Bulbs 80/100

[Burl]

Would the 80/100 bulbs be ok in place of the 55/65?  I need some more light with the Hella 7". 

 

[SteveJ]

Do you have relays for your headlights? If not, you'll be pumping close to 20A through your headlight switch when you go to high beams. I wouldn't do that.

[Captain Obvious]

I agree. Unless you've already got a well done headlight relay install, you're gonna burn something up. And, in fact, if you don't already have headlight relays, you're not getting all you can out of your current bulbs. I took some measurements before and after my relay install and those measurements indicate that I'm getting almost twice as much power out of my bulbs now than I was before. (And I haven't looked into it, but I suspect the power in to lumens out relationship for incandescents is very non-linear...)

 

Bottom line... Step one would be to make sure you're getting every possible lumen out of your current bulbs.

 

Do you already have a well done headlight relay install?

[Burl]

Just order a headlight relay system   Thanks.

[Captain Obvious]

Good. That's the best place to start.  Hopefully you'll find that you get enough light out of your current bulbs once you get the relay system installed and aren't wasting half your available power through the old original wiring system.

 

I've been thinking of changing over to an H4 system like your Hella's. but more for the bling factor rather than function. I'm sure they would be better than the old sealed beams, but I'm not dying for more light. I just like the idea. 
 

[Chickenman]

CO. I went with Cibie 7" from Daniel Stern lighting. I like the Convex lens shape better than the flat face Hella and Bosch 7" H4's. It matches the natural curves of the Z and just looks " right ".  And the Cibies have an incredibly sharp cut off and very good reflectors. Real glass ( Quartz )  as well.

 

Note: They are real E-Codes, so check your local regulations .

 

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/products/products.html

 

I went with the 60W/55W Narva +30 H4's. Beautiful sharp pattern and crisp white light. Great range as well. BTW, I've never been flashed by anyone for glare when I've run Cibies.

Edited September 7, 2015 by Chickenman

[Captain Obvious]

Thanks Chickenman. Funny you mention the flat front bulbs... I was at my local junkyard the other day and there was an old Land Rover there that had a set of 7" Hellas up front. I didn't pull them though because they were the flat front and I like the convex fronts better.

 

So here's a question for you who probably know more about this whole thing than I do... What I would really. really  like is something convex front that uses the H13 bulbs instead of the H4. I admittedly haven't spent significant time looking, but have you seen anything like that? Something 7" round with a convex front that uses this style bulb:


 

[Chickenman]

Why the H13 specifically?  From what I understand they are for DRL/Projector design headlamps. Not designed for old style 7" reflector lamps.

 

As far as a 7" lamp with an H-13 bulb, I'm not sure that you'd find any. No real point to manufacture and would require a complete redesign of the reflector. 

 

H-4 system is still one of the best bulb designs ever made. Better in some ways than newer composite designs, but more expensive to make. Rally drivers like them because the metal base acts as a heat sink and that extends bulb life. Important with high wattage bulbs, but also extends regular wattage bulb life.

 

If you've never driven with a set of Cibie headlamps before, you owe it to yourself to give them a try. They are truly a wonderful lamp.

Edited September 7, 2015 by Chickenman

[Chickenman]

I saw a 240Z the other day with some of those new Multi-Bulb LED head lamps. Looked like some sort of bug eyed Monster. Just looked wrong to me...

Edited September 7, 2015 by Chickenman

[Captain Obvious]

Well I'm certainly no headlight expert, but I like looks of the mechanical mounting scheme of the 9004 and 9007/H13 better than the H4. I like the O-ring seal, and I like that they snap into the housings without the external rear swinging metal clip. I also think they might mount a little shallower than the H4's because you don't need the rubber top hat on the back. (However, you might just end up trading the rubber top hat seal for a longer connector body though.)

 

Anyway, I was just musing. Looking to compare different options before I pulled the trigger on anything.

 

All that said, I did fifteen minutes of digging and came up completely empty on anything other than the H4's, so the whole idea may be moot. Not to say that there are zero 9004 or 9007 options in existence, but I haven't turned any up.

[Dr. 240Z]

I'll attest to Cibies...44 years later and still luv'n them!!

Should add that Daniel Stern is good to work with....knowledgeable chap

[Chickenman]

Woke up at 3:00 AM with insomnia again, so I thought I'd just add some further information ( or rambling ) that I've gathered over the years when Rallying and researching H/Light bulb design. I think Daniel Stern has some links to this on his site.

 

The newer composite designs  enable the manufacturers to do something that is very important to them. Save money.... by designing headlamps with a plastic reflector housing. The composite bulb holder isolates heat from the bulb. That prevents melting the plastic H/Lamp reflector, but also shortens bulb life as mentioned. It also limits the use of Hi-Power bulbs like 80/100 as they simply get too hot and the filaments fail in a very short time. ( And is is some what easier for consumers to install. Those danged clips and clasps can be PITA... especially on important stuff like Bra's... )

 

If you look at a well engineered H-4 H/lamp ( Cibie, Bosch, Hella  )  or any of the designs with metal bulb bases, you will see that they incorporate a metal mounting ring on the reflector and the reflector itself is a metal shell. The whole reflector of the H/Lamp is used as a heat sink. The metal reflector is Plasma sprayed with glass on both sides to prevent corrosion, but the metal mounting ring itself is masked off to promote good heat conduction. Very clever engineering.

 

I've always found car with 7" H/lamps and H-4's to be excellent design. Large symmetrical reflector housing  =  Good light spread with accurate focusing. 

Edited September 8, 2015 by Chickenman