[Healeys] Optimal lighting form a BN1

[Kees Oudesluijs]

Tricky one.

In general LED is the way to go on old barges but all connections and 
bulb holders must be top notch. The LED lights would use a similar type 
number as the original Tungsten bulbs. There can be a problem with the 
bulbs for the instruments as some may be just slightly to wide and will 
not pass the tubes for the bulb holders. They are quite a bit brighter 
but check if you like the colour as many are quite bluish. Several 
colours are available but if you can find warm white that would be the 
best option I think. Also check that the light is projected upwards 
through a lens and not sideways as many do.

I would keep the brake lights and the indicator lights as Tungsten 
bulbs. Using LED's in the indicator lights also means that you have to 
change the old indicator relay to an electronic one that is not load 
sensitive or fit LED bulbs that have a ballast resistor to compensate. 
Replacement LED's are only slightly brighter, depending on their design. 
They do not always go well with the design of the lens and reflector. 
The same LED light may work very well in one application but look very 
dim in another. I usually buy them in China via Ebay and try out several 
designs in the different applications. They are cheap enough to do some 
experimenting.

LED lights should be chosen in the same colour as the lens. E.g. a white 
LED bulb would be very dim behind a red or amber lens as there is very 
little red and yellow in the spectrum of a white (even warm white) LED 
light.

If you still have the original old Tungsten Duplo head lights you should 
change the complete units to 7" halogen H4 units which will be a lot 
brighter. It is advisable that you use a relay here. Use the original 
harness to switch the relay and use much thicker wire to the H4 bulbs 
including the earth wire. You can have 100W instead if 60W H4 bulbs but 
in Europe these would be illegal. You can also replace the H4 bulb with 
a H4 LED replacement bulb (no relay needed), however this may sometimes 
cause a wrong light pattern, or go for complete 7" LED units that are 
currently available for e.g. JEEP, but the looks are not to everybody's 
taste. I do not think you would need a relay as the power consumption is 
similar to the Duplo bulb.

Keep the halogen bulbs for the driving lights. LED's will probably not 
add that much but again LED replacements are cheap enough to try out.

LED lights do not need any changes to the wiring other than absolute 
cleanliness of the contacts. No relay's really needed.


Kees Oudesluijs


Op 18-12-2019 om 14:39 schreef Michael Oritt:
> As a winter project I would like to upgrade my 100's lighting to 
> provide for optimal brightness all around and would like to get on one 
> piece of paper bulb recommendations to provide maximum lighting:  
> Headlights, sidelights, twin 576 driving lights and dash lights.
> Lighting fixtures are stock except that I have illuminated the rear 
> reflector pods to function as turn signals which have plastic conical 
> lenses
>
> In making recommendations please include relay recommendations and/or 
> where wiring may need to be upgraded.  Charging capacity is not a 
> consideration as I have a 75 amp alternator.
>
> Thanks in advance--Michael Oritt
>
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