Increasing headlamp output

[Guest rich s]

I have a pair of H4 12V 100/90W Plasma Xenon headlamp bulbs that I originally bought for my Land Rover.

Would these be OK for use in the 911?

 

I'm off on a 4 day trip to Belgium on Friday and it would be good to have more light up front, but not if there are any problems either as far a legality is concerned, or overworking the car's electrics ...!

 

Thanks for any advice, or failing these bulbs, what is the best way of improving the light output?

 

Cheers

Rich S

[AirCooledExcellence]

Hi Richard,

 

You don't want to do this unless you've upgraded your electrical system with some extra relays for the headlights. This kit has everything you need:

 

Sucro Relay Kit

 

Cheers,

 

Tim.

[Guest rich s]

Hi Richard,

 

You don't want to do this unless you've upgraded your electrical system with some extra relays for the headlights. This kit has everything you need:

 

Sucro Relay Kit

 

Cheers,

 

Tim.

 

 

Hi Tim,

 

Thanks for the speedy response!

Just the information I needed.

 

Cheers

 

Rich

[jevvy]

Looks good, has anyone fitted these extra relays and higher output bulbs - what were they like?

 

Are the 100W bulbs legal in the UK or can you get away with it as long as you dont flash a sherif?

[AirCooledExcellence]

Looks good, has anyone fitted these extra relays and higher output bulbs - what were they like?

 

Are the 100W bulbs legal in the UK or can you get away with it as long as you dont flash a sherif?

 

Errmmm, well I bought the relay kit, but sold the SC before fitting it! The kit looked very well made though and was supplied with clear fitting instructions.

 

Not sure about the legality of the 100W bulbs, but as they are readily available I would have thought they are fine!

 

Cheers,

 

Tim.

[johndglynn]

I have the relay kit, makes the job easy, but you can wire relays no problem if you are schematic about it. Not got round to fitting the relays yet as am looking into a kit to fit in the fusebox using original relays etc (don't hold your breath)

[jevvy]

I think the 100W bulbs are sold "for off-road use only"

[Baz]

Dear All

The best £260 I have spent on my car was for a HID Xennon headlight kit the difference was night and day worth every penny of it and that is with the old reflectors still very good spread and range of light. I will try to dig the link out but it has been well covered on PCGB, before I saw the light.

Baz

[bones]

I have the relay kit, makes the job easy, but you can wire relays no problem if you are schematic about it. Not got round to fitting the relays yet as am looking into a kit to fit in the fusebox using original relays etc (don't hold your breath)

 

The failure of the steering column mounted dip/mainbeam switch is common on 911s, when this is electrical and not mechanical it can usually be traced back to the contacts burning while struggling to cope with the current of the 911s over-stressed electrical system. A modification I have succesfully made to my lighting system is to install a pair of relays into the headlight system along with cleaning the inside of the headlight lense and fitting some hi-performance bulbs, this will improve the 911’s headlights by more than 25% in my estimation. Many of you are aware that compared to a contemporary cars lighting system our set up is a little long in the tooth and somewhat inadequate by today’s standards.

Here’s what I achieved in about an hour and a half with a relay kit, a soldering iron and a few tools and cleaning products.

 

I first read about the Marcus Sucro relay kit on the Peican Parts 911forum.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/forumdispla...ne=30&forumid=8

 

The kit costs about $35 including shipping but may be a little more expensive now. It can be seen at.

 

http://members.rennlist.com/msucro1/relaykit.htm

 

If you don’t wish to clean the inside of your headlight lenses or fit new bulbs skip straight to the section on fitting the relays. Firstly remove the steel bands surrounding the headlights and then to remove the entire headlight unit from the wing unscrew the single bottom screw while protecting your paintwork with a rag and holding the headlight. There is a gasket between the headlight and wing and you may wish to replace this with a new one. Don’t as yet adjust the other large screws in the headlight as these adjust the direction and height of the beam. Simply unclip the bulbs from their holders and if you are not stripping the headlight right down for cleaning install the new bulbs of your choice. I am currently using Osram hi-performance ‘cool blue’ bulbs rated at 60/55W. I didn’t increase the wattage which you can do after fitting the relays because I have heard that our headlights were not designed to take the high temeperatures generated by higher wattage bulbs and it will lead to the reflective caoting in the headlight peeling off. However this is probably an untested theory so you may wish to experiment with something a little more powerful and let us know the results here on the forum.

To strip the headlight for cleaning (over the years grime finds it’s way into there) make a careful note (or take digital photographs) of the position of the lense retaing springs. Once you are happy with what you are doing carefully unclip the retaining springs and wash the inside of the lense in soapy water. In my case I also had to unscrew the extremely long headlight beam adjusting screws, mark their positions with an indelible marker and refit as near to the current position as possible, It may then be an idea to get them correctly re-adjusted at an MOT centre to avoid dazzling other road users. Take care to put the springs back in as near to the original positions as possible and refit to the car. For the virgin headlight remover the refitment of the headlight may cause you to wonder how it stays on there. The single large screw at the base of the headlight is enough to attach it to the wing as the retaining surrounding ring effectively ‘clips’ it into position and once tightened does the job, if a little eccentrically so!

Onto the relays, you get all the instructions you need for fitting these with the kit. The instructions are simple to follow the only decisions you have to make are the precise choice of position for the relays and the choice of ground contact. The whole job took a friend and I about 1-1.5 hours. The only hitch I had was with the extremely short length of wire Porsche had fitted in my passenger side wing wiring loom to the headlight, making refitment tricky.

[johndglynn]

Nice post Bones

 

I got the relays out of the spares cupboard today, they will go on later in the week along with Osram Silverstars. The Sucro kit is very well assembled. We are gonna be doing a lot of miles at night in France, particularly on the way home, so need a cost-effective upgrade that isn't £250 worth of HIDs...

 

One of my future plans is to buy a tatty old spare bonnet and put a pod for 4x200mm rally lights on it for my midnight excursions, will be ace (said the big kid in me).

 

[Guest Peter915]

I've done better than that...

Using the original relay mountings, ontop of the main fuse block, mine had spare - vacant outlets.

So studied the round relay units Porsche use and jigged the wiring to suit, from switch to relay, relay to Headlight. Looks bog standard, and works.

You can also still buy the fuse holders -round sockets, as in the fuse box.

Part numbers:

 

911 618 153 00 relay

 

901 612 333 00 socket

Simple!

[bones]

I've done better than that...

Using the original relay mountings, ontop of the main fuse block, mine had spare - vacant outlets.

So studied the round relay units Porsche use and jigged the wiring to suit, from switch to relay, relay to Headlight. Looks bog standard, and works.

You can also still buy the fuse holders -round sockets, as in the fuse box.

Part numbers:

 

911 618 153 00 relay

 

901 612 333 00 socket

Simple!

 

Clever devil Peter, how are you? you should have posted that when you did it!

[Guest Peter915]

Hi ya Bones (peter),

Good to hear from you - yeah I'm OK -trying to get my motor & box back in the Porka.

I did originally post the relay mod back in the days when I was interested in the PCGB. Posted it on their forum... but as most people on that group appear to be brain-dead it went no where?

"What colour should I paint my ashtray"

Which is why I am here and Pelican.

Peter

[johndglynn]

I did originally post the relay mod back in the days when I was interested in the PCGB. Posted it on their forum...

I remember the post mate, sounds like a tidy job alright. Nick S did a similar thing on his SC with the foglight relay, though he didn't use the Porsche gear, very neat work.

 

I'm going to get a few of those relays for my mega 'floodlit bonnet' job.

[AirCooledExcellence]

I'm going to get a few of those relays for my mega 'floodlit bonnet' job.

 

You're not really gonna do that are you John? I thought you were joking

[Ian Comerford]

I've done better than that...

Using the original relay mountings, ontop of the main fuse block, mine had spare - vacant outlets.

So studied the round relay units Porsche use and jigged the wiring to suit, from switch to relay, relay to Headlight. Looks bog standard, and works.

You can also still buy the fuse holders -round sockets, as in the fuse box.

Part numbers:

 

911 618 153 00 relay

 

901 612 333 00 socket

Simple!

Hi Peter,

For the electrics simpletons (and there must be more around than just me) would you have time to post an explanation of how you did this job? It sounds like it might integrate better than the Sucro relay kit, not that I am a stickler for originality

 

Thank you

 

Regards

Ian

[johndglynn]

You're not really gonna do that are you John? I thought you were joking

Yes might have been joking, more likely to go HID. I tell you, gets bloody hairy down those lanes at night with stock headlights, and low fogs/driving lights are next to useless.

[AirCooledExcellence]

Get yourself some of these for those dark lanes:

 

 

[imcarthur]

One thing to bear in mind when you start playing with wiring is to document & color code everything to stay with the car. Otherwise you might become one of 'those' POs when you sell it. You know, the POs we bought from . . .

 

I am just about to rewire my headlamps. I'm switching from H5 to H4. New 12 guage wire. 4 relays - one for each beam. 100/80W lamps. Hella HD sockets. I will document as I go along.

 

I would class my current H5s as dangerous for night driving.

 

Ian

[Guest Peter915]

Attached with this post is a word doc which includes a wiring diagram based on a 1985 3.2 carrera, but this will apply to most models.

To prove which two fuses effect your highbeam headlights, remove fuses 14 & 15 from the front luggage fuse box, number one being closest to fuel filler neck.

Turn the car on, switch highbeam lights on ? if dead, then you have the 2 correct circuits. see diagram.

For those who feel this is too difficult, take the car to a good auto electrician, give him the diagram, and he should do it in less than an hour. At £40 per hour, plus cost of Porsche relay & plug, worth it.

Wiring_Diagram_for_1985_911.doc

[bones]

Attached with this post is a word doc which includes a wiring diagram based on a 1985 3.2 carrera, but this will apply to most models.

To prove which two fuses effect your highbeam headlights, remove fuses 14 & 15 from the front luggage fuse box, number one being closest to fuel filler neck.

Turn the car on, switch highbeam lights on ? if dead, then you have the 2 correct circuits. see diagram.

For those who feel this is too difficult, take the car to a good auto electrician, give him the diagram, and he should do it in less than an hour. At £40 per hour, plus cost of Porsche relay & plug, worth it.

 

Thanks Peter , that's useful info for the future, I use a company called

 

http://www.vehicle-wiring-products.co.uk/

 

for all my wires and switches.

[Guest Peter915]

Good one Bones, I've used the same company myself and they have the good gear.

On that drawing I attached, you could retain the two fuses #14 & #15 to connect between the output on the relay and back to these 2 fuses. That way, the wiring is kept original - sort of?! And both circuits to the lights are protected then.

Every one knows about the un-protected circuit to the instrument light bulbs?

This circuit comes from the factory with NO fuse.

Dashboard fires have been started by this problem.

Also, http://www.ultraleds.co.uk/ have the B7 bulbs which fit the instruments. These are LED's and use much less currrent than normal filament bulbs, and no heat.

Crack on!

[johndglynn]

Good one Bones, I've used the same company myself and they have the good gear.

On that drawing I attached, you could retain the two fuses #14 & #15 to connect between the output on the relay and back to these 2 fuses. That way, the wiring is kept original - sort of?! And both circuits to the lights are protected then.

Every one knows about the un-protected circuit to the instrument light bulbs?

This circuit comes from the factory with NO fuse.

Dashboard fires have been started by this problem.

Also, http://www.ultraleds.co.uk/ have the B7 bulbs which fit the instruments. These are LED's and use much less currrent than normal filament bulbs, and no heat.

Crack on!

Good post Pete, the dash led upgrade is one everyone should do - mine are green but you can get quite a few colours. They are BA7's and are here. I read a good factsheet/tech tips sheet about preventing the dash fire thing the other day, will find the link.

[Andy Young]

Good post Pete, the dash led upgrade is one everyone should do - mine are green but you can get quite a few colours. They are BA7's and are here. I read a good factsheet/tech tips sheet about preventing the dash fire thing the other day, will find the link.

 

JG are these simple straight replacements for the dash lighting? Did you find the factsheet?

 

Reading these threads about lighing upgrades and unprotected circuits is a bit scary. Does anyone have the details or link to the HID headlight upgrade to compare with the sucro kit?

[johndglynn]

Does anyone have the details or link to the HID headlight upgrade to compare with the sucro kit?

You can't compare the two buddy, the technology is light years apart (almost literally) but unless you are out at night on a regular basis it's gonna be largely just a gadget freak spend. Having said that, I will do mine sometime as I love a midnight mission when the weather is good, and it saves me drilling holes for spotlamps in my panels.

 

Link to HID kits in the links pages, details here.