TheSamba.com :: View topic - Square (87 - 91) Vanagon headlights. What is the basic problem?

Sun Oct 27, 2024 10:43 am

Why are they so dim. What is the basic problem? Is it the wiring? If I installed heavier gauge wire in a dedicated circuit would that help?

Sun Oct 27, 2024 11:00 am

Yes, dedicated power wiring helps a lot along with short local grounds for each side.
Upgrading or improving the alternator harness can also make a difference.

I like to run a new #8 power feed from the battery to the area behind the glovebox.
There install 2 relays and fuses, using the existing headlight wires to trigger the relays.

Everything that increases the voltage actually reaching the bulbs will make the lights brighter.
A seemingly small voltage jump can make a surprising difference in light output.

Simply measuring the voltage right at the bulb wires with the engine running and comparing that with what you measure right at the alternator will give you an idea of the voltage increase that could be possible if you do the right things.

Mark

Vana Guy wrote: Why are they so dim. What is the basic problem? Is it the wiring? If I installed heavier gauge wire in a dedicated circuit would that help?

Sun Oct 27, 2024 11:12 am

The wattage of the low beans is pretty low compared with other styles of headlight bulbs. Not sure why this is so or if there is something that will fit that has a higher output.

Sun Oct 27, 2024 1:39 pm

I've been thinking about just getting some of those LED driving lights and mounting them under or on top of the front bumper. I never realized how affordable they are.

Sun Oct 27, 2024 1:58 pm

Vana Guy wrote: I've been thinking about just getting some of those LED driving lights and mounting them under or on top of the front bumper. I never realized how affordable they are. Be aware that the beam focus is going to be different for an ‘auxiliary’ light compared to DOT headlights, no matter which style you have.

Sun Oct 27, 2024 2:49 pm

The glass lens on the Euro-spec (E-code) headlight is also much better than the US-spec (DOT) version. Makes a substantial difference in illumination.

Sun Oct 27, 2024 2:53 pm

The stock headlights are admittedly quite poor.

I sourced a pair of Hella ECodes and fit them into a rectangular US sealed beam headlamp bucket.

I mounted them in place of the outer VW lamp, installed relays and I had amazing light!

Next time I am going to use only the outer lamps ((converted to ECode) for light and rewire the inner high beam as DRL's........

Sun Oct 27, 2024 7:32 pm

crazyvwvanman wrote: Simply measuring the voltage right at the bulb wires with the engine running and comparing that with what you measure right at the alternator will give you an idea of the voltage increase that could be possible if you do the right things.
Vana Guy wrote: If I installed heavier gauge wire in a dedicated circuit would that help?

Someone should measure what the voltage at the bubs is.
Engine running
hi-beams a beamin’

An 8ga wire from the alternator post that directly supplies the “relay kit” is an interesting idea.
But the fat battery cable can do it much better.

Sun Oct 27, 2024 8:14 pm

crazyvwvanman wrote: ....
I like to run a new #8 power feed from the battery to the area behind the glovebox.
There install 2 relays and fuses, using the existing headlight wires to trigger the relays......

Mark

Sun Oct 27, 2024 8:32 pm

well, you may have low voltage supply, this can result of many things, fuse panel, switch, ground, connectors, etc... The bulb maybe near end of life and hence dim. The lense maybe dirty, the reflector may have lost some of its mirror finish.

When all is working right the lights should be fine, An easy upgrade is an LED bulb replacement for the stock tungsten bulbs.
Beware of high watt tungsten "upgrades" as the switch, and fuse panel often cannot handle the higher load.

first thing for a fix is to examine the lense and reflector for defects, next turn on the lights and determjne what voltage is there, besure to include the ground termjnal. If low voltage then test for where the volts drop is, repair.
I really like the LED bulb that I have, it is in the two large outer housings. I i stalled these after fixing voltage drops. I kept the tungsten bulbs in the small inner housings.
Now my van has lights bright as the modern cars.
No need for expensive euro lamp house " upgrades", nor south african round H4 " upgrades". sure do it if you want to spend a lot, but a simple cheap LED bulb and assuring full voltage will be very impressive in results for little money.

Sun Oct 27, 2024 10:21 pm

zerotofifty wrote: well, you may have low voltage supply, this can result of many things, fuse panel, switch, ground, connectors, etc... The bulb maybe near end of life and hence dim. The lense maybe dirty, the reflector may have lost some of its mirror finish.

When all is working right the lights should be fine, An easy upgrade is an LED bulb replacement for the stock tungsten bulbs.
Beware of high watt tungsten "upgrades" as the switch, and fuse panel often cannot handle the higher load.

first thing for a fix is to examine the lense and reflector for defects, next turn on the lights and determjne what voltage is there, besure to include the ground termjnal. If low voltage then test for where the volts drop is, repair.
I really like the LED bulb that I have, it is in the two large outer housings. I i stalled these after fixing voltage drops. I kept the tungsten bulbs in the small inner housings.
Now my van has lights bright as the modern cars.
No need for expensive euro lamp house " upgrades", nor south african round H4 " upgrades". sure do it if you want to spend a lot, but a simple cheap LED bulb and assuring full voltage will be very impressive in results for little money.

What LED bulbs are you running? Source?

Sun Oct 27, 2024 10:25 pm

Vana Guy wrote: Why are they so dim. What is the basic problem? Is it the wiring? If I installed heavier gauge wire in a dedicated circuit would that help?

My sample size is small but I'd say 90% of the problem is the stock DOT headlamps.
- At 30+ years old the reflectors may have deteriorated and the lenses may be dirty on the inside.
- The DOT light pattern seems to be just plain lousy.
- I saw a remarkable improvement replacing the DOT fixtures with e-code units as did many other people in this thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0

Stock DOT fixture on the left, e-code fixture on the right. The brightness and cutoff on the road was, er, night and day.

The reflectors in my stock DOT fixtures were cracked, worn and not shiny at all. Years ago there were threads covering how to wash the inside of these fixtures. These may have been subject to some aggressive cleaning.

Sun Oct 27, 2024 10:37 pm

A set of new repro H4 unit from Gunzl with Osram nightbreaker +200% bulbs (not sure if they available un the US) and relays give really good results.

Sun Oct 27, 2024 10:48 pm

Direct power to headlights:
E-Code Square headlights, with relays for 400watts (how-to)
The VW fuseblock power ONLY activates the relays (milliamps).
The real power comes direct from the battery via 2nd fusebock.

Here's a YouTube showing E-codes from Bus Depot with 4x 100watts
driving at night, on the gold '87.

it s GOOD! :wink:

Mon Oct 28, 2024 2:17 am

Wildthings wrote: What LED bulbs are you running? Source?

Torchbeam, 9004

amazon... https://www.amazon.com/Torchbeam-%F0%9D%90%92%F0%9...&psc=1

an other samba user also runs them, photo on second page...

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=787921

Mon Oct 28, 2024 9:24 am

zerotofifty wrote: Wildthings wrote: What LED bulbs are you running? Source?

Torchbeam, 9004

amazon... https://www.amazon.com/Torchbeam-%F0%9D%90%92%F0%9...&psc=1

an other samba user also runs them, photo on second page...

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=787921

Thanks

Tue Oct 29, 2024 7:43 am

You can also change the buckets to hold a standard seal beam light. That opens up a ton of options. You can use real led with focus lenses and led chips.

I have done that and the light output is unmatched.

I went from stock to “stock H4” to sealed beams to h4 with hid to h4 with leds and finally to led lights like below.

https://www.amazon.com/Philips-Automotive-Lighting...&psc=1

Tue Oct 29, 2024 8:44 am

Basically, a rectangular reflector is not as focused as a round reflector. Some improvements would include:

1. Relay
2. Brighter bulbs
3. E-code lenses

Done. Or you can go down the road of getting a new grill and putting round lenses up front . . . .

Tue Oct 29, 2024 11:00 am

Does anyone have a headlight wiring diagram for the 1990?

Fri Nov 01, 2024 8:40 pm

FYI - There is another thread covering this topic - https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=787921

I had unacceptably dim lights even with e-code cans, Hella halogen bulbs and GW relays. I assume that was due to inadequate current at some level, as others have alluded to. I recently put in Sylvania H4 LEDs from O'Reilly ($99) and there is a marked improvement. Finding LEDs for the inner high-beams was a little more challenging but they arrived from Amazon yesterday and I'll put them in this weekend.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09YLW4KLK

The experience of putting LEDs in the original cans seems to be pretty poor due to the low quality reflector and lens on the original lights.