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obnoxiousblue Samba Member
Joined: February 21, 2007 Posts: 2943 Location: East Northport, NY
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Posted: Mon May 17, 2021 4:47 pm Post subject: 6 Volt Headlights |
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I had JUST finished installing my restored radio, and with it my new trunk liner and wire cover when I realized my drivers side headlight was out. Of course, I thought I botched up wires and shorted something out so - out came the trunk liner!
Then I got the bright idea to test the plug with my test light - it lit. So I swapped bulbs and the other bulb did work. Of course. Always something!
What 6V headlights are folks running?
I thought about LED, and I even went on DanielSternLighting but the sealed beam 6V options he has are in the high side - even for me.
I have Phillips sealed beams in there now.
Curious what everyone else is running since you can’t just walk into the parts store and leave with a 6V bulb around here. _________________ Mike
1964 Beetle
2001 Eurovan Camper |
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KTPhil Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2006 Posts: 34021 Location: Conejo Valley, CA
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obnoxiousblue Samba Member
Joined: February 21, 2007 Posts: 2943 Location: East Northport, NY
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Posted: Mon May 17, 2021 5:54 pm Post subject: Re: 6 Volt Headlights |
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Thanks KTPhill!
Does your set up draw more power from the car? Or is it just a combination of the bulb type and fresnel pattern?
I see the two links, these are just the housings - right? There’s no bulbs included here. What bulbs are you running in these? I assume that plays a big role in the light output? _________________ Mike
1964 Beetle
2001 Eurovan Camper |
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Frederik Samba Member
Joined: August 18, 2007 Posts: 578 Location: Sweden
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Posted: Tue May 18, 2021 5:35 am Post subject: Re: 6 Volt Headlights |
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It's may also be a good idea to install a headligt relay (dual for low/high beam) to minimaze voltage drop trough headligt switch, old wires, connectors etc.
I'm not sure what the US original sealed beam draw, but the normal euro bulb from the time was 45/40W (high/low), a 6V H4 is usually 60/55W. With a stock 180W generator the 30W extra load can accually put strain on the charging or at least with radio/stereo its good to monitoring the charging. I have a cheap voltage meter/ USB charger and with halogen bulbs the voltage starts to drop especially if you need to use wipers, have the radio on or other asseccory with the headlights. But you can easy change some small bulbs sutch as licens plate, parking lights, tail lights to LED and make up for the extra load. |
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Eric&Barb Samba Member
Joined: September 19, 2004 Posts: 24764 Location: Olympia Wash Rinse & Repeat
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Posted: Tue May 18, 2021 9:06 am Post subject: Re: 6 Volt Headlights |
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Frederik wrote: |
It's may also be a good idea to install a headligt relay (dual for low/high beam) to minimaze voltage drop trough headligt switch, old wires, connectors etc. |
Even better is to solder up the internal connections in the headlight and fuse box, so both the headlights and all other electrics work better/brighter. With connections having any voltage drops removed the headlight circuits can handle 60 Watt bulbs. USA used 50/55 watt bulbs and we have been using H4 55/60 bulbs for many years and hundreds of thousands of miles.
http://type2.com/library/electris/vw-hauptlicht-schalter.html
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=483901&highlight=fuse+box+soldering
Make sure you have good clean and dielectric greased electrical connections. Do not forget the grounds!!! Also check voltage at the battery and how much voltage at the headlights with the old bulbs turn on for both voltage measurements. You might be getting say 6.2 volts at the battery with everything off, but only 5.5 volts with headlights turned on. With the load of the headlights any corroded loose connections will heat up and show as even less voltage getting to the headlights, could be a volt or even two less!
Doing all of the above will result in not only brighter headlights, but faster wipers, and brighter turn signals. The easier you can see and easier other drivers can see you and what you are intending to do makes a big difference.... _________________ In Stereo, Where Available! |
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obnoxiousblue Samba Member
Joined: February 21, 2007 Posts: 2943 Location: East Northport, NY
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Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2021 4:11 am Post subject: Re: 6 Volt Headlights |
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Finally got to dig into this a little yesterday. I removed the dim headlight and cleaned the three connections that go into the spring-plug. Used some sandpaper to bring them to nice shiny metal, then applied a thin amount of dielectric grease and reinstalled. I cleaned the ground where it screws in just inside the trunk and gave it a go. Nope. Still dim.
Then, I took the passenger side headlight housing (still working good) and plugged it in and it lit right up.
I’ll order a new set of bulbs up today, but am mostly curious. I didn’t think a “bad” bulb would still illuminate. I thought maybe I crossed wires on the spring clip, nope. I thought maybe it was the plugs, nope.
Has anyone ever seen a blown bulb still illuminate dimly? _________________ Mike
1964 Beetle
2001 Eurovan Camper |
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KTPhil Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2006 Posts: 34021 Location: Conejo Valley, CA
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Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2021 9:12 am Post subject: Re: 6 Volt Headlights |
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Yes, it can happen. If it is jostled when hot it can change its shape. Some grow dim, some get bright, but all soon die. |
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hitest Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2008 Posts: 10296 Location: Prime Meridian, ID
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Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2021 7:45 am Post subject: Re: 6 Volt Headlights |
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Bulbs are among resistors that can suffer just as badly from under voltage as they do from being over-juiced. _________________
EverettB wrote: |
I wonder what the nut looks like.
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'62 L390 151, '62 L469 117, '63 L380 113, '64 L87 311, '65 L512 265, '65 L31 SO-42, '66 L360 251, '68 L30k 141, '71 L12 113, '74 ORG 181
FU#5 |
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toxicavenger70 Samba Member
Joined: July 28, 2019 Posts: 871 Location: CO
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Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2021 8:53 am Post subject: Re: 6 Volt Headlights |
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Mike while you are doing all this cleaning I would unhook the battery and clean all of your fuse box terminals and connectors. I usually tear off a small piece of sandpaper and fold it in half. Then I insert it into the spade connectors and move it back and forth until they are clean. These connections get super dirty and can cause all kinds of issues. |
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obnoxiousblue Samba Member
Joined: February 21, 2007 Posts: 2943 Location: East Northport, NY
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Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2021 8:10 pm Post subject: Re: 6 Volt Headlights |
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toxicavenger70 wrote: |
Mike while you are doing all this cleaning I would unhook the battery and clean all of your fuse box terminals and connectors. I usually tear off a small piece of sandpaper and fold it in half. Then I insert it into the spade connectors and move it back and forth until they are clean. These connections get super dirty and can cause all kinds of issues. |
Good advice. That’s an easy project for tomorrow after work! I did replace the bulb and it seems brighter than the previous “blown” bulb. Not as bright as the passenger side - but some of that looks like it may also be bad aiming. _________________ Mike
1964 Beetle
2001 Eurovan Camper |
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toxicavenger70 Samba Member
Joined: July 28, 2019 Posts: 871 Location: CO
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Posted: Wed Jun 09, 2021 9:55 am Post subject: Re: 6 Volt Headlights |
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obnoxiousblue wrote: |
toxicavenger70 wrote: |
Mike while you are doing all this cleaning I would unhook the battery and clean all of your fuse box terminals and connectors. I usually tear off a small piece of sandpaper and fold it in half. Then I insert it into the spade connectors and move it back and forth until they are clean. These connections get super dirty and can cause all kinds of issues. |
Good advice. That’s an easy project for tomorrow after work! I did replace the bulb and it seems brighter than the previous “blown” bulb. Not as bright as the passenger side - but some of that looks like it may also be bad aiming. |
When I cleaned my fuse box I actually took pictures of how the tabs were laid out before I took them all out. I sanded everything really good until it was shiny copper. When I reassembled it I use some flux and solder all of the connection tabs together. VW actually made them where they overlapped each other. The issue with that is corrosion gets in-between that overlap. Hard to explain but you will see what I mean when work on it.
After I did all of this I went to every ground on the car and cleaned them. I then coated them all with dielectric grease. To be extra vigilante I cleaned the horn, headlight, tail light connectors. It was a lot of work. But in the long run I won't be chasing an electrical ghost.
Take care. |
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Danwvw Samba Member
Joined: July 31, 2012 Posts: 8892 Location: Oregon Coast
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Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2021 12:41 pm Post subject: Re: 6 Volt Headlights |
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In your 64 Beetle the headlight circuit may have some problem areas. My 60 has the foot switch instead of the relay. Pretty Much every connection is going to loose some voltage. The worst connection is usually at the headlight itself! My foot switch loses about 1/2 a volt for each headlight. Fuse block looses about 0.2 volts. With some cleaning and oiling I got my losses down to about 0.1 volts at each connection. But the Headlight connectors still loose 0.5 volts each.
LED Headlights in 6 volts are not worth getting.
I ordered the Bus Depot H4 conversion E Code headlights which are nice looking and are way brighter than any sealed beam 7" round 6 volt headlights. Also consider the condition of the Battery and the Regulator and the Generator. When I checked my mechanical regulator I discovered it was charging good till I ran the headlights about 5 minutes then it dropped off to only charge about 6 volts! Tried several mechanical voltage regulators and each one seemed to have some kind of problem, some made my lights flicker at high rpm and checking the voltage I found it was bouncing between 6 and 9 volts.
With the Electronics available today I recommend a Solid state Regulator.
But If the connections are good and the regulator generator output is a solid 7.00 volts then the H4's like the E-Code ones from Bus Depot are great.
Here is a photo of one of my homemade 7.00 Volt VW voltage Regulators:
_________________ 1960 Beetle And 1679cc DP W-100 & Dual Zeniths! |
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obnoxiousblue Samba Member
Joined: February 21, 2007 Posts: 2943 Location: East Northport, NY
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Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2021 3:43 pm Post subject: Re: 6 Volt Headlights |
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Posted here instead of in my car’s build thread. Sorry!
Moving my post. Mod can delete. _________________ Mike
1964 Beetle
2001 Eurovan Camper |
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