Question

[Eric]

I agree with you.  I did a Co-op during school in R+D at Sylvania and
during all test we supplied the halogens, HID supplies, or neon supplies
with 13.8 volts.

-Eric

Ti Kan wrote:

>Automotive headlight bulbs are designed to operate with the higher
>voltage that the alternator generates, so it's a non-issue.  It is
>voltage spikes and mechanical shock that would shorten the life
>expectancy of the bulb, not the steady-state DC voltage itself,
>as long as the voltage is kept within spec.
>
>Thus, there is really no benefit to using a DC-DC convertor and
>dropping the voltage to 12V.
>
>Moreover, DC-DC convertors are not 100% efficient, so you'd be taxing
>the car's electrical system with an even bigger load than with the
>headlights alone.
>
>-Ti
>2003 A4 1.8T multitronic
>2001 S4 biturbo 6-sp
>1984 5000S turbo
>1980 4000 2.0 5-sp
>--
>    ///  Ti Kan                Vorsprung durch Technik
>   ///   AMB Laboratories, Sunnyvale, CA. USA
>  ///    ti at amb.org
> //////  http://www.amb.org/ti/
>///
>
>Todd Young writes:
>
>
>>We all know that normal voltage to the headlights drops as you turn on
>>accessories, thereby reducing the available light output from your
>>headlights. Some of us have wired in relays to direct voltage directly
>>from the battery to the headlights, thereby shortening the expected life
>>of the bulb because it is receiving 13.6 volts rather than 12 volts.
>>
>>Here's my idea, instead of using relays, why not utilize a DC-DC
>>converter circuit with the relays? Input would still be 13.6 volts
>>directly from the battery, but with the DC-DC converter, the voltage
>>from the battery could be a "range" of voltages, but still have an
>>output from the converter set to a steady 12 volts.
>>
>>
>
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