cheap headlight mod

[Schaffer Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Schaffer]

Re: cheap headlight mod

Nick, I didn't realise that

You would be a PITA

by doing my own cabling but thanks all the same...

Opps, Mistype.

It would be a PITA...

[baby_troupe Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close baby_troupe]

Re: cheap headlight mod

Here is a little quote from Piranha Off Road

Most Japanese 4WD vehicles use 2.5mm wire into the standard headlights thus typically only providing 9.5 to 10.5 volts at the bulb. Obviously 12 volt lights cannot perform to their best with this type of voltage loss.

Schaffer is correct in saying if you want to do it cheaper, you can buy all the parts required, however for ease of use, the Piranha system is a plug in and play set up, so is very easy and quick to do, it may take about 30 mins to 60 mins to do, or if you still prefer the DIY method, it may take up to 4 hours to do.

Just because Piranha say it does not necessarily mean it is true :wink:

I did a voltage test on mine (with engine running) and returned 12.4 volts at the lights with standard toyota wiring.

Not bad for a 9 year old vehicle.

[Goldmember Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Goldmember]

Re: cheap headlight mod

I dont know alot about lights however with car audio, its amps, not volts that you need. Having 12 volts is fine but 12 volts at 2 amps is less than 12 volts at 20 amps for example. would lights be better with a healthy amperage supply?

Perhaps that is why the thicker gauge cable is recommended?

Also, earthing is usually a problem in all cars, thin cable that is far too long often causing low performance of electronics, such as in my experience, car audio and car batteries. I find that the car's electronics in general perform better once the factory earth is upgraded for something thicker. Not gold jewelry, just decent gauge and chassis & body grounding work.

[LeighW Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close LeighW]

Re: cheap headlight mod

"I dont know alot about lights however with car audio, its amps, not volts that you need. Having 12 volts is fine but 12 volts at 2 amps is less than 12 volts at 20 amps for example. would lights be better with a healthy amperage supply?"

Hmmm,

The current in this instance is determined by the resistance of the filament in the glode and the voltage applied.
Doesn't matter what size the cable is, if you don't increase the voltage at the globe the current can't increase.

ie ohms law says current = Voltage / resistance (the filament resistance in this case)

Back to the problem, auto globes are designed to operate at around 13.5V, this allows for a battery charge voltage of
around 14.4 volts and an anticipated drop of around 1V in the vehicles wiring.

A Halogen headlamp is rated to produce 100 % of its rated light output at 13.5V. When voltage at the headlamp drops by 5 % to
12.82V the light output drops to 83 % of normal. When voltage drops by 10 % to 12.15V the light output drops to just 67 % of what
it ought to be. A mere 1.35V of lost voltage has robbed you of 33 % of your light output. Raising the voltage above 13.5V will give
a corresponding increase in light output but the life of the globe will then be reduced dramatically.

Thus if you have less than 13.5V at the bulb and say 14.2V at your battery terminals then an upgrade in wiring could be benifical .

You could also look at the 120 threads for fatboy bulbs which are legal as an alternative to HID.

Cheers
LeighW