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Additiional lighting

Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2005 5:50 am
by BajanFeroza
I am trying to increase my lighting, the current bulbs were weak so i changed them to 110w very little difference, so i want to use some additional lights, but what are the differences between fog, flood and driving.

my idea is
driving is long distance lights - dont need them.
fog - low level but wide lights - dont know if they are enough
flood - ????

any help

Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2005 4:33 pm
by murcod
Possibly some cheap driving lights would do the job. I've got a set of Narvas that work well- they don't give the distance of the mega expensive brands, but I'm not interested in seeing 800m down the road (300m is fine.) The cheaper brands also tend to give more light spread which I think is useful.

I've also upgraded my main light bulbs to some Philips type, still the same wattage but a lot brighter. I did notice a difference.

The trick is to not get too carried away with extra Wattage as the Feroza alternators aren't exactly over powered to start with. ;)

Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2005 4:36 pm
by murcod
BTW it's possible to buy driving lights in both pencil beam (ie. long narrow) or spread (broader light coverage) or a combo of both. Two spreads would do the job you want.

Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2005 8:03 pm
by RockyF75
stupidcheap auto has sum bling bling fake steel grille ones for 30 bux :armsup: , i was gonna get em on my roof but dont wanna loose em on a low branch :D I'd say they shine bright up close. Personally, i have one pencil and 2 spread beams on my rocky (as u can see in the avatar), and 2 lil crummy ones that do nuthing :D , brightens up a wide path for about 400m. lights cost us 40 bux 2nd hand off a friend, and the damn brackets to mount em cost $80 :bad-words: ... will be using hoseclamps next time :D

Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2005 8:41 pm
by Spartacus
all supacheap baby

Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2005 10:44 pm
by tufferoza
i put some Narva 55w/100w globes from work in mine, the low beam was always good but damn the hi beam is great with the 100 watters in there. the feroza headlights have a great reflector/beam in them IMO.
i have a old set of Hella 140 broad beams on as well at the moment, but the reflectors are so fooked in them they dont put out much more than the head lights are at the moment, so i dont even bother having them on.. haha
will be putting on a good set of NightStalkers after i buy a larger battery (well after i pay off the ever growing staff account more like it). :oops:

Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2005 11:49 pm
by BajanFeroza
Thanks, so i will try to find a combo set. Unless someone else can inform me about these fllod type lights. unfortunatley local laws only allow 2 additional front lights.

Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2005 5:24 am
by BundyRumandCoke
For a start, I read once that going more than about 60-70 watts is a waste of time, cause the extra wattage is lost in extra heat.

Standard headlights have, in my opinion, an inherant design flaw. Look at the lens. It is built to diffuse the light, spreading it out, and at the same time, losing some of the effective light. I fitted a pair of those new "Bling" lights with the clear lens, and the diffuser in the reflector. They do make a difference. As well, I upgraded to a pair of Arctic White bulbs, which produce a blue/white light, instead of the yellow /white of ordinary halogens. The extra lights you can see in the pic are a pair of Cibie Super Oscars in the centre, with 55 watt halogens (yet to be upgraded to Arctic Whites) and the outside pair are sealed beam General Electric 100 watt mining industry lights, which have a spread beam, with a focused spot in the middle of the lens. These work well for both distance and general lighting. Again, these lenses are clear, relying on the reflector, and the focused spot, to get the light out.

Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2005 9:21 am
by senergy
i have those Bling headlights too.
The rectangular ones fit feroza's fine. And if you go for a nice H4 globes they do make quite a difference.
These are the ones im talking about
http://www.brightlightautoparts.com/CRYSTALBEAMS.html
if you look on ebay you can get them for approx $80AUS

Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2005 2:46 pm
by murcod
Senergy I've seen those lights before on Ebay- you think they made a noticeable improvement?

(I figured they'd just be cheap crap! :lol: )

Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2005 5:28 pm
by senergy
i didnt get a chance to take before and after pictures but yes i believe they have helped. With the h4 bulbs the light is much clearer and the high beam has improved dramaticly.
As for the build quailty, it isnt too bad. ive bought much worse.
The back of the light is a hard plastic rather then the metal of the originals but the seals to the glass seem pretty good.
For $80 you get a better/more modern looking headlight with a much better high beam and little better low beam.
Pretty cheap upgrade.

Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2005 4:06 am
by BajanFeroza
Did the "bling" lights replace your standard headlights and if they did do they require aditional wiring. or is it a simple plug and go !! :armsup:

Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2005 6:45 am
by BundyRumandCoke
Straight replacement. The 7 inch round ones I have are a standard replacement. The wiring applies to the bulb only.

Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2005 11:50 am
by murcod
Only one problem- Ferozas have square headlights! :lol:

The replacent ones being talked about by Senergy would only fit the first series Feroza too I'd imagine. Not the post '93 with the updated front end.

Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2005 4:58 pm
by *BESTY*
murcod wrote:Only one problem- Ferozas have square headlights! :lol:
Yes.....exactly the same as Toyota Hilux ones......exactly the same.....interchangable and all :finger:

Cheaper to get Toyota than Daihatsu for spare parts !!

Then upgrade the globes if so desired.....I had 90/130 in mine :twisted:

Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2005 8:00 pm
by murcod
Yep, I think there are a lot of vehicles that use the same style headlight. They way they are fitted to the body was very common back in the '80s and early '90's. You'll most likely find Narva and Hella make replacements too.

No need to buy replacements just for a globe upgrade though- they already take H4 globes and aren't sealed (unless mine have been replaced???)

Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2005 10:06 pm
by senergy
Yes, the Square ones are only for the older Feroza's.
I was thinking about updating the to the newer front end but then i couldnt use my Bling Bling headlights.

Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2005 2:18 am
by BajanFeroza
Toyota replacements it is.

Now what type of lights should i ADD ! Fog is my guess but i want ALOT of light,

PS should i look at upgradingmy alternator or is that more trouble than its worth.

Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2005 12:28 pm
by r0ck_m0nkey
BundyRumandCoke wrote:For a start, I read once that going more than about 60-70 watts is a waste of time, cause the extra wattage is lost in extra heat.
Thats pretty much the basics of it.

Quality of the reflectors and quality of bulb will play a larger factor then simply increasing the wattage.

Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2005 6:57 pm
by murcod
r0ck_m0nkey wrote:
BundyRumandCoke wrote:For a start, I read once that going more than about 60-70 watts is a waste of time, cause the extra wattage is lost in extra heat.
Thats pretty much the basics of it.

Quality of the reflectors and quality of bulb will play a larger factor then simply increasing the wattage.
Yes, exactly right. Cheap high wattage bulbs are a waste.

Philips and Osram high output bulbs seem to be the best going by posts on Overlander and the like. No need to necessarily get higher wattage- just the +50% type bulb of the same wattage. Then your battery and alternator will be a lot happier too.

Redoing your lighting harness with heavy duty wire and relays should also give an improvement.