Halogen conversion kits
Hi folks
Well, that's got a good debate going even though all I needed to know was where to get a Halogen conversion kit from. And the only reason for that is that one's motor tends to fail its MOT if the lights aren't working - as I use the car very little in the dark running the oem fittings is OK with me, except that I've now run out of sealed beam units and it seems you can't get 'em any more. I did pick one up at Ripon earlier in the summer (?) for a fiver, in fact I got two, but the other one was a dud. I'll have his legs next year.
Anyway, it's going off the road for some more welding tomorrow and I suspect it may stay off for a while, so I'll absorb everything that's been said over the winter!
But by all means carry on with the discussion!!!
Well, that's got a good debate going even though all I needed to know was where to get a Halogen conversion kit from. And the only reason for that is that one's motor tends to fail its MOT if the lights aren't working - as I use the car very little in the dark running the oem fittings is OK with me, except that I've now run out of sealed beam units and it seems you can't get 'em any more. I did pick one up at Ripon earlier in the summer (?) for a fiver, in fact I got two, but the other one was a dud. I'll have his legs next year.
Anyway, it's going off the road for some more welding tomorrow and I suspect it may stay off for a while, so I'll absorb everything that's been said over the winter!
But by all means carry on with the discussion!!!
Malcolm
Membership no 7477
(Wakefield, Yorks)
'76 2500S Estate
Why settle for a simple solution when a complicated one will suffice?
Membership no 7477
(Wakefield, Yorks)
'76 2500S Estate
Why settle for a simple solution when a complicated one will suffice?
Re: Halogen conversion kits
I've never said in any of my posts that HiD are anything but legal - otherwise they would not be on my vehicleMike Stevens wrote:Hi Kev,
As you know, John (Koy) on the SoC forum sells the complete HiD kits and he is adamant that they are legal on an early car.
What I've been trying to get over is that the HiD route is preferable to Halogen but it all depends on the bulb colour spectrum which one would like.
Yes, I also seem to recall some 75W types about many years ago for a short spell of time. Don't seem to have seen any of this type lately at autojumbles though.My Stag originally had 4 off 55W H1s but I have converted it to 2 off H1s, 2 off H4s (like the PI) as this gives a better main beam. All at 55W but Osram night breaker plus types. They give a better light output, running hotter I think, but their life seems much shorter. The Boss's Volvo has these in and they last about 1-2 years. However, being a Volvo, they are on all the time!
Interestingly, the PI originally came out with 75W sealed beam units. No, I didn't believe it either until I looked at those I'd taken from mine - yup, they are 75W types!
Cheers,
Mike.
Kev
Re: Halogen conversion kits
HiD to be legal in the EU must also have a wash function and self leveling. So if these are not on the car HiD is not legal
However I do not know of an MOT station that would fail you if fitted and most police wld not know either
However I do not know of an MOT station that would fail you if fitted and most police wld not know either
Ian Peacock
still sane? definitely not!!
Mk1 2000 Estate Wedgwood Blue
still sane? definitely not!!
Mk1 2000 Estate Wedgwood Blue
Re: Halogen conversion kits
That's interesting Ian and is something I'll have to chase/check.peewee21 wrote:HiD to be legal in the EU must also have a wash function and self leveling. So if these are not on the car HiD is not legal
However I do not know of an MOT station that would fail you if fitted and most police wld not know either
My system is fixed as per oem fittings and any change in settings would have to be done manually. Does a fixed system negate the self-levelling requirement?
The wash function (and even wipe) can be carried over from BMW 3 series but in my opinion is just another area to give problems (pipe blockage).
As for the D.o.T. I'm now going to be somewhat apprehensive in raising the subject with a tester
Kev
Re: Halogen conversion kits
Don't blame you for not raising the issue. one other rule is that the lense must be designed for HiD and not a Halogen one simply with a HiD bulb in it.
As far as i am aware this link is still the official line, though more than happy to be corrected
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov. ... dlamps.pdf
Ian
As far as i am aware this link is still the official line, though more than happy to be corrected
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov. ... dlamps.pdf
Ian
Ian Peacock
still sane? definitely not!!
Mk1 2000 Estate Wedgwood Blue
still sane? definitely not!!
Mk1 2000 Estate Wedgwood Blue
Re: Halogen conversion kits
Hmmmm, let me guess! I bet 99% of the market are using halogen lenses. I will have to check mine when it's next coaxed out of the lair. Of course these conversions are not true Xeon/HiD as there is no ignitor involved. The better light is down to bulb k, lens and the material applied to the insides of the light unit.peewee21 wrote:Don't blame you for not raising the issue. one other rule is that the lense must be designed for HiD and not a Halogen one simply with a HiD bulb in it.
Thanks for the info Ian, much obliged.As far as i am aware this link is still the official line, though more than happy to be corrected
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov. ... dlamps.pdf
Ian
Kev
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Re: Halogen conversion kits
Hi Just want to reawaken this thread. I have 55w bulbs in new non sealed bowls. They don't have a relay system. They came with those bowls in, but are not very bright.
Do I need to put relays in if it is just 55w halogen bulb in the bowl, I have been reading up that you get 30% more light from them if you fit relays. Are they actually needed? On ebay there are some pretty cheap relays made in china. Not assuming china is a bad thing because in real terms almost everything is now made in china.
Has anyone tried the new led bulbs and are they any brighter? If I am using relays (ballast if over 55w) is this OK on the car. I understand the current comes from the battery, so i am assuming you could go to whatever in theory. However, with the wee dynamo of my MK1 is it going to be man enough to cope?
I assume ballast is instead of a relay and if so perhaps less messing about apart from a live to the battery.
Lots of questions I know and if I have anything wrong in my head, don't hesitate to say.
Jeff MK1 Estate
Do I need to put relays in if it is just 55w halogen bulb in the bowl, I have been reading up that you get 30% more light from them if you fit relays. Are they actually needed? On ebay there are some pretty cheap relays made in china. Not assuming china is a bad thing because in real terms almost everything is now made in china.
Has anyone tried the new led bulbs and are they any brighter? If I am using relays (ballast if over 55w) is this OK on the car. I understand the current comes from the battery, so i am assuming you could go to whatever in theory. However, with the wee dynamo of my MK1 is it going to be man enough to cope?
I assume ballast is instead of a relay and if so perhaps less messing about apart from a live to the battery.
Lots of questions I know and if I have anything wrong in my head, don't hesitate to say.
Jeff MK1 Estate
White Triumph 2000 estate mk1 1968
Triumph 2.5PI Valencia
Triumph 2.5PI Valencia
Re: Halogen conversion kits
Hello Jeff,
halogen lamps should be bright and if they are not then it will be poor connections due to age in the circuits and earths (Don't forget the earth connections.
Ballasts don't apply to these types of lamps but relays, if fitted properly, do help increase the voltage at the lamps. It is not the relays that do the job but using large section cables from the battery to the relays then onto the lamps which reduce the voltage drop at the lamps. They do also reduce the load on the light switches which is a good thing. Incandescent lamps are very sensitive to voltage and a small increase in voltage gives quite a large increase in light output.
Alec
halogen lamps should be bright and if they are not then it will be poor connections due to age in the circuits and earths (Don't forget the earth connections.
Ballasts don't apply to these types of lamps but relays, if fitted properly, do help increase the voltage at the lamps. It is not the relays that do the job but using large section cables from the battery to the relays then onto the lamps which reduce the voltage drop at the lamps. They do also reduce the load on the light switches which is a good thing. Incandescent lamps are very sensitive to voltage and a small increase in voltage gives quite a large increase in light output.
Alec
0465
MK1.5 2.5 P.I.
Jaguar MK 2 (Long term restoration.)
Hymer 564 Motorhome.
MK1.5 2.5 P.I.
Jaguar MK 2 (Long term restoration.)
Hymer 564 Motorhome.
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Re: Halogen conversion kits
As Alec says, adding relays to the big saloon headlamp system does make a big difference to the light output - by calculation and measurement up to 30%. Then you can fit different bulbs (such as Osram nightbreaker plus - but others are available!). These are the same electrical power rating but give even more light output. My PI had these with relays and the night vision is superb.
The real reason for the improvement is not only the cable sizing as Alec say, but that the headlamp current is no longer going through the headlamp and dip switch as well as the extra cabling to them and back to the headlamps. You must also fit a fuse (or 2) between the battery and the relays for safety's sake. On my PI I made up a steel plate that is fixed to the RH suspension turret with the power feed from the starter motor via a new blade type fuse box and the relays. The advantage of that location is that the headlamp wiring runs down the RH inner wing and it is relatively easy to extract the wires to be able to connect them to the relays. Note that this is for the MK2, MK1 wiring is different and I believe is down the LH wing?
The Stag is slightly different as each headlamp is individually fused so the current for the bulbs is shared between 2 cables so the volt-drop is less. Adding relays still does improve the light output, only not by so much as on the big saloons!
Cheers,
Mike.
The real reason for the improvement is not only the cable sizing as Alec say, but that the headlamp current is no longer going through the headlamp and dip switch as well as the extra cabling to them and back to the headlamps. You must also fit a fuse (or 2) between the battery and the relays for safety's sake. On my PI I made up a steel plate that is fixed to the RH suspension turret with the power feed from the starter motor via a new blade type fuse box and the relays. The advantage of that location is that the headlamp wiring runs down the RH inner wing and it is relatively easy to extract the wires to be able to connect them to the relays. Note that this is for the MK2, MK1 wiring is different and I believe is down the LH wing?
The Stag is slightly different as each headlamp is individually fused so the current for the bulbs is shared between 2 cables so the volt-drop is less. Adding relays still does improve the light output, only not by so much as on the big saloons!
Cheers,
Mike.
(South Oxfordshire)
Register Member No 0355
1971 2.5PI Saloon Sapphire blue
1973 2.5PI Saloon rust some Honeysuckle
1973 Stag French blue
(1949 LandRover was blue should be light green!)
Register Member No 0355
1971 2.5PI Saloon Sapphire blue
1973 2.5PI Saloon rust some Honeysuckle
1973 Stag French blue
(1949 LandRover was blue should be light green!)
- johnconradlee
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Re: Halogen conversion kits
Mk1 headlamp wiring also runs behind the RH inner wing (in fact most of the wiring runs that way as the fuse box is located at the front of the RH inner wing).
John Lee
1966 Triumph 2000 Mk1 "LuLU" (the Lee family Triumph) - various shades of Green and rust - The engine runs, she's alive!!!!
1966 Triumph 2000 Mk1 "LuLU" (the Lee family Triumph) - various shades of Green and rust - The engine runs, she's alive!!!!
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