Hella H4 Headlamps

I've been wanting to upgrade my headlamps and found Hella replacement lamps (with replaceable H4 bulbs) for about $30 each. These seem to be $50 each at other places. Received them in couple days. Like the flat lenses - look very European. Enter code "performance" for extra 10% off - shipping is free. No tax charged either. Quick 20 minute install.

http://www.streetsideauto.com/products.asp?ptid=4975&brand=BFDP&series=165mm+Hella+Vision+Conversion&partnumber=002395301&Skip=True&LookupType=NON&Reset=True&utm_source=PriceGrabber.com&utm_medium=PriceGrabber.com&utm_term=PriceGrabber.com&utm_content=PriceGrabber.com&utm_campaign=PriceGrabber.com

Check your voltage AT the Headlights when you are installing them.

This diddy is specifically for the H4 Halogen, from Ratwell, the VW van guys pages:

Battery voltage:

Light output, or luminous intensity drops off faster than the voltage drops because of the relationship between the two. Here's what happens according to Hella:

100% voltage = 100% intensity
95% voltage = 83% intensity
90% voltage = 67% intensity
85% voltage = 53% intensity
Lighting is designed to operate near the 14V your alternator puts out. If you are only getting 12V from the battery when the lights are on, you will only be producing 1/2 of the possible light output.

Relays used with stock wattage bulbs can bypass the high resistances in the headlight circuit and send as much voltage to the headlights as possible maximizing the light output. Before investing you should seek to determine why your voltage is low (possibly due to poor grounds in various parts of the electrical system or an alternator and/or voltage regulator problem exists).

IMO . the HL circuit wiring should be min 14g stranded .
The whole article is at
http://www.ratwell.com/technical/BoschH4.html

I'm running 85 watt H4's and have 10 ga. feed wires running to a relay with more 10 ga. from the relay to the fuse block.

These lights are brighter than my F250's.

Proper wiring is everything.

Here's the one's with the city lights (kind of a DRL)- but these are sealed beam.

http://www.rallylights.com/detail.aspx?ID=487

and don't forget the ground wire. a good solid one with clean connections. i run a 12gauge dedicated ground wire front to back in the car.

The latest Kit Car Builder shows some LED headlights.

They looked very interesting until I investigated the price - hundreds of bucks.