Do You Want Brighter Lighting?
Thread Starter
|
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 270
Likes: 0
From: Longview, WA USA
Do You Want Brighter Lighting?
I am in the process of making my headlights much brighter than they were when I bought my truck. First of all the wiring sucks on the new Fords. The OEM wiring harness is 18 gauge wire, which is barely adaquate for operating 65/55 9007 Halogen Bulbs. But if you opt for 100/85 Halogen headlight bulbs, you cannot use the OEM 18 gauge wiring.
I ordered special 9007 Sockets with 12 gauge wiring already installed. They cost about $8 each from Competition Limited in
Michigan (734) 464-1458. They have everything you'll need.
The main idea is to use the OEM wiring harness, including the light switch, bright and dim switch and everything right down to
the headlight only as a "trigger" to turn on and off a set of relays
that are wired directly to both your battery's positive and negative turnminals. (Some people take the power directly off of the alternator and return to the negative pole of the battery.)
Then, using 10 gauge wire to and from the battery to your relays, and 12 gauge wiring from the relays on to your headlights, you won't lose one precious tenth of a volt of electrical energy to your headlight bulbs. You see, according to Hella of Germany, during some recent tests on headlignts, they found that just a slight drop in voltage causes a considerable drop in brightness of your headlight bulbs. In fact, they claim that if you lose half a volt between the battery and the bulb, it will decrease you lighting to
93% of it's brightness. And a full volt will drop it down to just 83%. That is pretty sad when you're trying to light up the road on a dark night, on a dark, blacktop surface and when it's raining!
So, I'm installed relays with the proper gauge wiring. I'll have 100% bright. white lighting and, as a bonus, my entire OEM electrical system will last a lot longer. Because, it only takes a few milliamps to turn the relays on and off. The relays will take all the abuse and my bright/dim switch, light switch and fuse box
should last virtually forever. If you would like to read a lot more about how to wire your headlights with relays go to Daniel Stern Lighting. Of go to www.google.com and ask for Daniel Stern Lighting.
BillVoyles
____________________
'99 Red Reg Cab Step-Side
/
I ordered special 9007 Sockets with 12 gauge wiring already installed. They cost about $8 each from Competition Limited in
Michigan (734) 464-1458. They have everything you'll need.
The main idea is to use the OEM wiring harness, including the light switch, bright and dim switch and everything right down to
the headlight only as a "trigger" to turn on and off a set of relays
that are wired directly to both your battery's positive and negative turnminals. (Some people take the power directly off of the alternator and return to the negative pole of the battery.)
Then, using 10 gauge wire to and from the battery to your relays, and 12 gauge wiring from the relays on to your headlights, you won't lose one precious tenth of a volt of electrical energy to your headlight bulbs. You see, according to Hella of Germany, during some recent tests on headlignts, they found that just a slight drop in voltage causes a considerable drop in brightness of your headlight bulbs. In fact, they claim that if you lose half a volt between the battery and the bulb, it will decrease you lighting to
93% of it's brightness. And a full volt will drop it down to just 83%. That is pretty sad when you're trying to light up the road on a dark night, on a dark, blacktop surface and when it's raining!
So, I'm installed relays with the proper gauge wiring. I'll have 100% bright. white lighting and, as a bonus, my entire OEM electrical system will last a lot longer. Because, it only takes a few milliamps to turn the relays on and off. The relays will take all the abuse and my bright/dim switch, light switch and fuse box
should last virtually forever. If you would like to read a lot more about how to wire your headlights with relays go to Daniel Stern Lighting. Of go to www.google.com and ask for Daniel Stern Lighting.
BillVoyles
____________________
'99 Red Reg Cab Step-Side
/
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 351
Likes: 0
From: Hummelstown, PA
Re: Do You Want Brighter Lighting?
Originally posted by Bill Voyles
. . . how to wire your headlights with relays go to Daniel Stern Lighting. Of go to www.google.com and ask for Daniel Stern Lighting. /
. . . how to wire your headlights with relays go to Daniel Stern Lighting. Of go to www.google.com and ask for Daniel Stern Lighting. /
Many thanks for the pointer . . . checked out the site . . . I printed the FAQs . . . more than 20 pages . . . great site!
Bob