Re: RE:All kinds of lights, KC....RE:Source for "affordable" eurolights ?

[quk@isham-research.demon.co.uk (Phil Payne)]

In message <35B0D811.4FC7@worldnet.att.net> Ron Wood writes:

> To steal a phrase from a current tire companies ad, "power without
> control is useless". Wattage alone is not a indication of a lights
> effectiveness, if anything, more watts in a poorly designed light is
> more a detriment than a help.

Yes.

We've been through this before, more than once.  It took a while for us
to realise that we're all singing from the same song sheet.

Number one problem, it seems to me, is the DoT headlight pattern.  It's
appalling - the poorly directed beam illuminates the road badly, blinds
oncoming drivers, and scatters a lot of light into the air between the
driver and the road.  Any opacity in the air becomes fog, reducing
contrast, etc.

Adding power to this system is pointless (it may even be detrimental)
and anti-social.  Basic rule one - any power increase over and above
DoT should be with better directed beams.

There are two approaches - stealth and non-stealth.  Let's take the
latter first.

No one, I believe, will deny that purpose-designed and built quality
accessory lights provide the best illumination of the road.  That's
what rally drivers use, even though they are often faired into the
bodywork.

However - what many of us love about Audis is the 'stealth' aspect.
Just quietly leaving that Ferrari 328GTB in the dust ...

Stealth means no giveaways - no stripes, no huge chromed exhaust, and
no extra lights.  That's why I pursued the 'uprating' avenue.  No one,
and certainly not me, would claim that my system is equal to a proper
'component' rally lighting system.

However - the Euro reflectors do a _damn_ good job of directing the
beam out of the way of oncoming traffic, out of my line of vision,
and exactly onto the road where I need it.

For anyone with DoT lights in an Audi, I would suggest the following
approach:

a) Install Euros with stock wiring and bulbs.  Try them.

b) Install the alternator-fed harness but retain stock bulbs.  They'll
   be brighter because of the reduced voltage drop, and your switches
   will last forever.

c) Try a larger H4 bulb.  100/80s first, then 130/100 and perhaps (if
   you can get them) 175/100s.

The vast majority of drivers, I contend, will not see any need to go
beyond b) - many will stop at a).

--
 Phil Payne
 Phone: 0385 302803   Fax: 01536 723021
 (The contents of this post will _NOT_ appear in the UK Newsletter.)