Converting to Halogen from sealed beam

Started by stan360, December 13, 2016, 05:20:34 PM

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John Gervais

#25
I bought my 3rd brake light from Daniel Stern.  Rather than stick it to the rear screen, I made some legs for it and fastened it to the parcel shelf, situating it just above the windscreen rubber and lightly touching the rear glass.  In this way, I can remove or replace the rear window if needed without damaging the lamp.

Hella number 5239, Daniel Stern Model 39.

http://hella.com.au/cgi-bin/catalogue-hkg.pl?flcmd=preview&flmaint=337

- Pave the Bay -

BruceK

#26
Quote from: BruceK on December 14, 2016, 08:51:05 AM
Those LED H4-type replacement bulbs are interesting.  I would imagine that much like regular LED light bulbs for the home, the prices for the automotive replacement headlight bulbs will drop over time until it just becomes stupid to not use them.  But until then, their current prices make them difficult to justify.   

Especially when you can get a pair of quality, proven Hella H4 e-code headlights, with bulbs, for just $70

https://www.amazon.com/HELLA-002395801-Halogen-Conversion-Headlamp/dp/B001G72SKQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1481730122&sr=8-3&keywords=h4+headlight+7%22+round+hella

That quote is from over a year ago, and now it looks like Amazon is offering a 10% off coupon for that pair of Hella lights  which includes includes bulbs too.

   Great deal for $63! 
1988 Austin Mini
2002 MINI Cooper S
1992 Toyota LiteAce (JDM)
1997 Jeep Wrangler Sahara

BruceK

Quote from: John Gervais on October 17, 2017, 06:11:12 PM
I bought my 3rd brake light from Daniel Stern.  Rather than stick it to the rear screen, I made some legs for it and fastened it to the parcel shelf, situating it just above the windscreen rubber and lightly touching the rear glass.  In this way, I can remove or replace the rear window if needed without damaging the lamp.

Hella number 5239, Daniel Stern Model 39.

http://hella.com.au/cgi-bin/catalogue-hkg.pl?flcmd=preview&flmaint=337

I've got the exact same one on my car and it kicks butt!    I like your modification!   And that really would've helped when I was trying to remove a dead fly between the glass and the light on my car -  finally was able to blast it out with some canned air. 
1988 Austin Mini
2002 MINI Cooper S
1992 Toyota LiteAce (JDM)
1997 Jeep Wrangler Sahara

gr8kornholio

I had the zenons on my 07 mini and they were fantastic, except for the constant flashing from oncoming drivers. 
I am the GR8KORNHOLIO! Are you threatening me?

Saussie Aussie 1965 Australian MK1 Mini.
"Beavis" - 07 MY/MY MCS, B/MY Konig Daylites, JCW sideskirts, TSW springs, TSW lower rear control arms -- Exploring the country with new friends since 11/09.

MiniDave

#29
so I bought a set of the Hellas like Bruce linked, and yes - they were a pretty good deal - $66 shipped with bulbs. In my shop they don't seem any brighter than the sealed beams I took out, but I'm off to work before light tomorrow so I'll see if I can notice any difference then.

My car had the Euro park bulbs tucked behind the sealed beams, they still work too......wish I had known they were there I might have tried to find a set of Euro lenses that have the holes for the park light bulbs. Oh well......
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

BruceK

I didn't know you had those parking lights hiding behind the sealed beams (that's some crazy arrangement to do that, isn't it?)

Dave, return those Hellas you got back to Amazon (very easy to do), and get these Hellas with the built in parking lights instead!   The 'position lamp" is a parking light.

https://www.amazon.com/HELLA-002395071-Single-Headlamp-Position/dp/B000VU7C1Y/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1508450573&sr=8-5&keywords=hella+h4+headlight+7%22
1988 Austin Mini
2002 MINI Cooper S
1992 Toyota LiteAce (JDM)
1997 Jeep Wrangler Sahara

MiniDave

I already installed them, and I would have to buy bulbs with those, and order two of them, cost would be quite a bit more......I'm OK with these as they are I think. Of course, if I went to the LED bulbs......nah, these are OK but thanks for the link!

Wait a minute, if Don hasn't installed his yet.........
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

BruceK

#32
Quote from: MiniDave on October 19, 2017, 04:03:32 PM
I already installed them, and I would have to buy bulbs with those, and order two of them, cost would be quite a bit more...

The cost would be about $23 more if my math is right.  Two $7 Hella H4 bulbs and $9 more for the pair of headlights. Not that much if you'd like to have the parking lights work. 
1988 Austin Mini
2002 MINI Cooper S
1992 Toyota LiteAce (JDM)
1997 Jeep Wrangler Sahara

MiniDave

Yeah, what the heck, huh?

If Don hasn't done his I could give him these and return his new in the box, then go the other route.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

BruceK

Quote from: MiniDave on October 19, 2017, 05:55:35 PM
Yeah, what the heck, huh?

If Don hasn't done his I could give him these and return his new in the box, then go the other route.

It's also quite possible to return the new lights you just installed.   It's not like you wore them out or anything.
1988 Austin Mini
2002 MINI Cooper S
1992 Toyota LiteAce (JDM)
1997 Jeep Wrangler Sahara

MiniDave

I used them this morning on the drive to work and they were just fine - not zenon bright but certainly better than sealed beams. I think I'll just leave them as they are and save the $200 for the LED bulbs....I don't drive at night that much anymore as it is.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

BruceK

Good to hear they made an improvement!   Sealed beams really do suck.
1988 Austin Mini
2002 MINI Cooper S
1992 Toyota LiteAce (JDM)
1997 Jeep Wrangler Sahara

John Gervais

Quote from: tmsmini on December 14, 2016, 10:46:41 AM
John: Not to derail the thread, but you never offered marmalade for the distributor I sent you.
Anyone looking for a similar gauge plate, I have something similar I ended up not using.
Terry

Terry, do you still have the same address?
- Pave the Bay -

MiniDave

Don bought a set also for his Midget but he says he's not impressed, they may be a bit better than his old sealed beams, but not enough to write home about - so I think he's going to go for some LED bulbs. Once he's guinea pigged them for me I might try a set too......
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

BruceK

is Don looking to use LED retrofit bulbs to fit into his H4 lens housings?  Or the full-on purpose built LED headlamps?     

If a manufacturer would just make some LED headlights that don't look like robot insect eyeballs that would be great. Something that looks like regular old headlights but in LED format would probably get a lot more owners of classic cars interested.
1988 Austin Mini
2002 MINI Cooper S
1992 Toyota LiteAce (JDM)
1997 Jeep Wrangler Sahara

MiniDave

We're putting purpose built LED bulbs into the halogen reflectors we just bought.....
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

BruceK

1988 Austin Mini
2002 MINI Cooper S
1992 Toyota LiteAce (JDM)
1997 Jeep Wrangler Sahara

MiniDave

Yeah, I think he's going to order them tomorrow.....I'm waiting to see how they work for him before I pop for them too.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

BruceK

1988 Austin Mini
2002 MINI Cooper S
1992 Toyota LiteAce (JDM)
1997 Jeep Wrangler Sahara

MiniDave

The ones I've been looking at have a nice aluminum finned block on the back for the heatsink, but I'm a little concerned about those inside our Mini headlight buckets, especially the plastic ones. I'm gonna talk to John McGee about that, he's used about all of them on the market.....he pointed me to these so I'll see what his experience has been.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

BruceK

The more I learn about these LED replacement H4 'bulbs', the more I realize there is a whole lot of stuff to know.   

Here's a 30 minute (!) video on just the types of LED bulbs that are available out there.  Wow.

1988 Austin Mini
2002 MINI Cooper S
1992 Toyota LiteAce (JDM)
1997 Jeep Wrangler Sahara

MiniDave

The Phillips Lumi leds are what I was going to buy, not because I'm particularly smart about led headlights, but more from pure dumb luck!   ;D
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

BruceK

1988 Austin Mini
2002 MINI Cooper S
1992 Toyota LiteAce (JDM)
1997 Jeep Wrangler Sahara

MiniDave

He hasn't ordered any yet, and after all the reading you posted, I'm reluctant to.......
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

BruceK

I removed one of Emma's headlights this past weekend because there was a little movement in the way it was mounted - I wanted to make it more secure. 

While I had the H4 Wipac headlight out, I looked at the plastic headlight bucket and tried to see how much space there was behind.  It looks like there might be 2-3 inches - maybe a little more.  But the big concern I would have with LED bulbs and their heatsinks concerns the bucket material itself.  The buckets look to be made out of plain old polypropylene - which has a melting point just slightly above the pissed-off glare of an angry woman.  Plus, there is no ventilation in there at all. All the weather protection they offer means no air can circulate and no cooling will happen.  I think at a minimum a metal headlight bucket would be needed.   
1988 Austin Mini
2002 MINI Cooper S
1992 Toyota LiteAce (JDM)
1997 Jeep Wrangler Sahara