That damn dipstick... NOW headlight upgrade

[quk@sievers.com (Phil Payne)]

In message <97Apr24.081052edt.8068-2@gateway.nwh.org> "Sean Ford" writes:

> Ok, wiseguy, now that you brought THIS up... (funny, btw) I recently
> performed an archive search but I never found an answer to this question...
> does anyone know if I am able to simply plug in two 55 lo/100 hi watt
> halogens into my existing headlights, or will I need to upgrade
> *everything* (wires, connectors, fuses) between the headlights and the
> battery?

No, that's not how it's done.
 
First - when I did this, I found that I had been running 80/100 watt H4s on the 
stock switches and wiring.  John Coughtrie is now doing this, with no apparent
ill effects.  Don't do it in DOT lights - it's antisocial.
 
Second - if you do upgrade, you leave the existing installation alone.  The 
upgrade is an additional harness that runs across the front of the car between 
the lights and the alternator.  With the alternator running, current is taken 
directly from the alternator output - reducing the load on the alternator-
battery circuit and almost eliminating the load on the stock wiring.  When (few 
occasions) the alternator is _not_ running then the load is carried by the 
battery to alternator cable - a big thick 'un - and not the stock wiring again.
 
The stock harness plugs into the new harness, and the existing switch and 
wiring serve only to drive relays.  Even if you don't change the bulbs you'll 
get more light because of the absence of the voltage drop in the stock harness.
 
As many have said - the key is _not_ watts but beam pattern.  The best solution 
is additional lights, but they're obtrusive.  The best "stealth" solution is 
(for a US car) Euro lights with standard or uprated bulbs.  Going Euro with 
standard bulbs is more than enough for most people.

> Is anyone else running with these (illegal) halogens? I'm
> currently running a single 55/100 in my motorcycle (plug and play) and that
> high beam is like a landing light (Tim Allen style gorilla grunt), I'd love
> the same kind of lighting performance in my Audi.

A starship landing light.  Yes.  But on dipped beams - no complaints.  The best 
of all possible worlds.

--
 Phil Payne
 phil@sievers.com
 Committee Member, UK Audi [ur-]quattro Owners Club