matnorman Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 Does anyone have any recommendations for good bright headlamp bulbs ? I've got Halfrauds hi-brightness in at the mo, but they just light the road with a vague orangey glow . Most other cars on the road seem to carry floodlights round with them by comparison. (PS headlamps are adjusted properly - checked that one first) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferny Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 http://motors.search.ebay.co.uk/silverstar_Cars-Parts-Vehicles_W0QQ_trksidZm37QQcatrefZC11QQfromZR40QQsacatZ9800That's what I have in mine and they're stunning. When someone drove my car towards me I was convinced they were on full beam when they were on dipped.Have you also checked all of your connections? Older ones can be a bit iffy and cleaning them up can make a big difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matnorman Posted November 7, 2007 Author Share Posted November 7, 2007 Yes , they are nice & clean. I have to say that when Im outside of the car they are all white and bright, but by the time it hits the road its a different matter. Maybe i should ditch those 70's aviator specs ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilnaz Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 You might want to look at fitting relays in to ensure that you aren't getting a high voltage drop through all the old wiring and feeding too little volts to the existing bulbs. What car is this for? and what is your current set-up?I am just in the process of fitting relays to my headlights. I have got halogens and they are fairly bright but have been running them for 3 years through the existing wiring and switchgear. This is not very advisable due to higher current load with 80W halogen bulbs (etc).The wiring of relays is pretty straightforward. I bought 2 kits but you can buy wiring and components instead. What you do is run 12v from battery via suitable fuses (30A in my case) to relays that sit near the front of the car to ensure short runs to the headlights. You use existing switched feeds to switch relays and re-route the current wiring accordingly and use modern and appropriate wiring from the switched 12v output to the headlights.To do this I am cutting the existing wiring to the headlights and connecting this to the relay output then extending the remaining feed (from the headlamp switch) to switch the relays. This way you can minimise the older wiring in use in the circuit, protect your headlights with the inline fuses and prevent the need to cut up your existing wiring loom except where you are cutting into the existing headlamp feed.I am sorry for the long reply. It might be that I need to explain this via a diagram. The kit that I bought is available from Halfords but you can look online. I got the kit (times 2 - 1 for dipped and 1 for main beam) for around £11 from www.speeding.co.uk There may be other cheaper sources but each kit contains wiring, fuses, relays, switches (that I have not used). I have only had to source some 3mm wiring to extend 12v forward to feed the relays in addition to the kits.If you need anything further explaining then get back to me.Regards, Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matnorman Posted November 7, 2007 Author Share Posted November 7, 2007 Thanks for the info Neil but this is for an '02 Focus ! (OK so its not a Triumph but if I asked the question on a 'modern' forum they'd probably tell me to put some nice neon lights under the car...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilnaz Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 Ah I should have just posted what car is this for!!?Cheers, Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matnorman Posted November 7, 2007 Author Share Posted November 7, 2007 No problem , it'll come in handy when (if - subject to keeping marital harmony) I do actually get a Triumph !Mat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deleted User Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 post removed on request of author Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matnorman Posted November 7, 2007 Author Share Posted November 7, 2007 Am tempted to run higher wattage bulbs but Im under the impression that they're illegal for road use ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deleted User Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 post removed on request of author Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matnorman Posted November 7, 2007 Author Share Posted November 7, 2007 True - half the reason for asking in the first place is 'cos Im sick of driving blind half the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C Mallock Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 I used the Halfords hi brightness ones in my modern and while they were bright the kept burning out (4-6 months) have now fitted some Piaa platinum white bulbs in the hope that they will last longer. these as there name suggest put out a very clear white light on the road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheelman Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 Modern car headlamps and reflectors are made from plastic, and may be damaged (melt) with the extra heat given off by higher wattage lamps. My "projector" dipped lamp reflectors melted with the recommended standard 55W lamps fitted, but they were replaced free of charge, as Nissan did eventually put their hands up about the wrong compound being used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Sorbington Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 Wheelman wrote:Modern car headlamps and reflectors are made from plastic, and may be damaged (melt) with the extra heat given off by higher wattage lamps. My "projector" dipped lamp reflectors melted with the recommended standard 55W lamps fitted, but they were replaced free of charge, as Nissan did eventually put their hands up about the wrong compound being used.The ellipsoidal type lights on my 2002 Passat were all but useless by the time the car was 3 years old, new bulbs made no difference, probably deterioration of the light units themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lordleonusa Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 This is the best and most accurate information about headlamps and bulbs...http://www.danielsternlighting.com/ I have NFIBest RegardsLéon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deleted User Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 post removed on request of author Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lordleonusa Posted November 9, 2007 Share Posted November 9, 2007 It has certainly taken WIPAC long enough to do that!I wasted my money on some of their tat years ago, and the reflectors started loosing their coating after 18 months...Went to Cibié after that, never had the slightest problem with their products.L Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieB Posted November 9, 2007 Share Posted November 9, 2007 davesideways wrote:I noted WIPAC have improved their lamp units .......Really, I must have a look at the free ones I got from Moss & see if they're better than the ones in my car. I've never taken them out of the box, I was going to stick them on ebay ;D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deleted User Posted November 9, 2007 Share Posted November 9, 2007 post removed on request of author Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebrookster Posted November 9, 2007 Share Posted November 9, 2007 Having just had a quick perusal on t'net, it appears that there are no regulations under British Law regarding wattage of bulbs. However they are not allowed to be Blue it appears, and they have to have an 'E' stamp. Bulbs up to 60/55 have this mark, but higher wattage bulbs don;t have this mark, which is what makes them illegal for road use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Baxter Posted November 9, 2007 Share Posted November 9, 2007 davesideways wrote:Lets say 60/55 is like a pair of candles compared to a modern reflector and type bulb...Who cares...You'll not start pissing people off till you get 90w on the dip.I call it fightback, I am constantly blinded by 4x4 drivers with headlights that melt my retinas at eye level...It all becomes so much better at 80w dip...Illegal yes, but who is gonna check or know, or be arsed, they have speed cameras to enforce all the road laws now!Yes, but some of us do not appreciate being blinded in general, even bloody worse if it's by someone who actually knows what they're doing with a car!Absolutely fed up with driving on country roads at night and constantly having to slow down to 30mph due to having a corsa or somesuch drive past me with uprated bulbs and the foglights on and completely screwing my vision up. I really think this is one where the law is there for a reason, the maximum legally allowed wattage for bulbs is completely fine for road use, as long as they are adjusted properly and the circuit is in good order.If nothing else it's just impolite, and one example of where fixed penalty notices should be used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Sorbington Posted November 9, 2007 Share Posted November 9, 2007 But I get dazzled every day by some knob in an N reg Astra whose headlights are totally misaligned. The driver doesn't look clever enough to fit uprated bulbs.Xenons are fine, even on 4x4s so long as the auto aim / level system is working OK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deleted User Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 post removed on request of author Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willcolumbine Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 Having decent headlights is completely different to driving around continuously with foglamps on, and stupid blue tint lights and all that malarky. The glass blocks a huge percent of the output and as another driver you probably wouldn't even notice daves lights.The really stupid headlights on the road are those High Intensity Discharge lights on the top of the range luxury cars. They are basically an arc light and as the reflectors are shaped rather than the lens you're basically looking straight into it! How they can be legal I have no idea. Guess its another case of more and more security for the drivers and less for everyone else. Ever driven a modern eurobox with more than one screen pillar each about 20cm wide. More safety for you less for the kid that you cant see because they block your view! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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