The Retrobrights are much brighter than the halogen lights. Each Retrobright low beam draws 1.5 amps compared to 5.5 amps for the halogen. That’s a big difference.
Brighter Headlights
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DGE330/NC
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but he's using the Halogen. he never mentioned LED's. But yes LED's do draw considerably less amperage
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To be clear, the article is about 55 watt H4 based Hella Halogens, not the inexpensive sealed beam Halogens shown in the OP video. The wattage numbers are way different. Also, the Dart in the article is a 2-lamp system, double their numbers for a 4-lamp installation.
Kennith
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Great video especially for this time of the year.
Holley is outrageous.
Another member mentioned Octane Lighting here is a video showing the before and after of their lights on a 68 Charger.
Holley is outrageous.
Another member mentioned Octane Lighting here is a video showing the before and after of their lights on a 68 Charger.
Yes, but… depending also if relays are with fuse or breaker protection, because as far I know and per expert testimonials, the light switch carries a breaker protection system, which will be virtually bypassed using relays to get the load out of the stock wiring. It will hardly be activated with just the relay triggering job.
So not just the relay but also the protection for the relays circuit must be considered.
On a side note, I’m not a big fan of LEDs yet on classic cars, however mostly sure I will move sooner or later to a Led setup when I get convinced about they get the same radiation light all around for stock housings and lenses than regular lamps. When that time comes, I will proceed with a warm white temp rate ( 3000-3500K ) for headlights, nothing so whitey like the video shown.
dfrazz
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The harness from @Crackedback has fuses built in. If you watch the video I posted you will see them.
Yes… but meaning for those building their own relays setup… I made my own. That’s something easy to build by each one having the patiente.
This relay upgrade is a very common upgrade in Venezuela, made daily back in the days on every car. Sure I built a totally diff personalized setup. I’m using the stock wiring bulkhead included to feed the halogen headlights upgrade. My relays are down the dash frame And sourced from the amm stud, alt side. But is just about a personal preference, after also upgrade the amm paths.
Stock bulkhead terminals are plenty yet to handle the halogen headlights load as far they are in good conditions. Relays and their plugs itself use in fact same/similar terminals, so why despite the bulkhead for them if the relay already carries them?
once again, is just because I made my own build matching my prefferences and requirement for a non visible relay setup down the hood. So they are down the dash without cut a wire.
This relay upgrade is a very common upgrade in Venezuela, made daily back in the days on every car. Sure I built a totally diff personalized setup. I’m using the stock wiring bulkhead included to feed the halogen headlights upgrade. My relays are down the dash frame And sourced from the amm stud, alt side. But is just about a personal preference, after also upgrade the amm paths.
Stock bulkhead terminals are plenty yet to handle the halogen headlights load as far they are in good conditions. Relays and their plugs itself use in fact same/similar terminals, so why despite the bulkhead for them if the relay already carries them?
once again, is just because I made my own build matching my prefferences and requirement for a non visible relay setup down the hood. So they are down the dash without cut a wire.
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68-500
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Holley lost me at composite lenses. Who wants to spend that kind of money on something that will just yellow and diminish all gains you just spent your dollars on? Nope, quality halagens and relay kit will do me just fine. Hell I drove mine to Tulsa last night the stock lighting seemed adequate and I’ve never spent the time to aim them. Should’ve only improve when I aim and get around to the relay
Didn’t know they are plastic… one point less to proceed on my side. Glass for me all the time.
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The Retrobright lenses are made of UV Treated Polycarbonate. Much more impact resistive than glass, 10 times more according to Holley. There is a hammer test video floating around out there. I have replaced a few Hellas after stone strikes over the years.
Not too concerned with yellowing considering they will see minimal UV exposure while being stored. Have been a longtime fan of the Hella E-codes, one thing that bugged the hell out me was they are not well sealed around the bulbs. Would occasionally find some moisture in them, internally fogged up lens after any water exposure. Causing, over time, the reflector surface to degrade.
Not too concerned with yellowing considering they will see minimal UV exposure while being stored. Have been a longtime fan of the Hella E-codes, one thing that bugged the hell out me was they are not well sealed around the bulbs. Would occasionally find some moisture in them, internally fogged up lens after any water exposure. Causing, over time, the reflector surface to degrade.
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OzCharger69
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I changed the stock ones with Narva H1 and H4s for normal and high beams. They push 100W each and they push more light than my modern 4WD on LED projectors. They are wired on a relay because they pull a fair bit of power.
Narva | Halogen Headlamp - H4 Conversion Kit - 5 3/4" High/Low Beam Free Form
Narva | Halogen Headlamp - H4 Conversion Kit - 5 3/4" High/Low Beam Free Form
70ChargerRT
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Exactly. How many times has this been covered before and I have even posted the draw of the LED lights after I did my research. The world famous headlight relay is dead unless you just want to run the old school lights.
Geoff 2
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It is all relative......
Are expensive LED lights that much better than Halogen lamps? If so, worth the extra cost....And I certainly would not want plastic lenses which can & do turn yellow, despite what Holley says. Glass never goes yellow.
One thing I have not seen mentioned. Using Hal lamps in a 4 headlight car is going to draw a lot of current. What would be important to get maximum current with minimal voltage drop to the lamps is to use two Bosch relays, one for Lo one for Hi beam. The supply to the relays should come direct from the bat +ve terminal, with an inline fuse for each relay. If the lamps are just connected to the original harness, you will get all the voltage drop through the harness.
This improvement will only make a small incremental improvement but I think the low cost makes it worth it.
Are expensive LED lights that much better than Halogen lamps? If so, worth the extra cost....And I certainly would not want plastic lenses which can & do turn yellow, despite what Holley says. Glass never goes yellow.
One thing I have not seen mentioned. Using Hal lamps in a 4 headlight car is going to draw a lot of current. What would be important to get maximum current with minimal voltage drop to the lamps is to use two Bosch relays, one for Lo one for Hi beam. The supply to the relays should come direct from the bat +ve terminal, with an inline fuse for each relay. If the lamps are just connected to the original harness, you will get all the voltage drop through the harness.
This improvement will only make a small incremental improvement but I think the low cost makes it worth it.
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Again, "On a factory stock charging system with an ammeter, should never add loads directly at the battery. Headlight relays are a good idea, but the lamp load needs to be on the alternator side of the ammeter. If not, the loads are just shifted from the lighting circuit to the ammeter/related connections and the bulkhead charging system connections. The headlamp current draw will also register as false charging current."
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Relays not mentioned? Where have you been, man?
Relays have been mentioned numerous times.
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Octane’s have glass lenses and steel backs
I have a pair in my ‘84 w150 with the crystal lens and am very satisfied with them
I have a pair in my ‘84 w150 with the crystal lens and am very satisfied with them
Geoff 2
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Sorry,
This ^^^ is nonsense. Using your logic, when the starter is engaged, the bulkhead connections would burn out because of the several hundred amps that the starter draws. Because the starter is also connected to the bat + ve terminal. It would also mean according to the above 'logic', that the huge current draw from the starter cranking would snap off the ammeter needle as it slams the -ve peg!!
I have my own car wired as in post #35, as well as several others, with zero problems.
This ^^^ is nonsense. Using your logic, when the starter is engaged, the bulkhead connections would burn out because of the several hundred amps that the starter draws. Because the starter is also connected to the bat + ve terminal. It would also mean according to the above 'logic', that the huge current draw from the starter cranking would snap off the ammeter needle as it slams the -ve peg!!
I have my own car wired as in post #35, as well as several others, with zero problems.
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