Head Lights, Swapping Pre H4 for H4 Lights

[wackos00]

Hello,

As the title says, my 1982 van has old pre H4 lights and I would like to fit these. So the question is if I get a set of newer style head lights is it a simple straight swap? And if it is, anyone got some?

Jack

[Cruz]

As easy as the easiet thing in easy land

Take them to an MOT station and ask them to check the alignment on the new lights. My local one did it for a few quid towards the tea and biscuit kitty

Post an advert in wanted for a pair of round H4 lights

Round ones are ten a penny and cheap as chips.

You can get conversion bulbs that convert the old round bulb to athe H4 type but I was always under the impression that the lense in a H4 light was superior

[mike_gee32]

I'd try to get the headlight wiring upgraded with relays as well (or just do the wiring if money is tight), the old vans have a huge voltage drop along the wiring and full current goes through the ignition and headlight switches causing the lights to be very dim as they are only getting about 10-11v and the switches are prone to burning out.

It's not a bad job to do, have a look in the wiki, I'm about to do mine using a 6 way (I'm doing driving lights as well and one relay per bulb) fuse box with a +ve bus connector powered from a dedicated cable off the battery connected to the high current input of the relay(one of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/180817887652? ... 863wt_1209) then just take the inputs for the relays from the light fuses in the fuse box and the wires from the other side of the fuse to the high current output terminal.

Once you've got decent voltage to the lights you can get 55w (standard) 80w and 100w halogen bulbs with the tungsten bulb fitting, to fit your existing headlamps.

I did this to my old van and with 80w bulbs the lights were way brighter than my current van which I've fitted square lamps to with halfords ultra brilliance bulbs but currently standard wiring.

[wackos00]

Sweet, thanks guys, yep looked at doing the relay thing as well.

[Cruz]

Don;t forget that non-standard bulbs are illegal for road use

[CovKid]

Tried a pair of high wattage ones once and they didn't even compare to Osram Silverstars which are legal. More wattage and dimmer lights - go figure.

[California Dreamin]

In my opinion......H4 headlamps and bulbs first....see how you go and then option to relay later.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/OSRAM-Night-B ... 588fba2fb6" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Martin

[mike_gee32]

If the vehicle is pre 85 you can fit whatever wattage bulbs you like it's only 85 on that you have to replace with the same spec bulbs that the vehicle was originally fitted with.

[CovKid]

Like stereos though, wattage rarely sits on the same graph as 'great' or 'good', besides which, dazzle is dazzle and any differences in the rules won't be much of a defence if you get pulled over.

[mike_gee32]

I agree there are some very poor bulbs out there( high wattage or not), the biggest factor to headlight brightness and dazzle in halogen lamps is the accuracy of the placement of the filament and alignment of the lamps. The reflectors and lenses are designed to produce maximum output and beam pattern with the filament positioned in a very precise position within the lamp, one of the big advantages of Osram and Bosch bulbs over the 'made in china and reboxed by everyone' alternatives is the precision of manufacture.

Several years ago when I managed a motor factors we started stocking Osrams, their sales guys gave a training seminar on the advantages of their bulbs over the cheapy ones where they brought a rig in with a headlight and mot style beam checker and swapped between their bulbs and generic ones. The difference was staggering, the osrams were brighter and the cut off at the top of the beam was far more precise than the generics. We then got a box of 10 of the normal H4's we sold from the shelves and compared them, on our normal stock no two bulbs had the glass part coming from the base at the same angle, there was probably a 6mm variance between them, the box of osrams we looked at were within 1mm of each other.

If you want the brightest lights you need to make sure the wiring is good enough to have negligable voltage drop and the bulbs are good quality, the brightest lights I've ever had on a car were PIAA bulbs in an old sierra xr4x4, upgraded wiring and 90/130w H4's in the main headlamps and 130w ones in the driving lamps. I had them in for a couple of years and never got flashed by oncoming cars, I think the worst thing for dazzle are modern HID's and especially the stupid HID 'upgrades' for halogen lights.

[bigherb]

If the vehicle is pre 85 you can fit whatever wattage bulbs you like it's only 85 on that you have to replace with the same spec bulbs that the vehicle was originally fitted with.

Nope you still have to comply with the relevant construction and use regulations and have to comply with BSAU standards for filament bulbs of the time, unless you bought the bulbs way back in the 80's the bulbs still have to comply with ECE regulation 37.

[mike_gee32]

My understanding was that as Sch 4 of The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 states that there is no requirement for any approval marks to be shown on bulbs fitted to vehicles registered before 1 April 1986 then, if you can purchase them, you do not need to fit bulbs which comply with R37 hence the ability to run 90/130w bulbs if you want to.

But it's been five years since I've been involved in the motor trade so I could be talking out of my a***

[bigherb]

My understanding was that as Sch 4 of The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 states that there is no requirement for any approval marks to be shown on bulbs fitted to vehicles registered before 1 April 1986 then, if you can purchase them, you do not need to fit bulbs which comply with R37 hence the ability to run 90/130w bulbs if you want to.

But it's been five years since I've been involved in the motor trade so I could be talking out of my a***

True about the wattage but the 1976 regulations limit the aggregate maximum intensity of the headlamp
beams which can be switched on simultaneously must not exceed 225,000 cd.

[sarran1955]

Several years ago when I managed a motor factors we started stocking Osrams, their sales guys gave a training seminar on the advantages of their bulbs over the cheapy ones where they brought a rig in with a headlight and mot style beam checker and swapped between their bulbs and generic ones. The difference was staggering, the osrams were brighter and the cut off at the top of the beam was far more precise than the generics. We then got a box of 10 of the normal H4's we sold from the shelves and compared them, on our normal stock no two bulbs had the glass part coming from the base at the same angle, there was probably a 6mm variance between them, the box of osrams we looked at were within 1mm of each other.

.

Hello,

Recently did this with the R2 to H4 conversion by Osram on my French 1980 camper.....

Originally came with YELLOW R2 bulbs....

No wonder I couldn't see any thing

No need to take the 'shade' out of the reflector.

10 min job. Bulbs 8€ each from factor.

I'm already fitted with a relay set, and for my fogs.

Definitely confirm the 30% improvement.

Cordialement,

[mike_gee32]

True about the wattage but the 1976 regulations limit the aggregate maximum intensity of the headlamp
beams which can be switched on simultaneously must not exceed 225,000 cd.

Wow, you've obviously got a far better grasp on the regulations than I ever had out of interest I wonder how that maximum intensity relates to the output of the 90% more light super extreme mega brilliance bulbs you can get?

Or does this relate to the output of all the lights eg main, driving etc combined?

Genuinely curious about this as for the best part of 20 years all the various bulb companies reps and training material I have seen has had a black and white pre 86 fit whatever you like, post 86 can only replace like with like message.