Lowering the power of a 55W HID ballast

Many biker found their 55W HID Xenon installtion is pretty attractive because of its brightness. But after a year or so, the overdriven HID will release enough heat and UV that scotched the reflector chrome. One may even appreciate the burnt smell because of the high temperature.

So this is how a overdriven 55W balast be tamed to a lowered power ballast. The job takes 10 minutes to complete. In this mini ballast, I took away the waterproof coating. With some luck, I found the very tiny variable resistor. 

The stock ballast took 4Amp at 13.5V at a power rating of 55W. By turning the resisitor clockwise for 1/4 turn, the current can be reduced to 3A , i.e. 40W. This makes the lamp much cooler. 

Mitsuba FR33-025 flasher relay LED mod

Finally  succeed to hack this relay.
The circuit has 2 protection circuit for the controller IC MC33193:
1) pin 7 sense the shunt and see if abnormal current detected for blown bulb
2) pin 8 sense the ground connection through the bulb and the signal switch, then start the flash sequence. From the datasheet , it should ground through the bulb and a 3.3k Ohm to pull low, the starter than fires the relay and connect the +12 which pull pin 8 low again.

Therefore, cutting pin 7 alone will not fire the 4 LED successfully as pin 8 cannot  sense the ground through the LED (high internal resistance) on closing of the turn signal switch (normally through the 6 Ohm bulb ~6 Ohm).

Therefore, the trick is to put a 1/4W resistor across the ground and the signal pin of the relay to trick the controller IC.

Summary
1) cut Pin 7 to bypass the fault detection
2) solder a 2.2 K Ohm resistor across the ground pin and the Light pin

Test after mod : no leaking current on switching off , very efficient LED ~ 300mA @ ~4W, which is much brighter than stock 25W bulb.

All 4 LED can flash with normal frequency. 

The main disadvantage of this mod is that the relay is put into always on mode, which may shorten the life of the mechanical relay inside.

I end up by  putting two 0.25W 1k Ohm resistor to the two rear turn signal wire to fool the FR33 relay. It works perfectly and now all 4 LED works. 

LED Flash Relay Modification

Just found a link http://www.600rr.net/vb/showthread.php?t=294551 , written by kritip



This applies to EU and other bikes with hazards and 4 pin relays, type Mitsuba FR33-025 (however, if you show me the insides of a 2 pin I can advise as well)


Cut into the relay case, very carefully, and don't go deep. From about 1.5cm to 2.5cm from the top of the relay on the printed side, roughly where you should see >PBT+GF30<. Do not cut deep as the circuit board is only 3-4mm away from the plastic casing.


There you will see the flasher IC chip...its a freescale MC33193:


http://www.freescale.com/files/analo...et/MC33193.pdf


Simply, and carefully cut pin 7 or the copper track that links it so it's not linked up anymore....that should do the trick. It's very easy to apply a bit of pressure with a small tipped screwdriver to the top of the leg of the IC, and it will snap off.





BE WARNED THAT PIN 7 IS THE FAULT DETECTING PIN> so no rapid blinking warning in case of a single bulb failure if u switch back to bulb.

Oil, oil filter and clutch filter change

Use a 12mm hex socket wrench to unscrew the pan bolt. Avoid the hot exhaust pipe by using an extender. Take care not to loss the screw washer.

Oil filter removed with a chain wrench. More residual oil drained out.

Cheap chain wrench. 

Oil the rubber seal before replace it back.

Remove the 2 8mm screws holding the clutch filter plate. Take care of the spring.

 Identify the outside of the clutch filter. Oil the rubber seal of the  inner side .

Old and new clutch filter.

Clutch filter plate. Check the rubber seal.

DCT oil change needs approx 4L 10W-40 engine oil. Check the dipstick level when the bike is in central stand.

Recommended oil replacement volume is 3.4L. Dipstick should be just seat on the socket without screwing in , when doing measuremnt .

NC700 Givi Crash Bar Installation

Left Crash Bar : Remove the 17mm bolt.U need a lot of muscle power or any extension bar.

Then the second engine 17mm bolt

Partially fasten the engine bolt with the crash bar

The left bar installation is more tricky. 

Thee horn bracket is obstructing the 17mm engine bolt and needed to be removed first. 

Remove the 17mm engine bolt

 Install the crashbar and with attention to the spacer on insertion of the bolt.

Remove the engine bolt 17mm

The hose bracket is obstruction the crash bar and has to be removed.

 The engine bolt spacer has to be hold in place with some paper.

Fasten the lower crash bar inner bolt. U need a small spanner.

Why Casio Protrek water proof fails

These are the tiny O-rings in the side buttons.

These are the O-rings on the chasis. They are subject to dirt built up. Once the O-ring lubricant dries up or pressure difference is great and sudden, leaks will happen.

Replacing Handlebar

 Loosen the 4 bolts , hex size 12mm 

Remove the brake lever light switch in front of the right brake reservoir

Right side brake reservoir, 2 hex size 8mm

 Unscrew the 2 philips screw for the right control hub

 Left side mirror Hub.

 Left rubber grip loosen with a chopstick and some silicon spray

 The vibration dampener weight is locked with 2 hook and pressed with a screw driver to release it.

 The whole dampener is pulled out and replaced.

The vertical alignment is based on the left mirror which should be vertical in the base.

Do not over tighten the  12mm bolts as the raiser is made of aluminium.

This job takes 30-45 mins. The dealer charge me HKD 400  for this and it is a fair price.