Dim Headlights and Low Voltage

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Dim Headlights and Low Voltage - Richard - 05-30-2017

At the non rally, Ron Skeen asked me to look at the headlights on his coach. The issue was that they did not provide enough light for night driving. We found with the engine running that the voltage at the left light was 11.4 and the voltage at the right light was 12.4. Although Newell did use relays for the headlights, the extended run of wire from the passenger kick panel to the lights coupled with inadequate wire gauge resulted in the low voltage. Julius @"Pardue101" helped me install relays at the headlights to see if we could improve the voltage. We used 10 guage wiring for both the hot and ground sides. We pulled the left side power from the large 12V terminal in the bay below the driver, and we pulled power from the kick panel hot stud for the right side. We ran new grounds directly to ground studs in the area close to the lights. The voltage increase was very good. We measured 13.8 at the lights with the engine running. So if the graph is anywhere close to accurate, the output of the light was around 620 lumens at 11.4 volts and 1200 at 13.8 volts. On paper we almost doubled the output of the light with the installation of the relays. I am going to leave it to @"ron skeen" to comment on his real world experience of driving at night.

I know this subject has been posted in the past, but we do have a number of new members, AND most importantly the newer Newells already use headlight relays so it would be easy to assume that adding more relays would not be a worthwhile effort.

[Image: LightOutput.gif]

RE: Dim Headlights and Low Voltage - ron skeen - 05-30-2017

(05-30-2017, 06:24 AM)Richard Wrote: At the non rally, Ron Skeen asked me to look at the headlights on his coach. The issue was that they did not provide enough light for night driving. We found with the engine running that the voltage at the left light was 11.4 and the voltage at the right light was 12.4. Although Newell did use relays for the headlights, the extended run of wire from the passenger kick panel to the lights coupled with inadequate wire gauge resulted in the low voltage. Julius @"Pardue101" helped me install relays at the headlights to see if we could improve the voltage. We used 10 guage wiring for both the hot and ground sides. We pulled the left side power from the large 12V terminal in the bay below the driver, and we pulled power from the kick panel hot stud for the right side. We ran new grounds directly to ground studs in the area close to the lights. The voltage increase was very good. We measured 13.8 at the lights with the engine running. So if the graph is anywhere close to accurate, the output of the light was around 620 lumens at 11.4 volts and 1200 at 13.8 volts. On paper we almost doubled the output of the light with the installation of the relays. I am going to leave it to @"ron skeen" to comment on his real world experience of driving at night.

I know this subject has been posted in the past, but we do have a number of new members, AND most importantly the newer Newells already use headlight relays so it would be easy to assume that adding more relays would not be a worthwhile effort.

Thanks again Richard and Julius. The lights are now, as the saying goes as different as night and day! When the lights are on Dim they are as bright as what high beam use to be. High beams are now bright and I am enjoying driving again at night. This was a great improvement and when I get the lens cleaned and polished I am sure they will even be better. Thanks again to all the Gurus who help with all my Projects.

RE: Dim Headlights and Low Voltage - Chester Stone - 05-30-2017

Richard, thanks for this posting because I have the same problem and I hope to correct it sometime this summer. I try not to travel at night but need to be prepared just in case I have to.

RE: Dim Headlights and Low Voltage - NextNewell - 06-10-2017

(05-30-2017, 10:49 AM)Chester Stone Wrote: Richard, thanks for this posting because I have the same problem and I hope to correct it sometime this summer. I try not to travel at night but need to be prepared just in case I have to.

I solved this problem by installing 2 LED bulbs and they really light up the road. I got them on eBay for about $65.00 and they replace the existing bulb without any modifications.

RE: Dim Headlights and Low Voltage - pairodice - 01-21-2019

OK THIS just got added to my list! Looks like an easy fix and I am driving way too much at night not to have great lights. I plan to both add the new wiring and relays and then eventually will add new LED headlights when I decide which ones to get... I can run my current lights on high beam and no one even flashes me! Pathetic... and that’s after new SilverStar bulbs!

RE: Dim Headlights and Low Voltage - cknuth - 12-05-2020

Yet again picking up a sleeping thread...I've heeded various advice about headlight voltage and have brought clean power on #10 wire to both sides. (This coach has the 120mm H1 Hellas.) I'm planning to put jumpers at the old relays to send the switch closures to the new relay locations at the headlights.

In tracing the old relay inputs, it's pretty clear that the low (outside) beams are a simple ST closure from the Lights switch. But the hi/low switch on the turn signal stalk doesn't seem to do anything to the hi/low relay. The latter also has 12V on a different pin than on the Headlights relay. What am I missing?
Thanks!

RE: Dim Headlights and Low Voltage - cknuth - 12-05-2020

Upon further experimentation, I found that I got the needed switch closures (and instrument panel Brights indication) at the new relay positions by leaving the old hi/low relay in its original location at the passenger side fuse panel. In principle, I didn't want to drive the new relays with the old relays - and I didn't in the case of the low beams - but this seems benign. Will check voltage shortly - looks brighter already.

RE: Dim Headlights and Low Voltage - Bigbertha - 12-05-2020

Fellow Gurus
I get on this forum everyday looking for new information and trying to learn things about my coach which I purchased back in August, I've really learned so much and appreciate all the posts. There were definitely sleepless nights where I just couldn't get it off my mind, more than once I thought what have I done to get such a complex coach.

I did have an issue shortly after my purchase and posted on the forum, I was really at a loss and truly wasn't sure what I needed to do. Steve Magown reached out and helped me through my pressing issues and when he was traveling thru
St Louis he stopped and helped me out, I mean who does that but darn good people.

I also feel like my headlights are definitely not bright enough so with this valuable information I know where to start, I would sure like my lights to be as bright as my 2016 Duramax.
Once again a huge shout out to Steve for saving my bacon more than once!!!

I have my reservation for Elkhorn Ridge June 21-29 so I'm really looking forward to meeting some gurus and talking about our coaches and meeting new friends. It really looks like a great place and should be fun eating some good food and enjoying a few drinks.....the key word being a few...LOL

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and hope you enjoy your holiday season, keep the posts coming as you have a student reading and learning everyday.....Be Safe my friends!!!

RE: Dim Headlights and Low Voltage - cknuth - 12-06-2020

Here's a bit more on headlights. I left the halogen H1 lamps in the low beams because I want to keep the beam shape as intended by the Hella design. See this (2016) article:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/why-leds-should-not-be-run-in-halogen-reflectors.454371/
I think the author overstates the current situation somewhat, as the LED halogen replacements have improved since. I tried a pair of SuperBrightLED.com's HLV7 series in my low beams, and the top pattern cutoff was about right. But the big gap in the middle of the beam due to the hemispherical blade design is definitely noticeable, despite the 4000 lumens of 6000K light. So I'm putting the LED in my brights for now and running Osram halogens in the low beams.

Aiming is essential to realize all the other improvements. More on that when I think I'm finished. Any experiences or techniques to share?

RE: Dim Headlights and Low Voltage - encantotom - 12-06-2020

when i put different headlights in my 90 i did the entire aiming thing. i found a site that showed how to do it and what to look for.

i used a fence in my driveway and put masking tape at the places to adjust the beams too.

worked well.

https://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/aim/aim.html

tom