sealed battery -vs- stock water battery

[DPBiker]

I know all I have is questions and barely any answers for you guys. I don't feel like I am pulling my weight in this group, but I just can't seem to catch up with the amazing collective knowledge here. ANYWAYS, I did the headlight upgrade in the FAQs. 1.) I changed the fuse to 15 amp from the stock 10 amp. 2.) I replaced the socket with the NAPA LS6235 socket. 3.) I changed the light from the stock 55/60 watt, to the NAPA 1210 H4 (80/100w) Now, I have high beam but no low beam. The filaments look okay. However, when I try the original bulb, both hi & low beam work. So I know I didn't screw up the three wires to the light. I am headed back to NAPA for another bulb. If anyone has any ideas other than this let me know, Please. QUESTION: Will the new socket and the 5 inches of heavier wire affect the stock bulb in anyway? Or is it okay to run it for now? Thanks Brent Clip from the FAQs: Can I use a brighter headlight bulb? KLR owners often run a higher-power bulb like an 80/100W, 55/100, etc (stock is 55/60, type 9003). Your local NAPA should have the Wagner BP1210 80/100 bulb for around $13. Some people have had problems with the headlight socket melting; the NAPA LS6235 socket (or one from an '84 Honda Accord) is a close replacement, and is made of heat-resistant Bakelite. Others, however, have ran these bulbs with the stock socket and wiring with no problems. The one thing you definitely want to do is replace the 10A headlight fuse with a 15A one. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[klr6501995]

And your answer is a weak ground connection. This could be between the bulb and ground. Ran into this before and confused the huey out of me. The high high beam is only burning about 75per of what it can and the low beam ain't burning near what the normal low beam would. In the socker no problem.

--- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "DPBiker" wrote: > I know all I have is questions and barely any answers for you guys. I don't feel like I am pulling my weight in this group, but I just can't seem to catch up with the amazing collective knowledge here. > > ANYWAYS, > I did the headlight upgrade in the FAQs. > 1.) I changed the fuse to 15 amp from the stock 10 amp. > 2.) I replaced the socket with the NAPA LS6235 socket. > 3.) I changed the light from the stock 55/60 watt, to the NAPA 1210 H4 (80/100w) > > Now, I have high beam but no low beam. The filaments look okay. However, when I try the original bulb, both hi & low beam work. So I know I didn't screw up the three wires to the light. > I am headed back to NAPA for another bulb. If anyone has any ideas other than this let me know, Please. > > QUESTION: Will the new socket and the 5 inches of heavier wire affect the stock bulb in anyway? Or is it okay to run it for now? > > Thanks > Brent > > Clip from the FAQs: > Can I use a brighter headlight bulb? > KLR owners often run a higher-power bulb like an 80/100W, 55/100, etc (stock is 55/60, type 9003). Your local NAPA should have the Wagner BP1210 80/100 bulb for around $13. Some people have had problems with the headlight socket melting; the NAPA LS6235 socket (or one from an '84 Honda Accord) is a close replacement, and is made of heat-resistant Bakelite. Others, however, have ran these bulbs with the stock socket and wiring with no problems. The one thing you definitely want to do is replace the 10A headlight fuse with a 15A one. > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[DPBiker]

To the nakedwaterskier; I appreciate your help and yes that particular problem was the bulb. Well, now I put a different bulb in. A new one from NAPA 1210 H4 (80/100w). Now the low beam is really dim (I'd rather have the original), and when it is on low beam the high beam indicator (blue console light) is on somewhat dim, what causes that? And it seems like the low beam comes on slowly. What does this indicate? If this is all there is to low beam,if it is, I am going back to the original light. Brent [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[James]

----- Original Message ----- From: "DPBiker" To: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Monday, August 23, 2004 11:01 PM Subject: [DSN_klr650] RE:Headlite upgrade problems?? > To the nakedwaterskier; I appreciate your help and yes that particular problem was the bulb. > > Well, now I put a different bulb in. A new one from NAPA 1210 H4 (80/100w). > > Now the low beam is really dim (I'd rather have the original), and when it is on low beam the high beam indicator (blue console light) is on somewhat dim, what causes that? And it seems like the low beam comes on slowly. > > What does this indicate? If this is all there is to low beam,if it is, I am going back to the original light. > > Brent REPLY-- When I put an 80W-100 in the V-max last winter (upgrade from just using the 55W-100 and hoping for the best) I went the extra step of putting in a relay for each circuit. Now the low beam is brighter, and the high beam is fantastic. And a 90W-130 is the way to go! (though thats not what I currently run--pun intended) If your light is coming on slowly, chances are the bulb you are using is drawing too much current to *get up to speed*. Are you performing these experiments with the engine on or off? What year KLR? Battery up to the task? Anyway, when I upgrade the KLR soon, I may just leave the 55W-60 and run it that way with the double relay upgrade. I feel that bulb is ok. Jim

[nakedwaterskier]

Sounds like bad connection...most of us upgrade the fuse to handle 5 more amps and convert to the blade type fuses. But, this doesn't explain a weak/dim low beam. Bad connection or bad headlamp switch is my next guess.

[rm@richardmay.net]

On Sun, 22 Aug 2004, mike torst wrote:

>Seriously, I mounted the "L" plastic on top of the factory groove after >creating new channels for it just above the factory channels by mounting >2 thin strips of scrap plastic. I expect that people have also used a few >screws to create a channel of sorts, or a heat gun to soften the "L" >plastic so they could change its physical configeration. The plastic >strips work great for me, and the battery stays put just fine.

Ahh, yes. I chose a different approach. I omitted the lid and wedged a soft plastic pot scraper next to the battery. It does. not. move. Battery is >2 years old now and still going strong in spite of infrequent riding. RM