Re: [AMC-List] Halogen Sealed Beam Headlights

[Frank Swygert <farna@xxxxxxx>]

By federal law you're limited to 55W dim, 60W bright, headlights. So
you can't legally pull more power. The halogen lights are brighter
because of the materials they're made with -- they pull no more power.
It's technically illegal to run higher wattage lights on a street
vehicle, but some people do. With the modern lights such as HIDs (also
illegal in some states) and halogens, it's hard to tell if they are
higher wattage than allowed. Unless you're blinding the cop coming
toward you he's not likely to ticket you for to bright headlights!
Unless you're running something like HIDs (obvious by the bluish glow)
and they are illegal in your state. 

IIRC, four headlight systems use all four lights only on dim, so
actually draw more power on dim than bright (55x4=220W; 18A@12V). When
on high beam the inboard lights (dim only) go out (60x2=120W; 10A@12V). 
Of course placement of the filament in the bulb (reflector) and aiming
has a great affect on lighting.


On July 12, 2006 Tom Jennings wrote:

> On Wed, 12 Jul 2006, Mr. AMC wrote:
> 
> > Do the halogen sealed beams draw any more amperage than regular
sealed
> > beams? I don't want to cook the wiring. Also do they become hotter
than
> > regular sealed beams. I have plastic headlight doors in my orange
Hornet
> > and I don't want to melt or warp them. I have never use them so
these
> > questions may seem stupid but I had to ask.
> 
> I don't think they draw any more current, or get hotter, than
> the old ones. They use a really hot filament inside a bulb
> (inside the sealed housing) that contains a gas that slows
> the burnout of the filament. I run them exclusively, and in
> plastic-grilled cars (75 Gremlin) absolutely no problem.
> 
> I now run removable-bulb type headlamps (H4 bulbs I think).
> Cibie makes good reflectors; you can get equiv. reflectors from
> Summit. About $40/side for 8". Good ones have a half-moon light
> pattern that puts all the light on the road, not in drivers
> eyes. 55W lamps (more current) and I run relays and short, fat
> wiring to the battery. Both the 63 Rambler and the Hornet. (In
> the Rambler, the old headlight switch burned up, I had to rebuid
> the contacts myself (desktop surgery) and ran relays to take the
> load of the senile switch.  That all happened before the Cibies.


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