pcutt

One of my fog/driving light bulbs died and I found that there are two possibilities for replacements: 55W and 100W. Since I currently have the 55W bulbs and would like more light, I figure I'll go with the 100 Watters. Is there any potential problem with using the 100W bulbs? Maybe too much current draw and blowing fuses, overheating, or something else? The car is an 86 944NA.

Thanks,
Paul

Randy_J

Paul, the 100W bulbs will put a big strain on the wiring harness which is already on the thin side. Check the ICESHARK and EURO DRIVING LIGHT threads on this forum for lots of better options - basically a separate harness using relays to switch the lights and take the load off the main wiring harness. Easy to do, and you get much better voltage to the bulbs = brighter light. You end up using the existing wiring to just throw a relay to switch the lights on and off - much easier load on the old wiring.

pcutt

Well, I replaced both bulbs with the 55 watters and find that I still want more light. I understand what you're saying about straining the circuitry with the 100W bulbs. But aren't there any other alternatives, perhaps high-efficiency bulbs where I can get more light with the same current draw as the 55W bulbs? After all, there's been lots of advancements in headlight technology the past decade, so it seems like I should be able to get more light from the same current.

Thanks,
Paul

Olli Snellman

Two possible problems:
Wiring harness and glass might crack because of the heat.I have seen that !

Randy_J

PSC - I have the Euro combo driving lights 100W H3 and fog lamps 55W H3 installed now, with a separate harness to switch the 100W wired right off the main power buss bar, and the lighting is MUCH better because there is little voltage drop. You can see the lens here at:
<a href="http://gallery.rennlist.com/gallery/RJ951/R0010576" target="_blank">Euro Driving Lights on my 951S</a>

If you are thinking of installing 100W into the FOG lamp portion of the stock NA lights, it probably won't make a heck of a lot of difference because the lens on the FOG light is designed for lateral light dispersal - not a pencil beam driving light. Actually, for that matter, I was somewhat dissappointed with the light pattern for the Euro Lens driving light portion of the lights - not really that good compared to Bosch pencil beams I used to run on another car. Those were awesome, even with only 55W H3 bulbs.

Bottom line, is that 100W in the fogs is probably not going to result in much other than putting a heck of a strain on the OEM wiring.

I will install the IceShark Cibie H4 (90/100W with the IceShark relay / harness) for the main HL soon, so the light output should be out of this world!

Olli is right about the wiring harness being a bit frail (and old now) but I haven't seen any problems with cracked lenses (knock on wood).

IceShark

Listen to what Randy is saying because he is spot on. And Olli is also right as depending on the fog light you have it may not be able to take the heat. The fogs did have a relay put in but 100 watters will tax the wiring.

You don't want to put 100 watters in a fog light for so many reasons. I sell H3 bulbs to guys that want them but tell them they are nutz to put 100 watt in a fog.

If you want more forward lighting get some driving lights. Fogs won't go very far forward because THEY ARE FOG LIGHTS!

BTW, you can also get 130 watt H3s and if you are really connected some over 150 watts. I think the Big Boys only last a few hours before they burn out. OK if you are running Paris Dakar and have your vehicle loaded with spare bits. <img src="graemlins/roflmao.gif" border="0" alt="[hiha]" />

glen2002

IceShark, you are dead right with the 130w lights. I have run them in quite a few cars and never managed much past 3 months on them. The 100w seems to have normal life span. 150w sounds interesting for the one big night run though.

IceShark

Glen in OZ,

I actually have a set of ~ 170 watt H3s I got from a Porsche team driver in Austria. I tested them but have them put away. I have good 10 gauge wiring down to the fogs and driving, man, 170 watts looks an alien space craft landing!