Need more light

[FrankieG]

My headlights on my 82 911SC are just not bright enough. I've heard I should change the whole unit to halogen, but I don't want to go through the headache of changing the trim rings. How can I improve the brightness..new bulbs?

[cowtown]

You can put in USA H4s, but no matter how you go to a higher wattage, you should install relays. You'll eventually melt your turn signal or headlight switch if you don't. You can search on "Sucro relays" for the guy who makes an easy to install relay kit.

[VaSteve]

I have seen reference to relays here several time. Exactly what is a relay??
Thanks

[Moses]

If you don't have euro lights, Hella makes an inexpensive H4 replacement lamp sold here. Add a set of 80/100 watt bulbs and install a Sucro relay. Marcus Sucro is a board member. Look him up and get his $20 relay. It took me 30 minutes to install. If you have any sense at all it will take you 20. This is a simple and fantastic upgrade. You can realistically do the whole job in about an hour.

[Moses]

Here's a pic of the relay and where to get it. Everything else available from our host.

http://members.rennlist.com/msucro1/relaykit.htm

[VaSteve]

Originally posted by Moses
Here's a pic of the relay and where to get it. Everything else available from our host.

http://members.rennlist.com/msucro1/relaykit.htm

Moses, what exactly does it DO??? How does it work??

[no substitute]

I believe a relay is a remote switch. When a replacement device that requires more current is used with the standard wires and switch it can over power them. The relay is placed in close proximity to the replacement device and can be operated by the original switch and wires. In other words the original switch triggers the beefier switch (the relay) which in turn activates the device. The relay can also use shorter lengths of beefier wire for additional protection because of it's closer proximity to the new device. Ballpark answer, but I believe this is the basic idea.

[nostatic]

in the stock setup, all of the current from the battery to the headlights travels through the headlight switch and the turn signal switch (hi beam switch). Over time, all that current fries the turn signal switch. So what you want to do is connect a relay between the battery and switch. It send a low current signal to the swtiches, and reads the on/off, piping the current from the battery through the relay and to the headlights, thus keeping hi current from the rather delicate hi beams/turn signal swtich.

[fintstone]

No substitute is correct. A relay is simply an electrically controlled swith. Normally they are used in automobiles when you are controlling the voltage to a device that requires alot of current like motors, or high power headlights (It was deemed unnecessary in the days of low wattage headlights). The relay isolates the switch from the high device current. It allows a manufacturer to use a less expensive, lightweight switch to control high currents that would require use of a large contact, less visually pleasing switch. The small current from the switch turns on the relay and allows it to pass the larger current through a larger, seperate set of contacts. When the switch is turned off, it removes the small current that turns on the relay and the larger current circuit breaks. In other words, the voltage that normally goes from your light switch to your headlights would go to a relay instead and turn it off or on. When turned on, the relay would connect another, different wire to the headlights to turn them on. Minimal current would have to go through the light switch...just enough to energize (turn on) the relay. The actual current to the headlights would only go through the relay's other contacts which are designed for the higher current.
Most folks add relays (diy for $20 or less) to their lighting circuits to protect their expensive light switch, improve headlight brightness (less loss from the switch and additional wire) and they are definitely a requirement if upgrading headlight wattage. The Sucro kit is popular for this application among users of this site or you can easily build your own circuits. (I know, I know....you ask what time it is and someone tells you how to build an atomic clock)

[nostatic]

The term atomic clock is the general name used to describe any variety of time keeping devices based on the regular vibrations associated with atoms.

One of the first atomic clocks or as it is also known the ammonia clock. Was developed by the National Bureau of Standards, and was based on the measurements of the vibrations of atoms of nitrogen, oscillating back and fourth in ammonia molecules at a rate of 23,870 vibrations per second.

The modern day atomic clocks are based on cesium atoms. The spectrum of cesium includes a feature corresponding to radiation with a very precise frequency of 9,192,631,770 cycles per second. One second is now defined as the time it takes for that many oscillations of the radiation associated with this feature in the spectrum of cesium. This type of clock is known as a Cesium clock and it is accurate to one part in 10,000 billion, or one second in 316,000 years.

Even more accurate clocks have been developed using radiation from hydrogen atoms. They are known as Hydrogen Maser Clocks, and one of these clocks, at the US Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, DC, is estimated to be accurate to within one second in 1.7 million years. In principle, clocks of this kind could be accurate to one second in 300 million years!

[fintstone]

LOL

[VaSteve]

Now, I know. And learned about atomic clocks in the process.
Thanks guys!!

[FrankieG]

Thanks everyone. Now I know how to upgrade my headlights and build an atomic clock! boy..will I be busy this winter. By the way, just died my heater control knobs red and they look awesome! Was pretty easy, anyone need help, let me know. Nothing like restoring an original item vs. buying a new replacement. (to our host...sorry..it wasn't about the $28 here, it is all about staying original).

[FrankieG]

Thanks for the condolences..but I meant DYED!!!

[VaSteve]

Originally posted by FrankieG
By the way, just died my heater control knobs red and they look awesome! Was pretty easy, anyone need help, let me know.

Yes, please share!! Mine are a faded pink color!

[Moses]

Originally posted by VaSteve
Yes, please share!! Mine are a faded pink color!

Do a search! There are pictures. Basically soak the knobs in warm RIT dye (for fabrics). After a day or two, wipe them dry then paint the surface white, wiping off the surface paint. The white paint will settle in the indentations restoring the factory engravings.

[n8marx]

FrankieG,

I have two pair of the Hella H4s you're looking for that I'm trying to sell much cheaper than new. PM me if you're interested.

[TargaRob]

I have a pair of Sylvania Silverstar bulbs in my H4s, and they are the brightest they have ever been! I also have the relay installed.

[FrankieG]

Would love to explain how I did mine, they are great. Takes a few times, but the result is worth it.

[Emission]

Originally posted by Moses
If you don't have euro lights, Hella makes an inexpensive H4 replacement lamp sold here. Add a set of 80/100 watt bulbs and install a Sucro relay. Marcus Sucro is a board member. Look him up and get his $20 relay. It took me 30 minutes to install. If you have any sense at all it will take you 20. This is a simple and fantastic upgrade. You can realistically do the whole job in about an hour.

That is exactly what I did. Most likely, the best $100 I ever spent on the car!

P.S. - I used a relay for both the low and high beams.