Headlight Replacement

[Tom and Pam Brown]

Even after replacing my headlights they are still not very bright unless I use the high beams.

Has anybody replaced with newer style bulbs and where can you purchase them that are direct replacements?

Any suggestions on how to brighten up my world?

[George H. Wall]

I had the same problem, tried brighter bulbs, etc. to no avail. The guys @ Beaver Sales in Bend put some type of booster to inc. the voltage to the lights which solved the problem. Henry

[JimCasazze]

I believe there are some posts on this forum dealing with the dim headlight issue.  If I remember this has something to due with the size of the wire and length of the run from the batteries.  

[Jeremy Parrett]

The issue is that the headlight wiring passes thru the Smart Wheel . Use this link to add relays ,high/low beams ,to the existing circuit and your headlights will be amazingly bright.
 http://www.danielsternlighting.com/home.html

[Tom and Pam Brown]

I do not have the smart wheel on my coach.....

Just a standard headlight switch. But thanks anyway

[Gil_Johnson]

The issue is that the headlight wiring passes thru the Smart Wheel . Use this link to add a solenoid to the existing circuit and your headlights will be amazingly bright.
 http://www.danielsternlighting.com/home.html

I hope you're kidding!  I can't believe the wiring that actually lights the headlights goes through the Smart Wheel.  Headlights should be powered through a high current relay...not through a headlight switch.  I try not to drive at night, so I don't know how bright mine are.  I will check though for a relay.

Gil
08 Contessa

[LEAH DRAPER]

Will be interested to hear what you find Gil, as I am also 2008 Contessa.

[Keith Oliver]

Tom:
98 Contessa, same dim headlights.  Mine were a "sealed beam" standard size, so any auto parts store has the halogen bulbs in the standard size replacement lamp.  $75 did the pair, at my local Lordco Parts. Much brighter.

[Joel Ashley]

Be careful there, Keith.  Halogens draw significantly more current through wiring designed for lesser lamps.  I burned up a headlight switch on my old coach doing just what you did.

As Gil mentioned, a relay is best, and most are so constructed.  But you may need to replace the relay-to-lamp wires, relay-to-fuse wires, and perhaps more to get the proper sized wires and fuses to handle halogens.  You could be driving along one night and be suddenly plunged into darkness as a component fries on you.

Seems there was discussion on this in the past where someone supplied a link to a fellow's website where he sells kits for resolving the issue, and many commented that it did the job.  Can anyone on the Forum supply the link again for Tom?

-Joel

[Tom and Pam Brown]

Thanks Joel I searched for a link but did not find it before I posted.

I also tried halogen with not much success just a hair brighter.

[Les Marzec]

Has anyone had Beaver Sales in Bend do their headlight circuit modification?  I am planning on having mine done next week and was wondering what results anyone has had.  It is my understanding that they will replace the two relays with one and the voltage at the headlights will be 12.0 volts.

Thanks

[Joel Ashley]

Found it!  Problem is, while the boss is on vacation for the next month the website is of little use.

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/products/products.html

-Joel

[Keith Cooper]

This older link may be a little more help http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/relays/relays.html. It provides a reasonable explanation. You might want to try to reach out to Roy Mueller he has corrected the issue on several coaches including ours.
Good luck

[George H. Wall]

Lester, As stated in post # 1 on this page, I have had the guys at Beaver Sales install relays in my coach.  Henry

[Gil_Johnson]

This older link may be a little more help http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/relays/relays.html. It provides a reasonable explanation. You might want to try to reach out to Roy Mueller he has corrected the issue on several coaches including ours.
Good luck

The data in this link is pretty good.  As you can see, this is not a hard modification for anyone with elementary electrical skills to accomplish.  The only thing I would say is, that you do not and should not connect directly to the alternator.  The high current feed to the relays should go to the battery.  Given that most of our coaches may have the main DC distribution panel near the front of their coach, I would recommend connecting to the main DC feed for the relays to the DC distribution panel.  This is where the fuse, or better yet resettable circuit breaker, would also be installed.

It still boggles my mind to think anyone installed headlamps directly powered from a switch.  Headlight relays have been in used for many decades in the automotive industry.

Gil
08 Contessa