Bulbs (again!)

[trev260764]

I see the threads are starting again regarding lighting. Is it a coincidence that these become more regular just after the clocks have gone back?

I note that the bulbs of choice seem to be Philips X-Treme power. They seem to have had some decent write-ups. Do you reckon it would be better opting for these 130W ones http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/RING-H4-130W-RALLY-SPORT-BULBS-HIGH-POWER-WHITE-BEAM_W0QQitemZ120385244056QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM?hash=item1c07850b98 powered from the battery with a couple of relays? Are the Philips ones that good?

I know the bit about the Plod etc. I won't turn them on unless I on my private estate...

 

[robwright]

To be honest mate I don't really have a problem with the stock bulbs fitted to mine. They're not brilliant but seem adequate for everyday (or night) road usage. What does everyone else think about them? Thought about upgrading to HID until I found out I would have to change the entire lens as well for them to be street legal.

 

[trev260764]

To be fair, they are not too bad on full beam. But on dip, my wife has to get out and walk on in front, and wave a bright flag if there is a corner coming up. The biggest problem with this is that she only has short legs, and obviously not too fast. I keep bumping into her and now she's got loads of bruises.

Aparantly, these are an issue when she's at the ironing board, as she keeps catching them on the roundy bit on the end [opposite where the iron goes when it's not in her hand].

 

[Mike_Pollock]

I've got the Phillips ones and they do make a real difference, hassle to fit and legal bits = I'll keep the Phillips
Mike

 

[beeRS]

I just fitted a pair of Ring 'Sportz Blue' 100W to my 924. I thought that they should be nearly twice as bright as ordinary H4's. They were so bad that I had to pull over last weekend and check they were still working!

I'm no electrician, but the wattage quoted by bulb manufacturers does not seem to be proportional to the brightness.

I have now fitted a pair of 'PIAA Xtreme White Plus' and they are amazing! Not quite as bright as an HID conversion but without doubt the most amazing headlamp bulbs I have ever used [] But I guess thats why the cost so much.

Got them from here; http://www.ruderacing.co.uk/Bulbs-Headlamp_Bulbs_(Search_by_Fitment)-H4_Bulbs/c2824_2985_2988/index.html

 

[peanut]

ORIGINAL: trev260764
The biggest problem with this is that she only has short legs, and obviously not too fast. I keep bumping into her and now she's got loads of bruises.

Aparantly, these are an issue when she's at the ironing board, as she keeps catching them on the roundy bit on the end [opposite where the iron goes when it's not in her hand].

I would recommend you wrap some bubblewrap around the ironing board legs sharpish []

 

[Copperman05]

ORIGINAL: trev260764

To be fair, they are not too bad on full beam. But on dip, my wife has to get out and walk on in front, and wave a bright flag if there is a corner coming up. The biggest problem with this is that she only has short legs, and obviously not too fast. I keep bumping into her and now she's got loads of bruises.

Aparantly, these are an issue when she's at the ironing board, as she keeps catching them on the roundy bit on the end [opposite where the iron goes when it's not in her hand].

As stated before whenI changed to Phillips Xtreme Power bulbs the most difference was noticed whilst on dip, my headlights were very yellow and dim before now thay are much whiter and brighter, if you tried them I'm pretty sure you wouldnt feel the need for high wattage bulbs or even HID.

And at £15 a pair from ebay they wont exactly break the bank either.

Edd

 

[zcacogp]

Trev,

I had the same problem. But it sounds like my wife has even shorter legs than yours, and simply couldn't stay ahead of my S2. And the flag got very dirty in the snow last February time, which didn't help as I just couldn't see her.

I ended up fitting 100/55w bulbs to my car. Nothing special, just higher wattage ones (but standard wattage on dip.) However, the existing harness only delivered about 9v to the bulbs, which is pretty typical as the wiring deteriorates as it gets older and the resistance goes up - and that would mean the amount of light from the standard bulbs drops by about 1/4, and would potentially cause a fire with the bigger bulbs fitted. To avoid this I built an additional wiring harness, with extra-thick cable running straight from the battery connection at the back of the engine bay to some beefy relays, and switched the relays with the existing wiring harness. This means there is a nice fat 14v at the bulb terminals (when the engine is running) and the lights are now excellent.

beeRS - if you just fitted 100w bulbs to yours without looking at the wiring then this may well explain the poor performance.


Oli.

 

[sulzeruk]

Hi Trev, I bought a couple of sets of the Osram Night Breakers from here:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=350279387360&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT
£9.25 was cheapest I could find for them. They are like night and day, excuse the pun, compared to the standard bulbs that were fitted!
Alasdair

 

[trev260764]

I think it makes sense then to go with new wiring and relays. If i'm gonna do that, I may as well put 130 watters in then...

 

[zcacogp]

ORIGINAL: trev260764

I think it makes sense then to go with new wiring and relays. If i'm gonna do that, I may as well put 130 watters in then...

Ding!


Oli.

 

[Hilux]

I ended up fitting 100/55w bulbs to my car. Nothing special, just higher wattage ones (but standard wattage on dip.) However, the existing harness only delivered about 9v to the bulbs, which is pretty typical as the wiring deteriorates as it gets older and the resistance goes up - and that would mean the amount of light from the standard bulbs drops by about 1/4, and would potentially cause a fire with the bigger bulbs fitted. To avoid this I built an additional wiring harness, with extra-thick cable running straight from the battery connection at the back of the engine bay to some beefy relays, and switched the relays with the existing wiring harness. This means there is a nice fat 14v at the bulb terminals (when the engine is running) and the lights are now excellent.

Thats the proper way to do it with 80`s cars. All you really need is proper full voltage at the bulbs not brighter bulbs.

Also the wires that connect to the pod have a pretty horrible route and are subject to the pods going up and down so may have breaks and be work hardened/brittle.

 

[trev260764]

Gonna do it this way as my dips specially are poor. This gives me the option of any bulbs then, either standard or uprated, without any damage.

Anyone with any preference to positive supply? I understand that a comon point is the alternator - i'm guessing that this is bacause the battery is in the boot...

 

[Hilux]

If the battery is in the boot then a battery positive can be obtained from the terminal post below the offside windscreen and to the right of the heater blower behind the engine firewall.

 

[wolfie308]

Just come in from fitting my Philips X-Treme bulbs.....can't say I could see an obvious improvement in full daylight, but interesting to note the non matching pair that were in there. The top one which is somewhat yellower, has also lost half the silver coating on the end. I'll take some pics later when it's nearly dark to see how they compare. I suspect they will still look yellow compared to my LED sidelights []

 

[wolfie308]

Okay, this isn't very scientific as these pics were taken with different cameras on different dates(months apart) but I tried to take them at about the same ambient light......

Mismatched originals.......

Philips X-Treme...........

Haven't tried them on the road yet, so will see how they look tomorrow night. Not quite as blue white as I'd like, but certainly an improvement

 

[zcacogp]

ORIGINAL: Hilux

If the battery is in the boot then a battery positive can be obtained from the terminal post below the offside windscreen and to the right of the heater blower behind the engine firewall.

That's where I took mine from. I think it's a 5mm ring terminal you need, and this will work very elegantly; unscrew the brass post and put the ring terminal underneath it before screwing it in again.

You will have a significantly harder job getting the supply wife across the bulkhead just in front of the terminal. Find a suitable grommet and push the new wire into it as best you can ...


Oli.

 

[944 man]

ORIGINAL: Hilux

If the battery is in the boot then a battery positive can be obtained from the terminal post below the offside windscreen and to the right of the heater blower behind the engine firewall.

Youll only find this on late cars which dont have direct key operation on the rear hatch. Car whose hatch can be opened without electricity dont have the jump terminal IIRC.