Replacing sealed beams with H-5 lamps
09-10-2002, 03:09 AM
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Replacing sealed beams with H-5 lamps
Need some advice on what is needed to replace my sealed beam assy's with the H-5 lamps. Do the plugs need replacing and if so with what? wiring?relay or fuse upgrade? Any advice would be greatly appreciated ! <img src="confused.gif" border="0">
09-11-2002, 04:15 PM
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[quote]Originally posted by Mark H:
<strong>Need some advice on what is needed to replace my sealed beam assy's with the H-5 lamps. Do the plugs need replacing and if so with what? wiring?relay or fuse upgrade? Any advice would be greatly appreciated !
</strong><hr></blockquote>
The H-5 assemblies are mechanical drop-in replacements for your conventional sealed-beam US-spc lighting.
The electrical connections are different. I found replacement electrical plugs at the local Pep-Boys store, and also at Kragen/Trak Auto previously. Cut off the old connectors and solder/heat shrink the replacement connectors to the factory wiring and you are good to go.
Bulb size dictates the wiring size you need. Wire size then dictates the max fuse you want to use. The fuse protects the wiring, you see. I use 80/100w bulbs in my '89 with factory H-5/9004 lamps and factory wiring. No problems with the wiring but I have melted a few sockets. Probably cheap bulbs but I don't know for sure.
Good luck! The H-5's are a big appearance improvement. But, as another response suggests, the H-4 conversion is better for lighting, and has the advantage that the bulb connector is the same as what you have in there now.
<strong>Need some advice on what is needed to replace my sealed beam assy's with the H-5 lamps. Do the plugs need replacing and if so with what? wiring?relay or fuse upgrade? Any advice would be greatly appreciated !
</strong><hr></blockquote>The H-5 assemblies are mechanical drop-in replacements for your conventional sealed-beam US-spc lighting.
The electrical connections are different. I found replacement electrical plugs at the local Pep-Boys store, and also at Kragen/Trak Auto previously. Cut off the old connectors and solder/heat shrink the replacement connectors to the factory wiring and you are good to go.
Bulb size dictates the wiring size you need. Wire size then dictates the max fuse you want to use. The fuse protects the wiring, you see. I use 80/100w bulbs in my '89 with factory H-5/9004 lamps and factory wiring. No problems with the wiring but I have melted a few sockets. Probably cheap bulbs but I don't know for sure.
Good luck! The H-5's are a big appearance improvement. But, as another response suggests, the H-4 conversion is better for lighting, and has the advantage that the bulb connector is the same as what you have in there now.
09-11-2002, 05:10 PM
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It sould be noted that "H4" is actually the buld type, and not the housing type. You can install H4 lamps in either the stock 7" size, or you can get H4 or H5 lamps that are the 8" Euro size that fill the lamp buckets and look much better.
The 7" units are relatively cheap - we sell Hella H4s for $48.63 each plus shipping. The larger units are more expensive - we sell the 8" H4s for $250, the 8" H5s for $224.90 each, plus shipping.
We sell bulbs in various wattages, from 45/65 to 100/130.
The 7" units are relatively cheap - we sell Hella H4s for $48.63 each plus shipping. The larger units are more expensive - we sell the 8" H4s for $250, the 8" H5s for $224.90 each, plus shipping.
We sell bulbs in various wattages, from 45/65 to 100/130.
09-12-2002, 10:48 PM
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Thanks everyone for the interesting info for the H-5 lamps, H-4s would have been a better choice but already owned the 5's. After installing the NEW lamps I encounted a wiring problem, wired per manual and Nichol's site. Left side lamp works fine and right side was dim, rewired different ways only to find each side worked or didn't work.
Checked all fuses,wiring looks fine and checked and cleaned all ground teminals, seemed like a bad ground. I have managed to wire the lamps for low beam ( both sides work ) but only the left high beam comes on while the right dims out ... new bulbs - new sockets, REALLY NEED SOME HELP !!!!!!
Checked all fuses,wiring looks fine and checked and cleaned all ground teminals, seemed like a bad ground. I have managed to wire the lamps for low beam ( both sides work ) but only the left high beam comes on while the right dims out ... new bulbs - new sockets, REALLY NEED SOME HELP !!!!!!
09-12-2002, 11:09 PM
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Mark--
Do you have a DC voltmeter/multimeter handy? I guess a test lamp will do in a pinch...
E-mail me offlist and let me know what you have and we can go forward from there.
For those reading along at home: A basic digital multimeter is a minimum requirement for doing any electrical maintenance on your 928. I'm not volunteering to do a who;e roubleshooting course, but often some interactive diagnosis is possible if you have a basic tool. Radio Shack sells these meters starting under $25, and you don't need anything fancy for this type of work.
Do you have a DC voltmeter/multimeter handy? I guess a test lamp will do in a pinch...
E-mail me offlist and let me know what you have and we can go forward from there.
For those reading along at home: A basic digital multimeter is a minimum requirement for doing any electrical maintenance on your 928. I'm not volunteering to do a who;e roubleshooting course, but often some interactive diagnosis is possible if you have a basic tool. Radio Shack sells these meters starting under $25, and you don't need anything fancy for this type of work.
09-13-2002, 06:45 AM
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sounds like you crossed the low beam 12v and the ground wire. the low beams work fine with the wires swapped because it doesn't matter which way the power goes thru the bulb. but when you turn on the high beams, you trying to use the low beams power wire for a ground, and it's not a good ground.
double check your wires with a meter. ground wire goes in the center...
[quote]Originally posted by Mark H:
<strong>Checked all fuses,wiring looks fine and checked and cleaned all ground teminals, seemed like a bad ground. I have managed to wire the lamps for low beam ( both sides work ) but only the left high beam comes on while the right dims out ... new bulbs - new sockets, REALLY NEED SOME HELP !!!!!!</strong><hr></blockquote>
double check your wires with a meter. ground wire goes in the center...
[quote]Originally posted by Mark H:
<strong>Checked all fuses,wiring looks fine and checked and cleaned all ground teminals, seemed like a bad ground. I have managed to wire the lamps for low beam ( both sides work ) but only the left high beam comes on while the right dims out ... new bulbs - new sockets, REALLY NEED SOME HELP !!!!!!</strong><hr></blockquote>
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09-14-2002, 02:25 AM
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After a few more hours of diag. (checked and rechecked wiring,fuses,cleaned grounds once again) I was about ready to beat the car like a rented mule - NEVER - when it dawned on me that I had checked the new bulbs but not the new connectors bought at Napa auto. Switched the left to the right, right to left and now the left assy had the same problem as the right did prior,uuuggghhh a faulty plug. Replaced plug, aimed lamps and test drove tonight ... What a difference verses the sealed beams !!!!!!! Thanks to all who helped and advised on a very perplexing problem <img src="graemlins/jumper.gif" border="0" alt="[jumper]" />