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-   -   Auto Lighting thread : Post all queries about automobile lighting here (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/modifications-accessories/93908-auto-lighting-thread-post-all-queries-about-automobile-lighting-here-201.html)

yes you can , get a relay which is rated for operational currents of more than (250/12) ~ 21 amps and you should be safe.

It will overload the alternator.
Two 100W bulbs in the main headlamps means 200W.
One lamp will draw more current than 2 headlights,.
If you want brightness without upgrading your alternator, I suggest you look at Xenon.
Buy two cheapo fog lamps, and fit H3 Xenon in them, cost = 4500rs approx for everything.

A simple look at it is this.

Watts / Volts = Amp

Your Car battery is 12 Volts.
Your lights need 250 Watts.

So you need about Amp = 250 / 12 = 21 (approx)

But your car battery has less than a fourth of that.

When the battery is being charged by running the car engine, the drain is still enough to dry it out.

Any such mod will require a couple more batteries and some very thick wiring.

What do you mean that battery has less than a fourth of that?
Battery is rated at Ah.
For example a 65aH battery means that if you draw 65 Amperes the batter will die in one hour.
If you are running 21Ampere light, your battery will run out in 3 hours from full to flat.

Now if your alternator is supplying more current than consumed by system, your battery will keep charging, however if drain current exceeds charge current battery will die.

So if you intend to use the light for couple of minutes in emergency, its okay, but if you want them as running lights, a strict no no.

oops. confused with my bikes battery. :D



agree:

The primary task of a battery is to store electric current chemically. Make it available when its needs and be able to deliver large amounts in a short period of time. The last being the difference between a battery being used in a car and an inverter.

A load of 250 Watts will be difficult to sustain by the stock battery.
So the battery needs to be upgraded and also the wires.

250W? 250W is nothing in a car.
Lets see in a stock setup
Headlights = 200W
Tail lamps = 40W
Front Fogs = 100W
Music system = 50W onwards
AC blower = 100W+
Fan = 250W

At any given time its around 50A of current at peak load with AC and headlights working
250W will add 20A to that load.
So if the user is not running the headlights, 250W is okay, but with headlights on, this will be an issue, and battery will slowly start to drain.
Normally cars have 45Ah batter, SUVs have 75-80Ah battery, and diesels have 55Ah battery(indica etc.,)

So using a 250W spotlamp for 10-15 minutes is not an issue, but using it as the main headlight, i,.e using 2 of them is not really recommended.

nareshtrao,

I have used all 3 bulbs and here are my opinions on each of them. Steer clear of the Crystal Visions, they are useless at lighting up the road especially in the rain and are mere "show off" light as they emit a white light.

Osram Night Breakers are good performance. But they tend to fail after a few months of extensive usage. Philips Xtreme Power bulbs are good. They actually provide much better lighting than the stock bulbs. Also, the beam throw is much wider on the low beam and the high beam has a good throw. The light emitted is brighter and whiter than when compared to the stock halogens.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,
gpa

So in that case using 2 spot lamps having a total of 500W is not recommended for a long duration.

But if i use it for say 5 min will it still load the alternator/battery causing any kind of permanent damage?? and when will be the next best time to switch the light back on again??

I am not expert. However, I have Phillips Xtreme on myswift from last 4-5 months and I had 100/90 on my Indica. Here are my observations.

1. Phillips Xtreme : Really good, till now no issues. Excellent visibility. No changes in wiring, plug and drive.
2. 100/90 : Firstly this is wattage. In the beginning, it was better than Phillips Xtreme, however, within 2-3 months, the refectors started to darken. Additionally, needs rchange in wiring and it is not street legal.

So my vote to Phillips Xtreme .

regards,
-manju

Originally Posted by nishantgandhi
@SRS - Any specific reason why you want to go for the Xtreme power series? Would be good to know how its different from the normal 'Rally' halogen bulbs?

If you are not in a hurry, I can get you in 2 weeks time. My mechanic is out of town. He sources everything for me from Opera but at good prices.

Hi Nishant

I too am keen on getting my headlamps changed for the monsoons. I have a Indica Xeta GLS.

Do let me know as well once your mechanic is back in town

Cheers

Dear Manju, how's the performance in rain? Osram NB during nights are pathetic & also the throw of high beam is not that good for highway drive. I remember reading a review in this thread, saying xtreme's highbeam throw is far better than NB.
I feel it's better to stick to 55/60 instead 100/90 which shortens life(shine) of reflectors. I would like to try Xtremes, I 've to go to AK Traders & pick them up.
Thanks for the response Manju.

Suda

If you want to use it for short burts, get a more powerful 65Ah battery instead of the 45Ah you have now.
Also. whats your alternator capacity? Its usually written on the alternator.
Make sure that the circuit controlling these lights is totally separate with its own wiring and heavy duty 50A switch . These are going to be seriously thick wires.

I had a similar question which I asked in the Power Horn thread,that whether fitting more than one horn and too many lights (obviously all with relay,except fogs) puts to much pressure on the ECU/ECM in the long run?
Immortalz says no,if relays are in place.

To be more specific,I have the following set up in my car:

Headlights: 2 130/100W bulbs with twin relays
Foglights: 2 55W bulbs without relay.
Underbody Neons all round
Under-dash and under-seat neons

PLUS the usual as well when driving at night in rain,such as:

Wipers on
AC on
ICE on

Now my ICE set-up is quite powerful too,such as:

Alpine HU 9886
4 Illusion Speakers (2 compos & 2 coaxials)
Big Sub from GZ
the compos and sub run from a JBL GTO 1004 Amp

Entire wiring ( lights+ICE) in the car is branded and of very good quality.

Although this is an exclusive auto-lighting thread,I still want to ask tsk and others whether fitting extra electricals put a load on the ECU in the end? Does it put a load on the battery and alternator as well? Please all kind souls,do elaborate and explain so that this never remains a grey area for all petrolheads like us in the future.

If you are continuously using stuff such that the alternator current is less than the drain current, your battery will eventually go dead.
So it depends on how much current are your neons drawing.
since you have just one AMP driving the sub, it should not be a problem unless you see your headlights flickering rythemically to the Bass.

PLease help !!please: