Headlight Upgrade for Troopy
Submitted: Sunday, Jul 09, 2006 at 12:12
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TurboTroopie
My 2005 Troopie has he original 70/55W halogen sealed beam headlights. They are barely effective! I am aiming for a headlight upgrade, of some sort, to rectify this deficiency.
First approach is to upgrade the existing wiring from the current 2.5mm auto cable to 6 mm2 cable, taken direct from the power source, and returned to the battery
-ve terminal. And herein lies the question. Can I take the power direct from the alternator terminal, rather than from the battery +ve terminal.
With the lights on high beam, there is about 0.3V drop between the alternator and +ve battery terminal, and about .6V between the battery and the light terminal. On ther negative side, there is about 0.6V between the lights and the battery, and only 0.01V between ther battery and the alternator. Total loss of about 1.5V in an alternator output of 14.4V results in a voltage drop over the lights of about 12.9V.
As light output (= brightness) from a halogen globe is proportional to the 5th power of the voltage, I estimate that the lights are operating at only (12.9/14.4)^5 = 58% of their potential. So a cable upgrade incorporating relays should provide a noticeable difference.
Any comments from those who have already taken this route, and any problems in connecting direct to the alternator?
Reply By: Member - Mike DID - Sunday, Jul 09, 2006 at 12:38
Sunday, Jul 09, 2006 at 12:38
Running lamps at a higher temperature does increase light output - but also reduces life - do you really want to be replacing bulbs every few months.
Years ago I replaced the standrad H4 bulbs with 130/100 watt units - great light, but I got sick of replacing them regularly. Now I use Plus50 50/55 bulbs.
Currently your lamps are running at their design voltage. Sometimes it's surprising to learn what the design voltage is - if you look at 240 Volt Downlight Transformers they specify the voltage as 11.3 volts - no wonder a 50 watt downlight puts out heaps of light with 13 volts across it - but it won't last long, Some specialised bulbs have a rated life of TWENTY hours.
Mike
AnswerID:
182538
Reply By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Sunday, Jul 09, 2006 at 17:04
Sunday, Jul 09, 2006 at 17:04
I also measured voltage drop on
mine and got similar numbers, which I think are quite acceptable, and better than vehicles I've had in the past. But I fitted the ARB wiring loom, IPF inserts and IPF 110/80 globes. It made a substantial difference, but I wouldn't go that way again.
I don't think its necessary to upgrade the wiring. Better option IMO, is to replace the lights with H4 inserts and put ARB "fat boy" 80/60W H4 globes in them. A friend with a 79series runs this setup and his headlights as good, if not better than
mine.
cheers
Phil
AnswerID:
182570
Follow Up By: Markymark - Sunday, Jul 09, 2006 at 18:14
Sunday, Jul 09, 2006 at 18:14
Phil I've just put some Narva (Osram) plus 50's into my Prado, as I've had a good run with them in previous cars and they're reasonably priced. I looked at the ARB catalogue for the Fat Boys and I think they were approx. $80 the pair! The description of them sounds like they have the Xenon gas mixed in with Halogen just like all other plus 50 type of globes. Do you know if they are any different in that regard, or is it their physical size that you're paying for...or the ARB name?
Cheers,
Mark.
FollowupID:
438967
Follow Up By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Sunday, Jul 09, 2006 at 18:49
Sunday, Jul 09, 2006 at 18:49
Mark,
I can only go by the info in the ARB catalogue. Its pretty hard to keep track of globes - theres a lot of different technology out there now. The fat boys are different technology and more expensive than you thought - They retail at $142 the pair. ARB claim they offer optical equivalent of 150W high and 190W low beam, which sounds impressive without the expense of a loom upgrade
I also used to run the Plus 50's in a Prado and found them to be an improvement on the standard globes. Narva claim that they give 50% more light at low beam and 20% at high beam.
Cheers
phil
FollowupID:
438979
Reply By: Steve - Sunday, Jul 09, 2006 at 18:08
Sunday, Jul 09, 2006 at 18:08
I put a set of 130/100 units in my Toyo Landcruiser..as
well as 100 watt low beams...burned bleep out of the wiring loom , never again ...now i got those new Philips units that give 50% more light ... the duck's guts !! dont put those high watt units in ...they break if u fart and are an expensive excercise ...but thats only my humble opinion !!
AnswerID:
182578
Reply By: Tassiejim - Sunday, Jul 09, 2006 at 18:24
Sunday, Jul 09, 2006 at 18:24
Hi, for what its worth I know three fifths of five eights about voltages etc. About a month ago I replaced the existing sealed beams on my 3ltr Hilux with H4 head light inserts, a Piranah wiring loom and 90/100 Fosser globes in readiness for our long drive to
Weipa . I also fitted Lightforce
driving lights with a Piranah loom. What a difference the whole of the lighting is just fantastic. Cost a bit for the looms but is about the best thing I'be spent on the car. I can actually see very
well at night regardless of the conditions or any on-coming car.
Well worth the dollars and pretty simple to fit.
Cheer Jim
AnswerID:
182582
Reply By: Michael B - Sunday, Jul 09, 2006 at 20:10
Sunday, Jul 09, 2006 at 20:10
Turbo,
Probably does not answer you question, but,
I have recently had IPF headlight upgrade and IPF spot lights put on my Troopy.
Makes a world of difference and did not cost an 'arm and a leg'.
-But then I am not that techo and had ARB do it for me.
Cheers
Michael B (SA)
AnswerID:
182602
Reply By: Member - Mike DID - Sunday, Jul 09, 2006 at 21:52
Sunday, Jul 09, 2006 at 21:52
I certainly like to use theory to predict what will happen in the real world, but I also like to verify theory.
Here are the results - IF you can actually eliminate most of the existing voltage drop - you will get around 30% increase in brightness. You will still have some voltage drop across Relays and Fuses.
Volts Amps Ohms Watts Lux
14.29 8.08 1.77 115 550
12.78 7.58 1.68 97 420
11.8% 6.5% 5.4% 18.6% 31%
Mike
AnswerID:
182618
Follow Up By: Member - Mike DID - Sunday, Jul 09, 2006 at 22:55
Sunday, Jul 09, 2006 at 22:55
Here is another approach to the theory ( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halogen_light)
Light output is approximately proportional to Vexp3.4
Power consumption is approximately proportional to Vexp1.6
Lifetime is approximately inversely proportional to Vexp16
Color temperature is approximately proportional to Vexp0.42
Mike
FollowupID:
439034
Reply By: Muzzgit (WA) - Monday, Jul 10, 2006 at 00:39
Monday, Jul 10, 2006 at 00:39
I have just replaced the Osram "plus 50" with IPF Fatboys and have noticed an improvement. OK, my car is a GU patrol, but these are the third set of globes I have gone for and they are good.
Wattage is up from 60/55w to 80/60w. They claim some crap about being "equivelent" to 190/150w but how the hell they come to that I'm stuffed if I know.
Anyway, the IPF Fatboys are reasonably good, considering the two previous globe upgrades I wasted my money on.
AnswerID:
182633