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Date:         Sat, 1 Dec 2001 16:08:49 +1200
Reply-To:     Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject:      Re: Headlights
In-Reply-To:  <Springmail.105.1007161747.0.16032900@springmail>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed"

Any reasonable-quality nonsealed H465/55W unit will give good light. Bosch, Hella, Stanley, even Lucas. Those lucky enough to live outside USA have easy recourse to cheap ones. I can just wander down to a wrecker and buy a pair for $4.00 to 8.00 US...

I have tried US-style sealed H4s. While they were definitely better than ordinary nonQH sealed-beams, they are still not good. the reflector and lens quality are all-important.

I have also tried Ring 100/80W bulbs in the H4s on my 75 Bay. They didn't make a noticable difference to light output, but certainly heated up and melted themselves, the bases carbonizing... lasted a few months only, and I didn't use them much.

The only real option if you want GOOD light is to fit a pair of nonsealed H4s. Relays are not necessary with these (several of my cars, with both stock and nonstandard H4s, have had brilliant lights, and I've never had relays or had a switch burn out), but certainly wouldn't hurt, and could save a burned-out light switch.

Genuine gas-discharge lights are fine and don't cause glare; I have had a few oncoming at night, and never any glare problem (the units complained about by listees will probably be boy-wonders with blue-tinted H4)s. Poor-quality (sealed beam) lights are probably the culprit here, with cheaply-molded lenses which don't shape the beam properly, allowing excessive scatter on low beam. GD lighte will have top-quality lenses with very sharp low-beam cutoffs. All of my nonsealed H4s have had nice sharp cutoffs.

-- Andrew Grebneff 165 EvansSt, Dunedin 9001, New Zealand <andrew.grebneff@stonebow.otago.ac.nz> Ph: 0064 (3) 473-8863 fax: 0064 (3) 479-7527 1986 Toyota Corolla 1.8DX CE80 diesel sedan 1989 Toyota Corolla 1.8DX CE96 diesel van 1989 Toyota Corona 2.0D Select CT170 diesel sedan 1992 Toyota Estima Lucida 2.2 turbodiesel MPV (=narrow "Previa") 1984 VW Caravelle GL (to be fitted with 260hp Subaru SVX flat-6 & Porsche G50 trans) Seashell, Macintosh, VW & Toyota van nut


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