The headlights and main beam on my Xantia are crap. I've cleaned the lenses etc but its made no difference really. The light is quite yellowy and nowhere near as white or bright as the C5. I've had the allignment checked and thats ok.
As I will soon live about 3 miles down an unlit, single track road I think I'd better do something about it.
For the headlights, I'm thinking a set of Philips Vision Plus from www.powerbulbs.com as I don't want to dazzle anyone when driving through lit areas. However for main beam, seeing as I won't be near anyone with them on, I'm thinking of a set of off road rally spec bulbs, Powerbulbs sell the 100W versions but I can get hold of bigger ones.
What is the highest rated bulbs you would reccomend the Xantia wiring can take? And has anyone used any high spec bulbs with good results?
Uprated Headlamp Bulbs
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RichardW
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The Xantia head lamps are well known to be bad by design. The Vision plus bulbs are outstanding - the difference on dip is incredible (I have only fitted dip bulbs - main is OK for me). I would fit these to both dip and main and see how you get on - going to 100W runs the risk of melting the light fittings and the wiring, not to mention being illegal in the UK!
Richard
Richard
Blueboy -
The headlights in your Xantia are feeded off the switch, a fuse & associated wiring - which is known to loose quite a bit of voltage - on any car.
I suggest you run the feed to the lamps directly off the batteri - using relays, safety fuses & heavy gauge wiring. The original wiring is then used for controlling the relays.
Also the earth from both lamps should be revised.
The fuse MUST be located as close as possible to battery & be visible for MOT (fire hazard issue).
Commonly you loose some 2-3V in the original wiring - which is close to half of the efficient light intensity on the bulbs.
The headlights in your Xantia are feeded off the switch, a fuse & associated wiring - which is known to loose quite a bit of voltage - on any car.
I suggest you run the feed to the lamps directly off the batteri - using relays, safety fuses & heavy gauge wiring. The original wiring is then used for controlling the relays.
Also the earth from both lamps should be revised.
The fuse MUST be located as close as possible to battery & be visible for MOT (fire hazard issue).
Commonly you loose some 2-3V in the original wiring - which is close to half of the efficient light intensity on the bulbs.
Ha! Richard,
You think Xantia headlights are poor - try driving an XM!!
BUT - by fitting new battery terminals to the battery leads (the old lead ones are real crap - fit cam-lever bronze ones), improving the earthing and fitting VisionPlus to the dip beam and Rallye 100W to the main, I can actually see things now! I've been using this set up since Phillips first came out with their advanced lamps and so far (4 years) no problems with overheated wiring or burnt reflectors.
But there is a limit to what you dare put in plastic reflectors - I don't think you will notice any difference between Phillips Rallye 100W and some of these so called 120 or 140W jobs - they just get a lot hotter!
If you want more lighting than that. I'm afraid you'll have to resort to extra spot/fog/driving lamps. They are made to take the heat output of high power bulbs - which standard fittings arn't!
Over here i Sweden, there are nearly only dark unlit roads and we get an awful lot of darkness too! (something to do with the distance from the equator I think!) So it's not at all unusual to see cars (and trucks) fitted with loads of extra lamps.
//NiSk
You think Xantia headlights are poor - try driving an XM!!
BUT - by fitting new battery terminals to the battery leads (the old lead ones are real crap - fit cam-lever bronze ones), improving the earthing and fitting VisionPlus to the dip beam and Rallye 100W to the main, I can actually see things now! I've been using this set up since Phillips first came out with their advanced lamps and so far (4 years) no problems with overheated wiring or burnt reflectors.
But there is a limit to what you dare put in plastic reflectors - I don't think you will notice any difference between Phillips Rallye 100W and some of these so called 120 or 140W jobs - they just get a lot hotter!
If you want more lighting than that. I'm afraid you'll have to resort to extra spot/fog/driving lamps. They are made to take the heat output of high power bulbs - which standard fittings arn't!
Over here i Sweden, there are nearly only dark unlit roads and we get an awful lot of darkness too! (something to do with the distance from the equator I think!) So it's not at all unusual to see cars (and trucks) fitted with loads of extra lamps.
//NiSk
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blueboy2001
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Fox - I think the standard Xantia lamps are way below modern standards - I'm used to new Cit's now and the headlamps are pretty good.
I was going to fit some 160w bulbs as fitted to the worklights on modern tractors but I think they would just melt the reflectors.
Auto electrics are not my forte, so I'll leave rewiring the lights to relays for now.
I will buy a set of these Philips Vision Plus and swap them between main and dipped beam to see the result - if they're good I'll get 2 sets.
I was going to fit some 160w bulbs as fitted to the worklights on modern tractors but I think they would just melt the reflectors.
Auto electrics are not my forte, so I'll leave rewiring the lights to relays for now.
I will buy a set of these Philips Vision Plus and swap them between main and dipped beam to see the result - if they're good I'll get 2 sets.
I've owned Cits for almost 20 years now & every one I've owned regardless of model have had shocking lights, but in every case it hasn't been the fault of the lights but more an alignment problem.
Living as I do in a regional area, the majority of my night driving is on unlit roads and for anyone unfamiliar with these, I'm talking roads that can go for about 100 miles (in some cases hundreds) without a solitary street light, single lane, lined with trees. Added to this are Kangaroos which at present are a menace due to the just ending drought in company with Emus, both of these creatures standing up to 6 foot tall, dark brown and with the unfortunate habit of running across roads without warning; hit one at speed & your car, if not yourself, is a write off!!
I mention this to emphasise the need for better than average lighting & the reasons for it.
From experience, I've devised this system for setting Citroen lights so as to give brilliant illumination yet not bring down the wrath of the constabulary and oncoming traffic by blinding them in the process.
Set the near(kerb)side headlight slightly angled to the kerb and at the same time set it extremely high so that low beam actually strikes the road at around the same point that high beam normally would on a factory setting.
Set the off side light higher than factory setting but adjust inwards so that the outside of the actual beam's 'spot' where it strikes the road is right on the white line when driving. This then means that neither of your lights are actually shining at & dazzling oncoming traffic, yet the "ambient light" for the want of a better word, illuminates the whole area and as an added bonus, animals (even ones with speed cameras & radar speed guns) are easier spotted as are vehicles broken down or stopped at the kerbside.
Might sound a bit way out, but I devised this years ago & everyone I know who has persisted with setting it up just right have claimed it to be the best lights system they have ever used regardless of how inffective or otherwise their headlights are. We have one BX with absolutely yellow lights that still appears from inside brilliant at night.
It must be OK because I wear glasses at times for driving & I can see everything quite well at night, with or without my specs, & rarely ever have anyone flash their lights at me (as if I'm dazzling them) but the ones that have, soon dip them when I hit high beam with this set up.[}:)][}:)]
Alan S [8D]
Living as I do in a regional area, the majority of my night driving is on unlit roads and for anyone unfamiliar with these, I'm talking roads that can go for about 100 miles (in some cases hundreds) without a solitary street light, single lane, lined with trees. Added to this are Kangaroos which at present are a menace due to the just ending drought in company with Emus, both of these creatures standing up to 6 foot tall, dark brown and with the unfortunate habit of running across roads without warning; hit one at speed & your car, if not yourself, is a write off!!
I mention this to emphasise the need for better than average lighting & the reasons for it.
From experience, I've devised this system for setting Citroen lights so as to give brilliant illumination yet not bring down the wrath of the constabulary and oncoming traffic by blinding them in the process.
Set the near(kerb)side headlight slightly angled to the kerb and at the same time set it extremely high so that low beam actually strikes the road at around the same point that high beam normally would on a factory setting.
Set the off side light higher than factory setting but adjust inwards so that the outside of the actual beam's 'spot' where it strikes the road is right on the white line when driving. This then means that neither of your lights are actually shining at & dazzling oncoming traffic, yet the "ambient light" for the want of a better word, illuminates the whole area and as an added bonus, animals (even ones with speed cameras & radar speed guns) are easier spotted as are vehicles broken down or stopped at the kerbside.
Might sound a bit way out, but I devised this years ago & everyone I know who has persisted with setting it up just right have claimed it to be the best lights system they have ever used regardless of how inffective or otherwise their headlights are. We have one BX with absolutely yellow lights that still appears from inside brilliant at night.
It must be OK because I wear glasses at times for driving & I can see everything quite well at night, with or without my specs, & rarely ever have anyone flash their lights at me (as if I'm dazzling them) but the ones that have, soon dip them when I hit high beam with this set up.[}:)][}:)]
Alan S [8D]
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shaunthesheep
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[:(]i know how you all feel, i've finally resorted to dirving with my front fog lights on at night, especally if on an unlit road or country lanes etc... as well as full/main beam.
i've got ring ice blue bulbs fitted there not too bad, plus being as it's a white car people tend to think it the police [}:)][:p][:o)], oh what great fun watching them see me & watch there front end dip down as they jump on the brakes[}:)][:p][:o)]
dom
i've got ring ice blue bulbs fitted there not too bad, plus being as it's a white car people tend to think it the police [}:)][:p][:o)], oh what great fun watching them see me & watch there front end dip down as they jump on the brakes[}:)][:p][:o)]
dom
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<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by alans</i>
Set the near(kerb)side headlight slightly angled to the kerb and at the same time set it extremely high so that low beam actually strikes the road at around the same point that high beam normally would on a factory setting.
Set the off side light higher than factory setting but adjust inwards so that the outside of the actual beam's 'spot' where it strikes the road is right on the white line when driving. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
I'm not sure you would get away with that over here as headlamp alignment is part of the dreaded MOT.
I have found that dip beam on the Xantia is far worse than on the BX or even the GS (which at the time had fantastic headlamps).
Simply fitting new (standard) bulbs improved things on my last Xantia but I'm afraid I also resort to foglamps. I know it annoys some people but what would they rather have? A slight annoyance from foglamps, which shouldn't really be dazzling anyone if adjusted right, or being run into because I can't make out where the edge of the road is.
Who said slow down!? [:(!]
Set the near(kerb)side headlight slightly angled to the kerb and at the same time set it extremely high so that low beam actually strikes the road at around the same point that high beam normally would on a factory setting.
Set the off side light higher than factory setting but adjust inwards so that the outside of the actual beam's 'spot' where it strikes the road is right on the white line when driving. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
I'm not sure you would get away with that over here as headlamp alignment is part of the dreaded MOT.
I have found that dip beam on the Xantia is far worse than on the BX or even the GS (which at the time had fantastic headlamps).
Simply fitting new (standard) bulbs improved things on my last Xantia but I'm afraid I also resort to foglamps. I know it annoys some people but what would they rather have? A slight annoyance from foglamps, which shouldn't really be dazzling anyone if adjusted right, or being run into because I can't make out where the edge of the road is.
Who said slow down!? [:(!]
I suppose it would depend on how thorough the MOT man was.
Failing that, I suppose a quick realgn to satisy their little hang ups prior to inspection wouldn't be all that hard.
I can't speak for Xantias but I've done it on CXs & BXs as well as one son's Mitsubishi (he's the black sheep of course [:o)] ) that was so bad that you literally couldn't drive it at over about 70 kph at night; it was frightening. I think every car regardless of brand I've seen for the past 15 years seem to be the same.[V]
From what I've seen it's really caused by the design of these square headlights. They chop off too abruptly, and when you think about it, regardless of how bright your lights actually are, if they just stop & everything is just black from the cut off point onwards, all you are really getting is a better view of the limited section of road within the range of the headlights. My theory works on increasing that range.
When you look back at the old style round lights, this problem was almost unheard of due to the rounded shape & lack of distinctive cut off line.
Alan S
Failing that, I suppose a quick realgn to satisy their little hang ups prior to inspection wouldn't be all that hard.
I can't speak for Xantias but I've done it on CXs & BXs as well as one son's Mitsubishi (he's the black sheep of course [:o)] ) that was so bad that you literally couldn't drive it at over about 70 kph at night; it was frightening. I think every car regardless of brand I've seen for the past 15 years seem to be the same.[V]
From what I've seen it's really caused by the design of these square headlights. They chop off too abruptly, and when you think about it, regardless of how bright your lights actually are, if they just stop & everything is just black from the cut off point onwards, all you are really getting is a better view of the limited section of road within the range of the headlights. My theory works on increasing that range.
When you look back at the old style round lights, this problem was almost unheard of due to the rounded shape & lack of distinctive cut off line.
Alan S
I can vouch for the importance of corect alignment and generally align my lights with the main beam slightly below parallel and straight ahead.
Although a beam tester is used for the MOT test it is ONLY used to make sure there is no dazzle. Your main beams may barely reach the end of the bumper but you will have one happy tester because there is no dazzle and he will leave it alone. If you want him to use the machine properly (at your expense no doubt) turn the beams up before sending it in for the test and he will have to do the job before issuing a ticket.
jeremy
Although a beam tester is used for the MOT test it is ONLY used to make sure there is no dazzle. Your main beams may barely reach the end of the bumper but you will have one happy tester because there is no dazzle and he will leave it alone. If you want him to use the machine properly (at your expense no doubt) turn the beams up before sending it in for the test and he will have to do the job before issuing a ticket.
jeremy
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franciscolunn
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At the risk of getting flamed - I overcame the heat problem from uprated headlamp bulbs by force venting the reflector cavity.
Computer CPU's are cooled by quite efficient 2" 12v fans that cost about £3 each. Mounting one of these on the bottom of each reflector (after first drilling a series of small holes, naturally) and tapping them into the 12v lamp supply, they come on with the headlights and force cool air through the light unit.
You only have to feel the exhausting air at the top vent holes to see how much heat the fans dissipate..........
Computer CPU's are cooled by quite efficient 2" 12v fans that cost about £3 each. Mounting one of these on the bottom of each reflector (after first drilling a series of small holes, naturally) and tapping them into the 12v lamp supply, they come on with the headlights and force cool air through the light unit.
You only have to feel the exhausting air at the top vent holes to see how much heat the fans dissipate..........
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franciscolunn
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