Hi- I have a beautiful, '97 SE and after reading about guys using headlamp modulators, I installed one.
Following the excellent instructions in the how to forum. All went well.
I love it, and have noticed on several occasions, the modulator kept people from pulling out or turning in front of me.
But when I am listening to my stereo especially through the headphones, I am getting a wow,wow,wow noise that is very annoying.
Has anyone had this happen? or have any suggestions?
Headlamp Modulator Feedback
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WingAdmin
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Re: Headlamp Modulator Feedback
The headlight modulator is causing a fairly large amount of current (close to 100 watts) to switch on and off rapidly. This can affect the audio, which is very sensitive to voltage noise and changes. You can mitigate it in several ways:
- Larger capacity battery and/or alternator
- Choke filter and/or filter capacitors installed on the headlight wiring in fairly close proximity to the headlight
I already had an AGM battery and Compufire alternator, so I went the choke route. I built my own choke using some magnet wire and a toroid, and also used some fairly large electrolytic capacitors to help buffer the switching. This made a fairly big difference.
- Larger capacity battery and/or alternator
- Choke filter and/or filter capacitors installed on the headlight wiring in fairly close proximity to the headlight
I already had an AGM battery and Compufire alternator, so I went the choke route. I built my own choke using some magnet wire and a toroid, and also used some fairly large electrolytic capacitors to help buffer the switching. This made a fairly big difference.
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redial
- Posts: 2130
- Joined: Mon Jan 03, 2011 1:17 am
- Location: Labrador, Queensland, Australia
- Motorcycle: 1997 GL1500 Spectre Red Aspencade
Re: Headlamp Modulator Feedback
WingAdmin,
Do you have a set of materials and pictures (we love pictures
) of the item? It sounds like just the trick to cut the wow, wow, wow from the earphones, and move the wows to the spectators.
Do you have a set of materials and pictures (we love pictures
) of the item? It sounds like just the trick to cut the wow, wow, wow from the earphones, and move the wows to the spectators.Len in Kapunda
The world is not going to finish today, as it is already tomorrow in Australia and New Zealand, and other islands of foreign nations such as Guam and Samoa.
The world is not going to finish today, as it is already tomorrow in Australia and New Zealand, and other islands of foreign nations such as Guam and Samoa.
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WingAdmin
- Site Admin
- Posts: 23308
- Joined: Fri Oct 03, 2008 4:16 pm
- Location: Strongsville, OH
- Motorcycle: 2000 GL1500 SE
1982 GL1100A Aspencade (sold)
1989 PC800 (sold)
1998 XV250 Virago (sold)
2012 Suzuki Burgman 400 (wife's!)
2007 Aspen Sentry Trailer - Contact:
Re: Headlamp Modulator Feedback
I used a coupled inductor circuit on the toroid, looks like this:redial wrote:WingAdmin,
Do you have a set of materials and pictures (we love pictures
The ferrite material of the toroid core is shared between the "out' and 'return" paths. If you look carefully at the sense of the windings, the fluxes generated by the load current passing are in opposite senses, so roughly cancel (differential mode). When there is constant current (DC) flowing, the toroid is not in saturation, so it doesn't touch anything. When the circuit is ramping up or down, the opposite flux of each winding cancel each other damping the sudden ramp up/down. A big electrolytic helps temper that sudden ramp up/down as well.
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redial
- Posts: 2130
- Joined: Mon Jan 03, 2011 1:17 am
- Location: Labrador, Queensland, Australia
- Motorcycle: 1997 GL1500 Spectre Red Aspencade
Re: Headlamp Modulator Feedback
Thank you. I trust the cold weather is not keeping you from your real work?
Len in Kapunda
The world is not going to finish today, as it is already tomorrow in Australia and New Zealand, and other islands of foreign nations such as Guam and Samoa.
The world is not going to finish today, as it is already tomorrow in Australia and New Zealand, and other islands of foreign nations such as Guam and Samoa.
-
WingAdmin
- Site Admin
- Posts: 23308
- Joined: Fri Oct 03, 2008 4:16 pm
- Location: Strongsville, OH
- Motorcycle: 2000 GL1500 SE
1982 GL1100A Aspencade (sold)
1989 PC800 (sold)
1998 XV250 Virago (sold)
2012 Suzuki Burgman 400 (wife's!)
2007 Aspen Sentry Trailer - Contact:
Re: Headlamp Modulator Feedback
My bike has been in pieces in the middle of the garage for a few weeks now.redial wrote:Thank you. I trust the cold weather is not keeping you from your real work?
