[TR] TR3 Headlamp Upgrade

[Alex&Janet Thomson]

Bill - Before you start replacing sealed beam bulbs, make sure that there is 
a good ground connection on each headlight. From the ground terminal of the 
bulb to the grounded side of the battery, there should be no more than 
around 0.2 volts difference when the lights are on.. If there is, then check 
out the integrity of the headlamp ground circuit. Depending on where the 
battery ground terminal is connected, there may be a bad body-to-engine 
ground connection. Conversely, check out the voltage drop along the battery 
insulated circuit. From the battery insulated terminal to the feed terminal 
of each sealed beam bulb, there should only be a few tenths of a volt drop 
when the headlamps are on. Check both low and high beams on each bulb. 
Possible areas causing a voltage drop include the fuse box, light switch, 
and all other connections. Another method is to turn the lights on, and then 
provide an auxiliary feed wire from the battery to each lamp feed terminal - 
if they brighten up, the insulated circuit is weak. Do the same with the 
ground circuit. Make sure that your auxiliary ground wire goes directly to 
the battery. Brighter lights means a weak ground circuit. I would start with 
testing the existing feed and ground systems. If they are weak, fancier and 
higher wattage bulbs may cause even more voltage drop due the extra amperage 
draw.

Alex Thomson

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "William Brewer" <wsb1960tr3a at att.net>
To: "Triumphs" <triumphs at autox.team.net>
Sent: Wednesday, October 13, 2010 8:48 AM
Subject: [TR] TR3 Headlamp Upgrade


>     Well, my TR3 is now my daily driver. My cheap old headlamps put out a 
> weak yellow-ish light. I was thinking that I should upgrade the headlamp 
> lighting.
>     What is the best headlamp upgrade where I don't have to make a new 
> wiring harness?
>     What wiring harness upgrades are already out there?
>     What are other listers happy with?
>     TIA,
>
>     Bill in Tehachapi
>
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