Higher Wattage Headlight Bulbs

[Anthony 1,000]

Do higher wattage headlight bulbs work properly on a 205, or can the wiring/headlight assembly not handle the extra current/heat?

 

I know that the normal limiting factor on most cars is that the headlight current runs through the headlamp switch and all sorts, and usually running dedicated relays will allow you to use uprated bulbs. However, as far as I'm aware the 205 already uses relays and therefore that problem shouldn't be an issue.

 

The standard bulbs are 55W, but will everything handle say 100W bulbs OK?

 

The reason I'm asking is that one of my headlight bulbs has died, so I need to go and get a replacement, but wondered whether it'd be worth sticking some brighter bulbs in there as you can never have enough light. I've got a pair of H4 100/90W bulbs in the garage which are obviously the right fitment, but figured I ought to check if I'm likely to have a molten wiring loom after fitting them...

 

(I'm sure this must have been asked before, but I couldn't find anything when searching)

[richard 0]

theres been a few posts on this before, but i cant find it either.

 

However if memory serves me right the main topic was about the spots, and if it would be ok to put 100w bulbs in.

 

I think it was fine to put 100w bulbs in either. However the 100w bulb isnt legal....ho hum and you may run into some problems with the current drain if you run 100w spots and headlights.

 

I remember hearing about someone's car which melted the wiring when they had 100w bulbs in. So you may want to try it in stages.

 

Id say go for the 100w headlights, just then, how good would your 55w spots be.... ?

[richard 0]

This is the link i remember

http://forum.205gtidrivers.com/forum/index...c=15676&hl=100w

 

I think there was something on the old version of the forum too, will check that later.

[GtiMad 1]

Good stuff, I was thinking about doing this and replacing my tatty headlights at the same time.

 

Think I might try some of those Phillips bulbs.

[Guest seb]

Anyone looked into fitting proper halogen or HID (have I got that right?) lights to their 205?

 

edit: Just bought some of those Philips Vision Plus from the link in the aforementioned thread - cheers!

 

Was tempted by rally ones but thought I'd try the Philips first, and try the tips Anthony himself gave in the other thread.

Edited January 12, 2004 by seb

[GtiMad 1]

Good man, will you post here and let us know what you think?

[Guest seb]

Good man, will you post here and let us know what you think?

Will do, though my garage is still in the car (whoops, you know what I mean ) getting its electrical problems sorted

[Ahl 4]

I had the phillips vison bulbs and they were great, but 100/80w bulbs are a lot better, though still not as bright as any moderns cars 60/55w fancy reflector lights.

 

100w bulbs only increase the current by a few amps each, so they should be fine, unless you've got 6 of them or something like that.

[johnnyt 0]

I tried fitting 100W spots on my old 1.6.... nice and bright for about 30mins then all the wiring burnt out.... ie DONT!!!! Ive recently upgraded the headlights + spots on my 1.9 with osram bulbs, They rate very highly against even the phillips ones which I have used before I got them from http://www.powerbulbs.com/ which sell them for very good price + you get free sidelights as well.

Go for the Osram Silverstars. So far ive been impressed with the light output. They have independant tests on that site as well.

[GtiMad 1]

Do the pug spots use a H4 bulb aswell?

[Ahl 4]

They use an H3 type.

 

Current = power / voltage, so 100w bulbs are (100/14) 7.1amp, and 60w would be 4.3amp. The standard wiring seems thick enough to easily take this imo.

[GtiMad 1]

Cooooowl.

[speedy indy 0]

I think anything above 55W is not road legal.....

 

But i cud be wrong

[richard 0]

55w is the legal amount allowed for road vehicles....however i got away with 80/100's for a long time. One thing i did notice was though that the heat from the bulbs used to make them heat the crap off of the road on them and it would stick, so would require cleaning a lot more often in misty damp conditions etc.

 

those bulbs were used on another car by the way.

[davidmit 0]

My 2 pence worth. On ebay you can get the xenon bulbs which are twice as bright as standard and are road legal. So it says on the packaging. I went for the blue tinted ones and they look great and enhance visability by a mile. Dont think mine are road legal but i havent been stopped even when driving behind a police car.

[vanny 0]

i got some Philips +30% bulbs about a month ago. But at the same time i did some rewiring. Rather than the ground going back down the wiring loom to where ever, i gounded out to the nearest points to the bulbs. Did one side then the other to see the difference. With the new bulbs the light was white instead of yellow. And by the time i finished the 'glass' was full of light. Its an amazing difference!

 

So id check your current wiring first!

[pug_ham 241 3 Cars]

A friend of mine used to run 80/100w (or was it 100/120w?) bulbs in his 205 but ended up burning the loom out so if you are going to fit the I'd look into fitting somekind of a relay to lessen the strain on the loom in a car that is 10years old or more.

 

Graham.