Headlight help for improvement over stock.

[Schurkey]

An oversize wire will never hurt you, but a wire that is to small will.

Generally true. Not in this case.

The whole point of the mod, is to increase curent flow.

Current and voltage--specifically "increased power to the headlights"; but not to infinite levels. The upper limit is around 13.2 volts or headlight life suffers. System voltage with the alternator charging is 14+ volts. So in THIS CASE, a LITTLE voltage drop is preferable.

I always carry extra fuses.

Have you ever tried changing them in the dark? How about fixing the problem that caused the fuse to pop in the first place? An automatic solution is best, which is WHY the manufacturers use self-resetting circuit breakers.

Electricity flows like water ( simply put) the larger the river, the more water will flow. Same thing with a larger wire. The voltage will stay the same, but more current will flow in a larger wire.

Voltage to the load increases if there's less resistance. And to a point, that's good because the usual problem with headlights is that they get 11.x volts when they should have 13.2. But voltage beyond 13.2 is counter-productive in terms of bulb life.

My headlights have been this way for 7 or 8 years. Never a problem or issue.

So far...so good. But you're a sample of "one". Across fleets of vehicles, even bureaucrats know that fuses are a poor solution; and engineers know that the wire gauge doesn't need to be that large.

 

[thegawd]

The only legal dot approved leds headlights in Canada are the ones in new vehicles. There are no dot approved led bulbs or dot approved led retrofit lenses in Canada. At least there wasnt when I reviewed the laws a couple years back. So running leds poses a risk, I stay on the legal side. Now if the law has changed I would like to know. Dot approval is for North America but Canada and the US have separate laws, even the provinces and states have different laws so it is good to know what applies to you, if you care. LOL.

Al

 

[df2x4]

The only legal dot approved leds headlights in Canada are the ones in new vehicles. There are no dot approved led bulbs or dot approved led retrofit lenses in Canada. At least there wasnt when I reviewed the laws a couple years back. So running leds poses a risk, I stay on the legal side. Now if the law has changed I would like to know. Dot approval is for North America but Canada and the US have separate laws, even the provinces and states have different laws so it is good to know what applies to you, if you care. LOL.

Al

Definitely something to consider. There are road legal LED headlights available for these trucks, but only for the W/T grilles that use the sealed beam headlights. TruckLite makes them, so does GE now I believe. None of the drop-in LEDs for the 9005/9006 composite lenses are technically road legal.

https://www.gmt400.com/threads/led-headlights-for-w-t-front.23337/

The issue is that the composite headlights in these trucks were designed with halogen lights in mind. Halogens have a filament which throws light in basically a perfect 360 degree circle pattern. Drop-in 9005/9006 LEDs are multi-sided diodes which will never throw light the exact same way that a halogen filament will. The sealed beam LED replacements for the W/T grilles are reflector housings designed from the ground up for use with LEDs.

 

[df2x4]

Generally true. Not in this case.


Current and voltage--specifically "increased power to the headlights"; but not to infinite levels. The upper limit is around 13.2 volts or headlight life suffers. System voltage with the alternator charging is 14+ volts. So in THIS CASE, a LITTLE voltage drop is preferable.


Have you ever tried changing them in the dark? How about fixing the problem that caused the fuse to pop in the first place? An automatic solution is best, which is WHY the manufacturers use self-resetting circuit breakers.


Voltage to the load increases if there's less resistance. And to a point, that's good because the usual problem with headlights is that they get 11.x volts when they should have 13.2. But voltage beyond 13.2 is counter-productive in terms of bulb life.


So far...so good. But you're a sample of "one". Across fleets of vehicles, even bureaucrats know that fuses are a poor solution; and engineers know that the wire gauge doesn't need to be that large.

I definitely understand your points here, but personally I'd rather drive the headlights at closer to system voltage and deal with the potential reduction in lifespan. Most "performance" headlight bulbs have shorter than average rated lifespans anyway, so changing them out more often becomes necessary even without any wiring upgrades.

 

[thegawd]

Are the work truck lights the same as what's used on heavy trucks? It would make sense if that's how they were developed. The first time I seen an led headlight was on a heavy truck and the first chance I got to have a close look at one I seen the dot approval. I went to the internet and just about had a **** at how expensive they are or were. I bet the led w/t lights are pricey as well.

I'm completely happy with my lights the way they are right now, I would have to smash a lense before I start looking into replacing them again.

Taker easy.

Al

 

[df2x4]

Are the work truck bulbs the same as what's used on heavy trucks? It would make sense if that's how they were developed. The first time I seen an led headlight was on a heavy truck and the first chance I got to have a close look at one I seen the dot approval. I went to the internet and just about had a **** at how expensive they are or were. I bet the led w/t lights are pricey as well.

I'm completely happy with my lights the way they are right now, I would have to smash a lense before I start looking into replacing them again.

Taker easy.

Al

Pretty sure the original application for those 5"x7" LED housings was heavy trucks, yes. And they are pricey, around $150-$175 each.

TruckLite 27450C:
https://www.amazon.com/Truck-Lite-27450C-Headlamp/dp/B007ED7HNY

GE 69822:
https://www.amazon.com/GE-Lighting-69822-Rectangular-Replacement/dp/B00BQX2BSO

 

[div4scpro]

For anyone using the spyder or any other glass lens and concerned about them being more fragile than the plastic lens assemblies. I have glass lens in my 97 K1500 for 10 years now. I put Xpel film on both lenses 10 years ago. The lenses have yet to get a nick or crack, and yes I have had numerous rocks thrown up as attested to by my front end. In that entire time the film has never glazed over, yellowed, or started to peel and my beam is as clear and and precise as day 1.

 

[TheAutumnWind]

I dont know about your guy's harnesses but do you mod the low beams? The low beams are so much brighter with the 4 hi mod on then when on they are on by themselves through the oem wiring. @kennythewelder gave me the idea and it is pretty straight forward. All my wires are upgraded except the last 2 inches before the sockets.

There is lots of great advice in this thread and the only thing that I can add is to mod the low beams as well.

I have spyder glass lenses, and both 4 hi and low beam mods on my trucks and it is a huge improvement over the old oem wires and composite lenses.

Thanks for the advice on Phillip's bulbs as I have had 2 newer sylvania silverstars burn out prematurely i would say and wanted to try something different but I was weary of pulling the trigger on bulbs that I have no clue about. I actually am running the old bulbs that I removed from my burb 4 or 5 years ago when I first started the 4 hi mods and replaced with the silverstars. I couldn't believe they were the same bulbs that I couldn't see **** with.

Take care

Al

You can find 9006 pigtails with ceramic plugs and 12ga wire if you want to upgrade the last 2 inches before the sockets.

 

[TheAutumnWind]

Generally true. Not in this case.


Current and voltage--specifically "increased power to the headlights"; but not to infinite levels. The upper limit is around 13.2 volts or headlight life suffers. System voltage with the alternator charging is 14+ volts. So in THIS CASE, a LITTLE voltage drop is preferable.


Have you ever tried changing them in the dark? How about fixing the problem that caused the fuse to pop in the first place? An automatic solution is best, which is WHY the manufacturers use self-resetting circuit breakers.


Voltage to the load increases if there's less resistance. And to a point, that's good because the usual problem with headlights is that they get 11.x volts when they should have 13.2. But voltage beyond 13.2 is counter-productive in terms of bulb life.


So far...so good. But you're a sample of "one". Across fleets of vehicles, even bureaucrats know that fuses are a poor solution; and engineers know that the wire gauge doesn't need to be that large.

I am happy to replace 9006's once a year if it means that I have acceptable headlights.

Pulled off of candlepower forums:

The bulbs are rated for intensity at 12.8V, and for life at 14.0V btw

Vd = Design Voltage
Va = Applied Voltage
Bd = Design Intensity (B for 'brightness'; I didn't want to use I which could be confused with current)V
Ba = Actual Intensity

[(Vd/Va)^3.4)*Bd=Bm

 

[TheAutumnWind]

Generally true. Not in this case.


Current and voltage--specifically "increased power to the headlights"; but not to infinite levels. The upper limit is around 13.2 volts or headlight life suffers. System voltage with the alternator charging is 14+ volts. So in THIS CASE, a LITTLE voltage drop is preferable.


Have you ever tried changing them in the dark? How about fixing the problem that caused the fuse to pop in the first place? An automatic solution is best, which is WHY the manufacturers use self-resetting circuit breakers.


Voltage to the load increases if there's less resistance. And to a point, that's good because the usual problem with headlights is that they get 11.x volts when they should have 13.2. But voltage beyond 13.2 is counter-productive in terms of bulb life.


So far...so good. But you're a sample of "one". Across fleets of vehicles, even bureaucrats know that fuses are a poor solution; and engineers know that the wire gauge doesn't need to be that large.

https://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/relays/relays.html

Headlamp bulb light output is severely compromised with decreased voltage. The drop in light output is not linear, it is exponential to the power 3.4. For example, let's consider a bulb with a rated output of 1000 lumens at 12.8 Volts and look what happens when it is operated at different voltages:

10.5V : 510 lumens
11.0V : 597 lumens
11.5V : 695 lumens
12.0V : 803 lumens
12.5V : 923 lumens
12.8V : 1000 lumens ←Rated output voltage
13.0V : 1054 lumens
13.5V : 1198 lumens
14.0V : 1356 lumens ←Rated life voltage
14.5V : 1528 lumens
(Outside North America bulb output and lifespan are both rated at 13.2v, but the effect of voltage drop is the same).

When operating voltage drops to 95 percent (12.54v), headlamp bulbs produce only 83 percent of their rated light output. When voltage drops to 90 percent (11.88v), bulb output is only 67 percent of what it should be. And when voltage drops to 85 percent (11.22v), bulb output is a paltry 53 percent of normal!