Author Topic: Headlights  (Read 39871 times)

Jo

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Headlights
« on: December 05, 2016, 08:37:03 PM »
I have had a '62 Jazz which I've owned for the last 4 years.  Had an older second-hand Jazz before this.

Since owning this newer model I have only driven in the dark literally less than 10 times.  I just cannot drive at night time as I cannot see where I am going.  I have convinced myself that I have some sort of night blindness. I can't go to the doctor in case he informs the DVLA.   Eyesight tests don't back up my diagnosis, Specsavers just keep selling me expensive night driving glasses which make no difference.

Two nights ago a friend borrowed my car at night and immediately stated "I can't see where I'm going.  You need to get the headlights adjusted.  They're just not lighting up the road ahead."

I've tried adjusting that little switch inside the car, I think it goes 0-1-2 but that doesn't help.  Has anyone else found a problem with the headlights?

culzean

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Re: Headlights
« Reply #1 on: December 05, 2016, 08:54:50 PM »
First of all make sure both headlamps are lit up - it may sound obvious but both the throw and spread are badly affected by losing a bulb.

With no rear passengers or boot luggage the dial should be on '0' selecting a higher number lowers the beam to allow for rear of car dropping as weight is put into rear, which naturally causes the front to tip up and raise the lights, which can dazzle oncoming drivers.

Standard bulbs are not real good and  you should get some brighter headlight bulbs - Phillips extreme vision or osram nightbreakers, H4 twin filament. Make sure your plastic headlight covers have not gone misty, on a 4 year old car they should still be very clear.

Search for headlight or bulbs or Osram on forum, it's been widely discussed.
« Last Edit: December 05, 2016, 09:02:06 PM by culzean »
Some people will only consider you an expert if they agree with your point of view or advice,  when you give them advice they don't like they consider you an idiot

Jo

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Re: Headlights
« Reply #2 on: December 05, 2016, 08:58:33 PM »
Yes, that dial is on 0.  Headlight covers are completely clear.  Think I'll have to look into changing the bulbs.  Thanks.

richardfrost

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Re: Headlights
« Reply #3 on: December 05, 2016, 10:23:58 PM »
It's a really simple job on this model Jazz. Reckon a friendly family garage would do fit fresh higher spec bulbs such as the ones Culzean listed for around £30.

Certainly should be cheaper than new glasses, even from Specsavers.

jazzway

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Re: Headlights
« Reply #4 on: December 05, 2016, 10:33:03 PM »
When we bought our Jazz last year i replaced the head-bulbs after 2 weeks with Osram Nightbreaker Unlimited. It was a day and night difference and they're still going strong!

And to match the head-light color i changed the side/parking lights with Philips White vision ones. ;)

culzean

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Re: Headlights
« Reply #5 on: December 06, 2016, 10:50:31 AM »
When we bought our Jazz last year i replaced the head-bulbs after 2 weeks with Osram Nightbreaker Unlimited. It was a day and night difference and they're still going strong!

And to match the head-light color i changed the side/parking lights with Philips White vision ones. ;)

https://www.powerbulbs.com/store/category/car-bulbs/fitting/h4-472

I have tried a few makes of bulbs (I used to commute 80 miles a day - a lot of it in the dark,  so bulbs did not last more than 12 months) and found that Phillips beam pattern was better than Osram,  the osram seemed slightly brighter but more 'fuzzy'.  some of the bulbs on the above link are labeled 'not legal for road in EU' because of their power, beam pattern or colour (the higher the 'K' number the bluer / whiter the light).

I have bought from Powerbulbs and find them very good to deal with,  all the prices are for a pair.   You can sometimes get 2 for 1 deals from Halfords on Bosch and Halfords own brand.
« Last Edit: December 06, 2016, 10:57:05 AM by culzean »
Some people will only consider you an expert if they agree with your point of view or advice,  when you give them advice they don't like they consider you an idiot

culzean

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Re: Headlights
« Reply #6 on: July 15, 2017, 04:27:06 PM »
Reviving this thread,

Just found this site (was looking for motorcycle LED bulbs) these LED H4 bulbs look like the dogs dangley bits.  They have a power supply that plugs into your normal 3 pin bulb plug and a heatsink (not a big fan assembly) that can be mounted two different ways depending on how much room behind reflector.  Unlike HID conversions these have two separate LED clusters that are positioned in same place as the filaments in a halogen bulb,  so beam pattern is retained.  I have ordered one for my motorbike,  will report on build quality and light output when it is fitted.

https://www.classiccarleds.co.uk/collections/headlight-led-bulbs/products/latest-led-headlight-h4-motorcycle

https://www.classiccarleds.co.uk/collections/headlight-led-bulbs/products/latest-led-headlights-h4-160w-6000-lumen-philips-z-es-hi-lo-beam-conversion-9-32v
« Last Edit: July 15, 2017, 07:58:10 PM by culzean »
Some people will only consider you an expert if they agree with your point of view or advice,  when you give them advice they don't like they consider you an idiot

rogbro

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Re: Headlights
« Reply #7 on: July 16, 2017, 07:19:49 PM »
Yup Halfords own plus 130% headlight bulbs sure lite up the road, part No. 172290   H4 472.
They are still rated at 60/55W.  No comparison with the standard dim candles.

culzean

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Re: Headlights
« Reply #8 on: July 25, 2017, 01:40:46 PM »
Testing LED bulbs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQF5ESBHLrw

different styles of LED chips and heatsinks, including latest Philips chips

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sonh4lHu4XE

both pretty long videos but well worth a look as they can save you making costly mistake. 

The only 'downside' of LED bulbs seems to be that because they do not produce infra-red in the huge quantities that incandescent bulbs do (wasted power) they will not melt ice and snow off the headlamp cover, but by the same token will not bake on the winter salt and also will not degrade the plastic of headlight and lens.  Because of increased efficiency of LED the saving in power is huge,  instead of 5 amps per bulb for filament type, LED only draw about 1 amp.

Remember when presenter talks about heat-sink temperatures he is American and using Fahrenheit scale,  so you can basically divide his temperature figure by 2 for Celsius.

The ones with the best beam patterns seem to use the Philips Luxeon Z-ES or Ultinon  LED packs,  which have a narrow group of small square LED chips (3 or 4 each side) running lengthwise down the bulb (same direction as the filament does) - the worst beam patterns are single bulbous Cree LEDs or round / square LED arrays (COB style).

I have just fitted a pair of H4 LED bulbs from classiccarleds.com to her indoors Jazz GE today (bulbs are beautifully well made,  with Phillips xtreme Ultinon chips - colour 6000K and claimed 3000lumen per bulb,  and as the LED strips are exactly same length and position as filaments in a bulb the beams should be legal,  unlike an HID bulb in a reflector designed for filament bulb,  and connectors are top notch) ,  will try to post photos of beam pattern, but will have to wait till it gets dark tonight.   Beam certainly looks nice and flat and tilted towards nearside (but garage door is white and sun is on it all afternoon,  so no good for pictures yet) - there is a dial on the bulb between the mounting and the body of bulb which you can twist - they recommend position 6 for LHD and 8 for RHD vehicles as a starter,  they came set on 8 anyway.  Bulbs don't have a fan,  just a screw-on passive heatsink on the back,  plenty of room for it on GE Jazz and plenty of fresh air round it.   Bulbs are £70 a pair but its nice to think I will never have to replace another headlight bulb (wish they had been around when we had GD Jazzes,  those are a pig to replace).  They are pure white, but will only see brightness tonight.

Apparently there are bulbs with cheap copies of Phillips LED chips on sale, attached is a picture I turned up.  The real chips have the wider resistor pack and colour of yellow chip is more even.  I have looked at the chips on the bulbs I bought and they look like the 'real'  ones,  the whole front part of the bulb looks exactly like the Philips made bulbs,  even the shape of the aluminium clamps and allen screws.

http://www.ledoauto.com/blog/index.php/2017/02/21/beware-of-fake-luxeon-zes-led-headlight-big-potential-danger-to-your-car/

http://www.ledoauto.com/blog/index.php/2016/09/05/dear-our-esteem-clients/


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« Last Edit: July 26, 2017, 09:36:18 AM by culzean »
Some people will only consider you an expert if they agree with your point of view or advice,  when you give them advice they don't like they consider you an idiot

guest5770

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Re: Headlights
« Reply #9 on: July 26, 2017, 07:09:14 PM »
Would be very interested no know how the beam pattern works out. I spend about 5 months in France each year and if these let me avoid the horrible beam deflectors and give a proper illumination I would be ordering some pdq.

culzean

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Re: Headlights
« Reply #10 on: July 26, 2017, 07:23:25 PM »
Would be very interested no know how the beam pattern works out. I spend about 5 months in France each year and if these let me avoid the horrible beam deflectors and give a proper illumination I would be ordering some pdq.

@Hillhead

I think the way the bulb can be rotated in its holder is so that one single bulb design can be used in either a LHD or RHD reflector,  I am not sure what part the reflector design plays in the direction the light goes. 

To ask if the available adjustment of the bulb can be used to convert a RHD beam pattern to LHD can I suggest you contact classiccarleds.com,  they come back with information very quickly,  I have an email address (below),  otherwise use 'contact us' on their website.  Good luck............ hope it solves your problem.

lbfccars@gmail.com

Some people will only consider you an expert if they agree with your point of view or advice,  when you give them advice they don't like they consider you an idiot

guest1372

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Re: Headlights
« Reply #11 on: July 26, 2017, 08:34:29 PM »
.... if these let me avoid the horrible beam deflectors and give a proper illumination I would be ordering some pdq.
Comparing
UK (KE) http://www.lingshondaparts.com/honda_car_parts_selection?block_01=17TF0901&block_02=B__0800&block_03=21036&block_05=hcr
with
EU (KG) http://www.lingshondaparts.com/honda_car_parts_selection?block_01=17TF0901&block_02=B__0800&block_03=20970&block_05=hcr

.... the headlights have slightly different part numbers, that may be due to other differences but I feel it's probably their reflectors.
--
TG

guest5770

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Re: Headlights
« Reply #12 on: July 26, 2017, 09:34:51 PM »
Thanks both, I had a feeling that might be the case. I will email the company and post the response.

culzean

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Re: Headlights
« Reply #13 on: July 26, 2017, 10:37:21 PM »
Thanks both, I had a feeling that might be the case. I will email the company and post the response.

Attached is a 2 page PDF with photos of dip and main beam pattern.

As you can see dip has sharp cut-off and good spread of light - plenty of it on the nearside verge but also plenty of light (at a lower level so as not to dazzle oncoming vehicles) across to other side of road -  both dip and main are pretty awesome light output - dip is that good that main beam may not get used much.

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« Last Edit: July 26, 2017, 10:43:22 PM by culzean »
Some people will only consider you an expert if they agree with your point of view or advice,  when you give them advice they don't like they consider you an idiot

guest5770

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Re: Headlights
« Reply #14 on: July 27, 2017, 08:30:22 AM »
Thanks, that it is most helpful.

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