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MG MGA - Halogen headlights

Good afternoon fellow MGA owners, hope your all enjoying a quiet Sunday.
As I travel in France a fair bit, and this year going to Le Mans Classic,
It's a requirement to carry spare headlight lamps.
I have sealed beam units at present, I was thinking of changing them to the tripod type with halogen lamps, then I only carry lamps not sealed beam units.
What do you think, has anyone fitted the tripod headlamps any major changes wiring wise to consider ?

Cheers Jack.
Jack New Forest

Tripod ones don't apparently light the road very well. Halogen H4 fitted into a standard 7" unit work very well, but are best with relax fitted . Alternatively LED headlamps work a treat and are as bright as Xenon and are also a straight fitment into the standard H4 fitting, and draw so little current, no LED is required.
dominic clancy

Dominic, thanks what do you mean, no LED required ?
Jack New Forest

Jack,
dont bother with repro Tripod headlamps unless you just want them to look good and dont intend using them.

My car came with a new set of tripods and the beam pattern was so diffused that the only way I could tell if they were on high beam was if the light on the dash came on!
I tried to adjust them many times, I changed the bulbs etc but the only difference I noticed on high beam setting was that even more light scattered up into the trees on the roadside than on dipped beam setting. I hardly dared drive the car at night.

Maybe the original tripods were better but I dont think I would risk it and if you plan on any night driving I would avoid them.

So I swapped them for Hella ones fitted with halogen bulbs and they are pretty good now.

Apparently, the best ones were made by Cibie but I havent seen them advertised recently.

After trying them once,I gave the Tripods away to Frank Camileri in Malta who liked how they looked but never takes the car out after dark.

Colyn

PS I think Dominic meant "relay" in his post, I think the halogen lights work better with a direct feed from the battery switched by a relay. You can then use a larger diameter wire than the original wire and this flows more amperage and you should get brighter lights.
Colyn Firth

Sorry, Jack, I forgot to say that (to the best of my knowlege) all makes of 7" diameter headlights use the same H4 lamp fitting and so you dont have to change the wiring.
(Unless you decide to fit relays)

You get the option of with or without in-built side lights when you buy them, but if you do opt for sidelights, you then will have to connect them up yourself.

Colyn
Colyn Firth

Jack

Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe the age of your car makes it MoT exempt. Therefore it is possible it was never MoT'd when imported back into the UK. With that assumptions it could be possible that you still have continental lights on your car. Have you checked?

Steve
Steve Gyles

Jack
I have fitted Cibie 7" headlights with H4 halogen bulbs and have bought a new set for my rebuilt car. I remember them being much brighter and they have a very sharp beam cut off when dipped. I have fitted units without side lights which I think are still available but maybe more costly.
Brian
Brian Paddon

Hi Steve, the guy I bought the car from restored it and it was MOT at the beginning of the year,
It was imported back into the uk in 1991
A friend if mine thought I had sealed beam units in place, I guess I'd better take them out and have a look, can't see any name on the lens.
Just thought it's easier to carry bulbs than a sealed beam unit. That was my reason for changing.
As it has been MOT I would guess the lights are correct for this country.
Jack New Forest

Thanks Brian, where did you get yours from ?
Jack New Forest

Jack

Ok. Just a thought. I use Osram H4 Night Breaker bulbs. Someone on this forum recommended them to me. Certainly a lot brighter than standard Halogen bulbs. Not too expensive. I bought mine here: http://www.hids-direct.co.uk/search.php?search_query=64193nbp

Steve
Steve Gyles

Jack, Colyn

Are these the Cibie ones on ebay item no: 230545956036?
John Francis

sorry, should be no relay required. they draw so little current that the standard loom is absolutely fine
dominic clancy

Jack
I have checked my file and find I purchased mine in 2006, rather a long rebuild. However Larkspeed have 7" Cibie H180 without sidelights at £34.99 on their website. Mine cost £66.68 pair in 2006 so that price sounds good. Bulbs are extra at your choice. I have noticed that some brighter bulbs are described as only suitable for off road use.
Brian
Brian Paddon

Thanks Brian, and thanks the rest of the guys all good stuff
as usual.
Jack New Forest

Hi Jack
Been thinking about your headlights and that you will need LHD dipping if in France? so you may need to think of the best lights to buy.
I guess you will have to place stickers over the RHD lens when in France.
Brian
Brian Paddon

Yes ?Brian I normally carry the stickers, but never used them yet, I try and avoid night driving.
Jack New Forest

It was me that recommended the Nightbreaker H4's. Much better than Halogen.

It is the fitment of Zenon or HID type lights that is illegal for road use on our cars. They are not type approved and the beam spread will dazzle oncoming drivers.

regards
Colin
Colin Manley

John,
The 7" cibie headlights are advertised now by Demon Tweeks, I would tend to trust demon tweeks to supply the genuine cibie lamp, the ones on ebay may be genuine but........!
Colyn v
Colyn Firth

Hi Dominic.
Which are the LED headlight bulbs you recommend? My Google'ing around brings up all sorts of info about issues of heat given off them, need for appreciable space behind the bulbs and various good and bad light output/cool or warm colour. Presume you have actual good experience to share. Thanks.
Bruce.
Bruce Mayo

I bought these

http://www.dynamoregulatorconversions.com/led-headlamp-bulbs-shop.php

They work well and are as bright as a Xenon bulb. The dip pattern is also fine with a good cutoff when used in an approved reflector. They fit inside the standard headlamp bucket and the braided straps act as the heatsink to the bucket.

They do warn not to try one and compare the effect against a standard bulb or sealed beam, but I have no idea why this should damage the bulb.

dominic clancy

Dominic

They look interesting. Are those 2 spades on the 'plug' marked for hi/lo beam? Or is it trial and error?

Steve
Steve Gyles

Mine came with a three pin connector that was just plug and play from the H4 bulbs. I think it's just the angle of the photo that makes it hard to see the third spade. I have the driver cube inside the buckets too.
dominic clancy

They look like a nice low power drain item for "off road use in the UK"; the reason being the dazzle I mentioned previously (resulting from a chat with an MOT Inspector)

Regards
Colin
Colin Manley

Jack
I have a pair of 7" lamps bought in error. I wanted the type with side light included.
They are complete with bulbs. I'm just down the road from you in Lymington and you are welcome to take them off my hands.
David
David Marklew

Colin

As I said in my description, there is a sharp cutoff of the beam on dipped setting, so there is no dazzle problem. This is confirmed by other club members when we are driving in convoy in tunnels. As so much it depends on the quality of the reflectors and headlamp lens.
dominic clancy

......and then there are those of us with pre 1960 cars exempt MoT! But like Jack I choose to avoid night driving now when possible.

Steve
Steve Gyles

David, thanks very much for the offer, I ordered a pair of Cibie before your post. But if they are not what I want, I may come back to you once again thanks.

Cheers Jack
Jack New Forest

David
See email to you, offsite.
Best
Bruce.
Bruce Mayo

Hi David. One last try - been trying to contact you. (brucemayo@talk21.com)
Bruce.
Bruce Mayo

Re Colin Firth's post, when I received the tripods lamps I was quick to install them on my A. They looked great and I was very happy with them. Until one evening our local club had an evening run. We set off early in the evening,(still daylight), but about half way in the run darkness fell and naturally I switched the headlights on, The lights were so weak that I thought that one of the bulbs had blown. Driving on roads with no street lighting was quite frightening. I have since replaced the tripods with a pair of original Lucas lenses. As Colin said in his post, I hardly do any night driving, but I don't want to take any more chances just in case.

Frank
F. Camilleri

Wow Dominic - those LEDs are a snip at £75 for a pair of bulbs.
Cam Cunningham

Thanks guys for the info, I've bought a pair of Cibie 7" and Osram H4 night busters fit in the morning and show you the pics. Happy boy now.

Cheers Jack.
Jack New Forest

Frank,
now you know why I would only agree to give you the Tripod headlamps and not sell them to you! :-)

Cheers
Colyn
Colyn Firth

Cam

There is postage on top of that. But they really are fantastically better than H4 halogens
dominic clancy

I must say I am seriously tempted by Dominic's lights, despite Colin's words of caution about their legality in the MGA (UK). I get blinded by so many modern cars (both head on and behind) with dazzling headlights that I think it's pay back time! - Just swap the bulbs over for my (voluntary) MoT.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Yes, Steve. i think similar about some modern cars set ups. I think the low floor height of our cars and the 'height' of our eyeline exacerbates the dazzle aspect.

regards
Colin
Colin Manley

My old halogen sealed beams were of better beams than the tripods but the tripods do look good. Nevertheless, I think I'll return to good lighting and freshen up the adjusters in both buckets.

Hella or Ciebe? I saw an ad for Ciebe with "city lights" that would wire to the running lights, probably requiring some modifications. Are these the "sidelights" mentioned?

Thanks

Ted

Ted Persons

What color is the light from the led bulbs? Real white, or that kind of purplish color that seems to pass for white in many application? I got an LED flashlight last year, very purplish in color, that gave me migraine auras when I used it.
David Breneman

I have been asked if they are Xenon a few times. No color fringes or halos, just pure bright white.
dominic clancy

New Cibies fitted and working well, with Osram halogens fitted.


Jack New Forest

Sorry about the upside down picture, don't know why it does that, I can download pics. On Facebook and also send pics on emails and they are never upside down, why are they wrong way up on this site ?

Cheers Jack.
Jack New Forest

This thread was discussed between 28/02/2016 and 08/03/2016

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