General 100W Headlamp Bulbs

[smokingdragon]

Hi

Using my 2000 Ducato based Motorhome I drove on some unlit roads and discovered how sh*t my lights were, even on full beam no-one flashed me!!

Admittedly I had installed some 'blue' bulbs fro E-Bay, but I have to do something about them

Years ago, I once put 100W bulbs in my Car (Marina 1.8) and had no issues with the loom melting etc, will the same be said for the Ducato or should I stick with some of the 50%+ Philips bulbs?

Simon

 

[dave]

it will melt, its Italian electrics dont forget, nice HID kits in classified and ebay

 

[smokingdragon]

HID are not good without the projector lenses!!

 

[OilBurner]

I have a 1993 Ducato-based motorhome. It is fitted with 100w main beams, no problem. However, that is of course the previous model-series to yours. If you are in any doubt, you can get car bulbs that are more efficient and so produce more light for less watts (a big like low energy bulbs at home).

 

[Old-Boy racer]

I'm surprised you're able to go fast enough to outrun your headlights in a motorcaravan !

 

[smokingdragon]

They are very bad!!!!

 

[dave]

i should add that the 100w bulbs are not road legal

 

[OilBurner]

i should add that the 100w bulbs are not road legal

Obviously I only use them on the track

 

[OilBurner]

I'm surprised you're able to go fast enough to outrun your headlights in a motorcaravan !

I'd like them to extend further forwards than my braking distance, also to ensure that I am not surprised by any bends because sudden manoeuvers are not really its forte

 

[Ozzie1989]

Another suggestion would be to add some spotlights to the grille, you can get really small oblong or oval ones now that ARE road legal and will light up at a much further distance than your main beams even though they too only use 55w bulbs. It's to do with the lens that sends the light further and then your headlights will light up whats in front of you so to speak. That way you don't risk failing an MOT, melting any looms etc. The 50+ bulbs will help a little, but not a lot!

 

[Old-Boy racer]

A couple of questions, when you say 2000 Ducato based motorhome, do you mean year 2000 or 2litre because your signature says 1993? I have a 1994 Citroen motorhome which I've never had a problem with the lights on although they are better than my previous 1988 Ducato (the square front one). I also have my soon-to-be latest motorcaravan which is a 2004 Ducato on which the lights are amazingly good. I thought the model changed around year 2000.
I'm obviously missing something here too - what do you mean by blue headlights? If you mean police colour blue like the boy racers seem to love, then it's no wonder you can't see. If you mean bluish as in Xenon headlamps then I can't believe they're too dark. Have you checked the voltage to the bulbs? Maybe there's a more fundamental problem with the charging/battery so that the voltage is low.

 

[Niall_G]

Just a suggestion - Have you checked the condition of the reflectors in the back of the headlights? If they aren't in good condition they will adsorb the light rather than sending it down the road.

I once had a similar problem on a car and I only realised how bad the refelectors were when compared to those in a new headlight.