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Best 7" non sealed headlamp

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AUSMHLY

AUSMHLY

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What's the best 7" non sealed headlamp?

How did this question come up with me? My other car was in an accident. Body shop replaced the passenger headlamp assembly with an aftermarket unit. Looks almost identical, until you look closely at how the internal reflection differs slightly. The aftermarket headlight was not as bright and the reflection didn't match that of the OEM drivers headlamp. So I replaced all the bulbs in both headlamps with new and it made no difference. I ended up buying a used OEM passenger assembly. More than not the saying is true, you get what you pay for. OEM new $400, aftermarket $80. OEM used $30 (needed to wet sand to clear). Both headlights beams are now identical in light output and dispersion.

A while ago I installed a set of Lucas PL700 headlamps. Back in the day it was used on the Jags and it's design looks very retro. Seems I didn't do enough research about that headlamp. Don't believe it's DOT approved. I also wonder about how well it's design is at reflecting the more modern bulbs. Halogen, HID, LED bulbs. I have halogen bulbs in the PL700 and not sure I'm getting the full performance from the combination. (I currently have another thread about LED headlamp bulbs on this forum.) I need to be brought up to speed about which non sealed 7" headlamp will work with the upgraded H4 bulbs. I like the look of the PL700, but not sure if it's compatible with the newer bulbs? I've read good things about Hella, Bosch and Cibie headlamps.

So I'm wondering if the PL700 is the right choice. Maybe swapping it out for a Hella Vision Plus headlamp and my current H4 halogen bulb will provide a better result? If that's true, then I can move forward to if HID or LED will improve on that.
 
Can't help with what is the best headlamp but I just ran across an eBay listing for PL700's. $999 for a set? I have a set or two on the shelf. Are they that valueable?

marv
 
Marvin Gruber said:
Can't help with what is the best headlamp but I just ran across an eBay listing for PL700's. $999 for a set? I have a set or two on the shelf. Are they that valueable?
marv
Click to expand...

Hi Marv,
Do you have the PL700 in your car? If so what bulbs, what car and what's your take?
 
I have them in a 57 TR3. Have Lucas sealed beams in the BJ8 and XKE. Not sure what bulbs I have in the TR3, don't run it at night much.

Marv
 
I found that the Tripod units gave a strange shadowy effect on low beam when using halogen bulbs with BPF bases (British Pre-Focused).

Danny
 
If it doesn't have to be a British made light, Hella makes a very nice quality replacement. I have them in my 928 replacing my sealed beams and they are very bright.
 
Roger,

It seems to me that the overwhelming output of the LED bulbs will perform better then any of its counterparts, even if the reflector is less then optimal. However, controlling the lights pattern seems to increase in criticality as lumen output increases if the light is used provide road clarity without blinding oncoming traffic. If halogen bulbs are matched to specific reflector patterns, I would also expect a reflector would be designed to a specific LED output pattern. Is there a standard for LED bulb pattern output? If not, I would also not expect the available LED bulbs would only approach the production of a reasonably similar light pattern to that of a Halogen bulb and, therefore, any reflector would work as well.

Roger, until an LED headlight bulb standard is created and reflectors are matched to that pattern, I feel your present reflectors would be as good as any.

Ray (64BJ8P1)
 
AUSMHLY said:
So I'm wondering if the PL700 is the right choice. Maybe swapping it out for a Hella Vision Plus headlamp and my current H4 halogen bulb will provide a better result? If that's true, then I can move forward to if HID or LED will improve on that.
Click to expand...

Just my personal opinion, the type of LED bulb you first linked to in the other thread would work better in a side loaded bucket. Loading from the back like the PL700 for example, would have 2/3rds to 3/4 of the reflector dark. If you want to move to LEDs, maybe the least aggaggravating thing would be to get a bucket that has an LED designed into it.
 
I watched a TV program last night called CarFix of Velocity (I think). They were building a 1970 Camaro for a contest prize for Stay-Bil 360. They had installed a set of LED head lights that were suppose to be the first DOT approved lights in the USA. They were interesting looking, flat lens with a horizontal bar inside. The low beam was the upper half of the light and the high beam was the lower half. They didn't mention the manufacturer but a google search led to the Kuryakan Phase 7" headlight which looked like the one they installed. It is advertised for motorcycles. They list for about $299 per light. Looks like there may also be a 5-3/4" option.
 
Hi Rob, interesting looking headlamp. Being the headlamp was created with an LED in mind, it seems like a good way to go. However, I'm trying to keep my Healey period correct looking. I currently have PL700's which are period but were not offered for the Healey. The Hella headlamp looks like stock.
 
Here's a question for the electrical guys.
I'm running halogen bulbs. I've added two replays, under the dash (thought it was the best place to keep the replays out of the wet and hot engine bay). I spliced into the factory wires from the high beam floor switch. I ran a 10 gauge wire from the solenoid, fused, to each relay.

1. What gauge is the factory wire from the high beam switch?
2. Is is ok to use the factory wire running out of the replays to the headlamps, or should I run new thicker gauge wire to each headlamp?
3. If I run new wire, what gauge?
4. The factory H4 connector is plastic. Should I replace that with a ceramic H4 connector?
5. If I run 14 gauge wire, then I believe I should use a H4 ceramic connector that has 14 gauge wire. That's the largest gauge wire I've found in a H4 connector. Most have 16 gauge.

I'm wondering if the halogen bulb is getting enough current with the factory wire and if it's a risk to the factory wire if the halogen bulb is pulling more current.

I find the halogen is a little brighter than the sealed beam. Wondering if replacing the factory headlamp wire with larger gauge will provide more light output from the halogens, and be safer.

I look forward to your thoughts.
Roger
 
Hi Roger,

A while back when I installed higher output headlights, I installed the relays on the access panels in the passenger wheel well. This is a document I created that presents the approach and wiring I implemented (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bx...TgwYTQ5Y2E5/view?usp=sharing&authkey=CLno7ZkC ). What I tried to do is create a separate upgraded harness that could easily carry any reasonable increase in load demand while being removable to return to the original configuration. Except for the increased gauge through the headlight bowel to the plug, everything can easily be unplugged. Since the relays are placed close to the headlights, most of the original wiring is retained with current reduced for relay switching only.

Hope it helps,
Ray (64BJ8P1)
 
Thanks Ray. I read your article. Nice job.
I've read that halogen bulbs get hotter than filament bulbs. Being you ran 14 gauge wire to the headlights, what did you do when you got to the stock plastic H4 connector? What size wire does the factory H4 connector use? Did you upgrade the H4 to ceramic? What gauge wire comes out of the new H4 connector?
 
Hi Roger,

When upgrading the wire to the connector through the highlight bowel, I disassembled the plastic connector and reassembled with the new wiring. I am running sealed beam halogens and although I seldom used the halogen lights at nights, I always drive with the low beam headlights as daylight driving lights. After a few years, I did pull the lamps and found no deterioration of these original connectors. Additionally, when testing after the original installation, I did run the high beams during the day on a 2 hour drive and also found no issues when pulling the sealed beams. I must admit that since others were running halogens without any changes to their electrical systems, I was primarily focused on making sure all my connections were both proper and weather sealed and if I had any thought of heat would have also considered installing a ceramic connector.

As I understand, the halogens produce and dissipate heat at the lens and since I am using sealed beams would probably not produce an overheating at the connector. I would also suspect an inserted halogen bulb would also dissipate its heat into and through the lens surface as though a heat sink.

The original headlight wiring was composed of multiple fine copper strands (much finer then multi-strand of the time in the US) and, although I was unable to determine the exact gauge, do not believe it was any greater 18 gauge. Since many who have restored their Healey also are no longer using their original wiring harnesses, it is likely their replacements were built with upgraded gauge wiring that could be sufficient for carrying the added current.

Ray (64BJ8P1)
 
Last edited:
Hi Roger,

When upgrading the wire to the connector through the highlight bowel, I disassembled the plastic connector and reassembled with the new wiring. I am running sealed beam halogens and although I seldom used the halogen lights at nights, I always drive with the low beam headlights as daylight driving lights. After a few years, I did pull the lamps and found no deterioration of these original connectors. Additionally, when testing after the original installation, I did run the high beams during the day on a 2 hour drive and also found no issues when pulling the sealed beams. I must admit that since others were running halogens without any changes to their electrical systems, I was primarily focused on making sure all my connections were both proper and weather sealed and if I had any thought of heat would have also considered installing a ceramic connector.

As I understand, the halogens produce and dissipate heat at the lens and since I am using sealed beams would probably not produce an overheating at the connector. I would also suspect an inserted halogen bulb would also dissipate its heat into and through the lens surface as though a heat sink.

The original headlight wiring was composed of multiple fine copper strands (much finer then multi-strand of the time in the US) and, although I was unable to determine the exact gauge, do not believe it was any greater 18 gauge. Since many who have restored their Healey also are no longer using their original wiring harnesses, it is likely their replacements were built with upgraded gauge wiring that could be sufficient for carrying the added current.

Ray (64BJ8P1)
 
Roger,

That is a very informative site. Although I read that the DOT certification requires no more then 60/55 watt limitation on high/low beam applications. I wonder if there is also limitations on lumens as this restriction is obviously not much of a limitation when considering the application of available technologies today.

Ray (64BJ8P1)
 
I don't remember the brand name, but I got these from Moss about 5 years ago and they do a nice job of putting out more light. Halogen bulbs. Much brighter than the stock ones. Pics a little fuzzy, but you get the idea. :encouragement: PJ



 
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