Brighter headlights
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Joined: Jul 2005
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From: Brownstown MI.
Brighter headlights
What can I do to improve the brightness of my stock 80 headlights. They are now like driving with two birthday cake candles on the front of the car to light the road.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2005
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First off, change your bulbs with some fresh ones. Over time the bulbs loose focus due to lens pitting from road sand. If you've ever noticed, a windshield over time accumulates small pits from dirt being kicked up from the road. Also, the light the filament emits yellows over time, I don't remember the actual process that causes this, but if you've ever bought a new car, or noticed the oncoming lights from a new car, the light being emitted is a whiter light. I'm comparing halogen to halogen here, not the new xenon lights with halogens.
Second, you should check the alternator voltage output and be sure it's generating voltage within specs. It should be about 14.5 VDC. If it is down even 1 volt, that will affect brightness noticeably.
From this point you can get more involved by rewiring the headlights to include relays that feed the lights with heavier gauge wire. This is a popular upgrade that ensures the full 14.5 volts is reaching the bulbs. Hope this helps.
Second, you should check the alternator voltage output and be sure it's generating voltage within specs. It should be about 14.5 VDC. If it is down even 1 volt, that will affect brightness noticeably.
From this point you can get more involved by rewiring the headlights to include relays that feed the lights with heavier gauge wire. This is a popular upgrade that ensures the full 14.5 volts is reaching the bulbs. Hope this helps.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 11,872
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From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Originally Posted by comp
yep 
Our problem is lack of proper voltage to the head lights. We are often down around 12 volts or even less by the time the alternator travels to the fuse block through the switch and back out to the lights.
I really noticed a difference with installing relays right by the lights and feeding a dedicated line directly from the alternater
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 10,628
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From: Duvall, WA
Here's an article from MAD Electrical dealing with brighter headlights.
http://www.madelectrical.com/electri...adlights.shtml
http://www.madelectrical.com/electri...adlights.shtml
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Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Springfield MO
St. Jude Donor '07
My 77 had the original incandescents until about 4 years ago. The change to halogens at the same rated power was like night and day (literally). Once I find a set for a decent price, I'm going to Hella H1/H4 lights, probably with 100/55 H4 bulbs on the outside.
Former Vendor
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 683
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From: Mounds View Minnesota
I've got hallogens in my '69 and on a dark night in the middle of Iowa, no moon, no traffic when I lit up the high beams it was like daytime. Nothing better than 4 Hallogens blazing away, but now you've got me thinking about relays. 
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 40,406
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From: Redondo Beach, California
If your headlamps are really old, I think that metallization can occur as metal boils off the filament and deposits on the interior part of the lens. Nothing you can do about this except change the headlight bulbs. Another possibility is that with aging, the connectors become corroded and you start to get a little extra voltage drop through the connectors. Actually adding relays to power the headlights seems like a good idea (see the MAD electrical reference in previous posts). A question about Halogens. For early C3's, we need the T3 headlight bulbs since they accomodate the fiber optics. Will halogens allow the fiber optics to work?
Also, wasn't there a post not too long ago about someone who put aircraft lights in his car? He put one on the passenger's side since it was so bright it was not a good ideal to put it on the drivers side. I think it was a 150 watt lightbulb with a narrow beam. It did fit in the C3 headlight assembly.
Also, wasn't there a post not too long ago about someone who put aircraft lights in his car? He put one on the passenger's side since it was so bright it was not a good ideal to put it on the drivers side. I think it was a 150 watt lightbulb with a narrow beam. It did fit in the C3 headlight assembly.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,165
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From: Keizer Oregon
Originally Posted by 68/70Vette
If your headlamps are really old, I think that metallization can occur as metal boils off the filament and deposits on the interior part of the lens. Nothing you can do about this except change the headlight bulbs. Another possibility is that with aging, the connectors become corroded and you start to get a little extra voltage drop through the connectors..
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,146
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From: Scottsboro Alabama
Originally Posted by Corvette Engineering
I've got hallogens in my '69 and on a dark night in the middle of Iowa, no moon, no traffic when I lit up the high beams it was like daytime. Nothing better than 4 Hallogens blazing away, but now you've got me thinking about relays.
It's a good idea to use relays especially with halogens, actually it's best to use them even if you're still using the stock headlamps. In the stock wiring configuration the headlight switch and dimmer switch contacts are taking the full load of the headlamp current. Powering the headlamps through relays with a new 12v source(s) will eliminate the load from the dimmer and light switch, they would only be triggering the coil in the relays. You headlights will work better and your headlight switch and dimmer will last probably forever. Basically it's the same as wiring for electric fans, the temperature sensor operates the relay coils. In this case the headlight switch and dimmer operates the relay coils.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Jul 2005
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From: Brownstown MI.
Thanks to all. Got some really good advice here. I think I will go with the easy route first and install the hallogens. If this does not work to my satisfaction I will look into the relays and etc.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2005
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Originally Posted by Older Than Dirt
It's a good idea to use relays especially with halogens, actually it's best to use them even if you're still using the stock headlamps. In the stock wiring configuration the headlight switch and dimmer switch contacts are taking the full load of the headlamp current. Powering the headlamps through relays with a new 12v source(s) will eliminate the load from the dimmer and light switch, they would only be triggering the coil in the relays. You headlights will work better and your headlight switch and dimmer will last probably forever. Basically it's the same as wiring for electric fans, the temperature sensor operates the relay coils. In this case the headlight switch and dimmer operates the relay coils.
if i find the link in the million i have saved i will post it.
i did find this link though detailing how to wire the relay's
http://www.rowand.net/Shop/Tech/imag...ingDiagram.jpg
this diagram may be a little easier to understand
http://www.73-87.com/7387garage/exte...y81-87Quad.jpg
Last edited by 1Z87L8; Mar 12, 2006 at 11:56 AM.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
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From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Originally Posted by MN-Brent
What type relays would be recommended?
It really makes a difference in the brightness with the stock headlights.
