Ultra Xenon bulbs H1 100watt

Post Fri Jul 22, 2005 8:26 pm

Anybody used these on their E30? - I have already fitted 100watt bulbs (from Halfords, lol) to my high beam, would like improved dip beam too. I know they are not road legal, but I won't tell if you don't!!
The bulbs are Ãƒ”šÃ‚£8.99 a pair on Ebay, free p&p

Post Fri Jul 22, 2005 8:38 pm

ive got the 100w ones from ebay thay are cool

Post Fri Jul 22, 2005 9:07 pm

Got 4500K ones off ebay.
Well worth the 8.99 (imo)

Post Sun Jul 24, 2005 11:42 am

Standard bulbs are 55W. Higher wattage bulbs are not recommended as you could overload the wiring loom. Cheaper 'performance' bulbs are just higher wattage, but good performance bulbs are available from Philips and Osram, such as the Philips Vision Plus range.

Post Sun Jul 24, 2005 11:55 am

kevin316i wrote:Standard bulbs are 55W. Higher wattage bulbs are not recommended as you could overload the wiring loom. Cheaper 'performance' bulbs are just higher wattage, but good performance bulbs are available from Philips and Osram, such as the Philips Vision Plus range.

Thats what the fuses are for!

Post Sun Jul 24, 2005 2:03 pm

smithy318i wrote:
kevin316i wrote:Standard bulbs are 55W. Higher wattage bulbs are not recommended as you could overload the wiring loom. Cheaper 'performance' bulbs are just higher wattage, but good performance bulbs are available from Philips and Osram, such as the Philips Vision Plus range.
Thats what the fuses are for!

Yes and in that case the fuse would just keep blowing.

The wiring in an E30 is only designed to take a certain current and exceeding the power ratings will make it prone to frying the wiring loom as Kev quite rightly states. Having said that though, I know people who run higher rating bulbs with no problems.

Post Sun Jul 24, 2005 2:21 pm

I've run 100W main beams for a few years with no problems, and I do understand circuit loadings etc. (it's what I do for a living).
There could be gains to be had though by fitting thicker wires to reduce voltage drop.

Post Sun Jul 24, 2005 6:33 pm

Cheers, Brian - I was hoping you would cast some pearls of wisdom. Am I at risk of overloading anything if I use 100 watt dip and main? - are they not separately fuse-protected?
I take your point about wire guage - my electrical knowledge is not brill, but even though I am doubling (almost) the wattage, if I remember anything about voltage/current etc I only need to increase the wire guage about 30% to compensate? - or have I got it completely wrong (again, lol!).
And last, I assume the power to the headlights comes via relays in the fusebox, so I only need to up the guage of the feed wires to headlights from fuse box to lights? Will I damage the standard relays using 100 w bulbs?

Post Sun Jul 24, 2005 8:43 pm

Relays will be fine, fuses need to be 10A. !0A is a bit tight for the switch on current, but I've not had one blow yet.
Wires come from fusebox to headlamps and from headlamps to earth. It's not so much the max current rating of the cables, but the voltage drop that occurs. 4mm tri-rated singles cable should do the job, and will give a total voltage drop of about 1/3V. 2.5mm tri-rated will give a total voltage drop of about 1/2V.

Post Sun Jul 24, 2005 10:55 pm

Xenons have a lower power drain than standard bulbs. I have a pair of white Osrams (as opposed to the blue) fitted to my 635. Sometimes the check panel bongs away thinking I've got a blown bulb. Output is supposed to be 50% more.

That being the case, you could probably get away with a hight power Xenon.

Check your wiring & earths though. I lost my '75 Opel Manta Luxus to an electrical fire & the 100watt bulbs were the main suspects.

Post Mon Jul 25, 2005 12:54 am

I've been using 100W main beam bulbs for a year or 2 as well and no problems so far. Good to know someone he does that stuff has thought about it and thinks it is ok

.

Xenons would be great, unfortunately a lot of other things to do before I think about them.

Aston

Post Mon Jul 25, 2005 1:00 am

Brian ,

How have you worked out the volt drop . Length of run is taken into consideration i take it .

lee

Post Mon Jul 25, 2005 9:03 am

2.5mm gives 17mV/m/A voltage drop, and 4mm is 11mV/m/A. Those are very rough in the head calculations, based on a few guesses.
e.g 8A X 17mV x 3m = 408mV.

Post Mon Jul 25, 2005 10:54 am

Would there be any corncerns fitting the higher wattage bulbs to the dipped beam with regards to the plastic reflector in the unit?

I remember running 140w bulbs in my spotlights on my Mk4 escort (long time ago!!) and it melted the seals and plastic surround! :lol:

Post Mon Jul 25, 2005 1:53 pm

Simon wrote:Would there be any corncerns fitting the higher wattage bulbs to the dipped beam with regards to the plastic reflector in the unit?

I remember running 140w bulbs in my spotlights on my Mk4 escort (long time ago!!) and it melted the seals and plastic surround!

The bulbs in the dip beams are quite a way away from the "reflectors", which of course are only for the parking lights on a post facelift E30.
Only sure way is to suck it and see, but I don't think there'd be a problem.