Driving Spot lights on an MX-5

[angusis2fast4u]

After buying my MX-5 i realised how bad the headlights are in these cars (NA) so i went and bought these off ebay: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/2-x-6INCH-HID-XENON-75W-DRIVING-LIGHTS-SPOT-4X4-OFF-ROAD-4WD-UTE-FLOOD-WORK-12V-/231026608967?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item35ca424b47&_uhb=1

i haven't fitted them to a car yet but i hooked them up to a battery one night and they are amazing for the price. as stated i haven't fit them to the car yet and this is where i should have done some research before purchasing them but will the NA's alternator be able to keep up with the 2x 75w lights? I bought HID's due to their brightness and energy efficiency but i don't know how good these alternators are.[url][/url]

also if i were to also add some HID headlights into the car would this again pose a threat to my alternator?

1990 Eunos Roadster

[lizard]

My feeling is driving lights need to be a certain min height to be effective. And to be effective on a MX5 they would need to mounted on the bonnet yep the bonnet

[sailaholic]

75 watt is kinda high powered for a hid. Are you sure they are 75 watt? Ie checked all the components to see if they are rated at 75 (not uncommon for eBay stuff to be mismatched ballasts etc)

Might pay to confirm what they actually draw in terms of current?

Being a 1990 eunos, have you checked to see if it still has the sealed beam headlights?

If it has, toss them and put adm semi sealed beams in.

If semi sealed What globes are fitted? You can get high output 55/60 watt globes that are an improvement or go to something like a 55/100 watt to get more high beam for rural driving.

Mounting the spotlights your basicly going to need a rally pod in the bonnet or a nudge bar. Any lower and they will have to point up which will blind people.

When you think about doing this luck your headlights up, then tape some news paper across them to fill in the gap and see if you will loose too much forward vision.

Finally, consider how far down the road the hid throw and how much driving you so with no oncoming cars. I think you'll struggle to use them unless your roo spotting on the Warrego highway.

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[Apu]

Have you considered replacing your headlights?

[angusis2fast4u]

75 watt is kinda high powered for a hid. Are you sure they are 75 watt? Ie checked all the components to see if they are rated at 75 (not uncommon for eBay stuff to be mismatched ballasts etc)

Might pay to confirm what they actually draw in terms of current?

Being a 1990 eunos, have you checked to see if it still has the sealed beam headlights?

If it has, toss them and put adm semi sealed beams in.

If semi sealed What globes are fitted? You can get high output 55/60 watt globes that are an improvement or go to something like a 55/100 watt to get more high beam for rural driving.

Mounting the spotlights your basicly going to need a rally pod in the bonnet or a nudge bar. Any lower and they will have to point up which will blind people.

When you think about doing this luck your headlights up, then tape some news paper across them to fill in the gap and see if you will loose too much forward vision.

Finally, consider how far down the road the hid throw and how much driving you so with no oncoming cars. I think you'll struggle to use them unless your roo spotting on the Warrego highway.

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Can you fill me in on the sealed and semi sealed headlights? i haven't heard of that before. So if i was normal i would just replace the headlights but i am obsessed with rally (goodluck to me in an mx, i know) and have always loved the look of sports cars with pods, not being able to afford a pod i am making a bar, similar to a nudge bar, to hold the lights at a level between the indicators and headlight height. I realise the practicality of it but I am in year 12 and i do a subject where we get to build and design a product of our own choice and i couldn't think of anything else so i chose this

so to sum up can you link or tell me about this semi sealed headlights?

[Mr Morlock]

Angus- you need to do a bit of reading. There are some good sites to learn about automotive lighting- Wikipedia is a good start.

Driving lights are designed for long range ie they throw a very long beam. However they are next to useless for most drivers especially anyone spending most of their time in an around suburbia. YOu cannot use them with oncoming traffic it is dangerous - just the same as a high beam on you headlight cannot be used unless the oncoming cars are not close ( look up the distance).

You can mount driving lights ( suitable size on such things as accessory bars- the Police use them and these attach centrally often behind the number plate mount. If you do country driving on B roads then a driving lights a good idea. Check out a Police car - these are made of aluminium and readily available but not everyone sees a need for d/ls. I have a few sets of d/ls but have not fitted them to an MX5 yet.

The NA headllights in Au were fitted with a semi sealed beam insert - what this means is that it is not a all glass fully sealed beam- the semi sealed beam ( generic term) has a replaceable light source ie an H4 bulb- it is sealed with a fitted boot.Sailholic could be right - the vehicle might have glass sealed beams- one of the usual giveaways is that the external lens is convex whereas a s/s is flat. If you headlights are old and tarnished etc you can buy replacement units eg Hella units- good quality, good optics and tried and proven. Standard bulbs ( eg Philips o Osram are excellent.- 60/55W are ok. If the insert is new or in good condition and you are not losing voltage thru bad connections the lights are pretty good. Anyone having problem seeing at night with a good quality 7in round headlamp system need to go to a optometrist for a check- and I am serious- plenty of drivers are not legal for sight.

PS I can guarantee that quality lighting is better than cheap knock off companies. Good lighting requires years of experience and know how- Hella as an example has been making lighting for more than 100 years.

[sailaholic]

Yeah guessed you had a rally influence.

Morlock covered most of it.

Did a similar subject in year 12, keep it simple or you won't finish it.

Edit: good luck and post pic / design thoughts as you go. :-)

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[angusis2fast4u]

Angus- you need to do a bit of reading. There are some good sites to learn about automotive lighting- Wikipedia is a good start.

Driving lights are designed for long range ie they throw a very long beam. However they are next to useless for most drivers especially anyone spending most of their time in an around suburbia. YOu cannot use them with oncoming traffic it is dangerous - just the same as a high beam on you headlight cannot be used unless the oncoming cars are not close ( look up the distance).

You can mount driving lights ( suitable size on such things as accessory bars- the Police use them and these attach centrally often behind the number plate mount. If you do country driving on B roads then a driving lights a good idea. Check out a Police car - these are made of aluminium and readily available but not everyone sees a need for d/ls. I have a few sets of d/ls but have not fitted them to an MX5 yet.

The NA headllights in Au were fitted with a semi sealed beam insert - what this means is that it is not a all glass fully sealed beam- the semi sealed beam ( generic term) has a replaceable light source ie an H4 bulb- it is sealed with a fitted boot.Sailholic could be right - the vehicle might have glass sealed beams- one of the usual giveaways is that the external lens is convex whereas a s/s is flat. If you headlights are old and tarnished etc you can buy replacement units eg Hella units- good quality, good optics and tried and proven. Standard bulbs ( eg Philips o Osram are excellent.- 60/55W are ok. If the insert is new or in good condition and you are not losing voltage thru bad connections the lights are pretty good. Anyone having problem seeing at night with a good quality 7in round headlamp system need to go to a optometrist for a check- and I am serious- plenty of drivers are not legal for sight.

PS I can guarantee that quality lighting is better than cheap knock off companies. Good lighting requires years of experience and know how- Hella as an example has been making lighting for more than 100 years.

The lights I find are good enough as long as street lights are around, if there are no streetlights i find myself always going for the high beam, i never have done this in the car i previously regularly drove; a pajero. The lights were NEVER intended for use in suburbia not only because its a danger to everyone else but the brightness of reflection from road signs is unbearable. As for my eyesight, i have never needed glasses and don't now, i do realise it is a 23 year old car and technologies have changed I don't expect these headlights to compare to a modern 4x4 which is what im used to. No, i was going to buy Lightforce lights as they have a lower K rating meaning the lights have clarity and not glare which higher K lights a known to have, but at the end of the day I'm not spending $400 which can be unscrewed from the front of the car easily within 5 minutes

As i stated before, i do realise it would have been 1000x's easier to just replace the headlights, but what fun would that be? my car would be exactly the same just that i can see further. now my car gets the rally look which i love and i have lights which can see further than ill ever need.

I will read and investigate the headlight situation more as i will still replace them, they just aren't a priority compared to getting a hardtop and rollbar which cost a lot more money than i originally thought would.

[sailaholic]

Replacement lights should be able to be done for about 150. Repco etc have generic semi sealed beams. What till they have a sale on globes then pick up some of the performance ones or buy only.

Retail for the +100 bulbs from narva / philips / osram is about 100 by you can get them online or in sale closer to 60.

Atleast check your current ones so you know if you need the upgrade (checking is free)

Also look for headlight alignment specs then park your car facing the wall as per the specs and make sure they are not adjusted down...

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[angusis2fast4u]

Replacement lights should be able to be done for about 150. Repco etc have generic semi sealed beams. What till they have a sale on globes then pick up some of the performance ones or buy only.

Retail for the +100 bulbs from narva / philips / osram is about 100 by you can get them online or in sale closer to 60.

Atleast check your current ones so you know if you need the upgrade (checking is free)

Also look for headlight alignment specs then park your car facing the wall as per the specs and make sure they are not adjusted down...

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Zombie bump... I am in the final phase of getting my 'light bar" done and am looking towards improving the headlights as well, do you know where i can find the specs you were talking about here? i don't have an owners manual which is where i'm guessing would be the best place to look

[sailaholic]

Ahh wondered how you were doing. I'll have a look in my manual in the morning. Somewhere around is a link to all the manuals hosted online, I downloaded them, but since lost them.


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[angusis2fast4u]

Ahh wondered how you were doing. I'll have a look in my manual in the morning. Somewhere around is a link to all the manuals hosted online, I downloaded them, but since lost them.


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Thanks man, much appreciated. Did you lose the link to the manual? I want to print one off for the glovebox

[sailaholic]

Yah, Hard drive in the laptop died from memory.
Sorry about the rotation, app won't let me fix it.




Pm me with your email if you need the Hi res version.

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[angusis2fast4u]

Finally got around to it, not really intended to be on the car 24/7 but seems sturdy enough to be, definitely seems good up nebo.

My feeling is driving lights need to be a certain min height to be effective. And to be effective on a MX5 they would need to mounted on the bonnet yep the bonnet

Not true

Yeah guessed you had a rally influence.

Morlock covered most of it.

Did a similar subject in year 12, keep it simple or you won't finish it.

Edit: good luck and post pic / design thoughts as you go. :-)

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Sorry i didn't get around to posting as i go the process was slow and changed design a few times as well as busy with other subjects

With the lights down

More from the side..


It's not the best it could have been but i had to keep it simple so i could complete it, if i were to do it again i would mount it up where the tow hooks mount onto the chassis so it was more permanent and find a way so that the lights didn't extend so far forward off the car, so that the bar hits before the bumper or lights in the case of a small bump.

What do you guys think?

[sailaholic]

Given the time and resources in guessing you had to work with I recon you did really well.

Bet they burn the paint of the cars parked on the road :-P.

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