Cheap headlight upgrade
12 April 2000, 12:18 AM
#3
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Depending on your car's wiring loom and your own sensibilities you could look at fitting Halfords £15 pair of 90/100W or 90/130W H4 bulbs...
If you do uprate the lights like this:
A) make sure your wiring is up to it, (if you have a UK car you may have to invest in a couple of relays and some heavy duty wire)
B)get them aligned after the change, the increase in light will affect alignment.
C)be aware that the legal limit (on recent cars) is 55/60W, so technically you are fracturing a law (which has, aledgedly, more to do with cheap modern wiring standards than light levels). I have always run uprated bulbs in my cars, for the improved level of safety at night, and have never had any legal problems with them. I have always sailed through MOTs with uprated lights.
Moray
(Who has just guaranteed that he will be stopped and jailed this evening for bright lights!
)
If you do uprate the lights like this:
A) make sure your wiring is up to it, (if you have a UK car you may have to invest in a couple of relays and some heavy duty wire)
B)get them aligned after the change, the increase in light will affect alignment.
C)be aware that the legal limit (on recent cars) is 55/60W, so technically you are fracturing a law (which has, aledgedly, more to do with cheap modern wiring standards than light levels). I have always run uprated bulbs in my cars, for the improved level of safety at night, and have never had any legal problems with them. I have always sailed through MOTs with uprated lights.
Moray
(Who has just guaranteed that he will be stopped and jailed this evening for bright lights!
)
12 April 2000, 11:09 AM
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Could members recommend a cheap way of improving headlamps? They are fine on main beam but seem poor dipped. I know PIAAs are good but I want to keep the cost below £50. Help!!!!!
12 April 2000, 01:35 PM
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I fited a pair of Lucas 130/90's @ £10 each to my STI3 and am well impressed with the results. The shop did have a set of 130/90's with the blue tinged light but I didn't want to draw attention to the car as I knew the 130/90's aren't strictly legal.
p.s. They're ace for flashing idiots who drive with fogs on when there's no need.
Kevin.
p.s. They're ace for flashing idiots who drive with fogs on when there's no need.
Kevin.
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12 April 2000, 08:32 PM
#9
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I don't know if it's me but those blue bulbs really p**s me off.
There's nothing worse than driving along and thinking for a second you've seen the blue light of a police car. It's as annoying/dangerous as siren samples being played on the radio.
MaxPower specials IMO. The gas discharge bulbs (which the cheap blue one are emulating) are just as distracting.
However, I've never driven a car with them so don't know how wonderful they are....Fog lamps annoy me considerably less.
V Meldrew.
There's nothing worse than driving along and thinking for a second you've seen the blue light of a police car. It's as annoying/dangerous as siren samples being played on the radio.
MaxPower specials IMO. The gas discharge bulbs (which the cheap blue one are emulating) are just as distracting.
However, I've never driven a car with them so don't know how wonderful they are....Fog lamps annoy me considerably less.
V Meldrew.
13 April 2000, 01:00 PM
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A mate of mine fitted some Halfords blue bulbs to his STI3 and it promptly failed its MOT 
. Something to do with the MOT book stating that headlights must be white and that blue lights can be mistaken for police lights and impersonating a police officer is a no no. Probably just a jobsworth mechanic 
!
. Something to do with the MOT book stating that headlights must be white and that blue lights can be mistaken for police lights and impersonating a police officer is a no no. Probably just a jobsworth mechanic !
14 April 2000, 02:21 PM
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Were these blueish halfords bulbs uk legal lights? Maybe the mechanic could see well enough to differentiate the wavelength of the light from the legally allowed range, maybe he(/she) just checked for the E markings on them...
I know these blue tinged bulbs can be annoying. The local police used to waste ton's of taxpayers money stopping the local kids and arguing over head light colour... however they are running omegas etc as traffic cars and these cars have a very blue tint to the lights... I would call this hypocritical, but I do like the fact that you can spot their cars a mile of at night!
Moray
I know these blue tinged bulbs can be annoying. The local police used to waste ton's of taxpayers money stopping the local kids and arguing over head light colour... however they are running omegas etc as traffic cars and these cars have a very blue tint to the lights... I would call this hypocritical, but I do like the fact that you can spot their cars a mile of at night!
Moray
14 April 2000, 07:39 PM
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Moray
You mention that the UK spec wiring might need upgrading, do I take it from that my MY93 should be OK with 100/55 in??
Also has anyone put the brighter (100w) bulbs in the fogs? Any probs with wiring burning out?
Thanks
Richie
You mention that the UK spec wiring might need upgrading, do I take it from that my MY93 should be OK with 100/55 in??
Also has anyone put the brighter (100w) bulbs in the fogs? Any probs with wiring burning out?
Thanks
Richie
17 April 2000, 04:00 PM
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Hello,
I have some halfords clear white jobs, They are a little bit better, but not much. There was a good review of bulbs in a copy of revs/max power but I cant find it (I dont keep these mags). I have heard that blue tint jobs are not reccomended for high miles as they can cause eye strain!.
The worst thing I find is on Dip (most of the time as roads are crowded round my way) which is why I dont bother with a driving lamp upgrade. I am sure a twin conversion is the way to go, but they look a bit too much like a max'd escort for me.
Just eat lots of carrots or only dive in daylight.
Bye,
Dave.
I have some halfords clear white jobs, They are a little bit better, but not much. There was a good review of bulbs in a copy of revs/max power but I cant find it (I dont keep these mags). I have heard that blue tint jobs are not reccomended for high miles as they can cause eye strain!.
The worst thing I find is on Dip (most of the time as roads are crowded round my way) which is why I dont bother with a driving lamp upgrade. I am sure a twin conversion is the way to go, but they look a bit too much like a max'd escort for me.
Just eat lots of carrots or only dive in daylight.
Bye,
Dave.
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