Headlight Advice

[frog]

My headlights are very poor (as i believe most Mk2's are) and have read a number of topics refering to uprating the wiring loom, but i have measured the voltage at my headlights and i am getting 12.3v (same voltage as battery) so is this mod still worth doing or should i be looking at something else.
Could it just be a need to change bulbs, maybe headlight reflectors shot so need new headlights?
Any advice / suggestions

[Organisys]

Did you measure the voltage with the lights on?
You won't see a voltage drop until there is a load on the circuit.
 

[frog]

Surley i wouldn't be able to test the voltage without the lights being on

[8vRicey]

You could have been testing the voltage without the actual lamp plugged in. IE switched on but not connected.

[Organisys]

You could if you tested it with one or more of the plugs pulled off the rear of the bulbs.
if you tested it with the bulbs lit on main beam, and you still got 12v then your loom is ok.
Try some uprated or blue/white bulbs.

[JMallows]

Could also try and clean the lamp glass?

[Ali-Mk2]

Put simply a fatter or better quality wire will allow more electrons down it. That is more amps, simple as that. When a lot of power is asked for, as headlights do, the wide wire will allow them to flow through maintaining full pressure (voltage), rather than causing a bit of "congestion" (resistance) meaning the amps you want don't get through at the desired voltage.

For reference:
Volts X Amps = Watts.
Amps = Quantity of electricity
Volts = Pressure of that electricity
Watts = Total amount of "work" it will do per second.

A Watt is one amp at one volt, consumed over 1 second. Or... Enough "power" to lift a 100 grams of weight 1 metre high in 1 second.

Oh and a Joule is a watt without the time constraints. 

Ali




 

[Haribo!]

Put simply a fatter or better quality wire will allow more electrons down it. That is more amps, simple as that. When a lot of power is asked for, as headlights do, the wide wire will allow them to flow through maintaining full pressure (voltage), rather than causing a bit of "congestion" (resistance) meaning the amps you want don't get through at the desired voltage.

For reference:
Volts X Amps = Watts.
Amps = Quantity of electricity
Volts = Pressure of that electricity
Watts = Total amount of "work" it will do per second.

A Watt is one amp at one volt, consumed over 1 second. Or... Enough "power" to lift a 100 grams of weight 1 metre high in 1 second.

Oh and a Joule is a watt without the time constraints. 

Ali

[spawnGti]

Someone paid attention to their physics lessons! 

[Lee Watson]

I got one of these up rated wiring looms has made a Difference but still not as good as my partners MK3.
It's just something to put up with....

You can find the wiring looms on Ebay..