Headlight Modulators

[FJRocha]

I am designing a headlight modulator to implant in Pandora. Here are a few operating modes that I had considered implementing:

- Mode 1: Both headlights switching High-Low simultaneously

- Mode 2: Both headlights switching High-Low out-of-phase (when one is high, the other is low and vice versa)

- Mode 3: Both headlights switching High-Low out-of-phase but with a period in between when they are both low.

- Mode 4: Main headlights always on (not switching). Auxiliary (aftermarket lights) switching on and off.

- Mode 5: Headlights blinking simultaneously and aftermarket lights blinking simultaneously but out-of-phase to each other

- Mode 6: Headlight with opposite auxiliary light switching together.

Other requirements I though of:

- Shall be daylight sensing (i.e. shall deactivate at sun down)

- Shall be enabled/disabled by a main switch.

Any thoughts / interest? I am open to suggestions, and if any of you would like to have something like this with any special features, now is the time...

.

.

.

.

.

PS: I know that I could buy a modulator and install it, but designing it and building it from scratch IS the fun part.

 

[Woodstock]

You might want to track down the official USCode (I think it's on the various modulator manufacturer's websites) and make sure that you adhear to it in case you get pulled over. For example, the alternative flashing, I'm sure, will get you a LEO visit.

 

[twowheelnut]

I am designing a headlight modulator to implant in Pandora. Here are a few operating modes that I had considered implementing:
- Mode 1: Both headlights switching High-Low simultaneously

- Mode 2: Both headlights switching High-Low out-of-phase (when one is high, the other is low and vice versa)

- Mode 3: Both headlights switching High-Low out-of-phase but with a period in between when they are both low.

- Mode 4: Main headlights always on (not switching). Auxiliary (aftermarket lights) switching on and off.

- Mode 5: Headlights blinking simultaneously and aftermarket lights blinking simultaneously but out-of-phase to each other

- Mode 6: Headlight with opposite auxiliary light switching together.

Other requirements I though of:

- Shall be daylight sensing (i.e. shall deactivate at sun down)

- Shall be enabled/disabled by a main switch.

Any thoughts / interest? I am open to suggestions, and if any of you would like to have something like this with any special features, now is the time...

.

.

.

.

.

PS: I know that I could buy a modulator and install it, but designing it and building it from scratch IS the fun part.

Make two please!

 

[Woodstock]

Ah, one other thing. The two common ones I've seen here, both stress that they don't "turn off" the light during the off phase, but just dim it to something like 15-20% so that the filiment isn't subjected to heat stress with real on/off cycles. You probably want to make sure you do the same thing.

I found a link to the USCode (S7.9.4) governing motorcycle headlight modulation here.

 

[FJRocha]

Below is the text of “2000 CFR Title 49, Volume 2, Part 571.108, section s7.9.4” from the Federal Motor Vehicle Standards, regulation of motorcycle headlight modulation. Link

There is no mention that the modulation must be simultaneous for both lamps, and it does not prohibit alternating the lamps high beam lights. There is, however, text that prohibits local regulations from preventing the use of headlight modulation.

My intention is to make the modulation modes selectable, such that I can use any of the modes at will.

S7.9.4 Motorcycle headlamp modulation

system.

S7.9.4.1 A headlamp on a motorcycle

may be wired to modulate either the

upper beam or the lower beam from its

maximum intensity to a lesser intensity,

provided that:

(a) The rate of modulation shall be

240 40 cycles per minute.

( B) The headlamp shall be operated at

maximum power for 50 to 70 percent of

each cycle.

© The lowest intensity at any test

point shall be not less than 17 percent

of the maximum intensity measured at

the same point.

(d) The modulator switch shall be

wired in the power lead of the beam

filament being modulated and not in

the ground side of the circuit.

(e) Means shall be provided so that

both the lower beam and upper beam

remain operable in the event of a modulator

failure.

(f) The system shall include a sensor

mounted with the axis of its sensing

element perpendicular to a horizontal

plane. Headlamp modulation shall

cease whenever the level of light emitted

by a tungsten filament light operating

at 3000Kelvin is either less than

270 lux (25 foot-candles) of direct light

for upward pointing sensors or less

than 60 lux (5.6 foot-candles) 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

shall not be greater than .45 volt.

The modulator shall meet all the provisions

of the standard after completion

of the test profile shown in Figure 9.

(h) Means shall 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.

S7.9.4.2(a) Each motorcycle

headlamp modulator not intended as

original equipment, or its container,

shall be labeled with the maximum

wattage, and the minimum wattage appropriate

for its use. Additionally, each

such modulator shall comply with

S7.9.4.1 (a) through (g) when connected

to a headlamp of the maximum rated

power and a headlamp of the minimum

rated power, and shall provide means

so that the modulated beam functions

at design voltage when the modulator

is off.

( B) Instructions, with a diagram,

shall be provided for mounting the

light sensor including location on the

motorcycle, distance above the road

surface, and orientation with respect

to the light.

 

[Overfly]

Sounds like you've done your homework. I agree with the comment that a total shutdown, completly off to back on again, would be a bad thing from a heat stress point of view. Having said that it, takes a period of time,albeit short, for the filament to totally go out or "cool down". Maybe it could be a function of time to keep the filament warm between cycles. A short/fast cycle.

A very interesting project. Please keep us up on the progress and consider a production run as you put this together. :agent:

 

[FJRocket]

I don't think my Comagination modulator is simultaneous, I think it alternates left and right. And it does not appear to turn the bulbs completely off. It does "flash" VERY quickly, though. Perhaps too quickly, but who's to say what is "too quickly".

I've now ridden a little behind my modulator, and it takes some getting used to. When I'm behind someone, I turn it off. When I'm in traffic, I want to turn it off. I would say that these are times when the added visibility is good to have. But it seems at the risk of everyone else.

When I was on a two lane rural highway, and not in traffic, I had it on all the time. I did feel pretty good about that. I had a few vehicles, that I saw coming up to the intersection, stop and wait for me to pass. I think had the modulator not been working, they would have gone ahead and pulled out. But these were folks that I saw, and I think they saw me, too.

It's the one's you DON'T know about that are the dangerous ones. I think I'm just going to have to get over the fact that I may be pissing a bunch of people off with the light. It's for my own good?

The Comagination unit shut off about midway through dusk with full exposure of the sensor. So far that thing works pretty well.

 

[Bounce]

The DOT code addresses the difference between a flasher and a modulator, pulse rate (IT says what's too fast in black and white - stand there and start counting), that it has to fail into a default mode that leave the lights working as if it wasn't installed, and that it has to sense daylight and revert the modulated light to normal function at night.

It's a laundry list of what has to be done to avoid getting ticketed for improper equipment. You may still even with a proper modulator, but the DOT code is there as your defense to prosecution.

 

[Vstar2FJR]

FJRocha:

Keep one in mind for me as well. Based on the research you've done so far, do you have any sort of price point in mind?

On another subject - will we be able to get together for some riding over the Labor Day weekend??

John

 

[FJRocha]

I am in the preliminary stages of development (requirement gathering), I don't have a price set on it yet; it would probably depend on the features it ends up having, but should not be high (that is one of "my" requirements).

Regarding the Labor Day ride, its a "GO". I'll post the details on the ride planing thread.

 

[Thug]

I would like someone to build (may even be on the market) a two or four or how many you like HID mini strobes that has a decent sequence rate that may or may not be changed, instead of a headlight modulator. Imagine two very small high intensity white flashing lights day or night and the same concept could be incorperated into the turn indicators as well. would like shit hot and be very effective. Why do you think the emergencey services use them? So people can see you day or night! The colour should be white and amber for the turn indicators for obvious reasons.

Sequence rate could be anything just use your imagination.