lights

Hey i know this is going to sound stupid, but is there anyway to put low beam bulbs in to replace high beams. Because I have white low beams, but i wanted blue or purple, but my dad doesnt like the colors so i was going to put purple low beams in for my high beams and just drive around with my high beams on.

It does not sound "stupid" it just sounds inadvisable.

One problem is that high beams is not just about wattage. Standard low beam is 55 watts. It is about the light pattern. If you drive around with 55 watt bulbs in the high beam sockets it's basically the same as driving around with your high beams on because of the light pattern, not just the intensity (wattage). The problem is the high beam pattern shines right into the eyes of drivers of oncoming vehicles. So it is not just your ability to see at night that is a factor here; it is everyone else on the road with you at the time, too.

another problem: As a practical matter I have no idea where to get 55 watt high beam bulbs of any color.

a third problem: you driving around with high beams on, even if they are low wattage, in some jurisdictions is probable cause for a policeman to stop you - and if it is a crooked cop (most are honest) your problems can become crippling if not unsolvable.

So here's your "prize" for reading this far. Instad of changing the headlights, find out whether any of these are legal in your area:

- modifying the cornering lights - you could install those multi-color LEDs in the cornering light housing, then change the colors at will. Cornering lights will still work if you leave 'em in, the colored lights would be separate.

- a 'glow bar' - You could mount surface-mount weatherproof strip of LEDs under the front bumper, make the entire front of the car glow some color or a 7-color selection--this might be legally permissible. My idea is to get these

http://www.oznium.com/silicone-encased-led-strip

or these

http://www.oznium.com/thin-waterproof-ribbon

in the 'million' (or RGB) version with the controller that lets me change color. I'd mount the controller in the armrest compartment or some such.

Hope this helps.

Albertj

what would i have to do to make my cornering lights LEDS?

You can use high power LEDs such as these

http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-bin/store/commerce.cgi?product=CAR&cart_id=7590807.1602

or you can get a set of used cornering assemblies from say Ed Morad and modify them - leave the old socket and bulb alone but separate the lens from the reflector and install those Ozium LED strips on the reflector to light up with the parking lights - dependingon applicable law. You probably don't want them to light up red or blue... Check your local/state regulations. You could really use a Dremel moto-tool and a hot knife for the modifications to those corners.

The problem is that even the high power LEDs are not all that bright and I don't think they are actually street legal - you have to check.

Any other questions?

Albertj

What can I do about my cornering lights without LEDs. Can i buy white or blue bulbs for those?

Are your cornering lamps functional? The housing is there on all the Rivs, but you had to actually order that option for a housing with a hole, and bulb wired up in it. W/O ordering the option, you got a housing with no holes in the back, like mine.

Mine have bulbs in them, I guess mine must have been ordered like that.

texasfan010 wrote:

What can I do about my cornering lights without LEDs. Can i buy white or blue bulbs for those?

Find out what bulb is in there (168, 194, 3189, whatever #) and see what the LED replacement is for that bulb number. You should be able to look the OE bulb number up at any auto parts store, and if not just pull your old bulb out and look at the number...

Just bear in mind that most LED replacemetns are not as bright as the incandescents they replace, becasue of reflector issues if nothing else. If you search this edit board for LEDs you wwill find other postings with sites having hi briteness LEDs that might work.

Albertj

also, high beams are 9006 and lows are 9005's or sumn like that, they wont plug into one another....

Try LEDLight.com
They have an Automotive catalog that has about anything you could ask for.
I emailed them and they sent a catalog out quick or you can print from their website but it's 62 pages, so i just asked for one and had it in a couple of days.

you know if you know what the bulb size is, like by referencing sylvania.com

you can search that bulb size on ebay and i guarantee they have that size in led form.

EDIT:

194 is the bulb size....

here is the ebay search (white, amber, blue, red, green and yellow all come up)

http://motors.shop.ebay.com/items/Parts-Accessories___194_W0QQ_catrefZ1QQ_dmptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessoriesQQ_flnZ1QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em282

I believe that any 55W low beam bulb can be modified to fit the high beam socket, and vice versa. This can be accomplished by filing off a small tab either on the socket or the bulb itself.

Why you would want to do this, I'm not sure. High beams are also called "brights" for a reason. I'm not sure the exact wattage for high beams, but I think it's more than the lows. If using 55W bulbs in the high beam sockets, you will have less brightness at need - when you might need it.

Hope this doesn't sound stupid, but aren't the high beams on all the time (at reduced voltage) during the daytime anyway?

AA wrote:

I believe that any 55W low beam bulb can be modified to fit the high beam socket, and vice versa. This can be accomplished by filing off a small tab either on the socket or the bulb itself.

Why you would want to do this, I'm not sure. High beams are also called "brights" for a reason. I'm not sure the exact wattage for high beams, but I think it's more than the lows. If using 55W bulbs in the high beam sockets, you will have less brightness at need - when you might need it.

Hope this doesn't sound stupid, but aren't the high beams on all the time (at reduced voltage) during the daytime anyway?

I don't think daytime running lamps became standard until 97 IIRC.

Oh...I didn't know what year we were talking about.

AA wrote:

Oh...I didn't know what year we were talking about.

I think he has a 96 but i'm not sure since he didn't put his info in his sig. ( That's a hint!)

The only difference between the 9006(low beam) and 9005(high beam) bulbs is that notch placement on the connector that Aaron mentioned and that the 9006(low beam) has a ceramic coating at the top to prevent light from penetrating that area. The reason for this is that part of the bulb is shaped awkwardly and varies by manufacturer and for that reason it's easier just to block it off than for every car maker to make reflector housings that can deal with the unpredictability of that portion of the bulb. It revolves around meeting DOT standards for cheap as possible. The wattage (or electrical brightness if you will) difference between 9006 and 9005 bulbs is hardly worthy of concern. ~55watts for the 9006 and ~60watts for the 9005.

There's nothing terribly wrong with putting low beam lamps into the high beam housing but you will loose a little intensity and possibly a little beam-span

For what it's worth, many aftermarket low beam lamps are rated well above the 55W spec. My Eurolights are 80W for low beam, The original 10 year old stock bulbs still reside in the high beam sockets. So in my case, the lows are putting out 20W more than the highs, yet the angle of projection is clearly evident at night - the low beams are "low" and bright, the high beams are "high" and almost as bright, but more yellow in color.

but if i get LEDs what do i have to do to get them to work? I dont think i can just plug them in and have them work because they run less wattage

texasfan010 wrote:

but if i get LEDs what do i have to do to get them to work? I dont think i can just plug them in and have them work because they run less wattage

if you buy those ones off ebay like I directed you, you can plug them in directly and be fine....

aside to texasfan - LEDs run less wattage because they put out more lumens (light) per watt (power input). The distribution of those lumens out of the light has always been an issue. At some point some gee-knee-huss will figure out that there are simple ways to fix that distribution.

everyone - There are some LED lights that work better than others in certain kinds of reflectors. Have to try them - and the problem is that the current LED lamp makers charge an awful lot for the lamps.

Only problem I sense, really, is that if you are putting LEDs in as front or rear turn signal lights, unless you've also replaced your thermal turn signal flashers with electronic ones (there is one flasher for the turn signals and another for the 4-ways), or installed load balancing resistors then the flash rate will change - and not for the better. It's not a big deal though. Darn near everyone selling auto lamps sells electronic flashers, though - even walmart. You are not likely to need a load balancing resistor if you first reach up behind the dash and replace the flasher(s). The thermal flashers will eventualy wear out anyway...

Albertj