Headlights

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thebrotherj
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Re: Headlights

Post by thebrotherj »

rosco wrote: Tue Apr 11, 2017 9:04 am
Hope this helps, Joe.. I believe most of what I sent Aaron is in the above.

frats,
Rosco
Rosco,

Yes, mate this has all been a huge help, the whole thread. I much prefer this kind of rhetoric/information to all the ego and posturing in the comments sections in the various facebook groups I've had a look at lately that's for sure!

I've got the relay circuit upgrade figured out and am gathering the bits I need now. Off to see a sparky about some automatic-reset 20amp fuses for each circuit next, I like that idea a lot, thanks. Looking forward to having decent & safe lighting out front of an early Holden for the first time! Dad's HK will be next.

Cheers Joe
RedWhiteFB
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Re: Headlights

Post by RedWhiteFB »

Rosco,
I've got the whole PM - are you happy for it to be posted publically? Or would you prefer I PM'd him?

Cheers,
Aaron.
rosco
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Re: Headlights

Post by rosco »

Pleasure, Joe - don't hesitate to send me a line if you get stuck or want clarification on something. The H4's will make a huge difference to what you have known headlights on our old buses to have been.

Aaron - most certainly, post it up if you believe someone might benefit from it - I'm glad you kept it, I was dreading putting the full novel together again.

Did you end up following my suggestions? If so, any comments on installation and also as to the improvement in lighting?

One additional thing I did not mention, I fitted lexan headlamp protectors over the H4's - this gives the original curved headlamp face a domed look - I found that the flat face of the H4's detracted from the look of the vehicle.

Burson's have the protectors - they fit between the steel ring of your headlamp retainer and the lamp lens.

One further thing I might suggest - drill two holes in the covers. Water will get in between the lens and protector.... my headlamps looked like a dead fish for some time until I worked out how to get a permanent fix.

The hole above needs to be larger than the hole below or vapor will not escape. From memory, I used a 3/32" drill on the bottom and a 1/8" on the top hole. Make sure you drill these outward from the lens retainer.

frats,
Rosco
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Errol62
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Re: Headlights

Post by Errol62 »

Hi fellas
I see on eBay you can now get H4 conversions with curved lens to match original.

I did the conversion in the early nineties to my EK215 running 186 and alternator. Originally I found halogen globes that fit the original lens mounts but the geometry was all wrong and they illuminated the trees overhead. When I fitted the h4s all I did was change the sockets! Never an issue in 50000 miles since then. Go figure. She is off the road now, before you tell me I'm driving a time bomb Rosco.
Cheers
Clay


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getting my FB ute on the road
EK van on rotisserie
RedWhiteFB
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Re: Headlights

Post by RedWhiteFB »

Apologies for not posting this earlier - I just realised I never actually posted it as requested!

Cheers,
Aaron.

Let me know what you want - and I'm sure I can make some suggestions... most don't do what I do ... it's quite obsessive with me, I'm afraid...

Basically what I did - was to re-wire the entire loom... replacing all of the leads which ran from the switch with heavy gauge wire.
I ran separate leads to each of the beams and to the parkers as well.
All of this is in thick PVC conduit and it runs under the guards - no wiring under the bonnet.

From the lighting switch, only a fraction of power is used to open/close the contacts of the headlamp relay unit.
There are four relays in that unit - one for each beam in each headlamp - and four fuses to protect each lamp/lead.

Similarly, I fitted a relay for the parking/tail lights.

I chose NOT to combine my parkers with the headlights like many do because I fitted some additional purpose to the parkers.
Under the drainage wells in the engine bay (running along each side of the skirt) - I fitted a 30 super bright strip of LED's in a square clear tube - this is connected to my parkers.
If I'm stuck on the side of the road at night - and still have battery - I can simply leave the parkers on and I have great lighting to work inside the engine bay.... should be able to find some pix of that......
You can't see these unless you look for them - as they are shielded from view by the gutters above.

I also fitted one of these 30 strips and made up a tube with a red lens to run along the rear window... which is held snug against the rubber... and really can't be seen until it comes on.... high level rear brake lights!

Further to this, I ran two leads down through my mudflaps (wiring also can't be seen - as it is "sandwiched" between two thickness of them - and fitted two super bright red LED's to the base section of the mudflaps.
The other lead runs to an outer orange/yellow super bright LED for indicators....
Under the parcel shelf, in the boot - I ran two strips of the super bright LED's in the nifty little recess up under the front of the boot rubber channel - you can't see these...
I fitted a simple earth contact switch and link to the boot-lid hinge link - so that 60 super bright LED's come up when you open the boot..... it is also my connection to the alarm system and triggers when the boot is unlocked and rests on that striker plate.... a similar unit is fitted under the bonnet.

Getting back to the horn/high beam project..

The horn connection to High beam was pretty easy once I sorted out how I was going to link both of them up....

As you probably know, the original horn is positive wired.... i.e. - always supplied with power via the fuse.
The horn button contact makes earth and supplies earth to the horn - making the circuit and energising the horn coil.....and diaphragm.

What I did - to get a positive from the horn button for the high beam - was to reverse the switching of the horn - which also makes it safer - because the horn is isolated unless operated.
GMH switched via earth because the earth is always that is the "hot" wire - and the return cops more belt than the positive.... also, because it was cheap - and because there weren't inexpensive relays back then...

By using the horn button to "earth" this new relay I fitted - meant that only the relay is always supplied with power - and that too is now protected by the original horn fuse.
My horn relay supply receives power from the back of the lighting switch "bus bar".
The earth to operate the relay comes from the horn button....
The only thing I had to change at the horn was to provide a permanent earth - which I did simply by running a short heavy gauge lead from the earth terminal on the horn (where the original horn button lead connected to) and the horn mounting bolt... this wiring cannot be seen from above.

So, in essence - what I now have is a continuous supply to the horn relay (30) from the lighting switch busbar,
A supply to the +ve coil terminal of the relay via the horn fuse (85)
The horn button provides the earth to operate the -ve coil at the coil terminal of the relay (86).
The relay sends positive power to the positive terminal of the horn from the output of the relay (87).
And the horn is permanently earthed on it's mount.

How I linked the horn to the high beams was now simple....... a lead from the output of the horn relay (87) to the coil +ve of the high beam headlamp relays (85 x 2 on my headlamp relay).
To prevent the horn receiving power from the headlamps when on high beam - and making it sound at the same time.... I simply fitted a power diode IN5004 into both leads to the headlamp relays..... power can come through to go to the headlamp +ve coils when the horn relay operates - but can't come back to operate the horn when the headlamp relays turn on high beam....

My security system is also now incorporated to this - so that the horn and high beams are triggered by the alarm output relay when it is triggered... this relay output is driven high/low - so the horn and headlamps are not continuous, but display/sound an on/off/on etc. repetitively..

I have also interrupted both my starter solenoid, the ignition module and connected up some hefty ear piercing squealers in the headspace behind the headlining...

Hope some of this helps - I'm not really good at posting short exacting messages.... so, I tend to over-post everything so there's no doubt... well, maybe...

frats,
Rosco
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thebrotherj
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Re: Headlights

Post by thebrotherj »

RedWhiteFB wrote:Apologies for not posting this earlier - I just realised I never actually posted it as requested!

Cheers,
Aaron.
[/b]

This is epic! Rosco's car sounds like it's lighting setup is more elaborate than the Christmas tree on Pitt St Mall!
But this is a great help, in plain English too. Thank you Image


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Cocko750
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Re: Headlights

Post by Cocko750 »

Errol62 wrote: Wed Apr 12, 2017 1:58 pm Hi fellas
I see on eBay you can now get H4 conversions with curved lens to match original.

I did the conversion in the early nineties to my EK215 running 186 and alternator. Originally I found halogen globes that fit the original lens mounts but the geometry was all wrong and they illuminated the trees overhead. When I fitted the h4s all I did was change the sockets! Never an issue in 50000 miles since then. Go figure. She is off the road now, before you tell me I'm driving a time bomb Rosco.
Cheers
Clay


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Hi everyone, a couple of cars I've come across for parts have had Bosch headlights in them, they are a complete setup, different buckets and screws etc just wondering if they were an upgrade at sale or an after market upgrade?
Ps I'm using phone and still can't post replies just when I want to post I have to use quote
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WayneXG95
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Re: Headlights

Post by WayneXG95 »

I think there's a long of reinventing the wheels going on here
I just brought sealed beam headlights from Rare's with the attachment plug
and my auto electrician wired them up and they throw plenty of light.
Not all that expensive either and no relay needed either.
Wayne Chambers
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FB EK Holden Car Club of N.S.W
Blacky
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Re: Headlights

Post by Blacky »

Cocko750 wrote: Tue Jun 13, 2017 7:54 am
Errol62 wrote: Wed Apr 12, 2017 1:58 pm Hi fellas
I see on eBay you can now get H4 conversions with curved lens to match original.

I did the conversion in the early nineties to my EK215 running 186 and alternator. Originally I found halogen globes that fit the original lens mounts but the geometry was all wrong and they illuminated the trees overhead. When I fitted the h4s all I did was change the sockets! Never an issue in 50000 miles since then. Go figure. She is off the road now, before you tell me I'm driving a time bomb Rosco.
Cheers
Clay


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Ps I'm using phone and still can't post replies just when I want to post I have to use quote
Yeah , me too - plus lots of others , it's a pain in the arse but the bloke who does all the forum fixing can't fix it - it must be a glitch in the program itself 😥
When you're faced with an unpleasant task that you really don't want to do, sometimes you just have to dig deep down inside and somehow find the patience to wait for someone else to do it for you.


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thebrotherj
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Re: Headlights

Post by thebrotherj »

Cocko750 wrote: Tue Jun 13, 2017 7:54 am
Errol62 wrote: Wed Apr 12, 2017 1:58 pm Hi fellas
I see on eBay you can now get H4 conversions with curved lens to match original.

I did the conversion in the early nineties to my EK215 running 186 and alternator. Originally I found halogen globes that fit the original lens mounts but the geometry was all wrong and they illuminated the trees overhead. When I fitted the h4s all I did was change the sockets! Never an issue in 50000 miles since then. Go figure. She is off the road now, before you tell me I'm driving a time bomb Rosco.
Cheers
Clay


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Hi everyone, a couple of cars I've come across for parts have had Bosch headlights in them, they are a complete setup, different buckets and screws etc just wondering if they were an upgrade at sale or an after market upgrade?
Ps I'm using phone and still can't post replies just when I want to post I have to use quote
Hey Cocko, there's a few different options out there now yeah. I'll be running curved glass, semi-sealed beams that fit in the existing buckets/mounting rims etc, but have H4 globes that clip in the back.

I have come across a simple harness that I bought from a mob in Vic (I'll link to the part on my build thread when the time comes) that pretty much allows you to plug in existing wiring, with minimal mods, incorporating automatic reset fuses and relays. it will mean running a wire direct to the Battery positive terminal, but I am hoping to be able to pretty well hide all the rest.
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thebrotherj
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Re: Headlights

Post by thebrotherj »

WayneXG95 wrote: Tue Jun 13, 2017 10:28 am I think there's a long of reinventing the wheels going on here
I just brought sealed beam headlights from Rare's with the attachment plug
and my auto electrician wired them up and they throw plenty of light.
Not all that expensive either and no relay needed either.
Wayne do you mean the H4 semi-sealed headlamps?
Cocko750
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Re: Headlights

Post by Cocko750 »

WayneXG95 wrote: Tue Jun 13, 2017 10:28 am I think there's a long of reinventing the wheels going on here
I just brought sealed beam headlights from Rare's with the attachment plug
and my auto electrician wired them up and they throw plenty of light.
Not all that expensive either and no relay needed either.
The lights I'm talking about were in the old wrecks I get parts from so I'm assuming they are a 70's upgrade, they still use the same type bulbs but larger, next time I'm out home I'll get a few photos, then try and upload them. They look a better light I found one in another wreck also they have their own buckets, don't fit in the Holden buckets. If I ever get one on the road I'll use h4's ,but these Bosch ones are different!
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WayneXG95
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Re: Headlights

Post by WayneXG95 »

thebrotherj wrote: Tue Jun 13, 2017 7:38 pm
WayneXG95 wrote: Tue Jun 13, 2017 10:28 am I think there's a long of reinventing the wheels going on here
I just brought sealed beam headlights from Rare's with the attachment plug
and my auto electrician wired them up and they throw plenty of light.
Not all that expensive either and no relay needed either.
Wayne do you mean the H4 semi-sealed headlamps?
No just plain old sealed beams - the globes already in them and sealed
Wayne Chambers
President
FB EK Holden Car Club of N.S.W
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WayneXG95
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Re: Headlights

Post by WayneXG95 »

I just used the ones 2nd row from the bottom far right

http://www.rarespares.net.au/rarespares ... en&car=11b
Wayne Chambers
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thebrotherj
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Re: Headlights

Post by thebrotherj »

[/quote]

Wayne do you mean the H4 semi-sealed headlamps?
[/quote]

No just plain old sealed beams - the globes already in them and sealed
[/quote]

ahh right, yes, like later model Holdens. They do not require relays or wiring upgrades like halogens call for. Even so, any type of globe installed would be brighter with a relay installed to reduce voltage drop. But yeah, not necessary.

My only qualm with upgrading my car to H4's is that the light emitted will look "modern"... that is, not period correct. The ones you've fitted still look 60's but would be brighter than the EK globes, a good mod I agree. Still, I'm gonna upgrade cos my eyes ain't the best at night.
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