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Stock headlight voltage/amp draw

PostPosted: Thu Jun 15, 2017 9:03 pm
by chuck79
Can someone tell or direct me towards the voltage draw of a typical H-body lighting system. In my case the '79 Sunbird. Emphasis on the headlight system. Thanks in advance.

Re: Stock headlight voltage/amp draw

PostPosted: Fri Jun 16, 2017 1:30 am
by Monza Harry
well Chuck here is what I found on the web: http://www.bulbs.com/product/H4656C1 which translates to 3.0 Amps on high for the outers and 2.5 on low. The inners are here: http://www.bulbs.com/product/H4651C1 and that will be ~6.2 amps per bulb So low will be a total of ~5.0 amps and high will be ~17.3 at perfect voltage and temperature. You can do a similar search for the other bulbs. From memory 1157 is 3/35 Watts 1156 is 35 watts a 194 is 2 watts but it has been a long time since I looked into that Harry P.S. Watts = Volts X Amps or for a direct watts / volts = amps
Harry's memory was off alittle wrote:Seems my memory was off a little perhaps those were the 6V versions as my motorcycle was 6V and was always in the dark. So here is another link: http://www.bulbs.com/Signaling/results.aspx

Re: Stock headlight voltage/amp draw

PostPosted: Fri Jun 16, 2017 8:12 pm
by chuck79
Thanks Harry, I'm looking at switching the bulbs and head lights over to LED's. I know the tail, side and turn signal bulbs will be less draw but wanted to make sure the headlights would also be less draw. There's headlight conversion kits on ebay that I've been looking at with glass housings. The following link is ended but gives the idea of what I'm looking at.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/221811145019?_t ... EBIDX%3AIT

Re: Stock headlight voltage/amp draw

PostPosted: Sat Jun 17, 2017 7:06 am
by spencerforhire
The blue 10,000k bulbs might get you hassled by law enforcement, or at the very least provoke a less than polite response from oncoming traffic. I just installed a set of 6000k LED headlight bulbs in my truck, and was out after dark for the first time last night. Light output is awesome, very close to the HID's I had before(that burned out at an alarming rate). I find them a bit bluer than I really like, and will probably hand them down to my son for his "tuner" Saturn, and hopefully be able to find some 4300k or 5000k ones for myself.

Re: Stock headlight voltage/amp draw

PostPosted: Sat Jun 17, 2017 10:20 am
by 1oldmf
I installed glass housing into my 77 skyhawk,
you NEED a fluted lens to disperse the light correctly,
the clear ones you show, will send light everywhere, (into on coming cars!)

LED have very little draw, not sure on exact amount, but nothing compared to H4, or HID.

the lens I used came from e bay, were $30 for both lenses,
I used 160w LED, like 160,000 lumen! yes, BRIGHT, thats why you need the fluted lens for control.
the LEDS were 6000K , so not so blue, but bright.

I did a heat test using heat temp gun, H4 was around 120-130 degrees, LED was around 80 degrees ,I let them run for 1/2 hr.
and std bulb was 110 degrees.

Re: Stock headlight voltage/amp draw

PostPosted: Sat Jun 17, 2017 10:25 am
by 1oldmf
THIS....
http://www.ebay.com/itm/4X6-Halogen-Sem ... hK&vxp=mtr

is what your looking for, in a lens.

Re: Stock headlight voltage/amp draw

PostPosted: Sat Jun 17, 2017 10:31 am
by 1oldmf
see if this works.....

Re: Stock headlight voltage/amp draw

PostPosted: Sat Jun 17, 2017 2:10 pm
by Monza Harry
I PM'd chuck a little info and these are THE lenses: http://dsl.torque.net/images/165HCR.jpg
Cibie.jpg
you want not as economical as 1oldmf, like not even close but I own these and there is NO EQUAL. Harry

Re: Stock headlight voltage/amp draw

PostPosted: Sat Jun 17, 2017 7:08 pm
by 1oldmf
here is a close up of the ebay ones, they throw a very controlled light pattern,
nothing in on coming drivers faces.
the yellow looking one is a std incandescent bulb, but you can see the fluting,
or light dispersal thingy's.

Re: Stock headlight voltage/amp draw

PostPosted: Fri Jun 23, 2017 9:32 pm
by chuck79
My car had the original sealed beam incandescent bulbs in it, 49K mile car. I haven't done anything with it for a while so I want to get stuff done. I looked at the relay set up for the headlight circuit to take the heavy current away from the headlight switch. I just want to get away from the incandescent's and have reliable lighting. I'm not going with the cheap junk either. Thanks for the great info.