"Our Knowledge Section"
Here's what makes a
real difference in high
amperage electronics.
Roll over our circuit board. |
Others  |
Harley-Davidson dealers have called asking for information about our headlight modulators because their customers keep asking for a modulator. They tell us they really need something better than the brand they'd been getting through a distributor because it kept failing so they'd stopped selling modulators. This is unfortunate but tells us to keep doing what we do because -
"We're surely doing something right". |
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The answer to your question "Do we actually build our own circuit board assembly?" YES and right here in Tucson! |
Product Information
This Kriss unit is what we view as real plug and play!
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Below is how the Kriss modulator is connected
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 Standard H4 plug
Installation is a simple matter of pulling the original plug from the back of the bulb then connecting it to the Kriss unit and inserting our plug in its place on the bulb. Our wires are 8"
in length to give you ease and flexibility.
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The original plug is disconnected. The bulb itself is not replaced. | Well, I just put mine on my bike. It took just 15 minutes. I don't see how anyone with common sense can't install one of these.
Charlie F. - Ultra Classic
Gainesville, FL
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| Our design of using a plug, rather than the modulator attached directly to the bulb like some other makes, prevents high levels of heat generated by the bulb from transferring directly to the unit and shortening life expectancy.
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"ISD" Cool Energy Modulation"©  (Here's something you should read)
There's an important design feature that separates a Kriss headlight modulator from others on the market aside from our exclusive "Shade Delay". The program code for our microprocessor sets an "Instant Step Down" (ISD) method of controlling the current flow to the bulb. Our circuit design creates a more crisp and brighter modulation because it doesn't waste current with a heat generating delay like those that slowly throttle down the current flow. It's a characteristic of a mosfet (the switching transistor) to get hot when changing state slowly so we put in the additional engineering to make it work fast. When the filament is at peak temperature our "ISD" sets the bottom level with lighting speed allowing the filament to cool naturally according to the design and material of the filament used in the bulb. An obvious benefit is that the filament is not going to be stressed by operating outside it's metallurgical limits. Our modulators last longer because they run cold and don't create life shortening heat like the others you'll find on the market. Maybe this doesn't make much of a difference in the short run but customers who buy Kriss know it means something when their modulator is still running 10, 15 or 20 years down the road.
A "real" Can-Bus headlight modulator. No gimmicks, resistors or little light bulbs inside of your fairing to try and trick the fault monitoring system on your bike. You don't need light inside of the fairing for drivers to see you and you don't need the heat created by bulbs or resistors. Imagine, a heat source that gets pretty darned hot bouncing around inside of the fairing with the risk of melting your wiring and potential short circuits, maybe even causing a fire or some other catastrophic event. Using a bulb connected to the headlight circuit to create an electrical load when the bulb is off, during modulation, only adds to the normal headlight load and isn't very efficient. And, since it's on all the time the manufacturers bulb failure detect is rendered inoperable. The characteristics of radiating light also radiates a huge amount of infrared heat -- far more heat than emitted light. Since the purpose of an incandescent light bulb is to generate light, this heat is wasted energy inside of your fairing. But, this might be pretty neat during the cold winter months having a little tungsten filament operating at 4500 degrees Fahrenheit helping to keep it warm inside of the fairing.
With a Kriss Harley Can-Bus modulator you don't have these worries. Our modulator hides itself from the fault warning system electronically so you can ride with the headlight modulating and not have a fault switching your headlight to low beam because a fault had been detected. Our design doesn't interfere with the normal fault functions so should your headlight actually fail you'll see the system operate as designed by Harley-Davidson.
Kriss "Easy TouchWire Programming" © (programming internal code is simple, being accomplished at the unit, by touching a wire to +12 volts and doesn't require any external hardware or computer) gives you the flexibility to change from our shade delay to instant response to any light changes.
  "Kriss Shade Delay"© exclusive in Double Eagle Modulators is designed into the operating code so the modulation is not interrupted during those brief moments when you pass under an overpass or behind a shaded area like a large tree, hill or building. Our modulator in the only unit available with a delay for light changes that's an actual time delay in the software code and not an external adjustment to the light sensor. Adjusting the light sensor simply interferes with the normal shut off and turn on times, established by the d.o.t. regulations, which isn't very useful much less functional.
If you prefer not to use the shade delay because you like instant reaction to light it takes just a few seconds to change the program that's being used.
 is built into the standard Double Eagle circuit design because it modulates only one headlight beam and the circuit is independent of the other beam.
The Kriss engineering design incorporates the latest technology and should the modulated circuit fail it will usually operate like a normal bulb and simply stop modulating. If some unusually catastrophic event happens like a major short circuit or overload that damaged the circuit board then you always have the stock direct circuit to the other beam which is not connected to the modulator circuit, that's real protection.
 roll over
Meets d.o.t. regulations so it's legal in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Easy plug in unit. Doesn't require that you cut the wires on your motorcycle.
Light detector automatically turns the modulator off at night. It's not legal to operate, even momentarily, at night and we strictly follow the d.o.t. requirements.
  No drilling holes in headlight or fairing to install our light detector.
This has been an original feature of Kriss modulators since 1992. Here's why we feel it's not good to drill a hole in your headlight housing to install a light detector. In an effort to be fancy others out there use a sensor that's built into a small metal bezel that's installed in a hole with a fastening nut. This requires drilling a hole. We were the only company with modern type modulators in the early 90's and realized early on that drilling a hole in a chrome headlight housing or other surface violates the integrity of the metal and plating setting it up for inter granular corrosion caused by humidity and seen by the subsequent separation of the plating which migrates out from the hole.
This is often referred to as blistering of the chrome plating. If you look at the picture on the left of the page you'll see that the design of our detector permits mounting it at the front of the bike and attached to a brake hose, or whatever suits your fancy, with a tie wrap or velcro. Our installation instructions explain how and where to place the detector.
Modulates the high beam. Just like all of our modulators it's easy to turn off during the day when it's operating, simply select the other beam or it can be installed so it may be completely turned off.
The Kriss Headlight Modulator will not reduce the life of your headlight bulb.
Fits all Harley models using an H4 type 12 VDC bulb with a three prong plug (except as noted below).
(Vrod uses H7 type, 883 uses Slim-Jim, Fat-Bob dual bulb uses separate model)
The latest in miniaturization offers a small, totally solid state, rugged unit that fits easily most motorcycles. It's only 1½" x 1½" x ¾".
Heavy Duty Version (130 watts) - This option is used primarily with higher wattage bulbs than stock bulbs but still works with the lower wattage bulbs. If using stock bulbs the heavy duty modulator is certainly going to be operating with reduced load requirements on the mosfets to help extend operational life.
(Heavy Duty model is an additional $15.00)
Headlight modulators cannot be used on High Intensity Discharge bulbs. (HID uses a ballast to ignite a gas inside the bulb rather than a filament)
Modulation shown is a simulation.
Modulates 240/min. reqd. by d.o.t. (4 times per sec.) |
Rated
There's only one modulator made for your Harley-Davidson - 
