Ok, so you want to add some lighting to your RZR? Sounds easy! Toss in some lights? "NOT" Not as easy as it sounds! I just happen to have the background in electronics and electrical to be able to do this and thought it might put some light on the subject in perspective.
Anyway I wanted to add some lighting to my RZR, it had been purchased from the dealer with add on lights already, but the problem was, when I turned them on after running for about 40 min I was getting low battery warning!, meaning that the charging system in not providing enough power to hold a positive charge. FYI the stock charging system only supplies 500 Watts total. With stock lights, Fan, tail lights, ECU and Ignition it is almost at total draw. So you have to reduce your overall load to get any more power from it, with out adding a dual battery or a larger one. But that only works for awhile because you are overloading the stock charging system.

I tested the charging system and found that with the stock lights all on and the fan running along with the tail lights and brakes lights that I was pretty much maxed out and drawing from the battery! That sucks! I do a lot of desert driving and need lights! After some re-engineering I decided to make some adjustments,
I installed a VSD varible Speed drive on the main fan"by the way if anyone wants to do this I can provide you the manufactures later or you can email me". That helps the big surge that the fan takes by starting up. I am also installing a grill in the hood to increase air flow to the radiator being that this thing was designed for major cold weather and needs more air flow in the desert for cooling.
Next step was to retrofit my tail lights in the rear, they were pulling 27Watts each on braking, changed to LED's and had to install a relay because POLARIS JUST has to be different and use the Negative to switch the lights in the rear unlike most that use the Positive to switch for brake lights.
Now to add some more lighting and reduce my overall consumption,"Humm' HID"s in the front to replace the 55Watt halogen, at starting HID's take more consumption but on running they only use 32 watts each, if we add it all up that is a savings of 46 watts total on the front HID's. Now for a little more lights I added 2 Pencil beam 32 watts each.

So here is the break down and still be able to get a positive charge rate of 13.7 volts without the rectifier overheating.

LED's installed Total consumption 6 Watts Was 54 watts
VSD Fan 50 to 200 watts mostly running at 50 Watts Savings of 150 watts
Front HID's from 110 watts to 64 watts

The only time I have any major draw is when the fan is on high, but that only seems to happen in the day time with very hot weather. Not a concern.

So this seemed to work for me, with out having to install dual batteries and a isolator. Which I might add later just to have the added reserve available.

By the way I had to remove all the other lighting that the dealer installed, because it drew too much amperage for the output it provided.

Now with the Two sets of HID's it looks like daylight in the desert and I can see about 1/4 mile ahead of my RZR and still get a positive charge rate.

Just wanted to share that with the RZR community for anyone looking for better lighting and less consumption and a way to still show a positive charge rate after all is said and done.

By the way we do some serious desert riding, are normal trips being about 100+ miles in a day, so the need for lighting was a major issue and still be able to charge the battery without having a major concern with charging or draining the battery.
Hope this helps out for anyone looking into adding more lighting or accessories.

Where did you mount your second HIDs? Did you just replace the bulbs in the dealer-installed lights, or did you add a whole housing? I've been wondering if I can replace the stock bulbs in my factory front bar lights with an HID kit.


Thanks for all the info!

I just changed the bulbs that are provided in the kit also, they drop right in, and you need to add a ballast for the HID's that come with the HID kits. I mounted them on the firewall where the brake fluid reservoir is located one on each side. Then you connect your wires that went to your old light socket, to the input of the HID's. There are a lot of kits available on eBay etc that plug and play. The second set I removed the lights that the dealer installed on the roll ball and replaced them with two 6" pencil beams, I had three on it installed by the dealer but the draw, and light output was terrible. I mounted the ballasts inside at the top of the roll cage, looks sweet. And I can't brag enough on the output of these lights. The HIDS I installed were by BTS which is on ebay.

I thought you were asking about the stock lights in the rzr? for the cost of the ballasts and bulbs, its seems a little cheaper just to replace them with the kit. They have different sizes available. As far as a difference the light output is way better with the HIDS

Cool, thanks. What lights did you use to replace the roll bar lights? Did you totally replace the entire light assembly, or keep the original housings and install the batteries/ballast and whatnot? Basically, I'm wanting to put them in my front bar lights, but I'm hoping to re-use the housings that I've already got.


Edit: nevermind, I checked ebay for the BTS lights. Thanks tho!

I am the BTS Lights guy on ebay... Im new to the RZR Forms, but have been on the Rhino Forums for some time now. Let me know if you have any questions. Thanks! Josh

Great Post, Thank you! You saved me a lot of work!

Seems like adding an extra battery would be less work?

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Where did you get the VSD for the RZR?

I live in Alaska were it is dark for most of the day in the winter-which sucks ass!! Any ways, I put in a Red Top Optima battery and I am very impressed. I plow snow with the RZR so the winch is always going up and down, and with the lights on that was a problem. After the Optima I can run the winch, run the headlights, run my back-up light, and a set of Hella 500's with no problem. I must just have more reserve amperage or something. I am a lineman so I understand electricity, and this just seems to work. Pretty simple upgrade if you have a welder. Hold that right pedel to the floor until you see god!!!!!!

Mr Rockstar Junkie...looking at updating my stock headlights to HID which you supply. What are the pros or cons on 1) need for a relay 2) going to a narrow ballast--is there enough room for the standard size??

many thanks, jim

Ill send you a PM!

Can you send me a PM also. I would be interested also or just post the answer so we can all learn.

Thanks

Stock headlights and radiator fan are the big draws.

I added HIDs on a separate switch so I don't have to use the stock halogens. I also added the Fullbore hood so I get more airflow.

Nice thing is seat heaters don't use much juice....

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crow you make me laught...... so sand mtn memorial weekend ill be their we need to get paul and your buddy with the teryx and all hit the hill for some rides..... we seem to just miss each otheir up their i went 2 weekends ago and easter plus i want to see them hot seats....lol how do you like the hood im thinking of one.....

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