Voltage At Lights

[sotal]

Do you remeber a topic about the lights being crap on the celica? From about a year ago?

Well you two were saying to check that there wasn't a voltage drop at the lights causing them to be dim, and you both agreed that you should test at 3000rpm as they should get brighter when you rev. I had said at the time I didn't think mine got brighter when I reved.

Anyway I just got round to actually testing mine with my multimeter last night.

Voltage at Battery = 14.26 Volts (With engine Running)

Voltage at Lights on Tickover = 14.23 Volts

Voltage at Lights at 2000 rpm = 14.23 Volts

Voltage at Lights at 3000 rpm = 14.23 Volts

Voltage at Lights at 4000 rpm = 14.23 Volts

Can anyone see a pattern

I was quite happy with the voltage as it's an insignificant drop but I was just a little worried that it doesn't change like you two both believed it would. I don't have any problems with my alternator charging the Battery so I guess that's OK. Are you both sure there isn't just a voltage regulator to make sure they don't get brighter???

[mikeb]

Do you remeber a topic about the lights being crap on the celica? From about a year ago?

Well you two were saying to check that there wasn't a voltage drop at the lights causing them to be dim, and you both agreed that you should test at 3000rpm as they should get brighter when you rev. I had said at the time I didn't think mine got brighter when I reved.

Anyway I just got round to actually testing mine with my multimeter last night.

Voltage at Battery = 14.26 Volts (With engine Running)

Voltage at Lights on Tickover = 14.23 Volts

Voltage at Lights at 2000 rpm = 14.23 Volts

Voltage at Lights at 3000 rpm = 14.23 Volts

Voltage at Lights at 4000 rpm = 14.23 Volts

Can anyone see a pattern

I was quite happy with the voltage as it's an insignificant drop but I was just a little worried that it doesn't change like you two both believed it would. I don't have any problems with my alternator charging the battery so I guess that's OK. Are you both sure there isn't just a voltage regulator to make sure they don't get brighter???

The voltage is supposed to be constant - that's what the rectifier/regulator is for. Was your engine fully warmed up (i.e. not on fast idle when you took the measurements)? Alternators try to be perfect voltage sources, and the faster they spin the more current they can supply. Dynamos are voltage devices - the faster they spin, the more voltage they produce, which has to be regulated down. If you try and draw too much current from a dynamo it will burn itself out.

So, 0.03v drop from the Battery to the lights? I wouldn't worry about that then! Have you also checked the voltage drop to earth (connect one side of your meter to the Battery -ve terminal and the other side to the earth wire of the headlamp. Remember to test on main beam too.

[daktari]

TBH i`ve not done a voltage test on my celi. Simply cos it`s a pain to get to the bulb holders. Might do it next time i change a bulb.

So. Why does a similar thing happen on my disco. Turn the lights on when the engines ticking over @ 600 RPM and they`re twinkling away quite happily. But as soon as the revs are increased past 750 RPM they definately get brighter.

I`ve noticed it on quite a few vehicles. Methinks their alternators are not trying as hard as they should be to be perfect. :D

[GT4 BOOSTER]

i'm too hung over to care

[adamgt]

i'm too hung over to care

I felt like that last sunday

Got to the stage on saturday night where i had drank so much i couldnt remeber what happened the next day.

Was so ill i couldnt even use the computer Which is bad as i have laptops with a wireless network so im normally lying on the sofa when im surfin the net anyway

[daktari]

i'm too hung over to care

i'm too hung over to care

I felt like that last sunday

Got to the stage on saturday night where i had drank so much i couldnt remeber what happened the next day.

Was so ill i couldnt even use the computer Which is bad as i have laptops with a wireless network so im normally lying on the sofa when im surfin the net anyway

I dunno... You youngsters. Up all night drinking and partying.. When i was a lad.....................

[sotal]

Mike - I'll test the drop to earth next time I'm fiddling - as Daktari says getting to the lights is a pain to in the backside, the bulbs get !Removed! hot very quick too!

I didn't bother with main beam as the main beam on the Celica is excellent - better than most cars, it's just normal headlights which are worryingly poor, they look bright enough from outside the car and I've adjusted the aim etc and tried various bulbs with no positive result. Oh well the nights are getting lighter so I'll probably forget about it until november

[sotal]

Here was the old post:

http://toyotaownersclub.com/forums/index.p...opic=29389&st=0

Marc - Did you ever put HB3's in the dipped lights??

****************************************************************

I was thinking of giving these ones a go:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Off-Road-Rally-HB4-9...1QQcmdZViewItem

What do you think?

[Black1]

Here was the old post:

http://toyotaownersclub.com/forums/index.p...opic=29389&st=0

Marc - Did you ever put HB3's in the dipped lights??

****************************************************************

I was thinking of giving these ones a go:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Off-Road-Rally-HB4-9...1QQcmdZViewItem

What do you think?

hi sotal sorry to be a drag but the second link on your post points to the rally hb4 lights but if you read further down the advert it actually says they are illegal for road use cos they are 100w.

[Special Red]

i'm too hung over to care

Hungover but still found enough energy to come on TOC!

[sotal]

hi sotal sorry to be a drag but the second link on your post points to the rally hb4 lights but if you read further down the advert it actually says they are illegal for road use cos they are 100w.

Yeah - I realised. But does it really matter? I would get my wife to drive the car behind me and I would check to see if they were excessively bright - If they were I would have to remove them but otherwise I would leave them - They're E marked and if I got pulled I'd have the 55w's in the boot to swap over there and then and say oh sorry officer I didn't realise :!Removed!:

[Black1]

hi sotal sorry to be a drag but the second link on your post points to the rally hb4 lights but if you read further down the advert it actually says they are illegal for road use cos they are 100w.

Yeah - I realised. But does it really matter? I would get my wife to drive the car behind me and I would check to see if they were excessively bright - If they were I would have to remove them but otherwise I would leave them - They're E marked and if I got pulled I'd have the 55w's in the boot to swap over there and then and say oh sorry officer I didn't realise :!Removed!:

LOL, it was just somethjing i noticed, see i don't know anything about the bulbs etc i just change them for the standard ones although i have noticed they aren't as bright as my last car. well if you guys can reccomend a good bulb then do let me know so i can change mine.

cheers

[sotal]

To be honest I don't like breaking the law and would probably always worry about it whilst driving but I would prefer to be safer on the road by being able to see! and Hopefully it would be safer for pedestrian and cyclists too!

[mikeb]

I've been using 80/100W bulbs in my car* for five years, and I've not failed an MOT yet. As long as the dipped beam pattern is correct they won't dazzle anyone, and they are pretty much indistinguishable from 55/60W. And lets face it, they still aren't as bright as HIDs anyway, so no-one can really complain. The dipped beam is a slight but noticable improvement, main beam is far better. Halfords used to sell 80/100W and 100/130W H4 bulbs. Check your electrical system is up to it first though.

*If your car is pre 1987 (I think), wattage of headlamp bulbs has no legislation and it's perfectly legal.

[sotal]

Thanks for that mike, as mentioned before the mainbeam are excellent so I'll leave them but I think the dipped are going to have to go up to 100W

interesting about the pre 1987 - I can see some brighter bulbs coming for the landrover