Netguy

Do the bulbs in headlamps slowly lose power, over time?

I have a 92SE, and my headlamps seem to be very poor. Anything I can do, without the risk of getting myself into an electrical nightmare, to bump up the brightness or coverage?

Thanks in advance.

markmaxima

you can buy brighter headlight bulbs, but you will have to change your harness from time to time.

Wiking

Electrical nigthmare will catch u while u wait. 'Anything' u do will diminish that risk...

aDD this double relay(yellow) plus some thicker (red/grn) wire. Attach to your current light connector:




Check out: http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/748507/11

internetautomar

iTrader: (30)

my headlights were dim bulbs when I got the max. So bad in fact that I drove around with my highbeams on all the time in order to get decent (not good just decent) light output
I finally got tired of it and I put in Wagner Britelights. they made a world of difference because they are a Xenon gas bulb rather than an incandesant or Halogen gas bulb.
They are not a higher wattage bulb which can melt your harness. they are stock wattage, but have an increased light output.

bhunter

iTrader: (3)

All lightbulbs lose lumens over time. Incandescent, flourescent, mercury vapor, metal halide, everything loses brightness over time but still uses the same power. Those nasty looking yellowish parking lot lights are High Pressure Sodium and they retain their brightness the longest but look like crap. You can get brighter than stock like the guys have mentioned or you can just replace your lamps. Also the lens might be not as clear as it once was. I saw a thread on polishing those somewhere.

daltongc

I found my headlights to be really dim when I got my car in Feb. Went to Wal-Mart and spent about $10 ea for new replacement lamps (factory specs) and it made a huge difference! Lots easier to try that than replacing a wiring harness for brighter lamps.

Wiking

Its good as long as the light switch contacts want to play... Adding relay BEFORE they burn, is LOTS easier.

greggie195

iTrader: (1)

Yup, I added a couple relays and new bulbs and my lights are now much brighter. But last night from all the buckets of rain, a relay must've shorted out and my light was on all night, so I needed a jump. I'm gonna have to find a better type of relay.

markmaxima

you might want to figure out how the water is getting to your relays.

Wiking

There's this magnetic phenomena: time to time one relay magnetic field affects the adjacent relay so that it will NOT RELEASE. Its common 'feature', relays are ok. Now u tell me why this is only intermittent problem...

hLP. HoW tO correct this?
1. Use doublerelays
2. Keep single relays ½inch apart
3. Add diodes to ground the circuits while no current flow.

LvR

I also find the pathetic production techniques involved with the typical auto relay leaves a lot to be desired and may cause the relay to "stick" and sometimes to not operate either.

I have often encountered pathetic production techniques where the terminals of the relay gets cast into the plastic body of the relay housing - now thats good idea - sure - but the twits don't add tangs to positively locate the terminals at a certain "depth" inside the plastic ............................

Inevitably the object of the fitting of the relay is to ensure better connection and conduction, so you often find yourself "pinching" the spade terminal with a pair of pliers to "ensure a more positive" connection on the relay tag - now guess what happens when you press this really tight fitting connector onto the tag?! - yep - you end up pushing the terminal into the body of the relay and end up mis-aligning the current carrying contacts of the relay causing all sorts of strange things to happen.

Locally I now insist on using only Hella or Bosch relays and none of the units manufactured in the East ................


Oh and greggie195

It so nice to see you get back and clear-up the confusion you left your own thread in ................ if you can somehow read what you posted there, my last comment there, and your assertion that the problem is now solved in THIS thread and bring it in line with logic, it would be very interesting to learn from your experience

Wiking

Good comment: I have had some weird bird electrons with 'expensive' sturdy looking (metallic assy) double fareast relays. Yes, the pins will short directus!

My relayed oPinions:
- Hella 10+
- Bosch? Last sound before eerie stillness...........................
- Now I like to use biltema for the price and 7+ quality.

Wiking

What would a Hella e36 Wannabee look like?

greggie195

iTrader: (1)

Actually the relays were on opposite sides of the car. Too close to the grill I guess, and it poured here 2 nights ago. I guess the water came in thru the grill and soaked it. Ohh well. Ill just find a better place to mount it I guess.