Awesome headlights

MrBlueSky

Senior Member

Offline

• Aug 9, 2004

• #1

My wife and I both have new cars with the HID(High Intensity Discharge) headlights and I love it. So what to do about the old Triumphs? Well I noticed last week while I was in my local parts store that Sylvania now makes a "look of HID" headlight called Slverstar in the 7" round that fits our cars (part number H6024ST). These are not the cheep blue lights that you sometimes see but a true bright white light that is just about as bright as the HID. Just for comparison I installed just one light and turned them on and what a difference, it made my old light (which was almost new) look like it had some type of electrical problem. Night time driving is now a pleasure and much safer, I can see them and they can sure see me. These are not cheep at about $20 each but well worth it and should fit just about all Triumphs and MGs.

 

Steve

Moderator

Staff member

Platinum

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• Aug 9, 2004

• #2

Now that is some really useful information!! I'll make a point of looking for these. Thank you!

 

Jon12

Jedi Hopeful

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• Aug 9, 2004

• #3

I thought about putting some of these in my spitfire but I'm not sure how well the electrical system will hold up to the higher current draw. One of these days I'll get around to testing it out and keeping a fire extinguisher near /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazyeyes.gif

 

PC

Obi Wan

Offline

• Aug 9, 2004

• #4

Compared to the cost of real HID lamps (about $400) the cost of those Silverstars is cheap.

On the down side they get them bright by running them hot, about 4000K verses about 3100K for a standard Halogen lamp. They probably won't last as long as some other models. Sylvania's website says "We estimate the SilverStar halogen lights to have a life span of up to one year under average driving conditions." Whatever that means.

Jon12, to accommodate higher powered lights you can install separate, higher capacity wiring for the lights (as long as the alternator can keep up) and use a high current relay to switch them on.


PC.

 

Saff

Member

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• Aug 9, 2004

• #5

According to Bentley, the stock bulbs are 60/45W, which means that a 12V system is delivering 5A for the 60W setting. Does anybody have an estimate of what the actual current requirement is for these HID lights?

 

Geo Hahn

Yoda

Offline

• Aug 9, 2004

• #6

[ QUOTE ]
...Does anybody have an estimate of what the actual current requirement is for these HID lights?

[/ QUOTE ]

According to this ad:

https://www.shoppalstores.com/kustomkar/index.cfm/fa/items.main/parentcat/1816/subcatid/0/id/71973

60W/70W

 

Webb Sledge

Jedi Warrior

Offline

• Aug 9, 2004

• #7

So then the stock system and wiring should be able to handle the draw? $40 bucks really isn't all that bad (I don't think) for something that will make night driving a lot easier, even if they only last a year.

Are TRs supposed to have high beams and low beams? My 6 only has one setting. You flip the switch on the right side of the column down once and all turn signals some on, and then flip it down again and the lights come on. Is this wired right?

 

OP

MrBlueSky

Senior Member

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• Aug 10, 2004

• #8

I turned on my headlights while in the basement and only after about 10-12 minutes did they begin to get very warm to the back of my hand. I also notice no extra power draw, I drive the triumph mostly at night this time of the year because it's just a little to hot and humid during the day down here.

 

Mark Jones

Jedi Warrior

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• Aug 10, 2004

• #9

I've has a pair of these Silverstars in my Spitifre since spring and they are great. I've had no problem with the wiring so far.

 

Saff

Member

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• Aug 10, 2004

• #10

Webb, I don't think that's wired right. The switch on the right side should be for high/low beams, or main/dip beams in the lingo. In Texas, you would need to have both headlight settings working to pass safety inspection. It's also safer with all available lighting working properly.

 

Bill Redd

Jedi Hopeful

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• Aug 10, 2004

• #11

Wait a minute... isn't the high beam "switch" the dip switch on the floor?

I hesitate answering because I bought my TR6 without working lights, and it's all in pieces right now!

 

PC

Obi Wan

Offline

• Aug 10, 2004

• #12

I got this data off Sylvania's website:

SYLVANIA Lamp Replacement Guide: TRIUMPH 1976 Spitfire

H6024ST Silverstar High Performance Halogen, 45W/55W rated life 150hrs/50hrs.

H6024XV XtraVision Halogen, 55W/65W, rated life 850hrs/200hrs.

H6024CB Cool Blue Halogen, 45W/55W rated life 200hrs/100hrs.


As a comparison, their Xenarc HID lamps draw 35W.


PC.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hammer.gif

 

Stinky

Jedi Trainee

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• Aug 10, 2004

• #13

I see on sylvania's website they list those headlights for the 1976 TR6,...but when I check on a 1971 TR6 they don't list the Silverstar. They only list halogen lights. Actually they list a separate "Low Beam" and a separate "High Beam".

Do you think the Silverstar's would be ok on an older TR6?

 

PC

Obi Wan

Offline

• Aug 10, 2004

• #14

[ QUOTE ]
I see on sylvania's website they list those headlights for the 1976 TR6,...but when I check on a 1971 TR6 they don't list the Silverstar. They only list halogen lights. Actually they list a separate "Low Beam" and a separate "High Beam".

Do you think the Silverstar's would be ok on an older TR6?

[/ QUOTE ]
I don't know if the lights in a '71 are supposed to be different from a '76. If you can find some reference that lists them as the same it would suggest that Sylvania might have made a mistake.

I thought that all 6s come with standard 7" (PAR-56) round hi/lo lamps. The Sylvania listing for the '71 (H5006 - lo and H5001 - hi) is for dual 5.7" (PAR-46) lamps. That don't sound right to me.


PC.

 

Stinky

Jedi Trainee

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• Aug 10, 2004

• #15

did'nt sound right to me either.......

 

Webb Sledge

Jedi Warrior

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• Aug 11, 2004

• #16

Regarding the high and low beams, they are controlled by the "dip" switch in the floor, as mentioned. I checked this just now, and it does indeed have high and low beams.

I had always wondered what that was for... Now I know!

 

S

sammyb

Luke Skywalker

Offline

• Aug 12, 2004

• #17

Webb is making us all feel old ... most of us, on force of habit, still prod the floor with our left feet in our newer cars looking for the hi/lo beam dip. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

Stinky

Jedi Trainee

Offline

• Aug 12, 2004

• #18

I picked up a set of these SilverStar headlights yesterday.
I'm flying out to Texas Saturday morning to drive my newly purchased TR6 home to Maryland. I figured I will probably need to use the headlights somewhere along the way,...So I put the SilverStars in my suitcase. I'll post, and let everyone know how things work out

 

Webb Sledge

Jedi Warrior

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• Aug 12, 2004

• #19

Yeah, I'm interested in those lights. They sound pretty nice. If they work out for ya, I want to put them on my own 6.

 

T

TR3cubka

Member

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• Aug 15, 2004

• #20

I have a set of these in my corvette, my buddies both have them in their trucks.

we have all had them for about 2 years each... and only one of us burned a single headlight. all our cars are daily drivers, and we are all fairly active at night in our cars.

I would recommend them 100 fold


Oh and Hi everyone /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif I hope i helped everyone a little with my first post here /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif