Colin Lindsay Posted September 12, 2022 Report Share Posted September 12, 2022 I had a 35 mile journey on Saturday in complete darkness and found that my lights were terrible; dipped were almost invisible and the main beam good only up to a point (would have been better if both had worked... loose bullet connector!) It's a four-headlamp Vitesse bonnet and I've managed to source good H4 bulbs for the outers, but does anyone have a good recommendation for the H1 inner / full beam bulbs? Current ones are Hella 55w so I'm interested in any upgrades that will fit the current system without having to rewire or adapt anything. Needs to be street legal too. Any pointers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul H Posted September 12, 2022 Report Share Posted September 12, 2022 I’ve modded my Vitesse so all 4 lights come on dip as well as main . I’ve added an inline fuse which isolates the dipped 4 for MOT purposes . All front lamps running on relays and output seems adequate though don’t do much night driving Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NonMember Posted September 12, 2022 Report Share Posted September 12, 2022 9 minutes ago, Paul H said: I’ve modded my Vitesse so all 4 lights come on dip as well as main Be aware that doing so is in violation of construction and use regulations. You are only allowed two dip beam lights. My Vitesse has recently had new H1 inners (I think I'd bought them for the Stag, or at least while I had it) and they show up the elderly H4 outers somewhat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mjit Posted September 13, 2022 Report Share Posted September 13, 2022 Osram Night Breakers are about as good as halogen bulbs get and seem to come in H1 size. Beyond that you could go for some H1 LED bulbs (which ARE legal again). I've gone for 4x dipped on my big saloon and not a miracle but does help - and having been told you can only have 2 dipped I tried and failed to actually find anything saying you COULDN'T do this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted September 13, 2022 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2022 2 hours ago, Mjit said: Osram Night Breakers are about as good as halogen bulbs get and seem to come in H1 size. Beyond that you could go for some H1 LED bulbs (which ARE legal again). I've gone for 4x dipped on my big saloon and not a miracle but does help - and having been told you can only have 2 dipped I tried and failed to actually find anything saying you COULDN'T do this. Thanks! Always very fond of Night Breakers or Silverlights, so will look for those. I've gone for Philips GT200 for the H4 dipped beams, and will report back on how they perform. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahebron Posted September 18, 2022 Report Share Posted September 18, 2022 It doesn't matter what bulbs you have if you are not getting the correct voltage then you are wasting money. As Paul H stated he has fitted relays which with a decent sized feed cable from the battery/alternator will improve your lights output. 1 relay, 2 relays or 4 relays it is your call how easy or complicated you want to make it Also make are the earth cables are up to the job,(I make it the same size as the battery/alternator feed) do not rely on using the bonnet as a return path as it can have many corroded points of contact with the rest of the car. Interestingly the side light/indicators on the Vitesse/Herald rely on the bonnet to earth the lamp. I welded a stud to the back of the lamps on my Vitesse and have run a cable to earth them. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted September 18, 2022 Report Share Posted September 18, 2022 agree a drop to 10v at the pointed end is not uncommon adding relay feed from the batery will awaken even the oldest sealed beam glowworms into a far brighter light and can save the snags of adding bulbed lamp units Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteH Posted September 18, 2022 Report Share Posted September 18, 2022 In my experience the biggest issue in Vehicle electrics IS poor earthing. Total relience upon the chassis/body to act as the "neutral" return, is it`s achilies heel. Something which has become even more noticable as "moderns" move to "CANBUS" and the tiny signal currents used are much easier to corrupt. Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted September 18, 2022 Report Share Posted September 18, 2022 agree on my Vit6 we earth bonded anything and everything nose to tail back to the battery to elliminate rusty old chassis and body connextions it all helps Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted September 18, 2022 Author Report Share Posted September 18, 2022 45 minutes ago, ahebron said: 1 relay, 2 relays or 4 relays it is your call how easy or complicated you want to make it No relays at all are how complicated I want to make it at present. I've fitted Philips GT3200 bulbs and they're an amazing upgrade. The biggest problem, apart from dirty glass, which had gone very grey, were the bullet connectors. One earth had pulled out, so I had only one inner main beam; I repaired that only to find I had two main beams but no outers at all, then I had one bright outer and one very dim candle in the other. All earth connections, easily sorted when tightened up. I may go relay later in the year when off the road for more major repairs, so will be interested in parts and how-tos (so that the extra wiring doesn't look like a dog's dinner!) but at present it's a simple fix. BTW never got uprated H1s locally, it seems they're old hat already, so will go online. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mjit Posted September 20, 2022 Report Share Posted September 20, 2022 If you just want functional then for relays just jumping on eBay and searching for "h4 relay" will being up loads of 'kits' that have pre-wired relays/fuses and that end in H4 adapter plugs. If you have direct access to the bulbs you just pull the plug off the bulb/into the kit male, then the kit female goes onto the bulb. At a guess the Vitesse lamps will be hidden in bowls like the Spitfire so the kit isn't QUITE as easy but just means a little (kit) wire snipping/bullet connector crimping. And the kits cost less than you'd normally pay for a singhle relay, let alone all the wire. The kit wire colours are...very non-standard though. If you want it to look original you'll need to buy relays/wire/fuses and put it together yourself - or just hit it with some loom tape/conduit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badwolf Posted September 20, 2022 Report Share Posted September 20, 2022 I have the fleabay kits. Got it after Doug's praise some time back. Great upgrade but take care to check the in-line fuse rating. Mine came in with 40amp. Others have come with different ratings so best to check. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted September 20, 2022 Report Share Posted September 20, 2022 2 hours ago, Badwolf said: I have the fleabay kits. Got it after Doug's praise some time back. Great upgrade but take care to check the in-line fuse rating. Mine came in with 40amp. Others have come with different ratings so best to check. Beware those kits. The plating on teh terminals is very poor. I had a set that gave up teh ghost, and were so rusty I couldn't get them apart without serious destruction. I bought them years aho when they were a fiver, and had a spare setup which I fitted, then liberally sprayed with protective wax. They haven't gone rusty. In fact, any underbonnect connections get a squirt of aerosol protective wax to help keep the connections good. No downside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
68vitesse Posted September 20, 2022 Report Share Posted September 20, 2022 On a Vitesse there is one wire, from the solenoid battery terminal, that supplies all the circuit's in the car and I'm including lights. Don't know if other models are the same. Regards Paul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badwolf Posted September 21, 2022 Report Share Posted September 21, 2022 Thanks Clive. I will check the connections and protect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted September 21, 2022 Report Share Posted September 21, 2022 i fitted crystals in the 2000 i have a relay kit still sits in the cupboard awaiting a rainy day upgrade , and yes if you have bowls the bulb plugs on the kit have to be cut off as they will not fit through the small bowl grommet Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gully Posted September 21, 2022 Report Share Posted September 21, 2022 I'm in the same position as Pete - switched to the Crystal headlamps and yet to fit the relays, which I've had for about 4 years now! Gully Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted September 21, 2022 Report Share Posted September 21, 2022 I bought sealed beams when the first came out decades ago. And they are sealed, the bulbs don't come out, if the bulb dies the whole thing's scrap. They don't seem to do them like that now, although sold as "sealed beams" you get a headlamp and a bulb to go in it. (init! ) They were always quite bright, but I put the relays on because ALL the current for the headlights went through the dashboard switch, the switches tarnish internally, get resistive and hot. This also means there's a voltage drop across the switch. Now the switch just carries the small current for the relays and the headlights get the full voltage. VERY bright. I've had no rust problems, careful installation, I guess. Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahebron Posted September 21, 2022 Report Share Posted September 21, 2022 And to add to this topic on some replacement lamps (mine are Lucas) the locating tabs do not line up correctly with the recesses in the mounting rings. I have posted about this before and to fix this I 3D printed an alignment tool Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted September 21, 2022 Report Share Posted September 21, 2022 yes +one for that one of the three needs a bit of a trim of the metal rim to locate all three lugs correctly the wait to fit relay is a herts and beds trait Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badwolf Posted September 21, 2022 Report Share Posted September 21, 2022 I swopped the sealed beam units for the halogen fitting from an old Toyota that I was trading in. Amazing the difference and that was twenty five (plus) years ago. The relays appear to make them even brighter. Wonder what modern bulbs would be like in them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted September 21, 2022 Report Share Posted September 21, 2022 1 hour ago, Badwolf said: Wonder what modern bulbs would be like i Erm Illuminating Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteH Posted September 21, 2022 Report Share Posted September 21, 2022 Am I correct, in saying a recent change of law/ruling? will now allow the use of LED`s for "classic" headlight units?. Or am I confusing that with something else?. Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DVD3500 Posted September 21, 2022 Report Share Posted September 21, 2022 Here in Germany there are H4 and H7 LED "bulbs" that are allowed in many cars including Triumphs. https://www.osram.de/am/night-breaker-led/index.jsp#_m603__accordion_1 Sometimes you have to have a special lens (like WIPAC) When they are off they look the same as standard. The color when on is more cold white than warm white. There are arguments if you loose your "classic car" status or not. Some say it is a consumable like wiper blades and therefore OK. Others say it is not allowed (here in Germany having a bluetooth radio can cause you to lose your historic status). here a guy tested them: https://spitfire-forum.eu/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=13498&hilit=LED&start=15 This only applies to Germany. I know that other EU countries are more lenient. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteH Posted September 21, 2022 Report Share Posted September 21, 2022 This would imply that vehicles before 1st April 1986 are not going to fail the MOT, providing the test parameters are complied with?. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/special-notice-01-21-headlamp-conversions/mot-special-notice-01-21-headlamp-conversions Pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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