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MGB headlight upgrades

To: todd@mudbug.nrlssc.navy.mil
Subject: MGB headlight upgrades
From: "Christopher A. Kantarjiev" <cak@parc.xerox.com>
Date: Thu, 7 Jul 1994 13:41:12 PDT
It is usually the case that the headlights in our cars are not fused. I
ascribe this to nothing other than false economy bordering on foolishness. 

Chances are that your headlamp wiring is wired with 18 or 16 gauge
wire. This will probably take the current, though you may see that the
lamp output is dimmed from what you would want. 100 watt bulbs would
really like to be wired with 14 ro 12 gauge wire.

The more worrisome issue is the switch. When I upgraded my TR4A, I
found that the wiring to the column switch was 18 gauge, and the switch
contacts looked pretty wimpy. Since I was adding changeover relays for
driving lamps anyway, I dug into the wiring diagram and added fuses and
relays for all aspects of the headlamp circuit. With some thought and
futzing, I was able to do it without cutting any wires - I could go
back to the original spec if I wanted to.

You might invest $25 or so in a pair of Sylvania sealed beam halogens.
I put these into my GT6+ and am almost as happy with them as with the
100W Lucas tripods in the TR4A. The lens/reflector pattern is actually
more modern/efficient, and I suspect that the 18 gauge wire that runs
out to the tripods dissipates much of the extra current that the 100W
high beams would like to draw, resulting in only a minimal increase in light 
output.


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