Saw a post here not to long ago about a hid kit available for a 2 stroke application. I got to thinking and I figure you could easily build your own system with a few inexpensive parts. The drawback (or plus depending on how you view it) would be the loss of high beam mode and no daytime running lights. I personally view it as a plus. When the sun is up, your lights are off, leaving an additional 110 watts for your snowmobile to use, at night you click on the hids with the high beam button and you then draw only 70 watts and shouldn't need your high beams due to the extra light output of an HID system.
You can pick up a basic 35 watts HID system on ebay for relatively cheap, I would go with a slim ballast waterproof model. Although most are built to stand up to harsh weather. In addition to the hid kit a simple bridge rectifier that can handle 15 amps and a properly sized capacitor to smooth out the ripple and provide starting amperage and you should be good to go.
Im a little fuzzy on how to size the capacitor, personally I would just go with overkill. Or possibly a capacitor bank. A bridge rectifier and capacitors can be had for less then 15$ including project box, board and solder.
Set up the bridge rectifier and tie the capacitor bank across the DC supply. Your ballast would then tie into the DC supply. Tie the high beam wires into the rectifier and when you click the switch the capacitors should be able to provide the burst of amperage needed to ignite the lamps and then sufficiently smooth the DC ripple to a near flat wave.
I may try this
If anyone else gives it a shot, post your results. The whole mess can be had for less then 50$ on a dual beam system.
You can pick up a basic 35 watts HID system on ebay for relatively cheap, I would go with a slim ballast waterproof model. Although most are built to stand up to harsh weather. In addition to the hid kit a simple bridge rectifier that can handle 15 amps and a properly sized capacitor to smooth out the ripple and provide starting amperage and you should be good to go.
Im a little fuzzy on how to size the capacitor, personally I would just go with overkill. Or possibly a capacitor bank. A bridge rectifier and capacitors can be had for less then 15$ including project box, board and solder.
Set up the bridge rectifier and tie the capacitor bank across the DC supply. Your ballast would then tie into the DC supply. Tie the high beam wires into the rectifier and when you click the switch the capacitors should be able to provide the burst of amperage needed to ignite the lamps and then sufficiently smooth the DC ripple to a near flat wave.
I may try this
If anyone else gives it a shot, post your results. The whole mess can be had for less then 50$ on a dual beam system.Did a little more digging and it would appear that only a moderate capacitor should be used before the ballast. .047 uf would be fine. On the other side of the ballast a high voltage 3K volts or so at about .015 uf would be plenty to ignite the lamps and also reduce flicker.
or you could just wire in a snow bungy or other small 12v battery in parallel with your smoothing coils and wire it up normal.
ottawaair
New member
sounds like a system that may leave you in the dark, literally. I like the light on during the day, in the trails anyway, just like a streetbike. Looks like a lot of parts that could fail in the middle of the night. better bring a good flashlight.
It is only 2 additional components outside of the hid kit itself. It could also be set up to power additional 12 volt accessories.
The battery would work as well if you don't mind the additional weight and cost. I am unclear on how to set it up to charge. Do you need to run it parallel with all three coils, or just one?
The battery would work as well if you don't mind the additional weight and cost. I am unclear on how to set it up to charge. Do you need to run it parallel with all three coils, or just one?
not with coils. with smoothing coils. They are small battery looking capacitors that are used in sleds without batteries to absorb voltage spikes. When you add electric start, you can either remove them and wire in a battery or leave them in and wire them in parallel with a battery.
Running HID lights on a sled with lift up coul couldn't be easier to install and change back to stock on the trail if needed. The hard part i craming all that stuff behind an apex healight. Nice to not be running you electrical system a max capacity like higher wattage bulbs do. These run less watts and do have high and low beams. Not sure where people get the idea there is not high and low?
Running HID lights on a sled with lift up coul couldn't be easier to install and change back to stock on the trail if needed. The hard part i craming all that stuff behind an apex healight. Nice to not be running you electrical system a max capacity like higher wattage bulbs do. These run less watts and do have high and low beams. Not sure where people get the idea there is not high and low?
Hid bulbs have a single gas chamber, therefore A high and low beam are not possible. High beams are achieved through mechanical means I believe and most likely not found on your average eBay kit.
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You just need a hi/low kit. The difference is in where the center of light originates. Regular bulbs do this by firing different filaments. Hid hi/lo use a magnet to pull the bulb from one point to another. Quite simple. And yes, they sell them on eBay. I prefer ddm though. You can call and talk to a human and place an order.
A couple of bucks
VIP Member
Telescopic for our H4s
BETHEVIPER said:
Those just have shutters in the lenses right?
Illinoisff133
New member
SXRider7Hundo said:
The bulb itself has a metal reflector mounted to it, and when the high beam is clicked on, a magnet pulls the "filament" back and downwards to send light farther out
Heres a demonstration below
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhtrMPVPypY&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Has anyone done this successfully? I was wondering where to tap into power on the sled? I have the kit and bridge rectifier,as well as capacitors