Xantia headlights

NiSk · Post by **NiSk** » 09 Oct 2002, 12:58

The question regards a 1998 Xantia 1.8 16v Break.
Does anyone have any experience of fitting high power lamps to main beam headlights? say 100W H1?
Can the light switch manage without melting? (common problem with my old BX). From the circuit diagram I have looked at, there's no relay in the circuit.
Do the reflectors curl up and die?
Does the outer glass crack from the heat?
//NiSk

JohnCKL · Post by **JohnCKL** » 10 Oct 2002, 00:15

Hi Nisk,
I've read that Philips Vision Plus gives 50% more light and it's not all hype. Read about it here:
http://www.eur.lighting.philips.com/aut ... _feat.html
It is not high power bulbs, so no worries about melting. That's what I've heard, haven't installed it ....... yet. If you do go ahead, let me know the results.
JohnCKL

JohnCKL · Post by **JohnCKL** » 10 Oct 2002, 00:21

Erm, check out these tests on so called high power 'white light' bulbs. http://www.overboost.com/print.asp?id=102
Log in this site too, http://www.powerbulbs.com for more options and some more info on Philips VP http://www.sf.hiof.no/~frodehaa/forandringer/Comfy.htm
JohnCKL

meexi · Post by **meexi** » 10 Oct 2002, 00:31

dont know why your wiring blew on your BX i have had 80/100 watt in mine for at least 6 years with no damage

NiSk · Post by **NiSk** » 10 Oct 2002, 13:14

The BX was an '84 with the funny satellite controls (and non-self returning blinkers). The little plastic cam inside the Main/dip beam switch melted after a very short while, so nothing happened when you pushed the button! It did it twice, so I gave up and fitted relays.
//NiSk

Niek · Post by **Niek** » 10 Oct 2002, 13:33

Hi,
I've got the vision plus Philips lights installed on my Xm. It is a lot brighter but the Xm apparantly has 'complex surface technology' lights, which means that the beam is very tight and does not scatter. Unfortunately it also means that it always looks as though the headlights are set too low and you don't see enough. It's better on the s2 Xms and got even better with the vision plus lights.
I think the VP lights are a good option but then again have no experience with the rally lights. (Sounds good though, will you be doing any rallying??)
Niek.

NiSk · Post by **NiSk** » 10 Oct 2002, 15:32

Unfortunately, I don't have a Ferrari budget so my rallying stopped when I moved to Sweden! (They all drive like they're in a rally all the time over here, so I'm not missing much!). I also have Philips VP in my XM (on the dip beam) and they are a definite improvement. I have 100W H1 in the main beam though and they are even better, so far no noticable reflector damage (after 4 years) and since the XM has relay assistance, no burnt out switches. However, the 100-Watters are significantly cheaper than Philips VP's so thats why I asked. Since the Xantia doesn't belong to me, I don't want to start carving up the electrics and installing relays.
//NiSk

meexi · Post by **meexi** » 11 Oct 2002, 03:21

just thougt you would like to know my dad has redone his XM headlights and changed the internals of the dip beams for ones from a vauxhall vectra the differance is amazing

NiSk · Post by **NiSk** » 11 Oct 2002, 11:55

Hi Meexi,
That sounds really amazing! Can you give us some more details, like how do you fit the Vauxhaull reflector in the XM headlight unit? Some photos would be even better. If you've really found a cheap cure to the XM's abismal dip beam, there are thousands of eager owners out there just waiting for help. . (not just in England).
//NiSk

rabenson · Post by **rabenson** » 11 Oct 2002, 15:40

just fitted a set of the philips vision plus on my ZX (twin headlights) - well worth the money!!

rabenson · Post by **rabenson** » 11 Oct 2002, 15:41

just fitted a set of the philips vision plus on my ZX (twin headlights) - well worth the money!!

meexi · Post by **meexi** » 12 Oct 2002, 02:55

Hi NiSk
we are going to be doing our other XM so we will take pictures and write a discription of the work involved will probibly sent it to the citroen car club magazine but will make it available to anybody. watch this space!<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

ukmobileman · Post by **ukmobileman** » 12 Oct 2002, 04:43

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
The question regards a 1998 Xantia 1.8 16v Break.
Does anyone have any experience of fitting high power lamps to main beam headlights? say 100W H1?
Can the light switch manage without melting? (common problem with my old BX). From the circuit diagram I have looked at, there's no relay in the circuit.
Do the reflectors curl up and die?
Does the outer glass crack from the heat?
//NiSk

<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>
i have fitted 100w h1 to all the holders (4) on my xantia 1993 td with no problems to switches glass or reflectors - but my headlights are the earlier removable glass lens type - i think yours are bonded also cleaneing the reflectors and glass inside and out helped no end (apparently a common problem of muck inside the light unit on earlier xantias) the bulbs have been in for 8 months now and i once done a 12 hour 700 mile trip with the light permantly on - no ill effects
G J Wright

NiSk · Post by **NiSk** » 14 Oct 2002, 12:37

Hi GJ,
Thanks for your input, when you say bonded, do you mean the front glass to reflector joint? If so, this one is held on by metal clips, just like my XM's. What I was really concerned about was the risk of the switch in the light stalk burning out; as I said earlier in this thread, I have bad experience of an early BX, and light switch stalks to Xantias arn't cheap!
//NiSk