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 Post subject: driving lights
PostPosted: Sat May 21, 2011 5:49 pm 
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998cc
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Joined: Tue May 13, 2008 12:40 pm
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Location: Queensland
ok so i have 4 driving lights across the front of my car and when i have them all on for a while it drains my battery when driving. now will a standard alternator be able to push these 4 100w driving lights ?????? or will i need to get a bigger alternator


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PostPosted: Sat May 21, 2011 5:54 pm 
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998cc
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Location: fitzroy, sojo, victoria
That's a serious amount of lighting. Are you trying to melt the road or burn retinas?
Seriously, you need good relays and a hi output alternator.

Oh, and sunglasses :shock:

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PostPosted: Sat May 21, 2011 6:04 pm 
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998cc
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ive got good relays but dont think the alternator is up for the job will have to get a bigger one :)


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PostPosted: Sat May 21, 2011 6:06 pm 
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Try turning two lights off and see if it makes a difference. (I mean a difference to both vision and battery life.)


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PostPosted: Sat May 21, 2011 6:08 pm 
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998cc
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i was only running 2 and it worked great then mum brought me two more for my birthday and it kills my battery


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PostPosted: Sat May 21, 2011 6:11 pm 
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:lol: :lol: :lol:

So is it much brighter with all four?


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat May 21, 2011 6:19 pm 
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Tomboss Breweros
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Magna alternators are easy to retrofit into a mini, i use the 85A one, cheap second hand and common, if you can, get the adjuster bracket too and modify (bend) it to fit, makes tensioning the belt much easier.

I had 2 100w spotties and H4 headlights with 100w high beam and the 65A one coped ok.

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat May 21, 2011 6:34 pm 
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1360cc
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Fun police alert!

From a legal (adr) point of view you aren't supposed to have that many lights going at once. On my car I have the low beams (duh), high beams come on with the driving lights (how its supposed to be wired up) and the foggies are individually switched, and are only supposed to be on with parkers and nothing else.

Driving around with 6 main beam headlights is asking for trouble with any law man that sees you. If you want them on for looks I'd suggest just putting parker globes in the lights and that won't need an alternator mod.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat May 21, 2011 6:39 pm 
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1275cc
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Location: Brisvages and the Goldie, the place to be..
Harley wrote:
Fun police alert!

From a legal (adr) point of view you aren't supposed to have that many lights going at once. On my car I have the low beams (duh), high beams come on with the driving lights (how its supposed to be wired up) and the foggies are individually switched, and are only supposed to be on with parkers and nothing else.

Driving around with 6 main beam headlights is asking for trouble with any law man that sees you. If you want them on for looks I'd suggest just putting parker globes in the lights and that won't need an alternator mod.


yes and in Cowra mr plod there will pull you up even at day time and will try to book you for it. Not worth it for your doings. Pick the best to u have and add them. That's all i have, and is more than necessary. Adds more weight to your car Jarrad :lol:

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat May 21, 2011 9:45 pm 
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998cc
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Location: Queensland
i worked it out i need a bigger alternator so will fit another alternator in my car and they r wired up so i can turn them on and off when ever i like.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat May 21, 2011 9:49 pm 
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SooperDooperMiniCooper ExpertEngineering
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Location: Under the bonnet son!
4 x 100 + 2 x 60(?) = 520 watts

520watts/12volts = 43 amps.

You have to be careful, I bet your cabling isn't rated for 43 amps continuously.Subtract a few jiggawatts of lighting output from wiring loom heating as well. Run your hands along the loom after the lights have been on for a while and see if you can find the hot spots in your loom. That is a lot of juice for a car.

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat May 21, 2011 9:52 pm 
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998cc
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Location: Queensland
nah its all good i went and saw my mate waric aguston and we rewired the driving lights with the right size wire then told me i need a bigger alternator as the one i have isnt big enough


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat May 21, 2011 10:06 pm 
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848cc
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Joined: Tue Feb 24, 2009 1:57 pm
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Location: Adelaide
"I Got a Mini..."

I have four X 100's on the front of my 850.

I was worried about battery drain. Not that I would use em often. Their just a "Bling thing". Still run the generator.

Anyhow, I swapeed the 100w globes for 50w's. This way I can safely use a 30 amp relay. They seem just as bright. They possibly dont throw as far, but I'm not racing through some forest. They will turn my street into daylight.

Cheers
Alex.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat May 21, 2011 10:51 pm 
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NAV-MAN
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Do what i did. Upgrade the headlights to halogens and get some good globes. End result was my 100w spotlights becoming useless as the highbean is now as good and low beam is awesome.
The spotties may now be useless but i like the look so they stay

But whatever you do make sure you upgrade the wiring all the way from the battery including the alternator. That also makes a difference on its own.

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat May 21, 2011 11:39 pm 
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1098cc
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Joined: Mon Jul 10, 2006 5:59 pm
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Location: Bris / Syd
NAV wrote:
Do what i did. Upgrade the headlights to halogens and get some good globes. End result was my 100w spotlights becoming useless as the highbean is now as good and low beam is awesome.
The spotties may now be useless but i like the look so they stay

But whatever you do make sure you upgrade the wiring all the way from the battery including the alternator. That also makes a difference on its own.


is this an easy thing to do ? just bulbs or whole light and lens ??

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