Re: 80/90 headlights, what do you think?

["Bruce Bell" <bbell@bbell.com>]

> From: Phil Payne <quk@isham-research.demon.co.uk>
> To: bbell@bbell.com
> Cc: quattro@coimbra.ans.net
> Subject: 80/90 headlights, what do you think?
> Date: Saturday, October 04, 1997 3:28 AM
> 
> In message <199710040655.GAA27092@out2.ibm.net> "Bruce Bell" writes:
> 
> > Remember doubling the wattage doesn't double the light output, it
generally
> > results in burned connectors and wiring - even with added relays
(BTDT).
> 
> Well, it _does_ double the light output - try a good lightmeter - but the
human 
> eye doesn't perceive double the brightness.  Same as dB in sound.  Beware
also 
> of scatter - if you put too much stray light on the roadside, your eyes 
> compensate and the extra brightness on distant objects is wasted. 

Yes, that is what I meant. :-)  I was thinking of the inverse distance
squared relationship and I should know by now not to take verbal shortcuts
on this list. Gee, If I'd just used the word "perceived" or
"effective".........

> However - I've not seen any connector or wiring problems with the
auxiliary 
> harness in my car.  The main downside is that uprated bulbs run hotter
and 
> don't last anything _NEAR_ as long as stock bulbs.  I changed one bulb in
three 
> years before going to the monsters, but now I'm changing each bulb every
four 
> months.  So the bulbs aren't just twice the price of stock - they're a
dozen or 
> more times the price.

Think this is something we're saddled with here in the states. 9004 bulbs
with a plastic connector. I tried the 80/100 watt variety with special
harness and relays and the connectors still burned. what's more even with
my brights on no one was flashing me - no wonder with the scatter.  I love
my new Hella H4/H1 and even though I'm still running relays and the harness
the 55w bulbs are most satisfying.