycle) (Headlight will be off.... no power going to HIDS)

5. Pull in the clutch handle (The bike will start...once its started take your thumb off of the starter button)

6. You have now started the Busa with HIDS and should have no issues with killing your ballasts!
 
Most find the 35W more than enough for the low beam. 55W bulbs are about 40% brighter than a 35W and best suited for high beams. Take into consideration oncoming drivers when selecting a low beam HID because even the 35W units will blind others (I always had people from work complaining that I need to leave first because even in the rear view mirror is was unbearable).

The 35W low beams will completely smother the standard halogen hi-beam on the Busa. 55W high beams are best suited for those who live in the boonies (like me) and have to worry about wildlife while riding home at night (particularly deer).

No HID is really suited for high beams, particularly because HID's need time to warm up and high beams are typically used for instant on uses like flashing someone or needing a little extra quick lighting cutting through a dark roads. Since HID's especially high watt ones like a 55watt takes anywhere from 15-30 seconds to fully warm up to normal light output its not really useful for highs unless you're the type to ride around with highs on all the time.

High beams should be left with standard halogen bulb and 55watt HID can be fitted for the lows. It will not melt anything, Ive installed one on a friends 2005 and they work great. You may have to re-aim the light though because we did find the lights were aimed too high after the install. The brand ive used with good results is ddmtuning.
 
For us "city folk", one might consider running 55W HID's in the highbeam location for daytime riding...after just having a lady crash me by pulling out in front of me...said she never saw me. I'm thinking go with excess in the daytime, then switch to lowbeams at night for street cruising.

I agree that it can't be good to switch off/on highbeam HID's, but I would consider halogen highbeam or HID highbeam for day use.

I'm usually never in a position to run high beams for long and from what I hear, the HID lowbeams are well enough for regular night driving...


Just a thought...
 
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I always run both highs and lows during the day, and normally just my low beam at night unless called for, but seeing how my damn high beam is way to high its pretty much useless. I can turn it on at night and never get flashed for having my high beams on because it is shining over their heads. Im thinking of lowering my high beam to use all the time and just let the low beam shine at the ground.
 
Whats the wattage for a stock bulb in a low beam? Im just wanting to know if 35W will still let me see alot better than i have now...
 
Whats the wattage for a stock bulb in a low beam? Im just wanting to know if 35W will still let me see alot better than i have now...


Stock low beam is 55watt the 55 watt hid gives a 1/3 more light output then a 35watt hid of the same color temperature.
 
I always run both highs and lows during the day, and normally just my low beam at night unless called for, but seeing how my damn high beam is way to high its pretty much useless. I can turn it on at night and never get flashed for having my high beams on because it is shining over their heads. Im thinking of lowering my high beam to use all the time and just let the low beam shine at the ground.



From what I remember the busa headlight has the high beam independently adjustable from the lows so you can simply adjust them to a usable level.
 
I have a 55w DDM unit in my blackbird, no problems at all, not sure if the busa is 35 or 50, but I can tell you 3 things:
1. The running current is substantially lower than the startup current, 55W is pretty much a peak current draw.
2. On both my bikes I had to install a $15 digital delay circuit that waits 15 seconds after you turn on the key before firing the ignitors. This has completely solved my problems with lamps misbehaving at startup.
3. They are totally worth it, I HIGHLY recommend DDM Tuning.
 
Stock low beam is 55watt the 55 watt hid gives a 1/3 more light output then a 35watt hid of the same color temperature.


So then installing a 55w HID won't change anything at all. Thank you :)
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55 watt and 35 watt hids are much brighter the stock. I find both to cause dash issues if the cables are run to close to dash or dash wiring. I have done both type of kits. The 55 watt kit is brighter, looks like your low beam is a high beam. The 35 watt kit looks bright but not too bright to be a high beam. If you want running a 35w on low and 55w for high beam maybe the way to go. I have done both of my bikes with the 35w kits and got no iissues. Just take your time routing the wires cleanly and all should be good! Be smarter then the parts you install.....:rulez::laugh:
 
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