Headlights.

[KA5PIU]

Hello.

I decided to replace the headlights in the old GMC truck.
This is a 4 headlight system with 1 pair smaller than the other.
The truck was converted to 12 volts a few years ago and so this opened up a lot of options.
12 volt sealed beam, like what was on it, or an improvement.
I went with the brightest halogen single system that was offered, that is to say that there is but one lamp per side with both high and low beam.
And I also went with the flat out brightest lamps out there in 12 volts that will fit for the other pair, 250 watt aircraft landing lights.
I also mounted new fog lights and HID driving lights.
This is for my trip to Mexico in December.
I have headache rack mounted lights but they are not that useful.
Some of the roads are not that good and that and the dangers in Mexico in general call for effective lighting.
But, be that as it may, just the new halogen lamps are a massive improvement.
The landing lights are old, only the HID conversion is really new, everything else is just an upgrade.

[N2NH]

I thought this was the other kind of headlights...

[ki4itv]

:lol: ^^^
I just clicked with an open mind and hoped for the best.

[kf0rt]

:lol:^^^

You get a free Island drink coupon when THAT doesn't work out. :rofl:

[KA5PIU]

Hello.

First you will need a screwdriver. ;)
But all of the parts are somewhat cheap and easy, for some of the hams at least. ;)
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.37425
http://www.sylvaniaautocatalog.com/sylvania/ProductBrowse_XtraVision.asp?BepartNo=&BatchId=69&ProductNumber=H4666%20XV&PartNo=%20XV,%20%20XV
As you can see, the overall cost of relamping was under $100, well within my budget.
There is no increase on current drain, remember that the landing lights were already there and are used only to illuminate an area as needed.
There are 2 large equipment batteries in place of an under hood battery in a split configuration and a charge isolator.
This truck is sometimes used in the construction trade and as such is used to run parts at night as well as providing lighting to work with.
It does have warning strobes and an old Federal Signal light bar, nothing hamsexy, the day glo vest all radios go with the job. :)

[N5RLR]

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/images/smilies/xscuseless.gif

[kf0rt]

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/images/smilies/xscuseless.gif

http://funnyhub.com/content_images/4877_2439_nice-headlights.jpg

[kb2vxa]

"First you will need a screwdriver."
Make mine vodka and orange juice, heavy on the vodka.

With headlamps like that you'll be doing us a favor. Now we don't need a wall, just point the illegals southward.

[NA4BH]

IB4BSGTD

(In before bullshit gets too deep)

[KA5PIU]

IB4BSGTD

(In before bullshit gets too deep)

Hello.

No peeing (Or chitting) in the pool!
Anyhow, I was inspired by the wonderfully bright HID headlights on modern cars.
For under $100 you can do a massive improvement on your car that is actually useful.
I do cheap steel wheels and quality used tires.
I am so cheap that I even use the light bulbs from junk cars, so for me to go out and buy new is almost a miracle. ;)

[KA5PIU]

Hello.

If I were wanting to fork out some bucks I would consider this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtghhU0_Ajs
But look at the cost for a standard 250 watt aircraft landing light.
http://www.skygeek.com/25051.html
And, yes, 12 volts.
All of this is on a budget.

[n2ize]

Hello.

First you will need a screwdriver. ;)
But all of the parts are somewhat cheap and easy, for some of the hams at least. ;)
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.37425
http://www.sylvaniaautocatalog.com/sylvania/ProductBrowse_XtraVision.asp?BepartNo=&BatchId=69&ProductNumber=H4666%20XV&PartNo=%20XV,%20%20XV
As you can see, the overall cost of relamping was under $100, well within my budget.
There is no increase on current drain, remember that the landing lights were already there and are used only to illuminate an area as needed.
There are 2 large equipment batteries in place of an under hood battery in a split configuration and a charge isolator.
This truck is sometimes used in the construction trade and as such is used to run parts at night as well as providing lighting to work with.
It does have warning strobes and an old Federal Signal light bar, nothing hamsexy, the day glo vest all radios go with the job. :)

Sounds interesting,. If I had a truck I might give it a try. If I had a truck I would love to get one of those police helicopter HID searchlights mounted on it. You could light up the road bright as day with one of those.

http://www.darthelicopterservices.com/shop/helicopter-accessories/specialty-sections/special-ops-equipment/searchlights/sx-16-nightsunr-searchlight.html

[KA5PIU]

Hello.

That requires 24 volts at around 60 amps as well as the cooling airflow provided by the aircraft, leave alone the price!
What I have done is within the budget of most any person here.
And, you do not need a truck for aircraft landing lights, 12 volts at 20 amps per lamp is very doable even for a motorcycle in intermittent service.
I have the larger batteries and have them mounted up as they are used for work lights, getting things moved or fueling at the beginning or end of the day so they may be on for up to an hour at a time.
When fueling or jump starting I never run any engine, safety first another reason for large batteries.
Remember that this is a work truck by every meaning of the word.

[kb2vxa]

"If I had a truck I would love to get one of those police helicopter HID searchlights mounted on it."
I'm sure other motorists would appreciate that.
"You could light up the road bright as day with one of those."
I could but I won't, it's not called the Night Sun for nothing. At 30 million candlepower (32 Lux @ 1km) you'd get that deer in the headlights look from miles away. Any closer you could take one home already cooked, instant venison steak. You might have a bit of trouble however powering that xenon short-arc lamp, it requires 65A @ 28VDC to operate.

[n2ize]

"If I had a truck I would love to get one of those police helicopter HID searchlights mounted on it."
I'm sure other motorists would appreciate that.
"You could light up the road bright as day with one of those."
I could but I won't, it's not called the Night Sun for nothing. At 30 million candlepower (32 Lux @ 1km) you'd get that deer in the headlights look from miles away. Any closer you could take one home already cooked, instant venison steak. You might have a bit of trouble however powering that xenon short-arc lamp, it requires 65A @ 28VDC to operate.

When you're a lighting freak, like I am, you'll find a way to run almost anything.

[kb2crk]

i could run rudys 24 volt lights on the forklifts at work...lol

[N2CHX]

http://funnyhub.com/content_images/4877_2439_nice-headlights.jpg

[N5RLR]

Looks like those headlights have been treated with silicone... :snicker:

[W4RLR]

I was wondering about the twelve volt versus twenty four volt thing. Most aircraft I either was PIC or right seat in had twenty-four volt systems.

[KA5PIU]

Hello.

Most smaller aircraft are 12 volts with a very small lead-acid battery.
As was pointed out in the video, 20 amps is a lot of current in a small aircraft.
In fact the battery in a Bell 47 helicopter is rated at 23 amp-hours.
In the Cessna skymaster there is normally only one alternator but adding one to the other engine is frequently done.
In the old avionics it was just a matter of policy to not turn anything on until after the engine was running to speed.
Aircraft radios are very low power to this day, a 20 watt transmitter is very high power.

[PA5COR]

I replaced the van Halogen 55/60 watt lamps 4 years back for the aftermarket H.I.D. lamps 35 watts easy to do, put in transformers some cabling and replace lamps, done.
I opted for 5600 color, white with a hint of blue, makes the road signs easier to read ( lots of blue ones here)

[KA5PIU]

Hello.

HID is good and can be somewhat inexpensive if you go for something like dealextreme.
The aircraft landing lights are downright cheap.
High output halogen are only a bit more expensive than the regular and put out much more light for the watts used.
I got the light bar for all of $50 with some burned out lamps and a defective rotator assembly, the connector had broken so somebody wired it direct and broke that!
I simply drilled holes into the board and threaded brass nuts and bolts and cropped of the excess board.
This has both alley lights and front facing lights with the entire rest yellow and 2 speakers.
55 watt halogen capsules in the rotators and 250 watt landing lights front plus 1157y for turn with a pair in series for extra dim marker lights and regular connection for turn.
Again, all of this was done on the cheap.
I did not count the lightbar this time around as it is been on for well over 10 years now.

[NQ6U]

It's been a long time since I flew an airplane but I do remember that Cessna switched to a 24V system back in the mid-Eighties. Small aircraft built before that all had 12v systems--except for the 1940s-era Taylorcraft I flew, which had no electrical system at all. I had to prop-start that thing, something that I never quite got comfortable doing.

[W3MIV]

...the 1940s-era Taylorcraft I flew, which had no electrical system at all. I had to prop-start that thing, something that I never quite got comfortable doing.

Chicken! Used to hook an arm through the "window/door" of the Cub, stick a foot under the front of the wheel and pull the prop down smartly many times. Almost always caught on a single flip. Still have all of my fingers (and toes).

The scary part is when you prop for somebody else and stand in front wondering if the asshat has set the throttle too open. That's when you make damn sure you don't wrap those digits around the edge of the prop and you are well to the side.