Head light up grades

leds

Check your local regulations. Here in Alberta, it is not permitted to put a LED or HID light source in a headlight housing intended for a filament-based bulb. Your local regs may vary.

I replaced my OEM headlight bulbs with Silverstar Ultra bulbs. It helped a bit but I also have the far too common low voltage issue that many motorhomes have. I plan to fix that with some new wiring and relays. Due to small diameter wiring voltage at my headlights is 11.8. Check your voltage. If it is low, until you fix that, nothing much else is going to help.

Headlight Voltage

Couple of choices, some inexpensive, some not, some legal and some not so much. The search for better nighttime lighting is a bit like the search for a better riding gas coach. Start out with the low cost easy solution stuff first before working up to the expensive items.

Besides the updated wire did you add high amp relays? Check the volts at the lights with the coach running and the lights on and compare it to the volts at the chassis battery terminals. Your goal is to limit the voltage differential as much as possible. If you coach was designed for daytime running light (DRL) check with a meter to ensure the circuit is switching correctly. You could be losing some volts in the circuit so an eyeball check might not be enough.

Many a coach headlight assembly are repurposed from other vehicles. If the assembly lens is starting to fog might be time to consider replacing. On the front of the lense is a DOT number that can be cross reference for a replacement assembly or maybe upgrade to the projector style aftermarket HID lights. OEM original replacements can get expensive while aftermarket may or may not meet original design specifications for aim and light diffusion.

You could try high wattage light bulbs. Try cross referencing the bulb number but this is where the not so much legal part comes in. Headlights are regulated to 60 watts, I think, to prevent you from blinding oncoming drivers. Blind a Trooper and you could be end up with a fix it ticket and maybe side of the road impoundment while blinding everyone else, well let's just say that would not be good for everyone. Also higher wattage means higher heat. Get it wrong and you could melt the light assembly internals.

Another option is the check and possibly correct the light aim point. Present day daily driver vehicles are also pretty easy but not so much with a coach that has repurposed assemblies. Get it wrong and again you'll be blinding oncoming drivers or limiting your own night time visibility even further than what you have now.

You could add additional lights but this can be tricky to keep the rig looking good and not so much something out of the latest Killer Zombie movie or something ready for the upcoming Baja 1000 race.

I really hate driving the coach at night because of the poor lighting. Highway driving isn't too bad but the unlit back roads to some parks can be an adventure in the dark. Decided the easiest solution was to time my travels to limit after sunset movement as much as possible or just slow down and use the high beams and fog lights when alone on the road. Whatever you do just ensure it can be undone easily in case you run afoul of the various vehicle lighting regulations.

Before spending money on headlights, you should analyze your driving habits and determine if it's worth it. What percentage of your driving happens after dark? If it's close to zero (like me), why bother?

LED takes much less current, so if you get those -the worry about upgrading wiring will be over.
Still converting existing housing to different type of bulbs is pretty touchy subject. Too many vehicles on the road having beams targeting eyes of the drivers on opposite lane.
In US driving with fog light and no fog is legal and I noticed lot of drivers use and abuse the privilege.

whatimmadoboutmylegs wrote:
Check your local regulations. Here in Alberta, it is not permitted to put a LED or HID light source in a headlight housing intended for a filament-based bulb. Your local regs may vary.

Man, you guys sure regulate the heck out of everything! Between not having "air brake training", the right drivers license, fog lights on, or maybe the right headlights, I don't think I want to ever cross that border :B

I remember when we all tried to go "international" years ago and having to have the Dealer disconnect the "Canadian daylight lights" from my new car in the 90s because I couldn't drive through a US federal security gate with headlights on to go to work. Thank goodness they gave that nonsense up.

Mile High wrote:

whatimmadoboutmylegs wrote:
Check your local regulations. Here in Alberta, it is not permitted to put a LED or HID light source in a headlight housing intended for a filament-based bulb. Your local regs may vary.

Man, you guys sure regulate the heck out of everything! Between not having "air brake training", the right drivers license, fog lights on, or maybe the right headlights, I don't think I want to ever cross that border :B

I remember when we all tried to go "international" years ago and having to have the Dealer disconnect the "Canadian daylight lights" from my new car in the 90s because I couldn't drive through a US federal security gate with headlights on to go to work. Thank goodness they gave that nonsense up.

It's also illegal to install LED or HID bulbs in filament headlight fixtures (and drive on the public road) in all, or at least nearly all, US states. The fixtures must be DOT certified and meet federal motor vehicle standards, and they're only certified for the kind of bulb they're designed for. It's not a case of pure bureaucratic craziness, either; the light reflectors are designed for the lighting pattern of the filament, and HIDs and especially LEDs have a very different pattern and make the light's focus and pattern all out of whack. If you're going to switch to HIDs or LEDs, the way to do it is to install a proper approved purpose-built fixture rather than replacement bulbs.

before you purchase read this. As stated check your voltage on your new wire. I updated my Newmar some years ago and really like the light now. The new wire along with proper place relays is the answer.


www.danielsternlighting.com/

just checked the voltage at the light socket, = 13.2 VDC

Grounds are good resistance below 0 ohms to battery negative