Re: 9004 Lightbulbs, Warning and ???

[treilley_at_BANKMARK@conseco.com (treilley)]

Gotta wait for some Xenon 9004s

Tim 90CQ, 77Spitfire

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Subject: 9004 Lightbulbs, Warning and ???
Author:  Doug Terman <antilles@madriver.com> at Internet
Date:    4/4/96 4:41 PM


The Audi gods must eat a lot of vitamin A and have uncanny power to see in 
the dark.  Thus, they didn't need decent headlights, at least on this side 
of the Pond.
     
I have a 1990tqs.  Got tired (and sometimes scared) overdriving my 
headlights, so I believed the hype put out by Inovative Products of Lake 
Mary, FL, as to how I could just pop in a couple of their nifty 80/100 watt 
bulbs (replacing the 45/65s that are stock.)  The first time I turned on the 
headlights, one of the bulbs exploded and, within two hours, the other 
burned out.  Inovative figured that I had touched the bulbs with my greasy 
hands (didn't--actually wiped them down with alcohol and non-chemical 
impregnated tissure prior to installation).  At any rate, they replaced the 
bulbs.  After boring bright holes in the VT winter night for about an hour, 
again, one headlight burned out, then the other.  Turns out that the bulbs 
were okay, but the heat they generated had ***melted*** the plastic sockets 
they plug into.  
     
So, I ordered Innovative's "Optional Protective Harness" which uses its own 
relays and is powered directly from the + battery terminal just inside the 
hood.  Plugged in two new bulbs.  Both failed within thirty minutes.  This 
time, both burned through their own contacts (in other words, couldn't take 
the heat that they themselves generated.  So, my friends, beware.  The 
harness is a good idea.  The bulbs, simply plugged in to replace the OEMs, 
are ****N*O*T******.
     
Has anyone on the list come up with a bulb that does has higher wattage, but 
not so high as to self destruct, or to melt the connectors?  Or is my only 
choice honest to God, non-DOT approved, politically incorrect Euros??
     
Doug Terman
Antilles Engineering, Ltd. 
1990 tqs (97K on the clock but showroom, by golly) 
1988 VW Quantum Syncro (an Audi in beggar's costume) 
and a 1978 RX-7 with 54K on the clock