Headlamps improvement

[canuck]

Can I ask you to share your experiences with headlamps improvements for those of you that have done this?

The time has come for me to improve the headlamps on George. He is still fitted with OE BPF reflectors and bulbs.  FWIW a few years ago I fitted relays to optimize the performance of these OE lamps. 





Driving after dark is becoming tiring for this colour blind Riley owner particularly if it is raining. I did install a period driving lamp, with relay to help, Lucas FT LR6/9 that does help throw a beam out front but I feel this can be better still. 

I am aware I can change out the wiring pigtail for a sealed beam type H4  connector however I prefer a 'plug n play' option and keep the OE BPF connector. and OE wiring. 

There appears to be quite a choice on the market but few to fit the BPF connector.  I think the offering below may fit the bill?

www.classiccarleds.co.uk/collections/12-volt-collection/products/ba15d-led-headlight-upgrade-6-12-and-24-volt-negative-or-positive-earth-1076-171-great-beam-strength-and-pattern




Back to you lot 

Thanks in advance 

Bruce

[tonyhosk]

I haven't tried LEDS in headlamps, but I have fitted them to all the other lights on my Alvis and they are seriously brighter than old tech! I presume the same for headlights? Worth checking out the www.bettercarlighting.co.uk website for comparison before you buy.

I'll be very interested to hear how they perform.

Tony

[Roger Holman]

I don't know if it a characteristic of all LED 'bulbs' or just that some (many) are very badly fitted. I am finding that it is very disturbing trying to see what is on the road ahead when a vehicle fitted with powerful LED headlights is approachijng in the oposite direction. LED headlight are quite litterally blinding. I understand that one of the problems is that standard non LED lamp reflectors are the wrong shape for the light pattern emitted by an LED, so, I also understand that retro fitting LED's to vehicles with reflectors not designed for LEDs is technically illegal, and should be picked up on MOT. However, in an effort to get some better illumination on two of my vehicles, I have fitted 'off road' bulbs, also technically illegal, but readily available in Halfords for example. Give a much better illumination and keep a managable light pattern because the bulbis the same shape as a 'standard' bulb. I have also fitted relays to the RMC to handle the extra load and fuses, so far all is working well, and I can see in the dark.

[ozieagle]

Hi Bruce,

With your relay mod to the headlight circuit, did you run a heavy wire from the hot pole on the starter to the common terminal of the relay? It makes a huge difference, Another option is to fit 60/100 Watt halogens, which the relays can handle. This depends on whether your headlights are semi or fully sealed. It requires semi sealed.

Herb

[canuck]

Nov 10, 2021 22:09:07 GMT ozieagle said:

Hi Bruce,

With your relay mod to the headlight circuit, did you run a heavy wire from the hot pole on the starter to the common terminal of the relay? It makes a huge difference, Another option is to fit 60/100 Watt halogens, which the relays can handle. This depends on whether your headlights are semi or fully sealed. It requires semi sealed.

Herb

Herb,
I really don't like to add wires/terminals to the post of the starter motor. This is a harsh environment and the stud isn't particularly long to accommodate another terminal. On our cars I suppose we could take the feed from the solenoid post?

However like the kits I build and sell for the MGB I employ the same design principles. 



I pick up the 12v feed from the _F  'A'  terminal  of the control box.   Of course an inline fuse and adequate gauge wire. 
For the Riley I choose to use braided wire for the 'vintage' look .  



Salut
B

[canuck]

Roger,
You are spot on.  I don't know about illegal in my jurisdiction but for sure the OE reflector/lens isn't brilliant for a H4 halogen fitment. The beam is just awful. 


The product link and bulb I mention in my first post is a 'projector' type bulb? I believe it throws out a beam similar to a handheld torch and doesn't use the reflector? I understand it produces a clean light with a dip beam cut off similar to the 'modern' car lights we have come to enjoy.


I have CIBIE ™ H4 lamps fitted to my MGB and they are brilliant with very modern beam cut off and no glare. I haven't found anything that even comes close to these lamps, not even the Hella equivalent. 


As I mentioned in my original post I am searching something that fits the OE globe/reflector and the BPF connector. 


B  

[ozieagle]

I pick up the 12v feed from the F terminal of the control box.


Hi Bruce, this statement has worried me for a while. The F terminal is the field control for the dynamo. It probably rapidly turns on and off, according to the power output needs of the car. If you really don't want to connect to the terminal on the solednoid or starter, at least connect to the A terminal, of the regulator, which is a direct battery feed. You may be surprised at the light improvement.

Herb

[canuck]

Hello Herb,
You are spot on and I appreciate the  correction. I am connected to the 'A' terminal not the 'F' terminal as I wrote. Fat fingers on a keyboard. 

I am still looking for a suitable 'plug n play' LED bulb that will fit the BPF connector though. 

Bruce

[kiwimc]

I'm currently mid light upgrade.  Here are the new LED side lights:

Purchased from Classic Dynamo & Regulator Conversions (www.dynamoregulatorconversions.com/enter-site.php).  I like their shouty website and their pride in their self-designed products.  Definitely worth a look at their BPF bulbs Bruce.

I spruced up the base with CRC Bright Zinc; the new foam seals are from an ebay shop 'Classic Bits' - sensible postage costs.

The rest of the upgrade includes separately relayed offside Lucas SLR576, nearside SFT, and pair of genuine P700s I've had forever.  I'm going to make do with good original BPF bulbs, and I have actually found the correct axial filament for the SLR!

[Very disappointed in brand new Narva BPFs I purchased.  The locating notch in the base to correctly align the hood and filaments is around 20 degrees out of place, one CW the other CCW] 

I havn't sorted fusing for the relays yet.  Is there anything wrong with mounting a standard Lucas A1-A4 block, running the High beam from A2 and the Lowbeam and fog from A4??  Thoughts please.

Plan is also to use the High beam relay output as feed (30/51) for the SLR relay.

John

[kiwimc]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXw1m7I8uHs

Junkyard Tom's 6/90 with LED conversion

[canuck]

John,
Nice find on the side lights bulb.

Oddly enough I visited those chaps last season when I was struggling with a charging problem. Their electronic control box looked very interesting.  

For fuses you may want to splice in a simple in line fuse?  These work very well and can be discreet under bonnet. 

 

I used a dedicated fuse for the headlamp relays, and for the driving lamp and 'created' a new circuit for a windscreen washer pump, boot light etc.  These are shown below;



I think it nice to separate the circuits allowing one to size the fuse accordingly.

B

[canuck]

Junkyard Tom's car seems to have been a previous ' local constabulary'  car? That external mounted bell up front is a nice touch.  

B

[kiwimc]

Tom's bell comes and goes depending on the video.  What is without question is the way he drives it in the same style as the constabulary did in the late 50's .

That exhaust note too!

Did you notice also his cobbers filming him are driving some other classic 50's (?) convertible.  There is even an audible 'woohoo' as they overtake him at one stage near the end.

My 6/90 has similar external patina, mainly due to a sh_te re-paint job before my ownership.

Did you see Tom undid the chrome trim ring on the lens instead of just rotating the whole unit 5 degrees CCW and popping it off?

I'm pretty confident the light coming forwards from these will make for good visibility, particularly being seen by oncoming drivers.  I'm not so sure how focussed it will be, as the theory of filament placement/reflector (all that stuff you've forgotten from high school physics) is not trivial.

[canuck]

I took the plunge and ordered a pair of the 'bulbs' I linked to in my original post. 

www.classiccarleds.co.uk/collections/12-volt-collection/products/ba15d-led-headlight-upgrade-6-12-and-24-volt-negative-or-positive-earth-1076-171-great-beam-strength-and-pattern

The firm confirmed my suspicion of these being a projector type light source, email comment below;



I have confidence these will perform as I want, however I won't be able to share the result before spring as my cars are tucked away avoiding the snow.

Salut

Bruce

[kiwimc]

They look promising.