Date:         Sat, 16 Nov 2013 19:50:51 -0800
Reply-To:     Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: High beams not working-lighting upgrades!
In-Reply-To:  <BAY407-EAS956700439A62977F99DF06A0E50@phx.gbl>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

   I have the H4 Euro style with 75bulbs,,Hella, I think.   From Bus Depot

  They've been marvelous on my many night time back road journeys but
the "spread", the aim-change between low beam and high beam is
slightly too 'big"...Might be a function of their distance off the
surface of the road when installed in a Vanagon or something....

   If you aim them so the high beams hit the highway, the low beam is
pretty close in...too far down...if you  aim the low beam just right,
the high beams go out about 2 miles, but leave half a mile sort of
dark in front of the van.   They're still a giant improvement over the
stockers but the aiming was a compromise...I understand the other
brands may have a different 'spread'...but I don't know this for sure.
  I have mine aimed pretty well and I do like the cut-off left side
light pattern the Euro lights have.    I did use some relays and I
grounded the lights out near the grill.

   I also have some KC Daylighters...Major off road lights that really
throw a lot of light for deserted highways or really late night deer
country.   I added a switch under the rear defrost and wired it to
only work when my highbeams are on, so if I encounter an oncoming car,
unexpectedly, with my driving lights on I just hit the normal dimmer
and the extra lights as well as the high beams go off...

  And for real off road looking around, I have a roof mounted Unity
100,000 cp manual spotlight, like on cop cars, but on the roof.  Very
handy for finding side roads and campsites that aren't directly in the
headlights, also useful as an area light around primitive camp areas
or as a help light for working on another vehicle nearby...The
spotlight runs on my aux battery, but I sometimes add it to my late
night driving package if I am in very heavy deer country....I can
reach it comfortably while driving, up near the center rear view
mirror...

  Now a days all the off road crowd use LED lights...those are
amazingly small and compact, use little juice..probably pricey...dunno
I am happy with my set up so I haven't checked.