[TR] TR6 LED headlamps

[Alex & Janet Thomson]

Don’t forget that the feed or the hot side of the circuit is one part of the
big picture and that the ground side is just as important. Check the quality
of all of the ground connections for the headlight connectors as well as the
connection between the engine block and the body. A voltmeter should show
less than 0.1 volt when the probes are placed at the ground (negative) post
of the battery and the ground terminal of each headlight. Conversely, there
should be less than 0.2 volts when the probes are placed at the positive
terminal of the battery and each of the hot terminals of the headlights.
Your voltmeter test probes may not be long enough to do that but you should
get the picture. Some folks may suggest that my voltage values are
unrealistically low, but it is a goal. Ideally, the total voltage available
across the terminal posts of the battery should be dissipated across the
bulb filament with no appreciable voltage drops in either the insulated or
ground circuits. Testing for these voltage drops is always done with the
headlights on.

 

Alex Thomson

 

From: Triumphs [mailto:triumphs-bounces at autox.team.net] On Behalf Of
keithstewart at bell.net
Sent: Friday, July 30, 2021 5:42 PM
To: 'Jeff Nathanson'; triumphs at autox.team.net
Subject: Re: [TR] TR6 LED headlamps

 

My wife had exactly the same complaint in her TR6. You could do an easy
Quartz Halogen or LED conversion, but there is more to the situation. She
wanted me to install a pair of Driving Lights to increase illumination. I
asked that she let me try something first and if it still was not bright
enough, I would add the Driving Lights later.

 

Part of the problem is the number of switches and junctions that the wiring
goes through before the filament is lighted up.

Diagram

Description automatically generated

Every one of the red circled junction points creates resistance and results
in a loss of power getting to the bulb filaments. What I did was a bit more
costly, but boy did it make a difference. I wrote up the conversion for our
club magazine, the Toronto Triumph Club’s Ragtop, and am happy to share it
if you like, just email me.

 

I used the Advance Auto Wire Headlamp kit (http://www.advanceautowire.com/)
to separately fuse each filament (right, left hi, low) and use relays to
provide the power to each pair of filaments. In this case, your existing
lighting switch only manages the limited power to switch the relay. The
power to the actual filament comes straight from the battery/starter.
Therefore, far more power reaches the filament when the bulb is energized.
This change alone is likely to increase the amount of light on the road.
There are other kits on the market, but IMHO, not as high a quality as the
AAW. If you know your wiring, you can do the individual components yourself.
Additionally, I added Cibié quartz halogen Headlamp conversions.

 

The amount of light on the road is AMAZING. She did not want the driving
lights after she experienced the difference.

 

 

Keith Stewart

keithstewart at bell.net

 

 

  _____  

 

 

From: Jeff Nathanson <jeffn at msystech.com> 
Sent: July 30, 2021 12:06 AM
To: triumphs at autox.team.net
Subject: [TR] TR6 LED headlamps

 

I was driving my 1972 TR6  one night and noticed how dark the roads seem
(compared to my new car). I have Sylvania halogen headlamps in the 6, and
was told that LED is the way to go. Are there any suggestions (other than
drive with the high beams). There seems to be a lot of contradicting
messages on the web like the need to change the wiring, or add a relay,
change the switch, and more. Are there any avenues to avoid?

 

Thanking in advance,

Jeff N.

 

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