[Mantissa]

I recently installed the Dual Wave headlight that's been talked about before here.
http://www.demonscycle.com/Lights-and-Blinkers/Headlights/Dual-Wave-ET-Custom-Headlight-p6688439-1-2.html

I assumed that both lights would be used for high beam however one light is for low and the other light is for high. I called and spoke to one of their techs and he verified this is how it is supposed to work - with 1 for each, never both. I still think their description: "Two separate lights that light-up independently, have way more coverage and illumination then conventional lights." is misleading but that's another topic.

My original thought was to try to get low to power one bulb and high to power both but with my basic understanding of this stuff i think that would require using a diode or relay to correctly make the jump? My second, and hopefully much more simple, thought is to connect both power leads from the new light to either high or low power from the bike so both lights are always on.

Would there be any risk of powering both bulbs at once? I don't know enough about power, amps, etc and don't want to risk overloading something. The light houses two H3 55 watt bulbs.

 

[Mantissa]

Hmmm, is my question that dumb?

 

[Guest]

A diode would ensure that the power from the low beam side couldn't flow to the high beam side and vice versa (one in each side). Whether it would be necessary, or desirable, would depend on the available connectors on the light itself. From the site to which you linked, it looks like there's just a ground, high and low wire. If so, I would use a diode on each of the high and low wires that went to the bulb you're trying to get to do double duty. As I envision this, it should work.

As to the power requirements, running both high beams would require twice the current. Whether that is an issue or not would be dependent upon those requirements and the available circuit.

 

[74novaguy]

Here look at this subject
http://www.yamahastarstryker.com/index.php/topic,3562.0.html

theres extra wires that are there and there supplied power all the time. so hook those up to your low beam and then hook up the high beam wires to your high beam. then both will be on during high beam and only one on all the time.0

 

[stroguy]

A relay setup would be an easy setup. Let me work on a simple drawing for you. Be just a few.

 

[stroguy]

55W lamp draws 5 amps of current. Power (W) = Voltage (E) X Current (I) or 55W=12V X ? or 55/12=4.58 amps rounded up to 5 amps

2 lamps gives you 10 amps of circuit current when both lamps are lighted.

On this drawing reds are 12V and blacks are grounds of course. 87 is going to both lamps where 87a is only going to the low beam. Low beam lamp is on the left. Use standard 12V automotive relay which are rated at 30A and 40A, your choice. Please ensure you fuse the input to pin 30 with a 20A fuse, fuse it as close to the battery as possible. The 12V on pin 86 should already be fused by the factory harness. Wiring on 87 and 87a should be 18 ga. minimum but I would do 16 ga. Wiring on pin 30 should be 16 ga. Remember pin 30 will be drawing 5 amps on low beam and 10 amps on high. Pin 87 will split 10 amps to each lamp or 5 amps per leg when the relay is energized.

Good luck.