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Any problem running 60/55 halogen on KZ440?

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15 May 2022 05:07 #867123 by Sdaniels2010
Any problem running 60/55 halogen on KZ440? was created by Sdaniels2010
Stock sealed beam is 35/35 but the wire doesn't look any thinner than 18 gauge & most bikes run 60/55 with that.  I plan on doing an LED bulb but until I get that I was wondering if anybody had used a 60/55 without issue...

1981 KZ440 A2 LTD

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15 May 2022 15:31 #867138 by Nebr_Rex
Replied by Nebr_Rex on topic Any problem running 60/55 halogen on KZ440?
The charging system on the 440 is more than adequate to handle the demand.
As long as the wiring doesn't get warm you should be good to go.


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2002 ZRX1200R
81 GPz1100
79 KZ1000st daily ride
79 KZ1000mk2 prodject
78 KZ650sr
78 KZ650b
81 KZ750e
80 KZ750ltd
77 KZ400/440 cafe project
76 KZ400/440 Fuel Injected

www.dotheton.com/forum/index.php?topic=39120.0


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16 May 2022 07:07 #867150 by slayer61
Replied by slayer61 on topic Any problem running 60/55 halogen on KZ440?
You will likely have to upsize the fuse to handle the additional wattage. 

Don't be ridiculous! It's only a flesh wound!

[strike]Wife's little bike... 1984 GPZ 550 Kerker and DynaJet stage I kit[/strike]
Wife's BIG bike......[strike] 1981 GPZ 1100 Kerker and [strike]factory FI[/strike] Mikuni RS34s W/ K&N pods[/strike] SOLD

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16 May 2022 08:28 #867152 by martin_csr
Replied by martin_csr on topic Any problem running 60/55 halogen on KZ440?
Um, don't most KZs have a 10A fuse for the headlight?

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16 May 2022 13:00 #867164 by Sdaniels2010
Replied by Sdaniels2010 on topic Any problem running 60/55 halogen on KZ440?

Um, don't most KZs have a 10A fuse for the headlight?
Yeah...20A for the main, 10A for the head & tail light.  Why do you ask?  Bad idea to run the 60/55 bulb?

1981 KZ440 A2 LTD

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16 May 2022 13:29 #867166 by linuxrob
Replied by linuxrob on topic Any problem running 60/55 halogen on KZ440?
To run an LED bulb go for a matched up for led  lens unit or the pattern with be a, rubbish, b illegal.
To run the 5 amps or so for the Halogen bulb you will need to run the lights from relays with bigger wire or you will drop a couple of volts at the bulb.
 

1980 Z500 B2 owned from new 78260 miles
1980 Z500 B2 in bits since 1982 23000 miles
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16 May 2022 13:51 - 16 May 2022 13:57 #867167 by martin_csr
Replied by martin_csr on topic Any problem running 60/55 halogen on KZ440?
By Sdaniels2010:  Yeah...20A for the main, 10A for the head & tail light.  Why do you ask?  Bad idea to run the 60/55 bulb?

It might be a bad idea to increase the size of the fuse if it's already 10A. A wire might melt before blowing the fuse if it's oversized.  I don't know how the headlight wire gauge on a 440 compares to a 650 or other KZ.  I'm using a 60/55 halogen on my 650CSR, but that's the same wattage as stock or pretty close. I forget.
Last edit: 16 May 2022 13:57 by martin_csr.

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16 May 2022 14:25 #867168 by 650ed
Upsize the fuse and fry the wiring.  Bad idea.  Ed

1977 KZ650-C1 Original Owner - Stock (with additional invisible FIAMM horn)

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16 May 2022 14:51 #867170 by Sdaniels2010
Replied by Sdaniels2010 on topic Any problem running 60/55 halogen on KZ440?

By Sdaniels2010:  Yeah...20A for the main, 10A for the head & tail light.  Why do you ask?  Bad idea to run the 60/55 bulb?

It might be a bad idea to increase the size of the fuse if it's already 10A. A wire might melt before blowing the fuse if it's oversized.  I don't know how the headlight wire gauge on a 440 compares to a 650 or other KZ.  I'm using a 60/55 halogen on my 650CSR, but that's the same wattage as stock or pretty close. I forget.
For newer bikes with a lot of LED lighting there may be lighter gauge wiring but I don't think I've seen anything less than 18 gauge wire on any bike I've ever had going back 30 years or so for most components.  So I'm thinking my 18 gauge wire will support a 60/55 bulb.  Running relays is required if you run significantly higher wattage headlight halogens but I don't think that 60/55 is that big of a jump from 35/35, at least not compared to stuffing a 100/80 halogen in where a stock 60/55 normally resides.  Besides, this is just a temporary deal until I pickup the LED replacement.

1981 KZ440 A2 LTD

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17 May 2022 17:02 #867240 by F64
That 10amp fuse is there to protect the wiring not the load. You can use a lower amperage fuse. Never use a higher amperage fuse unless you like fires.

Kawasaki decided that headlight wire could support 120 watts(10amps at 12volts).
Anything above 120 watts hopefully the fuse blows before the wire melts.

Keep that circuit below 100 watts and you should be ok. That blue, blue and white wire in the fuse box (10amp fuse) powers only the headlight in stock configuration.

Your 60 watt headlight is fine.

81-KZ440-D2.
Louis Dudzik's GM HEI ignitor conversion installed 2015 s3.amazonaws.com/gpzweb/Ignition/GPZgmHEImod.html
Motogadget m-unit blue installed 2017.
LIC, NY
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17 May 2022 17:15 #867241 by Sdaniels2010
Replied by Sdaniels2010 on topic Any problem running 60/55 halogen on KZ440?

That 10amp fuse is there to protect the wiring not the load. You can use a lower amperage fuse. Never use a higher amperage fuse unless you like fires.

Kawasaki decided that headlight wire could support 120 watts(10amps at 12volts).
Anything above 120 watts hopefully the fuse blows before the wire melts.

Keep that circuit below 100 watts and you should be ok. That blue, blue and white wire in the fuse box (10amp fuse) powers only the headlight in stock configuration.

Your 60 watt headlight is fine.
I appreciate your explanation.  So multiplying a fuse rating with the system voltage tells you how much wattage can be utilized?

1981 KZ440 A2 LTD

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17 May 2022 17:42 - 17 May 2022 17:47 #867243 by F64
yeah,
voltage x amp(current) = wattage
100v x 1amp =100 watts
12v x 8.3 amps = 100watts
10v x 10amps=100 watts
5v x 20amps =100 watts

your headlight
60watts/12volts= 5 amps

81-KZ440-D2.
Louis Dudzik's GM HEI ignitor conversion installed 2015 s3.amazonaws.com/gpzweb/Ignition/GPZgmHEImod.html
Motogadget m-unit blue installed 2017.
LIC, NY
Last edit: 17 May 2022 17:47 by F64.
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