Modulating Headlights....

Curious about this. I have seen some high-dollar touring rides with super-bright lights, and I've seen add-on relays for sale [big $$]. Then there was one here somewhere that described how to make and wire your own- that is, the low on steady and the high blinks on and off.
I was told that this violates FMVSS, and that might be true, but as I recall the FMVSS pertains to the original construction of the vehicle when new.
A local cop told me that making my brake lamp blink when applied was a good idea since it is more noticeable... as far as Oregon, the driver's manual says that a blinking red light and a steady ON red light are to be treated the same. I'm sure they are referring to road signage, and in motorcycle it just says it must have a stoplight. So I don't know.... In a few more days it won't matter much until next April anyway.
Thanks for your thoughts on this

PS: A friend noticed in the Oregon vehicle code the other day that motor vehicles are not required to have windshields, but they ARE required to have windshield wipers! hmmmm

 

I'm also in Oregon, and my cousin is a cop in Oregon, and he has a modulated tail light on his civilian bike, so I'm sure you're okay there. I don't know what FMVSS is, but Oregon doesn't really have vehicle inspections so I'm not sure what you're asking. And as far as a blinking red light as signage, that is like a stop sign, you stop, then go.

I'm 99.99999% sure that modulated headlights are legal on bikes here, I've never even heard anybody suggest that they were illegal. I see them pretty often. I don't care for them, myself, but I'd do the taillight thing if I had extra time and money for that sort of thing. I have modded my head light to make it a little brighter, that's about it for safety mods on my bike.

I've heard that windshield, windshield wiper thing before. Think about old jeeps, or maybe even modern ones, you can fold the windshield down onto the hood, for whatever reason(getting under things, maybe) and I guess that's legal.

If you think about it, it makes sense. The reason you can't see in the rain is the water on the windshield, so you need wipers. I can see fine in the rain on my bike, because I don't have a wall of glass covered with water in front of me. Really the law should be "if you have a windshield, you must have wipers" But they just assumed you wouldn't be dumb enough to have no windshield on your car, I guess.

 

Here, found your FMVSS thingy: http://www.kriss.com/modrules.htm#short
And since it's federal law, no state can make a rule that goes against this, so...

According to that link (and some modulator site) you're cool as long as:

A. you modulate at the rate specified by the feds, 240 cycles a minute.

B. you can't turn the modulation on and off, except by activating high or low beam. You can't "pulse" it at people, in other words.

C. it turns itself off when it's dark

the rest of the boilerplate above is things like wiring correctly and failsafes in case it breaks, etc.

Edit, forgot the link to the site I was looking at: http://www.kriss.com/modrules.htm
(not an endorsement)

 

Exactly the reason for modulating the head, and tail lights. Just don't try it with blue lights. Your friendly LEO will become not so friendly real quick.

Ghost

 

yeah, being a retired firefighter, I know about that stuff... hahahaha

I did switch to a more modern halogen headlamp, but it doesn't modulate- yet.
More than once I have watched people let me get right up to them and then they pull out! Always have to be ready for it...

The reason for the blinking brakelight is that I nearly became and old fart sandwich one day between a couple of cars. There's a law against cell phones but if the cops don't enforce it.....

The horn is PITIFUL. Thinking about that too :roll:

 

Tell me about it! Sometimes if I'm next to some cager on the phone, I just hold down the horn button to make their call difficult

 

XJ4Ever carries a couple of different models/styles of "plug-n-play" headlight modulators. I'm currently working on finishing up a "photo how-to" on them.

 

Fitz I'll be looking forward to that!
:mrgreen:

 

Any update on the "Big Fitz - photo How To"?

Thinking it may be a really good mod to add.

 

Agreed

And on the horn, I used a PIAA twin air horn on my old CX500EC, it was simple enough to wire in with a relay & was loud!!!

 

thats for stuff like jeeps wranglers, cause you can drop the windshield down but if it rains or snow you still need wipers on that windshield.


wow just saw this post is really old.

 

Your brake light can only be modulated if it comes on steady for a few seconds uninterrupted and then begins modulating. At least thats how it supposedly is in Texas.

Flashing your highbeams is legal in most states, but I think that in some states it is illegal. I question how long an actual headlight bulb would last being flashed rapidly. I have also heard(I think I read it in the Texas Trasportation Code) that its illegal to have the headlights that can alternate because only emergency vehicles can have strobing lights. Even clear on the front. I think you should go to your states website and check the code.

 

The high beam bulb varies intensity "Sine-Wave" style between 15% and 85% of it's maximum voltage, so it shouldn't "wear" the bulb any worse than running full high beam.

I thought the XJ voltage regulator didn't like headlight modulators??

 

I've had no issues, although the voltmeter tends to dance a tad.

Article nearly complete, maybe even today if I get the time.

 

Federal regulations regarding motor vehicle equipment supersedes state law.

http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/administration/fmcsr/fmcsrruletext.aspx?reg=r49CFR571.108

The applicable section:

S10.17.5 Motorcycle headlamp modulation system. A headlamp on a motorcycle may be activated to modulate either the upper beam or the lower beam from its maximum intensity to a lesser intensity, provided that:
S10.17.5.1 Modulation.
(a) The rate of modulation must be 240 ±40 cycles per minute.
(b) The headlamp must be operated at maximum power for 50 to 70 percent of each cycle.
(c) The lowest intensity at any test point must be not less than 17 percent of the maximum intensity measured at the same point.
(d) The modulator switch must be wired in the power lead of the beam filament being modulated and not in the ground side of the circuit.
(e) Means must be provided so that both the lower beam and upper beam remain operable in the event of a modulator failure.
(f) The system must include a sensor mounted with the axis of its sensing element perpendicular to a horizontal plane. Headlamp modulation must cease whenever the level of light emitted by a tungsten filament light operating at 3000° Kelvin is either less than 270 lux of direct light for upward pointing sensors or less than 60 lux of reflected light for downward pointing sensors. The light is measured by a silicon cell type light meter that is located at the sensor and pointing in the same direction as the sensor. A Kodak Gray Card (Kodak R-27) is placed at ground level to simulate the road surface in testing downward pointing sensors.
(g) When tested in accordance with the test profile shown in Figure 9, the voltage drop across the modulator when the lamp is on at all test conditions for 12 volt systems and 6 volt systems must not be greater than 0.45 volt. The modulator must meet all the provisions of the standard after completion of the test profile shown in Figure 9.
(h) Means must be provided so that both the lower and upper beam function at design voltage when the headlamp control switch is in either the lower or upper beam position when the modulator is off.
S10.17.5.2 Replacement modulators. Each modulator not intended as original equipment, or its container, must be labeled with the maximum wattage, and the minimum wattage appropriate for its use.
S10.17.5.2.1 Replacement performance. Each modulator, not intended as original equipment, must comply with S10.17.5.1 (a) through (g) when connected to a headlamp of the maximum rated power and a headlamp of the minimum rated power, and must provide means so that the modulated beam functions at design voltage when the modulator is off.
S10.17.5.2.2 Replacement instructions. Instructions, with a diagram, must be provided for mounting the light sensor including location on the motorcycle, distance above the road surface, and orientation with respect to the light.