H4 question

[Bob Harriman]

Are there 2 bulbs in the H4? When disassembling mine to clean I noticed there looks like a small bulb goes into another plug below main bulb.

[M_deJong]

Some (maybe all?) H4's have a small second bulb. This is for the euro "city lights" and is wired to the parking light circuit.

[Bob Harriman]

So the installation of a bulb will activate an additional parking lamp light? Please correct me if I'm wrong. The H4 was not OE thus inserting a bulb does not mean it will function or does it function with the stock headlight wire harness without some kind of additional wiring to parking light circuit? Does anyone know what bulb to use before I take it all apart again?

Those are glass H4 lenses by the way that I stained glass painted with some assistance from some fellow members. They came out great, still function at night with no visual issues and I love the look with my light blue car.

[M_deJong]

No, you'd have to add wiring. I have the ones in my 74 hooked up but I did it so long ago that I don't recall what I did. I suspect I ran some wires back to the fuse block and connected them to the parking lights terminal there. It a small instrument size bulb, about 5mm dia metal base, don't know the wattage.

[210bhp]

Bob

What was the product you used for the yellow staining? They look nice.

Regards
Mike

[Bob Harriman]

Krylon Stained Glass Paint. They do not name color on can but they color (kind of an orangish yellow) the lid. Took entire assembly apart. Cleaned inside of lens with rubbing alcohol. Painted three coats lightly until the color I was looking for was achieved. I read about some people doing exterior of glass then clear coat. Inside is much better and if you do not like it it removes with laquer thinner. I painted them too dark the first time and they cleaned up perfectly to repaint. Go with very light coats so there is no running of paint on glass.

[210bhp]

That's great Bob, thanks.


Regards
Mike

[Bob Harriman]

When I get the city lights working, do they stay on with the headlights or just when parking lights only on?

[ejboyd5]

I'm in the office and can't try it, but if I remember correctly to activate the parking lights one turns the headlight switch fully counterclockwise and moves the turn signal lever either up or down to select the right or left side display. The bulbs draw very little power and the circuit is designed for continuous (all night) use.

[Bob Harriman]

That's accomplished by pulling headlight switch halfway out. Doing it the way you describe works also and it actually activates all the parking lights also, not just one side. What's the difference. Halfway out headlight switch has more draw?