[V8] euro light install WOW!

[Ed Kellock]

They're in and wired and I still have to aim them properly and reassemble
the grill, but WOW!  I had to move my car to make room for a neighbor to
spray his peach tree for aphids so I went for a little drive around the
neighborhood.  My god.  

My previous 89 200q had euros but I don't remember them throwing anywhere
near this much light.  I don't recall what bulbs were in it (it was recently
for sale again in Wyoming).

These are 55/100 H4s in the main light bucket and 100 watt H3 bulbs in the
high beam position, so that's 400 watts on high beam.  

The wiring harness I used was one I got from Competition Ltd. in Michigan
back in the mid 90's.  It was designed to allow the use of 55/100 9004s in
the stock DOT headlights, without triggering the bulb out warning.  I really
had no idea what was what with it, just installed it, and kept frying the
ground lead in the 9004 connecters.  I pulled it in frustration or when I
decided to trade it on another Audi way back when.

It had 2 relays, but I believe I was only ever using one of them because it
was only designed to run the high beams.  I have become exceedingly more
familiar with it and with a couple of small modifications it seems to serve
quite well for my euro light setup.

The ground lead to the stock wiring ground was pigtailed to both relays so I
split that out and made them individual.  I had to extend the freed up
ground lead and the trigger wire for the 2nd relay to the other end of the
harness to use them. I didn't want to double up anything, wiring everything
one for one.  I connected the lows to the stock wiring and each set of highs
to its own relay.  I didn't use any of the internal wiring in the euro
lights themselves.  I bought a pair of heavy duty H4 3-prong connectors and
used a collection of butt connectors, insulated female ends, and insulated
ring ends to connect everything.  Autocheck is happy so I don't have to
worry about defeating that.

The low beam seems a bit weak, even considering I haven't aimed them yet and
I am comparing them to 400 watts of high beam.  But I do wonder if the
voltage reaching them through the stock wiring isn't a bit weak as well.  I
always though the stock lights were weak, even for DOT units.  I feel like a
wiring whiz now and see that I could easily relay those as well.  The way I
have the highs relayed, if one of the relays gives up the ghost I will have
a remaining matched pair of highs.

I could kick myself for not doing this install sooner.  I've had a pair of
euros for the CGT, since before I got the urq, which they will now go into
instead.  I had no idea this was so straight forward.

So far the whole thing is far from elegant, but it's been a fun exercise.  I
had to repair one of the relays because the tiny little wire that wraps
around the spool a billion times had broken.  I was able to reattach it but
it certainly wouldn't be hard or expensive to replace them.  They are almost
15 years old after all and not Bosch bits.

I took power from the jump start post, but I think I want to add in a fuse
there, one for each relay.

I knew this would be a big improvement in the 200, but have never thought it
was really necessary in the V8.  I believe I have seen the light.

Ed


-----Original Message-----
Sent: Sunday, May 31, 2009 9:22 AM
To: 'q - Quattro'; 200q20v at audifans.com
Subject: euro light install, 91 Avant

I got them with the car when I bought it 3 years ago Feb. They've been
sitting in boxes since. I had to fix one of the adjusters which was
disconnected inside so I had both of them apart to get a better look at that
and cleaned all the reflectors. Got the driver's side mounted and started
looking at wiring. I have a harness I bought for the 87 5kcstq I had years
ago to run higher watt bulbs in the stock lights. I think I can use it to
power these euros. It has two relays etc. Tomorrow I will install the
passenger side light. Last night I figured out which tab is which on the
light. I need a connector. Is there an appropriate connector available
anywhere at the local auto parts store or wherever? Otherwise I'll just use
individual insulated tabs.
 
TIA,
Ed
COS