Headlight bulb query.100W for high beam only?

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ambo11, Jul 17, 9:49am
My car has those round projector lamps for low beam, and "normal" type light for high beam, both run H1 bulbs. The high beam is pathetic, and I have had it to VTNZ plus my normal garage to get them set right. I was wondering if a 100W bulb would be okay for high beam only in an effort to get more light on the road! Lens is glass, not that crappy plastic, only concern is wiring heat.but since I'm only on high beam for intermittent periods wondering if would be safe to go to 100W! Low beam seems good.flicking to high beam results in bugger all improvement to be honest.

mrfxit, Jul 17, 9:52am
100W should be fine
130W would be a totally different story

ambo11, Jul 17, 9:54am
Yeah thats what I thought too.realise these ching chong crappy things for $20 on here are as much use as a chocolate teapot.but Hellas etc would surely be better!

rob_man, Jul 17, 10:00am
Once upon a time I would have said put in a couple of relays and beef up the wires as well but modern vehicles should have a good feed.

bigfatmat1, Jul 17, 10:25am
I would recommend a relay

sgrants, Jul 17, 10:33am
Yeah get a voltage check on ya lights to determine weather you need a relay and or wiring upgrade stay clear of those blue bulbs ( they do put out whiter light but less of it!) any H1 100W bulb will be good!

morrisman1, Jul 17, 10:45am
What about those +90 bulbs! I have used both them and 100w bulbs and the +90 was far brighter, and it was a nicer colour, getting towards white rather than crappy orange of normal bulbs. Do go near anything that makes your lights blue because all that does is block out light and they end up dimmer, while also pissing off all other motorists.

Hella +90 and Osram nightbreakers are the same thing. I think I paid $20 a bulb for H4

tmenz, Jul 17, 10:47am
The lens might be glass but what is the lamp holder made from! Too high a wattage may melt or distort the holder if it's plastic!

sgrants, Jul 17, 10:54am
OMT Narva do a plus 120 for $75 retail (that's for a pair)

supernova2, Jul 17, 11:01am
I thought it would be the other way around in that the projector type is the high beam and the round is the low.Usually all 4 will be on for high.What exactly is the car!

ralphdog1, Jul 17, 11:09am
You can spend all you like on bulbs, however if you have a voltage problem it will be a potential waste of time and money. It's like having crap water pressure at the end of your garden hose and going and buying a new spray nozzle in the hope it will fix it.
Do a voltage check first.

bigfatmat1, Jul 17, 7:19pm
what about the original switch contacts the might not like the 90% increase in current

rob_man, Jul 17, 7:28pm
That's what relays are for.

bigfatmat1, Jul 17, 9:37pm
That is what I am saying! read above.There is no need to determine. As there is no doubt a really is needed! cars are not built with 90% tolerances %5 maybe

pauldw, Jul 17, 9:52pm
If you're not seeing a big increase in headlight range are the high beams adjusted down as if they are dip beams.

dave653, Jul 18, 1:27am
I fitted 80/100 to our Commodore, melted fuses! Went to Hella +90, no problem.

elect70, Jul 18, 2:32am
I put 100w hellas on hi beam on my E36big improvementespif pressing onlikes ofdesert rd ,. no mods to wiringno probs with WOF( after all its a BMW )

ambo11, Jul 18, 4:36am
Thanks all, its an NZ new Mazda 626 hatch. Unsure if voltage is correct, but lights are bright enough on the road, just pathetic short amount of light. High bean basically "brightens" the low beam and maybe a few more metres ahead.whereas our Maxima turns night into day when put on high beam (H4 bulbs though). I'm actually wondering if VTNZ are adjusting them correctly.the judge with their light meter thingy they use for the WOF. Against a wall the right beam is higher than the left. I hate bad headlights, but also get really pissed when cars have incorrectly adjusted lights and blind me, I hope I'm not doing that myself.lol.

pauldw, Jul 18, 6:53am
High beam is allowed to be either parallel or angled down from the horizontal. I think they've adjusted your high beam only lamps the same as your dip beam. Blinding the other driver doesn't come into it because you dip (turn them off) in those situations.

splinter67, Jul 18, 8:36am
How long have you had it ! First time with projector lights I had the same problem with a Honda its not that your full beam isn't bright enough its a different light I fixed it by putting spotlights on it

rob_man, Jul 18, 8:48am
Yeah, that occurred to me as well. Some lenses are just not designed properly and tend to spread their light all round instead of into the distance where you want it. A pair of good spotties will make a huge difference.

bigfatmat1, Jul 18, 9:32am
you can get some pretty cheap trailmax hid spotties theses days not as good as hella but at 1/10 of the price

rob_man, Jul 18, 9:37am
Halogen is still the best.

cowlover, Jul 18, 12:42pm
I'd say that they are still not set correctly and that needs sorting before anything else.Also how old are the bulbs - they might be getting old and tired and just a new set of standard might make a big difference.

splinter67, Jul 18, 7:55pm
The light from the projector lights is white the light from high beam is yellow that is the big difference if not that then the reflectors need to be cleaned or changed and the projector lights turn off when the full beam is turned on