Harry had a 20% off day at the weekend so being a tight Scotlsman I got some new 30% brighter bulbs and a new smaller calcium battery cos my big 4 year old Nissan one sounds like its going to give up soon. Will pay me £20 soon too - honest.

 

Anyway Harrys book says H1 for Zs to 94 - Harry's own brand is Osram.

Not correct after trying I had to go back again and get the even cheaper H3s which do fit.

 

£7.99 each. Seems brighter although I might have had more carrots recently. But I know when they are on now!

 

Boy but you need long thin double jointed fingers to do it - change the bulbs I mean

Will they fit a J Spec Z as well,or are they a different bulb?

F.T.

I got the 30% brighter bulbs from Halfords a few months ago. They did make a difference and cost me £8.99 each. I got Halfords own 130W bulbs for £4.99 each yesterday, they are 10 times better. Hope they dont burn out.

 

Stuart

Originally posted by fat tony

Will they fit a J Spec Z as well,or are they a different bulb?

F.T.

 

UK is H3, J Spec is H3C - more details here:

 

http://217.158.136.46/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=14441&perpage=15&pagenumber=2

 

HTH - Gio

Sorry, I'm getting alittle confused now.

 

H3C are they the 55W or the 130W that Stuart was talking about ?. If they are the 55W, Stuart can you tell me the code for the 130W bulbs ? (and is yours a Jap or UK ?) .

 

Thanks

sorry mate, didn't mean to add to the confusion.

 

H3, H3C refer to the fitment not the wattage. H3 is the standard UK fitment and H3C has got an extra prong on it. This means either soldering an extra connector to a UK bulb or finding a J spec bulb (if you have a J spec car).

 

I would guess that you can get various wattages for both fitments - eg I can get 55W and 85W for my J spec.

 

After speaking to Jeff, I would definitely check the voltage drop between your battery and the bulb itself - if you have got a claggy path for the current, then solve this before putting higher wattage bulbs in.

 

HTH - Gio

With 130W bulbs do you then use the headlamp washers for cooling the glass?

 

Anyway, thats some serious current loading for the alternator especially on a bad day with wipers, aircon, heated rear window, bum warmers etc on. Plus maybe a bowerful HiFi - I wouldnt take bets on how long the alternator will last.

 

Is it not the case that anything over 55W is lllegal for road use?

 

Seems to me a daft law when its brightness that counts not watts.

Originally posted by WillieO

Anyway, thats some serious current loading for the alternator especially on a bad day with wipers, aircon, heated rear window, bum warmers etc on. Plus maybe a bowerful HiFi - I wouldnt take bets on how long the alternator will last.

 

Haven't checked with the 85W bulbs in, but with my old 55W H3's modified to H3C's, if I had everything on (no bum warmers though!), at idle the voltage would drop to 11.5V or so, which was a bit low..

 

Is it not the case that anything over 55W is lllegal for road use?

 

AFAIK that's correct, technically you could be pulled for it, and probably get a producer and/or be ordered to put 55W bulbs back in.. But then, how often do you see people driving around with their bl00dy front fogs on - and that's an offence too...

So chaps, If i want mega bright 130 watt bulbs for dipped and main beam what should i be looking at when going to halfords!!!?!?!??

 

Thanks.

You need to buy a 130W H3 bulb, but you will need to modify it by soldering a second lead (-ve) to the metal bulb base plate, and crimp a spade connector onto it to make it fit into a Japanese car.

Ok where do i go to buy bulbs that are allready jap spec but 130 watt!!!!!!

I'm afraid the only places I know of that you can get the H3C bulbs for J spec cars are either from Leigh (a member on here) who did group buys on 85W bulbs, or from the Z Centre, who sell 55W bulbs..

 

Or go direct to Japan perhaps, but I don't know of any sellers off the top of my head..

Hmm have you a pic of a converted bulb?

http://www.aus300zxclub.com/tech/lights.htm

 

http://www.300zx.org.uk/tech_17.htm

 

Now say "Thank you AndyP" :)

Now say "Thank you AndyP"

http://streetchallenge.com/uploadpix/up/snoHIDvsCB.jpg

zenon hid upgrade versus stock one.

 

while we are on this, can anyone who has the bacofoil upgrade do a comparison like this so we can get an idea if it actually works?

Have seen the cost of a HID upgrade £300+

Well I know you have to have the eyes of a cat or the sonar of a bat to drive at any sort of speed at night.

So like many if you with Jap imports I have started to look at the options.

 

Main beam - no prob. H1 bulb - halfords or any upgrade to 100w or 130w.

Dip beam -prob. H3C not common, but you can get 65w easily from your friendly motorshop dealer -they are made by guardian ref.456c.

However not really bright enough.Found out that PIAA do the super white 85w at a price wait for £24 each see site.

http://www.piaa.co.uk/catalog/Bulb%20Section/superwhite.htm

again further research and have found them at $10.95 from

classicgarage.com so may order from there.

 

Fog light - no prob. H3 - Halfords again, any upgrade will do , you just have to change the wire connector end to the original with an inline connector.

 

any body tried the above or got any other thoughts.

 

;) :p :rolleyes:

Yes I have just fitted the PIAA extreme white H3 55w which they claim have a 110w output. They definitely make a big difference I can now see on dip beam. No modifications to the wiring or fuses are necessary since they only draw 55w. I tried a cheaper alternative of extreme white bulb and they were no better than a standard 55w.

This subject was covered in detail in the Winter 2001 Z club magazine. I make no apologies for quoting verbatim certain excerpts......

 

'DO NOT use 100 watt or 130 watt bulbs. Apart from being illegal, the current draw is 1.8x and 2.4x respectively over the standard 55 watt bulb. The wiring on the TT is a little delicate. Certainly with the high under bonnet temps. the wiring tends to degrade and the higher current draw will only worsen the situation.

Furthermore, they don't make any appreciable difference to the light output.'

 

 

The article then goes on to discount HID which it quotes as around £837 plus VAT a pair!!

 

It recommends PIAA's Super White H3 bulbs at £15.30 each.....PIAA can be contacted on 01934 820210 or check out their web page at http://www.piaa.co.uk

 

I followed the advice and yes, there is a discernable difference - although the dipped beam still isn't amongstthe best.

 

Anyway, hope that this is some help.

Originally posted by kinace

'DO NOT use 100 watt or 130 watt bulbs. Apart from being illegal, the current draw is 1.8x and 2.4x respectively over the standard 55 watt bulb. The wiring on the TT is a little delicate. Certainly with the high under bonnet temps. the wiring tends to degrade and the higher current draw will only worsen the situation.

Furthermore, they don't make any appreciable difference to the light output.'

 

http://www.piaa.co.uk

 

Well the part about thier is no difference in the light output is total bull shit. I know for a fact that it is a hell of a lot different to the fact that I can see the road, copaired to the 55w ones where I can see just as good with just the side lights on.

 

However last nights skirmish to Wales the flipping from main beam to dips blew one of the dip lights. But I must say that only 1 130W dip working was still a lot better than both 55w dips working. And I had new Bosch 55w bulbs which say they are 33% brighter than normal.

 

Stuart

Stuart

watch you dont also fry the relay! Switching causes surges. 2 X 55W probably gets a 50 amp surge over the relay contacts. 2 X 130A will get maybe a 150 amp surge. Then you get welded or burnt relay contacts. So dont flip from main to dip too frequently. the relays are not rated for the surge.

Willie

Aye I know flipping caused the drivers bulb to go. Thats why I drove all through Wales on just one dip, cos if that went I was buggered. I have spare 55w bulbs with me but I didnt fancy changing 130w bulbs just after they have been on. I like my finger in a healty state.

 

Gone back to 55w and looking at other ways to make the visability better.

Halfords code for 130w 12 volt UK spec car, the code is HBU492, they are £4.99 each and shed loads better than any 55w jobbies.

 

Go and get some now but keep old bulbs in glove box just in case.

 

 

Hugs and kisses

 

 

 

Wendy and Robert

Yes. I think the only reason my 130W bulbs went where because I flipped from dip to mail beam a few times.