Daytime running lights

[GiveMeABreak]

Haven't got a clue why they decided that, it's completely daft. As there is only the large round side light next to the bi-directional xenon projector, then the angular light, it's not as if there are a lot of bulbs there. What is the H7 output - 35 Watts? That's the same as the dipped beam, so you should be lighting up a fair bit when cornering with those!

[JohnD]

Hi John, apologies but this thread has been jumping between the DRLs ( the ones you are replacing) and the Angular cornering lights,

Yes - I see now. My misunderstanding

[GiveMeABreak]

It's all relative though

[van ordinaire]

More to point, can anyone explain why bulbholders, of all things, have become so complex in more recent years?

It's almost as if, not content with advances in technology, manufacturers feel the need to change anything & everything just for the sake of it. I mean bulbhoders hadn't changed since electric light was invented - & for good reason, 'till some one decided capless was the way to go, but because there was no industry standard they proliferated & mutated to the stage that people who know their way round cars, struggle to change a bulb. If that's progress, give me regression every time!

[Paul-R]

What is the H7 output - 35 Watts?

Standard H7 bulbs consume a nominal 55 watts. This is the legal maximum (or near, it might be 60W) for road going vehicles.

[GiveMeABreak]

Yes 55W on those Paul - just checked - so for a corner light that should be more than adequate compared to the weedy 19W PH19W on the Xenon unit - I don't know whatever possessed them to design it with one of those bulbs.

Well as I'm stuck with the PH19W fitting, I've finally decided to order a set of the XBD Crees that I used for the second DRL replacement LEDs - these are the brightest G4 pin shaped ones I can see that are solid enough to be fitted into the housing (without ordering from the Lee Kee shipyards). Now to practise my soldering skills in readiness - I can feel the stress already.

[van ordinaire]

What is the H7 output - 35 Watts?

Standard H7 bulbs consume a nominal 55 watts. This is the legal maximum (or near, it might be 60W) for road going vehicles.

Are you sure? I can remember 75w sealed beams.

[white exec]

I do too. Rover P6 originally had 75W tungsten 'sealed beam' (probably from Lucas) for inner main beam, and bloody awful they were too. Quite yellow. Rover started an unwelcome trend with puny dip beam: spec for the dual-beam outers was 70/37.5 !

Lots of us got fed up with this dipped candlepower, and happily switched to Hella halogen units, with H4/H1 lamps. These, whether in 7" or 5.75" units, were spectacular. My 3500S sported 4 x 100W on main beam, 2 x 80W on dip. Relays and wiring upgrade essential.

[CitroJim]

Lots of us got fed up with this dipped candlepower, and happily switched to Hella halogen units, with H4/H1 lamps. These, whether in 7" or 5.75" units, were spectacular. My 3500S sported 4 x 100W on main beam, 2 x 80W on dip. Relays and wiring upgrade essential.

That lot would make modern xenons/HIDs look as dim as Toc-H lamps!!!

[xf1ref]

In my opinion the corner lights have only 19W because if were bigger could blind the drivers from opposite direction, especially on mountain roads.

[Paul-R]

I do too. Rover P6 originally had 75W tungsten 'sealed beam' (probably from Lucas) for inner main beam, and bloody awful they were too. Quite yellow. Rover started an unwelcome trend with puny dip beam: spec for the dual-beam outers was 70/37.5 !

I never had a car with 5-3/4" lamps but that did not accord with my recollections so I looked it up. The dips were 60w/37.5w and the mains were 50w. There is an alternative dip/main SB available with 60w/50w filaments.

http://www.retroclassiccarparts.com/ele ... headlights

My 3500S sported 4 x 100W on main beam, 2 x 80W on dip. Relays and wiring upgrade essential.

Those are/were illegal units I'm afraid.

[GiveMeABreak]

In my opinion the corner lights have only 19W because if were bigger could blind the drivers from opposite direction, especially on mountain roads.

Yes, but on the C5 with halogen lights they are 55W H7s for the cornering lights also- which is why we were wondering why they didn't use the same fitting for both:

Here are both Halogen versions and both have the H7 55 Watt (Part 11) bulb for the Angular Lighting, no HP19 on halogen versions.

The cornering lighting is only operated at speeds below 25 mph (approx 40 km/h), when the direction indicators are on / within a certain angle of rotation of the steering wheel). Going round the country here, it does a good job of lighting up the hedges on single track lanes at slowish speeds but not much in front given that they are nearly 90° to the main lights. But on the Halogen versions of the headlamps, having a 55W H7 in there would certainly increase the light output and range I would suspect!

[GiveMeABreak]

Here are the 2 Bi-Xenon Discharge Headlamp versions, which both have the PH19W Bulb (part 12):

For the eagle-eyed, you may have noticed that on the later Bi-Xenon lamp just above, there is no bulb shown for the DRL, nor for the housing next to the D1S bulb. So one assumes that this version contains the LED strip lights in place of the HP24W older DRL - and I have to assume some LED fitted next to the D1S bulb too - neither of which are listed as replaceable parts.

[xf1ref]

I didn't know that halogen versions have H7, pretty weird why they changed this at xenon versions.

[GiveMeABreak]

Yes, completely, as there would of been much easier upgrade options with the H7 fitting

I noticed that you put in 22 Ohm resistors Although I can't get the same bulbs as you did, so I'm going for the Cree XBD I used in my DRL upgrade, but will only be using 8 Ohm and 50 Watt resistors as that seems to be what most are commonly using for an LED replacement for a filament 21 Watt bulb upgrade on other bulbs. So I'm going to try that first rather than experimenting.