Upgrading Headlamps

[Dkevdog]

My driver side headlamp took a dump last night and I was considering upgrading them since I have to replace them. I don;t want to go crazy on it, or melt the damn things , just looking for something a little more efficient. Any suggestions?



Kev

 

[tntway]

PIAA's

kev--had my truck for about a month and started looking for better lighting..... finally settled on PIAA 9004's. now almost a year later. . im still not happy so i'm gonna change to the sport lights, new harnesses and keep the PIAA's... ... .

 

[Dkevdog]

What did you dislake about them? How much brighter than stock were they?



Kev

 

[24V-DSL]

I just bought PIAA 9004 Extreme Super White?... . Look in my sig. It's supposed to be a very recent model. A much better improvement over stock, and with the PIAA 510's in the factory fog light holes, I finally have a decent night driving experience. I had a lousy set of earlier PIAA's in my Dakota, and insisted on a money back on these if I wasn't happy.

 

[jsimpson]

PLEEEEEEASE don't join the fad of putting those bright blue headlights in that blind oncoming drivers! What good is seeing the road better if the guy coming at you head-on can't see at all???

 

[24V-DSL]

I have yet to have any oncoming vehicle "flash" me with my present set-up. Not sure if my lights fit the "blue" definition. I do understand your point.

 

[jsimpson]

I see 'em mostly on little front wheel drive cars with fart can exhaust and rubber band tires.

 

[chee]

I too tried the PIAA 9004 bulbs, these lights are pathetic. They are very very, marginally better than the stock lights. I purchased the PIAA 9004 Extreme Super White Plus 45w/65w. These bulbs are advertised as having the output of 95w/125w bulbs. Believe me they do not. These lights do not have much of a blue tint and do not seem to blind on coming drivers ... even on high beams, no one flashes their lights. Not to be offensive, but I tried driving for about a mile with the lights on high beam and never got one car to flash their lights at me. These lights just do not put out!! I do a lot of mountain driving and the stock light just are not sufficient.



Has anyone tried running any of the higher wattage bulbs ie. 80w/100w bulbs? And if the relay and wiring can handle the additional wattage draw. And if they are too bright for on coming traffic?



Tim... what wattage bulbs are being used in the sport lights, and where can they be found? Do they also require a new wiring harness? I have been unhappy with the stock lights and am also looking into upgrading.



Chris

 

[Rob Thomas]

I have been using 100 watt bulbs, some super white things, can't remember the name,but there nice-n- bright, and no complaints from other drivers, if your interested I'll find the box and get the brand name.



Later, Rob

 

[tntway]

what i'm gonna do.......

chris..... im gonna put the PIAA's in both sets... . AND upgrade the harnesses... www.coolbulbs.com/HDharness.asp ... this is the link.

from what i understand, upgrading the harness will improve the quality of light even from stock bulbs..... hope this helps... . Tim

 

[chee]

Hey Rob,



That would be great, I assume that is 100w high beam. Do you know what the relay and the wiring is rated at? At 100 watts that should be roughly about 8. 5-10 amps per lamp.



Chris

 

[Justbeamn]

I have been using the high wattage 9004's. I also installed a complete heavy duty harness that plugs into the existing light housing. It comes with a relay built onto the harness and draws direct current from the battery. It comes totally pre-terminated.



www.coolbulbs.com

 

[chee]

Thanks for the links... the wiring harness is what I was looking for. I was considering building my own harness/relay assy to accommodate the higher wattage... . now I can concentrate on more fun things...



Chris

 

[Rob Thomas]

Chris,



I don't know what it's rated for, but I've had them in for about a year and haven't had any problems. I'll get the brand and part# when I go home tonight, and post it tomorrow.



Rob

 

[chee]

Rob,



If it is too much trouble, not to worry. There appears to be plenty of 100w bulbs out there. Do you also have the upgraded wiring harness? or are you running them thru the stock wiring?



Thanks for the help



Chris

 

[chee]

Hey Tim



What is the wattage of the PIAA bulbs that you are using? I suppose that if the stock wiring is restrictive and supplying lower voltage and amperage, then the harness could increase the output. I would also be concerned about stressing the stock wiring and relays to the point of early failure.



Chris

 

[Rob Thomas]

Stock, for now. Soon I'll be switchin' to the sport lights, with a new harness.



Rob

 

[tntway]

chris.......

they're listed as 45/65w = 85/110... . sorry dont know what all that means. the heavy duty harness SHOULD make quite a difference.



Rob, keep us posted as to your upgrade and outcome... i want to do this before the summer is over... ... Tim

 

[chee]

Sorry for the extended reply, I am not an engineer but I'll do my best to explain.



A given wire size ( gauge and composition ie copper strands, and length ) and relay switch has certain current ratings. If you are using a 100 watt bulb @ 12v then the amperage will be 8. 3 amps. ( formula is watts divided by voltage = amperage ) An 18 gauge wire is rated at roughly 8. 5 amps which would be marginal using this 100w bulb. The higher the current that is expected to travel thru the wire the more restrictive it will become and the result will be voltage drop and added heat, and if pushed far beyond it's ability to carry the current it would burn like a fuse.



If the current is close to the wire's capacity, you will have a voltage drop instead of the bulb receiving 12 volts at the bulb it will be seeing perhaps 11 volts. This is where you will see an increase in the bulb output ( by changing to a heavier gauge wiring harness ), if the requirements are close to the capacity.



If run in this condition for extended periods the insulation of the wiring and the wiring itself will break down and could cause a fire or a failure. The contacts of the relay could also become pitted and become a failure point in you electrical system.



Sorry for the lengthy explanation. Here is a site that could help with some voltage/wattage/amperage/proper wire size calculations.



It is always better to err on the side of safety, as I would not want to be driving at night on a mountain highway and lose my lights.



http://www.ifigure.com/engineer/electric/electric.htm



Chris

 

[C Schomer]

I used the GE 9004HOs - about $17/pr at Walmart. They're 200% better than stock. Got bright light straight out front now instead of widely scattered dimness! The black tip is different and the light pattern is the way it should be. Craig