Headlights increase wattage

2012paddy2012

I find the headlights on my duster in particular dipped very poor. Can you just exchange the bulbs two I presume?! For stronger bulbs? Would not need to put a larger fuse in as they would presumably be drawing more power . . ? Is there a maximum wattage you must use-
Thanks
Ps dacia duster 2013

Paddy

gctest50

The wiring may not be able to take the extra load

Hella ( and a few more ) used to do a kit with a relay and a little wiring harness for upgraded bulbs

eg :

http://www.ebay.in/itm/Hella-HeadLamp-Wiring-Harness-100-130W-Max-Relay-High-Performance-/260958871813


http://www.ceautoelectricsupply.com/headlightrelaykits.html

2012paddy2012

gctest50 wrote: »

The wiring may not be able to take the extra load

Hella ( and a few more ) used to do a kit with a relay and a little wiring harness for upgraded bulbs

Ok interesting many thanks

wexie

You may not actually need to upgrade your bulbs. In most cars the way the wiring to the headlights is done is really very inefficient so the problem is likely to be the wiring rather than the bulbs.

Have a read of this : http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/relays/relays.html

Also I believe the maximum road legal wattage is 50W.

No doubt someone will be along to confirm (or deny).

biko

Change light brand.
Osram Nightbreaker Plus are good.

P.K.M.

biko wrote: »

Change light brand.
Osram Nightbreaker Plus are good.

What he said ^^^^

I had a similar problem on my wife's Mitsubishi. They were standard H4 60/55w bulbs. Went into Halfords and got a pair of 130/90w and they did the job just nice!! Little bit dearer than the standard bulb but at least I could drive at night again!

2012paddy2012

P.K.M. wrote: »

What he said ^^^^

I had a similar problem on my wife's Mitsubishi. They were standard H4 60/55w bulbs. Went into Halfords and got a pair of 130/90w and they did the job just nice!! Little bit dearer than the standard bulb but at least I could drive at night again!

Ok thanks. No worry with exceeding the load that car electrics allow?

Interslice

biko wrote: »

Change light brand.
Osram Nightbreaker Plus are good.

They work really well as H4's. I have them on my van. A 2013 car is hardly still on h4's is it?

There not supposed to be as effective for The h1 h7 bulbs.

Bpmull

Interslice wrote: »

They work really well as H4's. I have them on my van. A 2013 car is hardly still on h4's is it?

There not supposed to be as effective for The h1 h7 bulbs.

We put h7 nightbreakers in my dads 05 octavia and they made a huge difference. Although I can't understand how a brand new car would have bad dipped lights. The reason most second hand ones have poor lights is that previous owners bought the cheapest bulbs possible when changing them. Also going on some of the above posts I'm fairly sure the legal limit is 55watts so that's what most cars are set up to take I assume. If you buy the nightbreakers you should have no need for increasing the wattage beyond 55.

Interslice

Bpmull wrote: »

We put h7 nightbreakers in my dads 05 octavia and they made a huge difference. Although I can't understand how a brand new car would have bad dipped lights. The reason most second hand ones have poor lights is that previous owners bought the cheapest bulbs possible when changing them. Also going on some of the above posts I'm fairly sure the legal limit is 55watts so that's what most cars are set up to take I assume. If you buy the nightbreakers you should have no need for increasing the wattage beyond 55.

Could be bad allignment either.

Bpmull

Interslice wrote: »

Could be bad allignment either.

It could be alright I know in our case we replaced one light and turned them on just to see and you could see the physical difference between them. And the ones we took out were some cheap un branded ones. But alignment could be an issue with some cars alright.

P.K.M.

2012paddy2012 wrote: »

Ok thanks. No worry with exceeding the load that car electrics allow?

I put them in the car a year ago and no problem.

2012paddy2012

Bpmull wrote: »

We put h7 nightbreakers in my dads 05 octavia and they made a huge difference. Although I can't understand how a brand new car would have bad dipped lights. The reason most second hand ones have poor lights is that previous owners bought the cheapest bulbs possible when changing them. Also going on some of the above posts I'm fairly sure the legal limit is 55watts so that's what most cars are set up to take I assume. If you buy the nightbreakers you should have no need for increasing the wattage beyond 55.

Its a new car brand "dacia " they are a grand car to drive good performance etc but the technology is old. I had a new one in July and have a different car now as a loan and the difference is very noticeable I am to get a new replacement end of week I know light will be the same so I am going to try the bulbs recommended here and hopefully they will sort the problem. Actually now that I think of it the wife was driving it one night and had the full beam on and no one even flashed to let her know! That is how bad they are

visual

2012paddy2012 wrote: »

Ok thanks. No worry with exceeding the load that car electrics allow?

Most cars wiring and bulb connectors won't handle higher wattage bulbs.

After a while the bulb sockets will over heat and cause bad connections.

You can fit a relay kit with higher wattage sockets it will protect your original wiring and plugs. You can pick up cheap relay kits on ebay

2012paddy2012

visual wrote: »

Most cars wiring and bulb connectors won't handle higher wattage bulbs.

After a while the bulb sockets will over heat and cause bad connections.

You can fit a relay kit with higher wattage sockets it will protect your original wiring and plugs. You can pick up cheap relay kits on ebay

I think I will try the ones suggested here first. Its not a lot of extra light needed a slightly betteramount of light might do the trick. . Thanks hoping to stay away from relays if I can. Thanks again

dgt

If you want to use higher wattage bulbs you need to relay them. That's a direct connection to the battery with a fuse.

Pin 30 power in
Pin 85 power out
Pin 86 signal in
Pin 87/a amplified signal out

100w bulbs are offroad use only btw

I would be very slow adding higher wattage bulbs. Not sure if Dacia uses relays in the circuit and adding extra load through marginal wiring and switches is not a great idea.

I would start with nightbreakers followed by upgraded wiring with relays (as some people above suggested). In some cases extra heat from higher rated bulbs can even melt the headlights or damage the reflective surfaces if the wiring can take the extra load. If the lights are really bad I would rather fit illegal HID kit as these actually run cooler than halogens and are no more illegal to use as 100 watt bulbs... If you often drive where traffic is low aux driving lights (high beam) would be handy to have.

Interslice

I'd imagine they are running relays already as in a renault.

Very cheap bulbs, poor allignment or a problem with the leveling motors would be more likely.

If no ones flashing you with your full light on they could be pointed very low at the ground in front of you.

2012paddy2012

Interslice wrote: »

I'd imagine they are running relays already as in a renault.

Very cheap bulbs, poor allignment or a problem with the leveling motors would be more likely.

If no ones flashing you with your full light on they could be pointed very low at the ground in front of you.

I had the setting to the max.they are pointing correctly I can see that but the light just is not strong enough. Thanks
paddy

colm_mcm

Is this the new car?

&1 on the night breakers. Halfords also do good ones.

2012paddy2012

colm_mcm wrote: »

Is this the new car?

&1 on the night breakers. Halfords also do good ones.

It is colm

colm_mcm

With wouldn't go messing with high wattage bulbs, I'd be afraid of extra heat on a relative new model of car, don't know how the plastics would hold up. I wouldn't go messing with relays either while its on warranty.

2012paddy2012 wrote: »

It is colm

Same colour again?

2012paddy2012

colm_mcm wrote: »

With wouldn't go messing with high wattage bulbs, I'd be afraid of extra heat on a relative new model of car, don't know how the plastics would hold up. I wouldn't go messing with relays either while its on warranty.



Same colour again?

Nope

Wheelnut

I have in the past used 100/80W bulbs with no problem. However the headlamps had glass lenses then and nowadays they are all plastic. I would NOT use them in headlamps with plastic lenses.

(PS: yes I know it wasn't legal)

colm_mcm

Wheelnut wrote: »

I have in the past used 100/80W bulbs with no problem. However the headlamps had glass lenses then and nowadays they are all plastic. I would NOT use them in headlamps with plastic lenses.

(PS: yes I know it wasn't legal)

When I was a kid the grown ups would dismiss 55w bulbs as being for 'town cars'

dgt

Wheelnut wrote: »

I have in the past used 100/80W bulbs with no problem. However the headlamps had glass lenses then and nowadays they are all plastic. I would NOT use them in headlamps with plastic lenses.

(PS: yes I know it wasn't legal)

I used to use 100w Xenon yellows in my van. Coupled with the HID kit (projector lens) there was some excellent lighting power at night (and a harsh reminder for anyone who didn't dip :pac:)

My father had a Regatta in 1995 that came with 140W bulbs, probably in the garage if I dig hard enough. Said the switch had melted and the reflector lenses were burnt when he got the car first! :eek:

Hal1

100 watt haha, ye cruel fecker I like you're style :pac:.

dgt

Hal1 wrote: »

100 watt haha, ye cruel fecker I like you're style :pac:.

They dreaded seeing me if they didn't dip :pac:


I haven't abandoned my routes, the 406 uses fairly strong yellow high beams....

2012paddy2012

visual wrote: »

Most cars wiring and bulb connectors won't handle higher wattage bulbs.

After a while the bulb sockets will over heat and cause bad connections.

You can fit a relay kit with higher wattage sockets it will protect your original wiring and plugs. You can pick up cheap relay kits on ebay

Is there anywhere that would whip out my circular fog lights and replace with curcular day ttime running lights

Wheelnut

You could just put a resistor in the feed to each fog-light.