I don't know the history - maybe you can identify what's what from itchy's other photo:
I was going to take more photos of mine, but I think itchy's shows everything very clearly. It shows the old style headlamp, with the original bulb on the left and the newer style H4 bulb on the right. The H4 bulb drops into the hole in the headlamp, and is then held in place by the gold coloured ring in the other photo. Yes, the H4 lamp can rotate freely within the headlamp hole, but it's not difficult to get it oriented properly before tightening the gold coloured ring.
The bulb seen on the left is as I said, a conversion style bulb (an old P45T round base but with a Halogen glass envelope)
Not a standard H4 bulb with P43t base.
These are going in at the weekend Those conversion bulbs (which they are) were commonly fitted in Beetles as a way to go from tungsten to halogen. By the early 80s VW had accommodated more modern bulb fittings.
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CovKid wrote:What gold coloured ring? All I see is the base of the bulb turned to locate in the spring lugs.
I can't be bothered to get my camera out , but the gold coloured ring is separate from the bulb base - in itchy's photo showing both bulbs he's actually pushed the H4 bulb (on the right) into the ring so it looks like it's part of the bulb base.
CovKid wrote:Actually, perhaps a more pertinent question would be why would you be messing about with new bulbs in those old rusty headlights.
I agree - it's all gone a bit unnecessary since the OP's question, but he did ask if he could use old style headlights to replace his rusty newer style units. I maintain that he can, and he can fit newer H4 bulbs into them - no need for conversion bulbs. I had exactly that setup for a while and they were fine.
"I'm a man of means, by no means....King of the Road!"
It'd be difficult to know how correct the beam might be unless you compared the position of the filament to the base between a bulb that just drops in and one that can be fitted as shown. I remember trying this with just a bulb and reflector in a mates workshop and even minor changes altered the focus/pattern considerably.
If it works then thats grand although you may be 10-20 years or so too late in highlighting it. I'm experimenting with a stack of modern lights loaned to me by someone who sells them. Its not often you get chance to test to such a degree and quite a challenge to work out what figures I need to concentrate on. 'Focus' will be an important aspect for me anyway.
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[quote="CovKid"]It'd be difficult to know how correct the beam might be unless you compared the position of the filament to the base between a bulb that just drops in and one that can be fitted as shown. I remember trying this with just a bulb and reflector in a mates workshop and even minor changes altered the focus/pattern considerably.
If it works then thats grand although you may be 10-20 years or so too late in highlighting it. I'm experimenting with a stack of modern lights loaned to me by someone who sells them. Its not often you get chance to test to such a degree and quite a challenge to work out what figures I need to concentrate on. 'Focus' will be an important aspect for me anyway.["Covkid"]
CovKid wrote:I'm experimenting with a stack of modern lights loaned to me by someone who sells them. Its not often you get chance to test to such a degree and quite a challenge to work out what figures I need to concentrate on. 'Focus' will be an important aspect for me anyway.
Indeed - the shape of the beam pattern on something like a garage door will tell you if the pattern is roughly right. The lights I've put in have a good pattern, but one thing I've noticed on the road, that isn't immediately obvious from the garage door test, is that there's more light cast on the road in front of the van - between the bumper and the beam's main focus point - than I remember with the old lights. There's more of a spread of even light. Since that area won't dazzle anyone I'm quite happy with that - it feels like I can see more of the road. I've yet to go through an MOT with these lights. The seller states in his eBay advert that "These lights are not E Marked but are RHD MOT passing lights". I guess I'll find out soon enough.
"I'm a man of means, by no means....King of the Road!"
California Dreamin wrote:So....the question is...can you bodge a H4 bulb in to an old style P45T mount... and the answer appears to be yes.
Exactly.
California Dreamin wrote:...something like a decent pattern.
???
In the same way that these 'conversion' bulbs give 'something like' a decent pattern you mean? Seriously - they're fine. Itchy, back me up here!
I wasn't meaning to be sarcastic Chris .... whilst a conversion bulb is designed to sit properly in the mount with the keyway indent in the correct position so the small reflector within the bulb is pointing in the right direction and the two filaments are being suspended within the reflector at the correct 3D co-ordinates (withing the lamp void) ....a bodged mounted H4 may not!
If the pattern looks about right...then that's a win from me but the pattern could so easily be completely wrong and be blinding oncoming traffic....One person may install a H4 like this and it be fine whilst another doing the same thing may get a completely unacceptable pattern....thats what I'm trying to say.
Agree. That was the point I was making too. As I said, I spent a while playing with the position of a halogen bulb inside a reflector and you had to be fairly precise or the effect was dramatic.
Ah, the crystal eye versions. Yes those are amongst those I'm testing oddly enough. The improved light on the road is undoubtedly due to be better reflectors Chris. As I said a while back, good as Hella light pods were, they do not compare to those in production now - other than perhaps their longevity. I agree with you, better illumination without dazzle is a good thing. Its when people attempt to shove HID bulbs in old lamps that things become unacceptable.
Testing the ones pictured earlier at the weekend. Even with relays and good bulbs the area lit is not good in my oipinion. The move to the budget £7 ECP units was worthwhile but in common with the Hella ones, the focus leaves much to be desired so hopefully these will fare better.
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California Dreamin wrote:One person may install a H4 like this and it be fine whilst another doing the same thing may get a completely unacceptable pattern....thats what I'm trying to say.
Yes, I'll give you that. I didn't experiment with the bulb at the wrong orientation, but I can imagine it would mess up the pattern.
CovKid wrote:
Testing the ones pictured earlier at the weekend. Even with relays and good bulbs the area lit is not good in my oipinion. The move to the budget £7 ECP units was worthwhile but in common with the Hella ones, the focus leaves much to be desired so hopefully these will fare better.
I see that the ones you pictured are listed by the same seller who I bought mine from, and he claims he's had them specially developed. I reckon he'll find a ready market for them - the 'angel eye' effect in mine only shows up well in dim light, so the LEDs in his new ones will be an improvement in that respect I'm sure. Looking forward to seeing the results.
"I'm a man of means, by no means....King of the Road!"
Those conversion bulbs (which they are) were commonly fitted in Beetles as a way to go from tungsten to halogen. By the early 80s VW had accommodated more modern bulb fittings.
, but the gold coloured ring is separate from the bulb base - in itchy's photo showing both bulbs he's actually pushed the H4 bulb (on the right) into the ring so it looks like it's part of the bulb base.
