Have just finished the headlamp relay mod......

[tandemsandy]

WOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

Flippin' ek thats better! Last week we were driving the wee lanes in the lake district with me holding an LED torch out of the window so we could see where we were going. Now people will be getting out of bed thinking the sun is rising!

2x 30amp relays, one for dip and one for main. One big feed to both relays from the fusebox with an inline fuse, one big earth from each light, and big cables everywhere between. We've got the old round headlamps so the flange style bulbs, and I know its a bit naughty but they're plain Ring bulbs but 80/100w rather than 45/60w. Our motor factor says they've sold loads an never heard of an MoT problem on old motors.

Can't recommend it highly enough, thanks to all the info on here, its a must-do mod

Rob

[ghost123uk]

Glad you are happy, it's on my "to do" list when ours comes back from the bodyshop.

I have done 1 of our Scirocco's and intend to do the other this weekend ( it makes a big difference on them too )

Might get some of those high power bulbs too (std NOT those horrid blue ones, whatever they are called, Xenon is it ?)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We've got the old round headlamps so the flange style bulbs, and I know its a bit naughty but they're plain Ring bulbs but 80/100w rather than 45/60w.

E D I T = on checking I find only 1 entry on eBay for "normal" 100W / 80W H4 bulbs ?

E D I T 2 = I found some at http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Super-Bright- ... 35b42b9721" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[elsid]

Will H4 bulbs fit the old round headlights! I changed my bulbs for 55/60w but the lights are still dreadfull so will be doing the relay mod, where did you put the relays under the dash or in with headlights? If that doesn't improve them I will fit a pair of Ring H4 conversion units and some higher wattage bulbs. It might work out cheaper to fit a pair of spotlights on the bumper.
Sid

[docklad]

are they set right. Just adjusted mine and now I can see where I'm going.

[California Dreamin]

One I modded for a 4 lamp (outter dip/full) setup: I would probably recommend earthing points both sides as well.




Martin

[tandemsandy]

I found Vinnie had an old Moss alarm behind the grill, which was very dead. its bracket made a pretty good relay mount though!!


and cables run along the bottom of the opening.....


An earth cable from each bulb direct to the earth crowns. Rather than use the wee wires on the bulb holders, I put female yellow spades on the end of each cable, insulated them with heatshrink tubing, and plugged them straight onto the bulb terminals. For the relay switching I put a male blue spade on the end of the wire and stuck that into the appropriate terminal of the existing bulb holder - main beam from the o/s headlight so the dash tell-tale still works, dip and relay earths from the n/s headlight for neatness.

Rob

[dugcati]

I'd be tempted to put the relay's either in a weatherproof box or in a rubber sheath of some sort (or better still drilll the bulkhead and put them behind the glove box)

Due to the relay's getting all the full force of the weather by being in the grill it'll only be a matter of a year and the terminals will start to fur up/moisture will get into the relay housing and cause it to start sticking/playing up

[tandemsandy]

Aye good point, I should've added that they then got covered up to protect them from the elements!

[Cruz]

That looks like speaker wire to me

[California Dreamin]

Indeed... ....with a 20amp draw on full beam (4 lamp versions) the main feed wire needs to be rated at well over 30amps to avoid significant volt drop. Therefore....earth leads also need to be similarly rated (if two earth wires are used then their collective rating should be similar to the pos feed)
Obviosly there is only 10amps draw dip/full approx with two lamps so the wire rating on the main and earth leads don't have to be massive but I would still recommend overating to minimize volt drop .....3.0mm2 (27.5amps)

Standard auto wire ratings:
1.0mm2 = 8.75amps
2.0mm2 = 17.5amps
3.0mm2 = 27.5amps
4.5mm2 = 35amps

Martin

[Timwhy]

A Samba member mounted his relays inside a plastic lunch box behind the grill to keep out the elements.

[dugcati]

^^^^^^^^^


Thats not a bad idea - looks a bit amaturish but it's a good idea and with a box like that it works (has a seal and the flip over retainer lugs) non the less

[Cruz]

Piece of cake to mount them on the fuse box both early and late.

That butty box would foul with proper shaped headlights fitted

[Epiphone]

Ive never really noticed such a really bad performance from the headlamps

mine is late 89, did they improve the headlamps on the later Vans?

[lhd]

The later fuse box makes a diffence too. I replaced all my early fuses for new and cleaned up the contacts, the difference was amazing.