Correct wattage with 9004 headlight bulb's
04-14-2002, 02:55 AM
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Correct wattage with 9004 headlight bulb's
This is confusing. "928 Specialist" have 80/100 watt bulbs for the 9004 series of headlights. (I have an 1987 S4) I have read in several places of burned sockets and harness's on this an other year S4's. Any idea's??? Will the upgrade be safe or do you stay away from it unless you upgrade sockets and the wiring harness. If this is the case why would any company offer this as an upgrade if it does have a potential safety problem.
04-14-2002, 05:47 AM
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just going driving is a potential safety problem, isn't it? the same with high wattage bulbs, you take your chances.
you don't need to do anything to the bulb socket, but i wouldn't do it without adding a 30 amp relay. the weak link in the system is your headlight switch, it's wasn't made to switch the current for a 100 watt bulb. but a 30A relay can...
the flip side: do you relay want to cut into a $3000 wiring harness?
you don't need to do anything to the bulb socket, but i wouldn't do it without adding a 30 amp relay. the weak link in the system is your headlight switch, it's wasn't made to switch the current for a 100 watt bulb. but a 30A relay can...
the flip side: do you relay want to cut into a $3000 wiring harness?
04-14-2002, 01:22 PM
#3
Denhat,
I installed a pre wired relay from <a href="http://www.suvlights.com" target="_blank">www.suvlights.com</a> and it works very well. The high wattage gulbs are much brighter and the built in relays will save your wiring harness.
Jim Nowak
I installed a pre wired relay from <a href="http://www.suvlights.com" target="_blank">www.suvlights.com</a> and it works very well. The high wattage gulbs are much brighter and the built in relays will save your wiring harness.
Jim Nowak
04-14-2002, 04:19 PM
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Dave wrote:
[quote] you don't need to do anything to the bulb socket, but i wouldn't do it without adding a 30 amp relay. the weak link in the system is your headlight switch, it's wasn't made to switch the current for a 100 watt bulb. but a 30A relay can...<hr></blockquote>
The S4 car comes from tha factory with headlamp relays, and fuses small enough to protect the wiring from overload.
You can add outboard relays fairly easily, all things considered. The harness to the individual bucket gets pulled, and replaced with relays that get their primary power from... where? I'd start at either the main power terminal (the 'jump start' terminal) on the right fender lip, or what appears to be a similar power feed that is under the left fender lip by the crossbrace. Relays will help reduce voltage drop to the bulbs, but only when used with larger wire. Make sure you use fine-stranded wire for the cable sections that flex as the buckets go up and down.
Adding relays does nothing to help with the socket meltdown problem, though. The factory sockets on my car had life expectancy reduced to hours with 80/100 bulbs. I replaced the sockets, melted the new ones, and replaced again with a better set. No more meltdown problems. You know the drill, first one sank in the swamp, second one fell over and sank in the swamp, third one burned, fell over, and then sank in the swamp.
Summary: Since I know how to change sockets now, I wouldn't hesitate to add the 80/100 bulbs. If that kind of repair skill isn't in your arsenal of available weapons, you should probably stay away.
FWIW, the commomn failure mode on the sockets seems to be a meltdown due to terminal resistance at the ground pin on the bulb. The pins on the bulb appear to be tin or lead plated, and deserve a swipe with a little file edge or something to make sure that you have a really good connection when you slide the wimpy little brass connector on there. I added little disconnect plugs on my wiring last time, prep'd a set of spare sockets to go in the tool case, and of course have never needed them. (knock on wood...)
My own experience only on this, '89 S4 with 80/100s for the last 20k or so (three years...(!).
HTH!
[quote] you don't need to do anything to the bulb socket, but i wouldn't do it without adding a 30 amp relay. the weak link in the system is your headlight switch, it's wasn't made to switch the current for a 100 watt bulb. but a 30A relay can...<hr></blockquote>
The S4 car comes from tha factory with headlamp relays, and fuses small enough to protect the wiring from overload.
You can add outboard relays fairly easily, all things considered. The harness to the individual bucket gets pulled, and replaced with relays that get their primary power from... where? I'd start at either the main power terminal (the 'jump start' terminal) on the right fender lip, or what appears to be a similar power feed that is under the left fender lip by the crossbrace. Relays will help reduce voltage drop to the bulbs, but only when used with larger wire. Make sure you use fine-stranded wire for the cable sections that flex as the buckets go up and down.
Adding relays does nothing to help with the socket meltdown problem, though. The factory sockets on my car had life expectancy reduced to hours with 80/100 bulbs. I replaced the sockets, melted the new ones, and replaced again with a better set. No more meltdown problems. You know the drill, first one sank in the swamp, second one fell over and sank in the swamp, third one burned, fell over, and then sank in the swamp.
Summary: Since I know how to change sockets now, I wouldn't hesitate to add the 80/100 bulbs. If that kind of repair skill isn't in your arsenal of available weapons, you should probably stay away.
FWIW, the commomn failure mode on the sockets seems to be a meltdown due to terminal resistance at the ground pin on the bulb. The pins on the bulb appear to be tin or lead plated, and deserve a swipe with a little file edge or something to make sure that you have a really good connection when you slide the wimpy little brass connector on there. I added little disconnect plugs on my wiring last time, prep'd a set of spare sockets to go in the tool case, and of course have never needed them. (knock on wood...)
My own experience only on this, '89 S4 with 80/100s for the last 20k or so (three years...(!).
HTH!
04-14-2002, 05:11 PM
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I have had the 80/100 for about a year. I just replaced my old ones with the new ones. No problems on this end.
Oh, they are the plasma ones if it makes a difference. As I noted in a previous post, I see a marginal improvement but it may be the higher wattage or just the placebo effect
Oh, they are the plasma ones if it makes a difference. As I noted in a previous post, I see a marginal improvement but it may be the higher wattage or just the placebo effect
04-14-2002, 06:53 PM
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Thanks everyone for all the input. I think I'll try the harness/relay upgrade from suvlights.com. It looks like the safest bet if I want the higher wattage bulbs.
