Re: LED headlight upgrade
 

All this talking about the headlights and I couldn't stand it any longer. Hooked up the battery and guess what.......they work, and they are bright.
I will also confirm that the fog lights work too with only one resistor..

bright lights... fuzzy pic....lol trying to get the pic before the lights flipped up....
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p...142959_001.jpg

Re: LED headlight upgrade
 

I think another relay at wired near the current Relay will accomplish the same thing as the resistors, but eliminates the load of the resistors on the electrical system..

One added relay:
Cut Lt Grn on Fog light relay
Harness side of Lt Grn to Pin 86 of new Relay
Pin 85 and Pin 30 of relay to Ground (New Wire)
fog light side of LT Grn to 87a.

Re: LED headlight upgrade
 

OK Jeff. We can do that when I install mine. :cheers:

Re: LED headlight upgrade
 

Maybe, that relay is under the dash on the pass side I believe

Re: LED headlight upgrade
 

You doing yours too -=JEFF=- ?

Re: LED headlight upgrade
 

no, but when a user posted this on CF, and even posted here, I thought about their fixes and looked at a couple schematics and came up with my solution.

I am planning on doing that relay change to my car, even though I I still run H4s. I need to check the FSM again to confirm my idea will work, but it should

Re: LED headlight upgrade
 

Well you are an electrical guy so I get that. However I thought for sure you would be all over this mod as well :cheers:

Re: LED headlight upgrade
 

Jeff, can you explain further on your statement..."Relay will accomplish the same thing as the resistors, but eliminates the load of the resistors on the electrical system.."
Always willing to learn something new, especially electrical....
Thanks...appreciated...

Re: LED headlight upgrade
 

It is on my list. Just lower priority at the moment


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Re: LED headlight upgrade
 

Sounds good to me, whenever you get time....

Re: LED headlight upgrade
 

Got mine installed last night works great. Alot easier then messing with the grounds on the car.
http://i.imgur.com/71NetaA.jpg?1

Re: LED headlight upgrade
 

is that sliver box the resistor?

Re: LED headlight upgrade
 

Jeff,

Doesn't the resistor simply substitute for the load a standard headlamp puts on the electrical system? if so, why would it be detrimental or an issue?

Re: LED headlight upgrade
 

That is exactly what it does. When I was installing the led headlights on my car I turned on the lights after the first one was in and found everything working properly including the fog lights. when I installed the second light and tested everything I noticed the fog light problem. The resistor is advertised as a fix for the bulb out problem some cars experience when converting to leds. Both problems are addressed by simulating the load of an normal bulb, thats why you only need one.

Re: LED headlight upgrade
 

Yes sir

Re: LED headlight upgrade
 

That's easy to zip tie. I had to do the same with my Ballasts for my HID projectors on my 91

Re: LED headlight upgrade
 

As posted in #105, don't know how to do the arrow thing to point out in the pic...but take notice of the plastic ties I used, fits up very nicely in the top of the housing, and it's secure...

Resistor tucked up nice and secure...
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p...206_183709.jpg

Re: LED headlight upgrade
 

You are correct and there is no issue with it..

I just would change to the relay to make it less than the OEM load.. that is all

Re: LED headlight upgrade
 

Again just curious, if it isn't such an issue with the resistor, then why bother with the relay? Is it that much of a load difference??? The resistor is a breeze to install, compared to adding another relay and cutting or connecting into a wire harness which would take more time....

Re: LED headlight upgrade
 

Yes I did the same with mine fits like a glove

Re: LED headlight upgrade
 

George, now we know why that space is there....they knew we were going to add different headlights with a resistor that needed space some 22 to 27 years later....and sometimes we all question why the engineers did what they did!!!
:D

Re: LED headlight upgrade
 

Preference I guess? I look at it this way. If I am moving from H4 to LED, I will get a more light with less power consumption, but adding a resistor put heat in a different spot and one more connection in the bucket.

I have not completely looked at the relay, but I think I can pop the connector out and not have to cut a wire.

By doing the relay, the alternator load with all the lights is less. to me that is being more efficient, plus the added wiring is in the car out of the weather.

so I guess it is My preference then

Re: LED headlight upgrade
 

I think I understand what your reasoning is.....but when the lights are not on, then the resistor is not producing heat, correct? and if you attach the resistor in the top of the bucket as shown, then when the headlights are on and in the up position, then you should be getting air movement through the opening of the cover, thus keeping the resistor cool.
But if your charging system is operating at its optimum performance, then it shouldn't matter, should it???
I would be interested in knowing what the actual difference in power consumption (alternator load) is when comparing the resistor to the relay.
I am not trying to break them for you, just find this topic to be an interesting discussion and another learning experience.....:cheers:

Re: LED headlight upgrade
 

Sometimes we get into a "debate" discussion on something just for the heck of it, or to learn something. You are replacing 2 headlamps w a heavier load on the system than w 2 headlamps generating not enough load. The resistor appears to represent just enough of a load necessary to allow everything to operate properly. IOW, you have now installed a system with a load that is still LESS than the OEM system the car came w. Overall, win-win.
Thoughts?

Re: LED headlight upgrade
 

But is it?

What is the resistance of the headlight you are replacing? was is the laod resistance of the resistor.

Yes Debates are good, there is nothing wrong with using a resistor.. works like roadster described.. I just like thinking out of the box sometimes

Re: LED headlight upgrade
 

Jeff,

Of course my questioning really is for the purpose of learning something and when it comes to electronics you are a go to guy.

Re: LED headlight upgrade
 

[emoji1303]



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Re: LED headlight upgrade
 

Now that a number of you guys have run with these for a while, I have a question - how's the light distribution pattern on the LEDs? I'm sure it's good and brighter light straight ahead, but do these put off enough light to the side also? I read a review of a different pair of LED headlights where there were lots of complaints regarding not enough illumination to the side of the road.

Re: LED headlight upgrade
 

I can't give you an update, as I have not been doing any night driving with the Z lately. But I am sure the other users will be able to answer that for you...

Re: LED headlight upgrade
 

I recently converted to LED, been driving with them for a week or two now and pretty happy with the upgrade. They were plug and play except that I snipped and grounded the lt grn wire from the fog lamp relay - easy job and as a bonus the fogs stay on with the brights now. Here are some pics.


http://i418.photobucket.com/albums/p...63076216_n.jpg


http://i418.photobucket.com/albums/p...49749398_n.jpg


LED on left, low beams
http://i418.photobucket.com/albums/p...70954906_n.jpg


http://i418.photobucket.com/albums/p...49529838_n.jpg

Re: LED headlight upgrade
 

those are the lights I had on my zr1 before I sold it. these are fantastic and love the look. they are very bright but do not blind oncoming traffic. they have a very definite cut off. I miss these lights since they dont make them for c5's.

Re: LED headlight upgrade
 

yeah I am guessing the cutoff is due to the Projector for the low beam. I have projectors on my Charger, I like the cut off (but like the HID even more so)

Re: LED headlight upgrade
 

Yeah they have a very defined horizontal cut off, I like them a lot

Re: LED headlight upgrade
 

My new LED's do not have a cutoff like that, more like a flashlight. Mine were just replacement bulbs in a Hella housing.

Re: LED headlight upgrade
 

I just completed this upgrade last night on my 90 and damn I am impressed. I went with the same kit that locobob just installed and not only does it look agressive not on.... the amount of light it puts out LED wise is on the same quality as my wives new C300 Mercedes Coupe. You won't be disappointed. GC

Re: LED headlight upgrade
 

DITTOS... ^^^

I (back-ordered) those (Larsen) lights and opted for the load resistor instead of the relay splicing approach. (The current draw was NEVER an issue with the OE headlights, so amperage is not an issue, but everything working normally is!)

We'll see, once the stuff comes in...

Re: LED headlight upgrade
 

Paul,

I installed 3 pairs of these and the cleanest, simplest solution, posted about a year or two ago by a forum member, is to remove the fog light relay, identify the leg that plugs into ground socket, bend the leg around the relay housing, insert a electrical wire through a hole on the leg (for some reason they all have a hole), solder the wire to the leg, and finally find a ground point and ground it out. Works like a charm.

Re: LED headlight upgrade
 

Just a question. Is there really a point to having fogs ON w the HI Beams?

Re: LED headlight upgrade
 

Locobob.. those lights actually look pretty good. How is the pattern out on the road?


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Re: LED headlight upgrade
 

Locobob,
Where did you end up ordering them through?

Dan