headlight bulbs from the black market

[neko_tensai]

My headlight lenses are a bit cloudy and I couldnt see. I bought some black market headlight bulbs. 100w high beam and 80 watt low beam.

Everything fit perfectly well, although this modification apparently pushed the alternator over the edge...
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I get to the local Napa on my bike and see this...
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It doesnt bode well. They refused core refund because I nicked the alternator housing...

My concern is that when I do the 4hi mod it will melt the headlight assembly. So I thought I might need to carry a fire extinguisher.

The lights are pointed mostly down, fyi, so much that I will need to adjust them, but I actually need to see further than 35 feet in front of me.

What is the tool to adjust that?
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[1995z71]

Why not buy new lenses instead of blinding the **** out of other drivers and possibly burning down your truck?

 

[poncho62]

I bought these 100w bulbs about a year ago, nice white light, no problem with wiring or charging system.
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00YATHBWM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Just got these lenses from eBay seller.....work well also.
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/181416017151?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

 

[shovelbill]

what have you accomplished so far?
fix the lighting system properly and you may just be able to see the road the way you're supposed to......without being the catalyst for a potential accident that hurts or kills someone. yea...a catastrophic fu@k up is possible.

there's plenty of good threads on this forum to TEACH one how to do a good, correct and safe job on their lighting......i used the "Search Forums" link up on the top of the page, to left there....to learn.

wtf is a "black market bulb"?......these trucks are setup to use 55W low beam and 65W high beam bulbs.

is that your lifted red Suburban? if so, you may consider leveling it off a bit, for starters......that's some serious bad angles for good flat lighting.

 

[df2x4]

80W low beams??? Please get that crap out of there. I don't care how you aim it, that's pissing people off if it's anywhere close to correctly aimed.

You're going to melt something, especially if you do just a 4-Hi without a dedicated harness. All the current for the headlights flows through the switch itself in stock configuration, and they burn up really easily as it is. Please, like everyone else is saying, just do it right. If you get a decent set of housings that aren't cloudy you won't need those ridiculous bulbs. I run Sylvania Xtravisions and a 4-Hi on both of my trucks and it is PLENTY bright with my non-diffused housings.

 

[michael hurd]

Yawn.

Let's back up the bus a bit.

80 watts you say? A 9006 low beam bulb is specified to be 55 watts at 12.8 volts.

It is a resistive load.

Javascript calculators for anyone interested :

http://www.the12volt.com/ohm/ohmslawcalculators.asp
http://www.the12volt.com/ohm/ohmslawcalculators.asp
Plugging in the numbers, if you have 12.8 volts and the load is specified to be 55 watts, then solve for resistance.

2.97891 ohms. This can be used for other calculations.



If the supply voltage drops to something like 11.4 volts at the headlight plug where it terminates into the bulb, you now have a bulb that is 'technically' 43.6267 watts. Resistance is lower in the first few milliseconds when the bulb is first lit, but as the tungsten filament begins to glow, the resistance is stable.

If I plug in 14.9 volts in the calculator, and 2.97891 ohms..... you get 74.52726 watts of power.

Depending on what I plug in for voltage, this will change the effective 'power' of the bulb.


For marketing purposes, if I took the Vpeak readings off the back of an alternator, you may get close to a number that would give you '80 watts'.

Technically, you got duped, but not because the MFR lied. It was your lack of knowledge that led you to believe the claim.

 

[michael hurd]

My headlight lenses are a bit cloudy and I couldnt see. I bought some black market headlight bulbs. 100w high beam and 80 watt low beam.

>> If you wore non prescription cosmetic glasses that had petroleum jelly ( Vaseline ) smeared on them, could you not see better when removing them?

Everything fit perfectly well, although this modification apparently pushed the alternator over the edge...

>> Correlation does NOT equal causation. If your allegation were true, the mere act of adjusting the blower fan would cause the alternator to fail.


My concern is that when I do the 4hi mod it will melt the headlight assembly. So I thought I might need to carry a fire extinguisher.

>>My concern is that you if you play with wiring, you may create a dangerous situation, based on your posts seeking for knowledge. I would not have that concern if you buy and install a plug and play harness with relays, requiring only connection to the existing headlamp harness, bulbs, battery positive and negative.

The lights are pointed mostly down, fyi, so much that I will need to adjust them, but I actually need to see further than 35 feet in front of me.

>>Yes, and please fix the lighting. If you don't have the tools to do it properly ( headlight aiming equipment ) I would take it to a qualified shop. For the safety of yourself and OTHERS on the road.


What is the tool to adjust that?

>>That is a torx fastener. Please take it to a shop to have them adjusted.

 

[df2x4]

I thought something sounded off about those power ratings...

Also interesting that these bulbs use a tungsten filament, I was not aware of that. That would certainly cause a spike in resistance once everything heats up. If the filament is roughly 3 Ohms at ambient temperature, it would be around 4 Ohms at 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Not sure how hot these bulbs run at operating temperature, but I bet it's close to that.

 

[michael hurd]

I thought something sounded off about those power ratings...

Also interesting that these bulbs use a tungsten filament, I was not aware of that. That would certainly cause a spike in resistance once everything heats up. If the filament is roughly 3 Ohms at ambient temperature, it would be around 4 Ohms at 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Not sure how hot these bulbs run at operating temperature, but I bet it's close to that.

I have had 4" speaker voice coils above 500F. Hot enough to discolor the metal formers, cook off some thermal epoxy from the triple joint.

Try a lot hotter than that for a filament bulb...

According to this site, ~2500 +

http://hypertextbook.com/facts/1999/AlexanderEng.shtml

 

[df2x4]

I have had 4" speaker voice coils above 500F. Hot enough to discolor the metal formers, cook off some thermal epoxy from the triple joint.

Try a lot hotter than that for a filament bulb...

According to this site, ~2500 +

http://hypertextbook.com/facts/1999/AlexanderEng.shtml

Dear lord! That's wild! If that's in the ballpark (and I'm not doubting that it is) then there's no way that the entire load is resistive. Surely they're using a non-resistance wire for the leads, like Kanthal or something. Otherwise the resistance spike would be astronomical.

EDIT - And yeah, I've fried a few voice coils in my day too. Never shot them with an infrared gun or anything, but I'm very familiar with the smell of dead speaker!