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Let there be light!

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TurboDieselWeasel Posted hell of a lot I like fully mechanical fuel processing Posts: 5,188	Let there be light!TurboDieselWeasel @dieselweasel
	Nov 18, 2011 19:50:22 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	Hi! I just masively increased the light-output of my Merc's headlights... BY just cleaning the reflectors. They were realy dull from 22 years of service... I use a very soft, lint free cloth and lots of warm/hot-ish soap water - but be carefull to not apply pressure and to blow away any loose dirt before you clean them - they get scratched incredibly easy! You can also pan them in a bowl of hot soap water - this is safer, but not as effective, in my experience... I also didn't want to risk using aggresive chemicals like glas-cleaner on them. Some dirt has been 'burned' into the reflectors - I didn't dare to polish it out. If it was any more than just a few, I would have considered to chnage them for new ones... After washing I wiped them dry with another dry and very soft cloth for cleaning glas. Again very gentle and carefull! Now they'r shiney again. Result: much, much better and brighter light! Also the car looks fresher with shiney reflector bowls. Also light-bulbs can make a huge difference. I had been using cheap bulbs for years... Not on purpose, but they hadbeen in the car, so I used them. But when some time ago I swapped them for expensive Phillips ones - OH! LIGHT! After an accident, the Mini got brand new (H4) reflectors. These and the high quality bulbs make such a bright and good light, it's on level with most if not all conventional modern cars! It's actually a lot better then my Merc with cleaned reflectors... I'm now waiting for other bulbs for the Merc, this time the legal yellow-ish Osram Allseason - I'll see how they perform. Next step will see a relais to feed the bulbs directely with battery-power, apparently the normal switching cicuit can cause up to 12% loss! So, what's the point of this thread? It's the dark season of the year - and there are some easy ways to improve the lighting of your car - better light, faster driving ;D Cheers, Jan PS: Clean your reflectors on your own risk! If you feel like you'r doing a wrong job, don't try to clean them - it's easy to messthem up. I therefore take no responsibillity for damaged reflectors I just said what I did... Give them to a professionel, much safer! PPS: No pistures taken of the process and results, have a few night-shots as compensation:
	88 124 Diesel Coupé \| 84 Mini \| 89 124 TAXI \| 79 Clubman Estate motofreibeuter

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optima21 Part of things Posts: 643	Let there be light!optima21 @optima21
	Nov 18, 2011 20:41:08 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	Ive just relayed the headlights and cleaned the inside of the headlights, on the polo I'm rebuilding. it has made a massive difference to the light output of the car, wish I'd done the relaying years ago. and thats the new loom Ive made


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Dorset_Clive Part of things Posts: 695	Let there be light!Dorset_Clive @cochapman
	Nov 18, 2011 22:32:56 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	As 'light output' is proportional to lamp power and power is proportional to the square of the voltage, a 1v drop (e.g. from 14v to 13v reduces power from 82w to 70w (assumes nominal 60w output at 12v), that's nearly 15% drop in power for just over 7% drop in voltage. I don't know if it was particular bad, but the Audi 80 I used to rally dropped about 2.5v along the OEM headlight wiring! Also, don't forget the earth wiring if it has a long lead to the HLs.


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ChasR RR Helper motivation Posts: 10,309 Club RR Member Number: 170	Let there be light!ChasR @chasr Club Retro Rides Member 170
	Nov 19, 2011 12:58:19 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	I have improved light output from also polishing the front of headlamps after years of stonepitting.
	'79 Honda NC-50 '02 Mercedes R230 SL500 '03 BMW M3 Coupe '08 BMW E91 325d M-Sport Touring Pre-LCI '16 Yamaha XSR700 My car history and exploits: leylandlegends.com

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TurboDieselWeasel Posted hell of a lot I like fully mechanical fuel processing Posts: 5,188	Let there be light!TurboDieselWeasel @dieselweasel
	Nov 21, 2011 18:32:29 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	Osram Allseason H4 bulbs installed - me gusta! The light is very yellow, very gentle to the eyes, IMO. Light output has again increased (they are rated "+30%"). That's the most yellow you can legaly get
	88 124 Diesel Coupé \| 84 Mini \| 89 124 TAXI \| 79 Clubman Estate motofreibeuter

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Loxlee Part of things Ford Capri with 1600cc's of pure power!........ Posts: 887	Let there be light!Loxlee @revsupersoul
	Nov 22, 2011 10:26:46 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	Just had a look for those Osram bulbs and they don't seem to do them in H1 I've been thinking about getting some super uprated types but never knew if they were really worth the extra and I was always worried they are a really white/blueish light whereas I would much prefer a yellow light like those above. From reviews I've seen that Philips X-treme Power +80% bulbs seem to be the best and apparently the light is 'normal colour' has anyone used them before?
	RR Build Thread

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TurboDieselWeasel Posted hell of a lot I like fully mechanical fuel processing Posts: 5,188	Let there be light!TurboDieselWeasel @dieselweasel
	Nov 22, 2011 11:03:00 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	Yes, I have used them before. But only for a short time, but I've been told they don't last exitingly long (more light output, more wear?). But they made good light, even with totaly dull reflectors & lenses ;D But I remember them as not good in rainy nights... Will be interessting how the yellow Osrams perform in the same condition. But I remember the light as 'normal' white. Some guy from a Bosch service point told me he uses only Osram bulbs, as in his experience they last a lot longer than Philips bulbs (his words, not my experience).
	88 124 Diesel Coupé \| 84 Mini \| 89 124 TAXI \| 79 Clubman Estate motofreibeuter

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Loxlee Part of things Ford Capri with 1600cc's of pure power!........ Posts: 887	Let there be light!Loxlee @revsupersoul
	Nov 22, 2011 12:12:55 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	Hmm interesting, my lights are pretty bad so any upgrade would be worth it I would imagine. I don't do a daily commute in the dark with my lights on so I wouldn't think increased wear would bother me. Why do you say they were not as good in the rain? bit reflective off the wet floor or something?
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TurboDieselWeasel Posted hell of a lot I like fully mechanical fuel processing Posts: 5,188	Let there be light!TurboDieselWeasel @dieselweasel
	Nov 22, 2011 14:54:22 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	It's hard to describe, but it felt like having no lights at all in dark & wet conditions, as if the light got 'swallowed'. I had better light in such conditions with the Mini (new Wipac H4 bowls & 'std.* Phillips bulbs). Why? I have no clue... And maybe I'm telling malecowmanure - but it was my impression anyway
	88 124 Diesel Coupé \| 84 Mini \| 89 124 TAXI \| 79 Clubman Estate motofreibeuter

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Loxlee Part of things Ford Capri with 1600cc's of pure power!........ Posts: 887	Let there be light!Loxlee @revsupersoul
	Nov 22, 2011 15:53:53 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	Hmm that's odd and certainly doesn't sound good :/
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tequilagrae Part of things Posts: 96	Let there be light!tequilagrae @tequilagrae
	Nov 22, 2011 18:27:34 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	Does relaying the lights draw more power? I have the dual problem of dim lights and something draining the battery so I don't want to make the drain worse but relaying should help the lights. Is this how to relay them? (The black wires are the existing power to the dipped lights)
	Last Edit: Nov 22, 2011 19:17:30 GMT by tequilagrae

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tetleysid Part of things rockin reimo Posts: 138	Let there be light!tetleysid @waggonner
	Nov 24, 2011 18:54:02 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	"maleCOWmanure" ......... WTF ;D


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bl1300 Posted a lot Posts: 1,678	Let there be light!bl1300 @bl1300
	Nov 24, 2011 19:42:57 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	I swapped my 7inch sealed beams for H4 halogens and was truly gobsmacked by the difference in output the lights are now as good if not better than our 2001 Seat Ibiza that uses the same bulbs. That is also using the existing non fused or relayed or wiring I didn't want to leave it like that so fitted relays and inline fusing and frankly I cant see any difference between that and the original wiring apart from the fact that both side lights now work where as before only one did ;D
	Current fleet. 1967 DAF 44 1974 VW Beetle 1303s 1975 Triumph Spitfire MkIV 1988 VW LT45 Beavertail 1998 Volvo V70 2.5 1959 Fordson Dexta

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g40jon Posted a lot Posts: 2,569	Let there be light!g40jon @g40jon
	Nov 24, 2011 20:38:27 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	relaying wont work on all cars. some cars are fitted with decent looms from the factory. you will only benifit if your std loom is dropping volts through resistance in the wiring. only way to check that is with a meter. my polo ones for instance were only getting about 10.5 volts, so they benifit massively from being relayed.


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Dorset_Clive Part of things Posts: 695	Let there be light!Dorset_Clive @cochapman
	Nov 30, 2011 20:01:04 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	Regarding the 'plus bulbs', I was very sceptical till I read a review in AutoExpress. On the back of that I got some Osram Silverstar. VERY impressive. I always used to run very expensive 100/120w piaa blubs in the rally car, which needed the relay system mentioned above. The Osram (and more recently I've been using Halfords +90 bulbs when they were on a bogof offer) have been at least as good as the piaa for 1/4 price - £10 each instead of £40!


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