mixalive

I do solder with heat shrink, crimp with heat shrink, soldered crimps with heat shrink, barrier strip, multi-pin connections, whatever it takes. If the wire vibrates or is pulled under stress, I solder. I use a Weller WES51 solder station at 650degrees F and 60/40 .32" Flux core solder. And clean my tip after every solder joint with the wet sponge. I have solder joints from a touring sound system that has lasted over 20 years. Just don't over heat the wire and don't use too much solder. Here is my alarm system augmentation on my 92.

BucfanTitan

Great Input. Those LED lights are amazing but a Killer in the price. Great first post!!!

If you go with the e-code lights Amazon sells a complete kit HELLA 003427811. That inclues 2 housings, bulbs, and boot covers.

Think it is time to pull the trigger and upgrade my night driving.

thanks everyone

DanZ51

I converted my '86 to Cibie H4 euro pattern lights years ago. I've been happy ever since. Another option out there is Bosch. I have Bosch (round 7") on my Jeep Wrangler along with a relay harness drawing power from the alternator. (The factory wiring limited current to less than 12V, running ) They're a good construction, glass & metal, for a VERY reasonable price (<$30. ea.)

I'm still running 55/60W bulbs in both vehicles. I may upgrade the harness on the Vette come warmer weather. The harness upgrade made a huge difference on the Jeep as it sees a lot more night driving than the Vette does.

BigT2

I have the Hella e-code with Sylvania SilverStar bulbs in mine since last spring. It does make a big difference in the light output for night driving. I will swap out the SilverStars for a pair of Cree led bulbs soon.

T

C5_Shopper

I ordered the Amazon Hella E-code housings and a pair of the Hella 55/100W bulbs.

UPDATE
Did not do any rewiring, used OEM wires.

BucfanTitan

Wait wait. Y did you get relays and new ceramic sockets. I was hoping the hella kit was going to be plug and play. Do you have a model or part number for the relays? Is it all going to work and fit in the rotating head lamps?

C5_Shopper

UPDATE
Did not do any rewiring, used OEM wires.

If you're using stock wattage bulbs, then the normal wiring is OK. I tend to over-engineer things. Since I'm upping the high beam wattage, I'm going to run heavier gauge wire. I think there was a post in this thread about using relays for the least voltage drop at the lights. I have a 30+ year old bike & used a relay @ the coils and it made a good difference in measured voltage. This helps both low & high beams, but requires two relays.

I sourced the relays from one place and the sockets from Amazon. The best deal in one place is Jegs, who also sell on Amazon. Search for waterproof relays and you'll find them around $20 each. Ditto the ceramic sockets/pigtails on Amazon, they were around $5/pair as I recall. Unless the car uses an off the wall headlight socket, there's no reason why these would not fit/work. AFAIK the stock 6054 lamp is the same pattern socket as the H4. I plan on undoing the stock wiring and using it as a trigger for the relays, and running heavier gauge GXL (automotive grade) wire in its place.

BucfanTitan

Well my Hella e-codes arrived today from Amazon. Very exciting !!!! Of coarse I had to run out and install them. Then take the misses out for ice cream so I can see how they look. They are brighter. The Hella site says about 50 % brighter on low 25% brighter on high. I fell like the low is about 30 percent brighter and the Highs light up the road really well. 25 percent better or more. I was hoping for more beam pattern on the road right in front of you when on low. The light all around the car is really good. To see the side of the road before I had to use the fog lights to see. When you turn the fogs on now you cant even tell they are on. I now can read the street sign names when I drive by instead of just seeing a green sign in the air when I drive by. Thats a big upgrade.

Over all I say 4.5 stars. Mostly since I think in my head I was making them brighter then what they actually are. I fell confident that I have the headlight beam adjusted properly and that I am seeing what I should see.


My last thing is a request for C5 Shopper. After you explained the relays and what you were doing I knew exactly why you ran the relays. Its just like on my truck when I ordered the HID kit they came with a relay harness to install. My request is after you have your relays installed and working can you take some pictures on how you installed the wiring. Looking to get a couple of ideas since the car has the pop up hood dont want to install anything incorrectly. But I do agree that the relay is a great idea for light no matter what bulb is used.

Thanks everyone

C5_Shopper

UPDATE
This mod is not needed for the 55/100W setup I am using. There is plenty of voltage at the headlight connector for the lights. I'm leaving the diagram up in the event someone would care to use it at some point in the future.
(end update)



My housings arrived yesterday with half of my wiring/bulb order, so I'm on hold for a few days. I'll post up the wiring diagram and some installation pics when I do the upgrade.

EDIT
Updated diagram. After reading the service manual & looking at the car, it looks like a plug-in harness can be constructed that will work well using inexpensive GM/Delphi connectors. The only real work here will be to locate/mount the relays, and run the power feed & the 2 right side output wires. From looking at my car, the relays can mount on the driver side near the 5-pin connector, and the power feed can be tapped by the fuse box near the battery, and there is a factory ground screw on the frame rail. Will need to study how the wires cross over to the right side.

C5_Shopper

Diagram is updated.

UPDATE
Did not do any rewiring, used OEM wires.

BucfanTitan

Awesome C5 thanks for everything!!!

C5_Shopper

I installed the headlights & bulbs tonight, and then checked the left connector for voltage @ idle. I did this to determine if the relay/wiring system was really needed. At idle, the battery read about 14.4V. The low beam (tan) wire read about 13.3. I thought AHA! A drop of 1 volt! Then I tested the high beam (lt. green) wire and got 14.3V. In fairness, I was reverse-probing the connectors so it's likely the low beam was not making a good connection to my meter. The lights look great. I'll attach some before & after shots both against the garage door and then a couple on my driveway. The garage is 60' long for reference.

My conclusion using the school of "don't fix it if it isn't broken" is that the added relays and harness are not needed. I will leave the above diagram in place with a note in the event someone would ever like to make up such a harness.

The old lights were a mix of a glass H6054 and a plastic one that weighed like 2 ounces. They were the same as shining two flashlights on the ground about 25 feet in front of the car. The Hella E-codes are just like Mrs. Shopper's 2009 GMC with halogens- a great flat cutoff. I raised them slightly and that was all that was needed for alignment. Low beam visibility is easily 5x better, and the more powerful high beams are literally night & day from before. Highly recommend this mod for anyone that drives at night.

BucfanTitan

Your low beams seem way brighter then mine. I am running the kit with the 55/60 bulbs. I know the high beams cant compare but what about this low shot.

C5_Shopper

There are a few variables here- my driveway has a slight downward slope where the car is sitting in the pics, and I was leaning out the driver door to take both pics whereas your shot is more centered. I'd say they are about the same. If anything, it looks mine may be raised higher.

speedycat3

Gdl2165. I do not have the trucklites LEDs, but got the JW speakers instead.
Best headlights i have ever had.
There is minimal glare to oncoming traffic or when behind a vehicle, and the light output and pattern is orders of magnitude better than anything else.



Low beam



High beam.





Sorry about the blurred shot, but it was a cell pic..

BucfanTitan

Thanks shopper I will try playing with them again. Thanks for the help!!!!

dt#2

Good God Almighty!!!!!! Those look good. I am sure the functionality is on the money. good info here!!

BucfanTitan

So last night I took the car and I shot the lights on the garage door and raised them slightly. I feel like that made a hugh difference with the night driving. Here are a few shots.

The lights on the garage door, before lifting them


I found an area that doesnt have a lot of traffic and actually saw about 7 doe deers after I left this spot. Walked right out in front of me at a stop sign (very thankful they showed up after I wasnt moving). It might be hard to tell but I am stopped right before a power pole. The light on the road goes all the way to the next pole. and I am lighting up the following pole but not the ground. I think to go from one power pole to the next one is pretty amazing since That should be about 50 feet if not more?


Here is the housing in the car. Is this what everyone else has as the Hella ecode headlights. Just wanna double check the box I received from amazon was damaged/opened.

C5_Shopper

Great results. In the last photo, it looks like the pic is upside down.

BucfanTitan

It is it was the way I held the phone when I raised the hood. They sit correctly when the lights spin up