Need Brighter Headlights
#1
Burning Brakes
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Location: Henrico VA
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Need Brighter Headlights
I was on I-64 the other night and all I saw was a glimmer and then right in front of me were two deer just hanging out. I had to react quite quickly and I know I must have made the deer relieve themselves. After about 15 minutes, my high beams flicker, so I have to turn them on and off a lot. It makes driving country roads at night scarey. Is there any solution out there for C3s; I've looked all over Google. Is projection the best? I'll take Xenon or HID; I just need something better. If I have to make it myself, I will (I thought about cutting open some T3s and putting the bulbs in there..?). I just did all my other exterior lights with LEDs (mostly Luxeon and the blinkers work), so now that other cars can see me, I want to be able to see them...
#2
Le Mans Master
You need to install relays and wiring dedicated to the headlights that bypass the contacts in the headlight switch, and then you can run some Hellas. Just do an advanced search for the subject.
#3
Drifting
Many years ago, Westinghouse made an Aviation/Marine bulb. It was 13 volts and fit perfectly in the C3 high beam spot. The normal headlamp is around 30,000 candlepower, curved, and has little triangle in the glass to diffuse the light. These bulbs were flat glass and 200,000 CP. They turned night into day. I’ll have to see if I can find the bulb number.
#4
Melting Slicks
Get some Cibies at Daniel Stern Lighting. And read this article, Relays: WHY AND HOW TO UPGRADE YOUR HEADLAMP CIRCUIT on their web site.
#6
Racer
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I installed the relays according to D_Boy's diagram and replaced the original sealed beams with a set of halogen sealed beams from NAPA. These changes were my least expensive options, and made such a huge improvement that I'm satisfied with what I now have - even for driving in the mountains at night.
I used NAPA headlamp part numbers LMPH5001 (high beam) and LMPH5006 (low beam) because they have the highest candlepower ratings.
Good luck!
Jerry
I used NAPA headlamp part numbers LMPH5001 (high beam) and LMPH5006 (low beam) because they have the highest candlepower ratings.
Good luck!
Jerry
#8
Burning Brakes
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Kid Vette -- those look nice. Are they plug and play?
cottoneg -- those sound really nice; are they acceptable as low beams, safe, etc? I might buy them on the spot if you can give me the part number. Westinghouse makes some of our nuclear reactors and they work pretty well...or do they...
DB -- I can do the rewiring and probably should in order to fix the high beams, but since I'm in the middle of doing my interior lighting, I'd love to just swap something in. I will save the diagram and may end up doing it anyways.
cottoneg -- those sound really nice; are they acceptable as low beams, safe, etc? I might buy them on the spot if you can give me the part number. Westinghouse makes some of our nuclear reactors and they work pretty well...or do they...
DB -- I can do the rewiring and probably should in order to fix the high beams, but since I'm in the middle of doing my interior lighting, I'd love to just swap something in. I will save the diagram and may end up doing it anyways.
#10
Melting Slicks
#12
Race Director
Want Instant Daylight?
Place a pair of these in your high beam buckets and make it happen. GE 4537`s aircraft landing lights. ... Available on line or local private aviation airports.... You cant outrun these babies at ANY speed.....
I have them in everything that has 4 small round headlites. The procedure to install has been reviewed at least every 6 months. Just be carefull, Law enforcement frown on careless usage. There BRIGHT.
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I have them in everything that has 4 small round headlites. The procedure to install has been reviewed at least every 6 months. Just be carefull, Law enforcement frown on careless usage. There BRIGHT.
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..
#14
Many years ago, Westinghouse made an Aviation/Marine bulb. It was 13 volts and fit perfectly in the C3 high beam spot. The normal headlamp is around 30,000 candlepower, curved, and has little triangle in the glass to diffuse the light. These bulbs were flat glass and 200,000 CP. They turned night into day. I’ll have to see if I can find the bulb number.
#15
Le Mans Master
I have had Hella halogens on my 78 for 25 years and until recently they were the best you could get. I have 80/100 watt H4 low beams with the Hella lead crystal lens and 100 watt H1 bulbs for the high beam. The high beams run through a relay off of the alternator since the headlight switch will not take that level of current without the relay. Zero modifications to the headlight housing were needed. I have checked out the aircraft landing light mentioned above and it is a sealed beam unit that does not put the same candle power as a high watt hella and has a very limited headlight life listed. In addition sealed beam units have a more yellow light versus halogens. The most important component for the best quality light, the headlight lens, is actually more important than the bulb wattage. A high quality lens with a low wattage bulb will always put out more lumens and a better dispersion pattern than a low quality lens with a high wattage bulb, thus my reommendation of a high quality lead crystal lens like a Hella or Cibie lens with a high wattage bulb. The ultimate light output is an HID bulb in the aforementioned lens housing. I have HID conversion kit in my 300 with projector lenses and the lumen output in conjunction ultra white light (5000K color) is really unbelievable considering that the HID only draw 35 watts runs very cool, and has no filament to burn out. I do not know if the HID bulbs will clear the headlight buckets opening and closing but if they do this setup would be the ultimate.
Last edited by jb78L-82; 10-19-2008 at 07:13 AM.
#17
Burning Brakes
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Daniel Stern Lighting is gonna hook me up (Cibie's). Are they pretty impressive? Anyone have them? He asked me how much I want to spend and how bright I want it. I'm all ears.
#18
Le Mans Master
Either Hella or Cibie H series great, I have Cibies on my 930 and
the light is just incredible. I think you will be more than satisified.
You can find the Hella relays and sockets in Summit.
the light is just incredible. I think you will be more than satisified.
You can find the Hella relays and sockets in Summit.
#19
Something like this may help. Hella 90mm modules Xenon HIDs on both high and low beam, relay switched. All custom made. Not yet finished, still needs lexan covers to finish it off.
These give off a ton of light and only draw about 6 -8 amps.
http://video.google.nl/videoplay?doc...63854757372630
These give off a ton of light and only draw about 6 -8 amps.
http://video.google.nl/videoplay?doc...63854757372630