100W in H1 Question

[John Straub]

Has anyone ever used 100W bulbs in their H1 lights with no change in relays in a SWB car with any bad effects?

John

[kenikh]

My experience is hearsay only, but have heard stories of smoking headlight switches from continued running, if relays aren't used. They just aren't designed to run that much current.

[John Straub]

Thanks Kenikh,

I'm trying to find out if it's some kind of urban legend.

John

[ajwans]

If you could measure the gauge of the wire going to your
dash switches you could determine if they could handle
the current safely.

With 200W the current will be 16 amps.

I'm sure the EEs here could work it out just by measuring the
resistance of the wires. Bigger gauge will be less resistance
which will result in less heat.

I don't know what your dashboard switch is rated at (might be
printed on the back side). A quick google suggests 12 gauge
wire for a 20A circuit although that pertains to household wiring
and I don't know enough about how or if voltage affects this
calculation.

andy

[kenikh]

I've read the resistance calcs somewhere, but only recall they reinforced the decision for a relay. . That said, the only proof I needed was looking at what the stock bulbs had done to my swithc over a lifetime. Afetr spending a day trying to my lights up to snuff, tracing wires, cleaning grounds, changing fuese...you name it...I finally added a relay. Guess what, mega bright lights. Further inspection showed that full current in switch had pretty much eroded all of the contacts, reducing current flow to jack sh--.

Net net, may work on a new switch, may work for a good while, but the risks aint worth it IMHO.

[Steve@Rennsport]

Hi John,

No legend,...100w bulbs will eventually ruin the low-high beam switch contacts so relays are strongly recommended since they are far cheaper than the bloody switches.

[John Straub]

Thanks guys...thats all I need to know.

John

[Allen Henderson]

John,

For sure, put in relays for 100w bulb operation. It is fairly easy.

-Allen-

[GTS]

wow, this goes back to my days in the German Army...
I had a 69 911 T and upgraded it with and RS spoiler, hood lamps and Cibie foglights.I was driving at the time also some local rallies.
So I put 100 W in the hood lights and in the high beams of the headlights- at that time highly illegal to the TUV.
So when you drive at night on the Autobahn at high speed I had the headlight on, if someone tried to come with a lower speed into my lane I warned him with the foglights....no reaction, here go the hi beam headlights...still no reaction here yopu get it full Cibies with 200 W....I know sounds rude and aggressive, but I was 19 and that was the German Autobahn Wahn or war....never smoked the switches or the alternator...amazing in retrospect.....PS it worked.....

[Allen Henderson]

wow, this goes back to my days in the German Army...
I had a 69 911 T and upgraded it with and RS spoiler, hood lamps and Cibie foglights.I was driving at the time also some local rallies.
So I put 100 W in the hood lights and in the high beams of the headlights- at that time highly illegal to the TUV.
So when you drive at night on the Autobahn at high speed I had the headlight on, if someone tried to come with a lower speed into my lane I warned him with the foglights....no reaction, here go the hi beam headlights...still no reaction here yopu get it full Cibies with 200 W....I know sounds rude and aggressive, but I was 19 and that was the German Autobahn Wahn or war....never smoked the switches or the alternator...amazing in retrospect.....PS it worked.....

I had a '79 Turbo. I put 100 watts in the HIGH and LOW beams, H1s, both on relays and also with an extra switch. I could turn on the driving lights and High and low beams and ALL at the same time if I wanted. Really lite up the road, which in a Turbo can be very necessary.

-Allen-