Hello,
I've bought recently 4 new Hella headlights (1A3 002.850-031) for my 72 LT-1.
I had read a lot of comments here and choosen these lamps.

Unfortunately, an expert had said to me that H4 lamps was not a good choice !
For him, it'll be far better to have Hella H1 biFocus lamps for low beams and Valeo ref 082369 (also H1) for high beams.

I would like to know your advice about the Hella H4 lamps. I had previously such lamp on my 71 Challenger and, as far I remember, it was a good lightning...
I will add a modified harness with integrated relais and fuses : if you have an suggestion ?

I precise that it is impossible for me to mount Xenon or LED lamps here in Switzerland : such lightning MUST have an automatic control level system on vehicle (it's the law).
And also, I would like to have a "original" look.

Thank you !
Chris

 

H4 is not a good choice why?

I've had Hella H4s on my '71 for almost 20 years.

 

Have Hella H4 Euro lead Crystal highs and lows on my 78 since 1983-55/60 watt Lows and 100 watt Hi....No better light with halogen bulbs! Recently bought very high lumen LED High beam bulbs for installation after 30 years of using the halogens in the highs only....not installed yet.

 

Youre going in the right direction by installing relays and fuses. One word on using fuses. I ran blade fuses in my installed relay's for a while then started thinking if one of them blew while driving at night. I started some research and most modern headlight relay circuits use self resetting circuit breakers just for that reason. I jumped on the internet to look around and came across some self resetting circuit breakers that plug into the blade style fuse sockets.



I switched all of mine over to these circuit breakers. This doesn't fix a short problem but it may get you home. I keep a set of fuses in the car too just in case.

Search the forum as there are many different ways to install headlight relays. It's not a bad job in my opinion it can be a little time consuming but worth it. I can assure you getting full alternator voltage to the bulbs makes a world of difference. Don't forget to go up on wire gauge size and install ceramic bulb connectors this way you can go HID or any other high current drawing bulbs in the future.

BTW I'm just running Wagners Halogen's right now and they are bright.

 

Also using the H4 Euro with H4 on the low beams. No issues works great.

 

I getting ready to install these LED H1's into my hella highs...4,000 lumens per bulb!!!!

http://www.headlightexperts.com/led-...technology-kit

 

I would be interested to see what you think of the beam pattern after the install.

I tried a H4 conversion on a motorcycle headlight, and while they were brighter, the beam cut off pattern was wrong.

Looking into it, is seems the reason the LED emitter is not in the right place in space to work in a headlight designed for a Halogen bulb.

 

Yes I am aware that could be an issue and the reason i only purchased the high beam. However, I have already purchased these same LED's for the high beams and foglights for my 2012 Lexus IS350 F sport, the foglights on my 10C6Z06, and my 08 Chrysler 300 high beams/daytime runnning lights and ALL of them the beam pattern is nearly identical to the halogens. The high beams of both the Lexus and the 300 are MUCH brighter and whiter with slightly more beam scatter but I am not concerned since they are high beams and only used with no cars around....The fog light LED's have a nearly perfect beam pattern to the halogen.

Was the motorcycle H4 halogen a name brand glass/Crystal lense or plastic generic?

 

I dare say the suggested Bifocus low beam and Valeo high beam would be better than the Hella H4s, but if you're running old sealed beams at the moment then the Hella H4s will still be a huge improvement.

 

LED retrofits for halogen optics are

• always illegal on public roads
• Always annoying to oncoming traffic
• Always alter the beam pattern in a dangerous way

LED retrofits will be much brighter, but they put a lot more light close in, which constricts your pupils and reduces your distance vision. I've seen several single vehicle accidents with LED or HID retrofits, including one I observed from the passenger seat.

 

Agreed, and matters for high beams and fog lamps too not just low beams, I just didn't feel like having that argument again.

 

OK so I'm in the UK (not Switzerland) and even though the UK is 'pulling out' of the EEC most of its rules (including lighting products) will still be used. - My understanding is as yours, i.e high output lamps need auto levelling devices (I thought it applied to high voltage discharge lighting) and not Xenon replacement bulbs (instead of Halogen). These are available from a number of different suppliers. I have had mine for a number of years - they advertised as being 50% brighter and EEC compliant (there are even higher output ones available now) Current draw was minimally increased over stock tungsten lamps (so didn't change wiring) and allowed me finally to have lighting comparable with current vehicles. I know all European counties have their own specific laws in addition to the parent EEC ones and that Switzerland is particularly restrictive in some areas. Try here http://www.ringautomotive.com/uk/con...formance-bulbs

 

Those circuit breakers are a good idea. They are required for safety inspections in some locales.

I generally use 4 relays with 2 separate fuses (or circuit breakers). I have separate relays for left HB, left LB, right HB, and right LB. One fuse/circuit breaker supplies power to both rightside relays, the other fuse/circuit breaker supplies power for the left side. That way, if there's an issue, only one light is out from a blown fuse.

I use 12 awg or even 10 awg wire when I make a relay harness for the power and ground wires. And bakelite connectors at the headlight sockets handle dielectric grease better than ceramic, but still handle the heat.

I also use skirted, weatherproof relays and fuses holders, or a weatherproof fuse/relay block with cover.

The best H4 and H1 bulbs I've found are the Phillips Xtreme Vision (+130). The Osram Nightbreaker unlimited (+110) bulbs are a close second place. Both of those now have a slight blue tint to the high beam section on the H4s, but no tint on the low beams. They don't last as long as standard bulbs, but they are brighter. I carry spares just in case.

 

Thank you for all those interessant informations.
I think also that 4 H4 Hella lamps are ok. Of course, the addition of a special harness with relays and fuse is a great plus.
I've here some questions :
- On my 72 Corvette, there is a stud attached to the horn relay. It seems this stud is a "central point" for high amperage current. I assume it is possible to take the current for my headlamps relays here ?
- I've seen on Internet this harness from Corvettemods https://www.corvettemods.com/C3-Corv...s_p_16146.html
Has somebody experienced this part ?
Otherwise, there are harnesses from Daniel Stern Lightning.
Or is it better to build my own harness with selected good parts, as C6_Racer_X explained.
And whre to buy such parts ?

And, at last, best wishes for 2018 !

Chris

 

Can't help with the part but might want to read about Corv Mods:https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ds-vendor.html

 

The motorcycle headlight was OEM Ducati.
I can see where Highbeams would be less of a concern, as there is no oncoming traffic.
The issue with the low beam is the scatter which would go into the opposing traffic's eye.

 

So many questions.

For 4 light system, outer 2 can be either dedicated low beam, single filament (H1 or similar) or high/low, double filament (H4 or similar ). Inner is high beam only, usually single filament. I wouldn't use H4 type for inner. A dedicated high beam only will have better high beam pattern. I don't think it's legal to have 4 lights little for low beams, so there's no advantage to H4 on inner lamps.

Get power either from the battery or from the big stud on the alternator. The horn is fused, and not big enough wires or enough current available there.

I get some of my parts on Amazon, other things from a friendly manufacturer's rep I've known for decades. I prefer unloaded sockets with crimp on terminals. I tin the terminals and wires before crimping, heat after crimping to melt/fuse the solder, too.

If I wanted to buy something already made, Daniel Stern is the best for sure.

PM me if you need a specific list for anything.

 

The bigger safety issues is how bad the pattern is for your own vision.too much light in the near field constricts your pupils and makes distance vision impossible. It's the worst with fog lights, especially if you're driving faster than 25 to 30 mph. Fog lights should automatically shut off and stay off over that speed. In some parts of the world it's illegal to drive over that speed.

My own worst experience was with HID retrofits in halogen optics. I was in the passenger seat. The driver was driving about 50 mph on a rural 2 lane highway with horrible HID conversion low beams. They were very bright, with a lot of light close in. He saw the tree fallen across the road in time to brake down to under 20 mph before we hit the tree. With stock halogen lights, we wouldn't have had that accident. His car was totalled from the collision.

 

Yup, that would be an issue. That's the reason that I am only using in high beams currently on the other cars. I will report back once in the Hella H1's Euro lenses with the LED Hi bulbs once I get them installed.

I was not going to comment on some of this other "stuff" but just had to since broad statements can be dangerous....

As for the chatter here about all HID's and LEDs are illegal (true!) in retrofit applications and are ineffective unsafe conversions (not true) that is no different than modifying any pollution control device on any vehicle, changing heads and camshafts for more power (alters emissions), and jay walking as well-All are illegal. Without knowing the bulb-filament placement for every HID/LED bulb manufactured out there, one cannot make broad statements that every LED/HID conversion will not work...impossible without personal experience with a specfic lense and aftermarket bulb..they are all different.

I was a Biology major with lots of chemistry and physics in college and I would not even begin to try to explain the optics of the human eye and its reaction to light....there is a whole field in medicine dedicated to the study of the eye...ophthalmology and it is one of the most difficult disciplines in medicine. I will leave it at that....


Then there is the statement about foglights and driving with them....well, foglights are supposed to be used to illuminate the road directly in front of the vehicle in inclement weather and off to the side of the road to give the driver better perspective in bad/inclement weather-the most effective foglights are amber colored for contrast, NOT white...They are NOT driving lights which are different......Vehicle manufacturers are mostly to blame for the rampant use of foglights to augment the generally poor lighting and optics from the OEM lenses and halogen bulbs.

What I have shared is personal experience with my own cars, driving my own cars, with various lenses and LED/Halogens (C3 Hellas are from 1983) as well as HID conversions (15 years now) over the years. I do not make general comments without personal experience to augment what i have read or heard....take it for what you want and move on.

Lastly, there are very few modern SUV/full size pickups with OEM lenses and OEM halogen bulbs that are not absolutely blinding to on coming traffic and from behind through the rear view mirror with the beam scatter and light dispersion.....I can explain that phenomenon at another time......using halogen bulbs and OEM lenses.......Not to mention many OEM HIDS AND NOW OEM LEDS WITH OEM LENSEs/OPTICS that are also absolutely blinding with beam scatter as well.....there is MUCH more to this issue than a simplistic lense/filament placement discussion....MUCH!

 

A removable bulb with all of the wattage options of an H4 is the best! My units are exactly what the LeMans racers of the 1970s were running (Porsche 917. & Ferrari 512s)! I have one car with Marchals with the little kitty Cats in the lenses and I have a set of Cibies! I have in both brands, lenses designed to throw that light a mile on my high beams, and then lenses designed for street driving! So the lenses are mismatched intentionallly!