Bi-Xenon wiring up in smoke

[lilman]

Spent all day baking, trimming, and painting my headlight. Everything went well for the most part except the wiring. Bi-Xenon works like a charm, HID works like a charm, but when I start trying to do both at same time is where I have problems.
I wired it according to a diagram I saw (weedahoe I believe) but keep burning the diode on the low beam side. Could the fact I'm using 55w ballast be causing the issue? Wiring is before ballast but its the only thing I can think of.
To reassure I wired right

Red projector to yellow that then goes to diode
White-diode to ballast
Yellow is wired into white after the diode
Ground for ballast and projected both run to ground of H4 connection.
Sorry, no pics ATM

Thanks for any help!


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[radodrill]

A wiring diagram would help; especially if you indicate which element(s)/wire(s) are failing.

[weedahoe]

I'm on my mobile also and I know the pic you're talking about. The output of the ballast has nothing to do with it as that goes to the bulb. The diode is in place to keep 12v back feed. Are you sure you are putting the diode in place in the correct direction?

[lilman]

Yeah...about that...pretty sure I put it in backwards. First time dealing with diodes so this is a learning process haha.


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[lilman]

Scratch that, still having issues with the diodes burning up. Doesn't seem to be isolated to one side, more random. Hooked ballast straight to battery and still burnt, which maybe that's just because direct battery is to much? I'm wondering are the diodes big enough? Ill upload a diagram of how I have it wired here shortly.


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[lilman]

Pretty sure I have the wiring correct, only thing I can think of is maybe the diodes are too small? Here's a thought and blast me if its super dumb haha. Run power to ballast off of a keyed source which should be fine being the light is always on anyways when the bike is on. Then, just work the projector off of the high/low switch. I've wired vehicles before but its just been much simpler than this I guess or I've gotten slower as I've aged.

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[Kiwingenuity]

What sort of diodes are you using? (1N004 etc) If you are using a regular small signal diode you may be exceeding the maximum current rating causing the junction to peg out due to heat. Most diodes are designed to protect against a high reverse voltage and have a pretty miserable current rating.  At 12V, 55W is 4.5A - I would go for a decent rectifier diode that has a nominal forward current rating of more than 10A.

Cheaper option may be get hold of a full wave bridge rectifier and bolt it to the frame.  These have a much higher current rating and will still work the same way.
http://jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=ZR1324&form=CAT2&SUBCATID=973#1

[lilman]

IN4001 is what I used. Damn, another trip to radio shack. Thanks


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[Kiwingenuity]

All good - the other option is to use a bunch of IN4001s in parallel, but that gets a bit messy.. the rectifier blocks are quite robust and easy.  Other bonus is if you burn out one leg you have three more to use 

EDIT:
Using a beefy Diode also means the voltage drop across the diode junction is going to be less which equals more power for your headlight..

[weedahoe]

These are what I used

RadioShack Model: 1N4004  |  Catalog #: 276-1103

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2036270&znt_campaign=Category_CMS&znt_source=CAT&znt_medium=RSCOM&znt_content=CT2032230

[adidasguy]

A 1N4001 I recall is a 1 amp diode. You need a beefier one.
Voltage drop across a diode is 0.7 volts.
Multiple diodes in parallel would still be 0.7 volt drop. HOWEVER any one of the diodes could fail and then you have a cascading effect of the rest going out.
If you want diodes in parallel for peace of mind, each diode should be capable of handling the required current. Then one diode of the correct rating is all you would need.
You don't put diodes in series.

[yamahonkawazuki]

Yeah...about that...pretty sure I put it in backwards. First time dealing with diodes so this is a learning process haha.


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LMAo not laughing at you my friend, but with you. ive been there lol. a couple times.

[lilman]

It's crazy to think wiring this thing is serving more trouble than finessing the housing and shroud for the projector to fit. Have yet to ride this bike since I bought it two weeks ago, sure hope to have it wrapped up and on the road this weekend. May show off some bragging pics when done too...well either pics or more failure and questions haha.


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[Kiwingenuity]

Not sure if you got a rectifier block or just a plain bigger diode.

If you use a rectifier block, you essentially have four diodes:



Plus side of things is that the 35A ones have spade terminals which means less stuffing around..

[radodrill]

Not sure if you got a rectifier block or just a plain bigger diode.

If you use a rectifier block, you essentially have four diodes:



Plus side of things is that the 35A ones have spade terminals which means less stuffing around..

That's not a bridge rectifier and won't give any DC voltage.
A bridge rectifier has diodes going from the DC negative to each of the AC lines; then a diode from each AC line to the DC positive.  Single phase AC will have 4 diodes; 3-phase (what comes from the bike's stator) has 6 diodes.

Looks like weedahoe's diagram is to allow the ballast to get power from both the high and low beam circuits while still maintaining the operation of the 2 distinct circuits and powering the projector only with the high beam.  In that case only the 2 switching diodes are required; they just have to be able to handle the current load.

[Kiwingenuity]

duh.. must be a Friday - My apologies - and Radodrill is correct, I had drawn it wrong.  But I wasn't referring to the bikes rectifier (correct it is 6 wire three phase style).



My point was that in a pinch you can use a single leg of a normal single phase full wave rectifer block as a power / large current switching diode. not ideal by any means, but they can carry a lot more current than the usual 4001s etc.

[lilman]

 Well I tried the suggested diode and again "up in smoke". Decided to go with a relay with the BiXenon running from the high terminal of H4 connection. Once I get my male H4 connector ill tidy up the wiring but as of right now I'm up and running.