Date:         Sat, 9 Jan 2010 12:57:22 -0800
Reply-To:     Al Knoll <anasasi@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Al Knoll <anasasi@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Head lights
Comments: To: Michael Kimball <kimballmk@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To:  <78a2ee5d1001091038q39677055u18b668b646f213c9@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Measure the voltage at the battery.  Then start the car and measure the
voltage at the headlight itself.  Note the differences.  If you install a
relay set correctly you will get the battery voltage at the headlight
itself.   This will improve the light output of the lamp part of the
headlight.  The factory reflectors are simply not very good and the beam
pattern although brighter with the relays installed will still be far from
optimum.  Changing the reflectors is the only method for improving the beam
pattern.

It's rather like pouring coffee into a drunk.  When you started you had a
drowsy drunk, now you have a wide awake person, still drunk.

There are many advantages to the 7 inch round headlights, commonly available
at local stores, inexpensive, and the newer 'halogen' sealed beams are
noticeably brighter.

For me the answer was euro-spec sharp cutoff 7" reflectors, relays, upgraded
battery to relay to headlight wiring, and 80/100 H4 lamps/capsules/bulbs.
Much better lighting far and away better than stock reflectors can ever hope
to be.

Or you could just drive during daylight.

Pensionerd.




On Sat, Jan 9, 2010 at 10:38 AM, Michael Kimball <kimballmk@gmail.com>wrote:

> The headlights on my 1987 Westy are useless.  Have switched bulbs with no
> improvement.  Any similar problems and solutions?
>