Headlamp thread ressurection.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 687
Likes: 0
From: Atascadero Ca
Headlamp thread ressurection.
Hey guys,
I remember reading on here probably getting close to a year ago now about fitting some sort of aircraft landing lamp into the stock c3 housing. Both my high beams are blown out and if i can find a brighter and still affordable replacement I'd go for it.
Thanks in advance,
--Mike
I remember reading on here probably getting close to a year ago now about fitting some sort of aircraft landing lamp into the stock c3 housing. Both my high beams are blown out and if i can find a brighter and still affordable replacement I'd go for it.
Thanks in advance,
--Mike
Pro
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 584
Likes: 0
From: Okemos MI
Originally Posted by i885744
Hey guys,
I remember reading on here probably getting close to a year ago now about fitting some sort of aircraft landing lamp into the stock c3 housing. Both my high beams are blown out and if i can find a brighter and still affordable replacement I'd go for it.
Thanks in advance,
--Mike
I remember reading on here probably getting close to a year ago now about fitting some sort of aircraft landing lamp into the stock c3 housing. Both my high beams are blown out and if i can find a brighter and still affordable replacement I'd go for it.
Thanks in advance,
--Mike
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,205
Likes: 1
From: "Too Low, Too Fast, Too Loud" TX
I am not at home..but I did save this info..this is a crap shoot from my dads computer but check out this site: http://www.replacementlightbulbs.com/lampsgeneral.htm
I believe the bulb is either the
4537 $12.38 GE 24742 PAR46 Aircraft-Landing 13V 100W Screw Terminals C-6 25 Hours
or
4509 $6.81 GE 24649 24650 PAR36 Aircraft-Landing Spotlamp 13V 100W Screw Terminals C-6 25 Hours
Think it is the first one..yes they are screw terminals..you will have to unsolder this terminal and solder the blades on for use in the car..when I get home will repost this info..maybe someone will chime in here..thanks! I will be doing this mod shortly, but will do the relay mod for more juice at the headlights hence, brighter headlights, before I do this one...thanks Joe!
I believe the bulb is either the
4537 $12.38 GE 24742 PAR46 Aircraft-Landing 13V 100W Screw Terminals C-6 25 Hours
or
4509 $6.81 GE 24649 24650 PAR36 Aircraft-Landing Spotlamp 13V 100W Screw Terminals C-6 25 Hours
Think it is the first one..yes they are screw terminals..you will have to unsolder this terminal and solder the blades on for use in the car..when I get home will repost this info..maybe someone will chime in here..thanks! I will be doing this mod shortly, but will do the relay mod for more juice at the headlights hence, brighter headlights, before I do this one...thanks Joe!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 763
Likes: 0
From: Loveland Colo
I've some experience with this, so let me share it with you all. All my parts & info are at home right now, but it will be next week before I can get back to the forum, so I am going on memory only here...
I did this to three of my motorcycles in the past, but the theory & mechanics is all the same.
What you need to consider first is the electrical load. Watts divided (%) by volts = amps. Your standard lites are typically 55 watts, or 4.5 amps. Times 4 lites = 18 amps. The circuit breaker in the headlamp switch, I believe, is rated at 20 amps. The 4509 & 4537 aircraft lites are rated 100 watts. (Let me repeat, it's been several months since I did this and I'm trying to remember it all as I write.) So 100 watts % 12 volts = 8.3 amps. 3 regular lites & 1 aircraft =21.8 amps. 2 & 2 = 25.6 amps. So to make this work, you need to install a relay switch with independant power and overcurrent protection which is triggered by the hi-beam switch. It's really not to hard to do. The relay can be purchased at a car stereo/alarm store for about $6. Sorry, part #s at home.
"Do as I say, not as I do": I installed 1 aircraft lite with no relay to see how it worked. Well it works really good for about 90 seconds. Then I get one or two quick blinks and my headlites go out. Circuit breaker overheating and popping. As soon as I stab the lo-beam the lites come back on. I will get a relay mounted soon, but for now I just use the hi-beam for a few moments at a time....
Mechanically, the lites have different locating lugs from standard lites. Rather than die-grind the buckets, I found they will mount securely with only the trim ring holding them in place, albeit cockeyed. You'll have to run your adjuster to an extreme, but it works.
The screw terminals are no problem, just fab a couple short pigtails with one loop and one spade for each one. A little tweeking with needlenose pliers to maintain electrical clearance, and perhaps some tape for insurance. Your OEM connector will now be behind the bucket, but check for rubbing & mechanical clearances and it'll be OK.
The two lites I've tried had different lenses. I'm sorry, I can't remember which was which now. 4509 &4537. They both have a clear lens with no ribbing. I believe they both called out something like a 6* by 11* beam pattern. However, one had a section in the center about 2" in diameter which looked like a magnifying glass. This lite threw a donut shaped beam--dark in the center with a ring of lite around it. The other lite had just a plain clear glass lens. It throws a nice straight narrow beam, about as wide as a narrow two-lane street at the end of a long block.
How do I like it? Well, aside from my lack of a relay limiting the use,
it's really really really bright. One of these is probably plenty, but it's use is pretty much limited to straightaways because of it's narrow beam. You can see a racoon in the road a mile away and he doesn't have to be looking at you. However there are a few disadvantages as well: You need a good charging system & wiring--this puts a big load on the electrics. The roadside signs reflect back almost blindingly. If you can see another car on the horizon, you better turn 'em off. And boy-howdy-bobcat, when you do turn 'em off, it gets REAL dark out there REAL quick!
I love it.
This weekend I'll also be installing some H-4 style halogen "reflector" (ricer-style) lo-beam lamps, to try to get a better cornering beam pattern. If you wish, I'll let you know how those work out as well.
Well I think I've yacked enough, I hope this will help a little .
I did this to three of my motorcycles in the past, but the theory & mechanics is all the same.
What you need to consider first is the electrical load. Watts divided (%) by volts = amps. Your standard lites are typically 55 watts, or 4.5 amps. Times 4 lites = 18 amps. The circuit breaker in the headlamp switch, I believe, is rated at 20 amps. The 4509 & 4537 aircraft lites are rated 100 watts. (Let me repeat, it's been several months since I did this and I'm trying to remember it all as I write.) So 100 watts % 12 volts = 8.3 amps. 3 regular lites & 1 aircraft =21.8 amps. 2 & 2 = 25.6 amps. So to make this work, you need to install a relay switch with independant power and overcurrent protection which is triggered by the hi-beam switch. It's really not to hard to do. The relay can be purchased at a car stereo/alarm store for about $6. Sorry, part #s at home.
"Do as I say, not as I do": I installed 1 aircraft lite with no relay to see how it worked. Well it works really good for about 90 seconds. Then I get one or two quick blinks and my headlites go out. Circuit breaker overheating and popping. As soon as I stab the lo-beam the lites come back on. I will get a relay mounted soon, but for now I just use the hi-beam for a few moments at a time....
Mechanically, the lites have different locating lugs from standard lites. Rather than die-grind the buckets, I found they will mount securely with only the trim ring holding them in place, albeit cockeyed. You'll have to run your adjuster to an extreme, but it works.
The screw terminals are no problem, just fab a couple short pigtails with one loop and one spade for each one. A little tweeking with needlenose pliers to maintain electrical clearance, and perhaps some tape for insurance. Your OEM connector will now be behind the bucket, but check for rubbing & mechanical clearances and it'll be OK.
The two lites I've tried had different lenses. I'm sorry, I can't remember which was which now. 4509 &4537. They both have a clear lens with no ribbing. I believe they both called out something like a 6* by 11* beam pattern. However, one had a section in the center about 2" in diameter which looked like a magnifying glass. This lite threw a donut shaped beam--dark in the center with a ring of lite around it. The other lite had just a plain clear glass lens. It throws a nice straight narrow beam, about as wide as a narrow two-lane street at the end of a long block.
How do I like it? Well, aside from my lack of a relay limiting the use,
it's really really really bright. One of these is probably plenty, but it's use is pretty much limited to straightaways because of it's narrow beam. You can see a racoon in the road a mile away and he doesn't have to be looking at you. However there are a few disadvantages as well: You need a good charging system & wiring--this puts a big load on the electrics. The roadside signs reflect back almost blindingly. If you can see another car on the horizon, you better turn 'em off. And boy-howdy-bobcat, when you do turn 'em off, it gets REAL dark out there REAL quick!
I love it.
This weekend I'll also be installing some H-4 style halogen "reflector" (ricer-style) lo-beam lamps, to try to get a better cornering beam pattern. If you wish, I'll let you know how those work out as well.
Well I think I've yacked enough, I hope this will help a little .
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,435
Likes: 0
From: largo florida
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 23,831
Likes: 10
From: Springfield MO
St. Jude Donor '07
Heck, just install the European-spec H4 lights and buy 100 watt bulbs (or even higher-powered!) My old daily-driver Talon (now dead) had 100/55 bulbs in it for a long time - nice and bright, and never a problem with the stock wiring. Admittedlly, on a 4-headlight car the H4 housings are going to get expensive, but they shouldn't need any modifications to install. I'm going to get a set of Hella H4 lights for my '77, one of these days.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,205
Likes: 1
From: "Too Low, Too Fast, Too Loud" TX
Actually, JPhil..it is only the highbeam lights..(2) that will be replaced.
Here is the mod I will do to mine..before doing the landing lights..have fun all...http://www.madelectrical.com/electri...adlights.shtml
Once the headlight relay mod done..will do the landing light mod on the highbeams. Then...will eventually do the HID mod for the low beams..imagine, HID on low and Aircraft landing lights on high..that going to be saaaaweeet!!! Thanks...Joe!
Here is the mod I will do to mine..before doing the landing lights..have fun all...http://www.madelectrical.com/electri...adlights.shtml
Once the headlight relay mod done..will do the landing light mod on the highbeams. Then...will eventually do the HID mod for the low beams..imagine, HID on low and Aircraft landing lights on high..that going to be saaaaweeet!!! Thanks...Joe!
Last edited by 81' Corvette Guy; Nov 25, 2004 at 07:09 AM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 763
Likes: 0
From: Loveland Colo
OK, I've looked thru my stuff at home now and figured out a little more about what I was talking about. The 4537 beam is the one that, because of the filament shield, appeared to have magnafying section on the lens. This is the one which threw a donut shaped beam. However from reading some of the new/old info here, I may give it another try in different orientation because it didn't overheat my circuit breaker. The one I currently have in there is a Wagner 4049, rated 150 watts & 300,000 candlepower.
I installed my Autozone "diamond projection reflector" lites last night-- $40 wasted. Shoulda just gone Hella or Cibie in the first place. The beam they threw, with 60/55 h4 halogen bulbs, was so "non-specific" that there was no pattern to it. 25 feet in front was very well lit, but the full moon provided better lite down the road where I wanted to see. Also, the housing was so deep it bottomed out on the headlite mount bracket, leaving virtually no adjustment anyway. Other issues also, basically just cheap ricer show cra---er, I mean, "stuff."
Appreciate all the other info posted, it all helps.
"Information is not necessarily knowledge, and knowledge is not necessarily wisdom."
Later, JPhil
I installed my Autozone "diamond projection reflector" lites last night-- $40 wasted. Shoulda just gone Hella or Cibie in the first place. The beam they threw, with 60/55 h4 halogen bulbs, was so "non-specific" that there was no pattern to it. 25 feet in front was very well lit, but the full moon provided better lite down the road where I wanted to see. Also, the housing was so deep it bottomed out on the headlite mount bracket, leaving virtually no adjustment anyway. Other issues also, basically just cheap ricer show cra---er, I mean, "stuff."
Appreciate all the other info posted, it all helps.
"Information is not necessarily knowledge, and knowledge is not necessarily wisdom."
Later, JPhil
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,038
Likes: 0
From: Grants Pass Oregon
Arc-Light
Originally Posted by 81' Corvette Guy
Actually, JPhil..it is only the highbeam lights..(2) that will be replaced.
Here is the mod I will do to mine..before doing the landing lights..have fun all...http://www.madelectrical.com/electri...adlights.shtml
Once the headlight relay mod done..will do the landing light mod on the highbeams. Then...will eventually do the HID mod for the low beams..imagine, HID on low and Aircraft landing lights on high..that going to be saaaaweeet!!! Thanks...Joe!
Here is the mod I will do to mine..before doing the landing lights..have fun all...http://www.madelectrical.com/electri...adlights.shtml
Once the headlight relay mod done..will do the landing light mod on the highbeams. Then...will eventually do the HID mod for the low beams..imagine, HID on low and Aircraft landing lights on high..that going to be saaaaweeet!!! Thanks...Joe!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 3,123
Likes: 13
From: Hollywood, Florida
I did this 8 months months ago...it is really easy.
As mentioned above, I used 2- 30 amp rated relays, 2 30 amp rated blade style HD in line fuse holders, hot supplied off of the bus bar on the horn relay, switching supplied from the existing hi beam circuit wire.
The bulbs were a perfect fit for me except for the screw terminals---NO BIG DEAL--I removed the screws and CAREFULLY bent the lugs to a factory position.
The bulbs were about $10 each at a local marine supply shop. They are for either hand held or mounted "search lights". As I recall, they had a choice of flood or spot. Naturally I opted for the flood.
As mentioned above, I used 2- 30 amp rated relays, 2 30 amp rated blade style HD in line fuse holders, hot supplied off of the bus bar on the horn relay, switching supplied from the existing hi beam circuit wire.
The bulbs were a perfect fit for me except for the screw terminals---NO BIG DEAL--I removed the screws and CAREFULLY bent the lugs to a factory position.
The bulbs were about $10 each at a local marine supply shop. They are for either hand held or mounted "search lights". As I recall, they had a choice of flood or spot. Naturally I opted for the flood.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,205
Likes: 1
From: "Too Low, Too Fast, Too Loud" TX
Originally Posted by shoptek
I did this 8 months months ago...it is really easy.
As mentioned above, I used 2- 30 amp rated relays, 2 30 amp rated blade style HD in line fuse holders, hot supplied off of the bus bar on the horn relay, switching supplied from the existing hi beam circuit wire.
The bulbs were a perfect fit for me except for the screw terminals---NO BIG DEAL--I removed the screws and CAREFULLY bent the lugs to a factory position.
The bulbs were about $10 each at a local marine supply shop. They are for either hand held or mounted "search lights". As I recall, they had a choice of flood or spot. Naturally I opted for the flood.
As mentioned above, I used 2- 30 amp rated relays, 2 30 amp rated blade style HD in line fuse holders, hot supplied off of the bus bar on the horn relay, switching supplied from the existing hi beam circuit wire.
The bulbs were a perfect fit for me except for the screw terminals---NO BIG DEAL--I removed the screws and CAREFULLY bent the lugs to a factory position.
The bulbs were about $10 each at a local marine supply shop. They are for either hand held or mounted "search lights". As I recall, they had a choice of flood or spot. Naturally I opted for the flood.
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 16,483
Likes: 1
From: The Only Corvette in Gila Bend, Az.
St. Jude Donor '09
I even went through the aviation web site when the last thread was going, and found any bulb that would fit the bucket and had the matching plug....here is what I found...
http://www.asltg.com/
If we are using the 4000 & H40001, Then this is the versions with matching plug, (A2-A3) and the size (par46) voltage (12.80).
4000 C6 A3 PAR46 12.80 37.500 200
4431 C6 A3 PAR46 12.80 45.000 160
4467 C6 A3 PAR46 12.80 50.000 320
H4467 A3 PAR46 12.80 50.000 320
4492 C6 A3 PAR46 12.80 60.000 300
H4001 C6 A2 PAR46 12.80 37.500 200
H5001 C6 A2 PAR46 12.80 50.000 200
4478 2C6 A2 PAR46 13.00 60.000 800
4480 2C6 A2 PAR46 13.00 60.000 800
Bulb number
Filament type
Connector type
Size of light (5-3/4 sealed beams are Par 46)
Cost
Watts
Life
http://www.asltg.com/
If we are using the 4000 & H40001, Then this is the versions with matching plug, (A2-A3) and the size (par46) voltage (12.80).
4000 C6 A3 PAR46 12.80 37.500 200
4431 C6 A3 PAR46 12.80 45.000 160
4467 C6 A3 PAR46 12.80 50.000 320
H4467 A3 PAR46 12.80 50.000 320
4492 C6 A3 PAR46 12.80 60.000 300
H4001 C6 A2 PAR46 12.80 37.500 200
H5001 C6 A2 PAR46 12.80 50.000 200
4478 2C6 A2 PAR46 13.00 60.000 800
4480 2C6 A2 PAR46 13.00 60.000 800
Bulb number
Filament type
Connector type
Size of light (5-3/4 sealed beams are Par 46)
Cost
Watts
Life
