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MG MGB Technical - halogen lights

My 70 B roadster has original looking headlights that aren't very bright. Can the electrical system handle halogens or something similar without ill effects? As I get older bright lights become more important, and I am spoiled by the Zenons on my other car. Has anyone had any bad (or good) experiences here?
michael

Moss just published an article on Halogen headlights in "British Motoring", www.britishmotoring.net.
Dan Robinson

Michael - Before going to the expense of halagon bulbs, check the grounds for the headlights and the wiring to the lights. the bullet connectors have a nasty habit of building up resistance, which decreases the voltage to the lights and can result in heat build up enough to melt the insulation on the wires (happened to me). I would suggest changing all the bullet connectors for the head light circuit to the Posi-lock type of connector <http://www.posi-lock.com/> and then smear some dielectric grease in each end of hte connector to keep out any moisture. As for the ground for the head light (and all other ground points), see my article on Ground Point Preperation at: http://www.omgtr.ca/technical/General%20Technical/grounding.htm
I would suggest you do the above even if you do change to halagon bulbs. Good luck - Dave
David DuBois

Even better, wire in a relay. I think Paul Hunt's site has instructions ("Pages of Bee and Vee"). I went to Wipac halogens in replacement for the original sealed units and was mighty fed up to see the mirrors rust horribly in less 18 months.
Steve Postins

Buy euro code headlights. Hellas aren't cheap but worth the money. Don't buy the ones at Moss as they are DOT lights. Do a Google search or look on eBay.

BTW, I use antiseize on all the connectors to prevent corrosion.
Mike MaGee

Sorry - excuse my stupidity - but what are DOT lights?

Stoo
Stuart Robson

I am putting halogens in the tail and brake lights but will do the relay route first...least expensive fix for what I hear is significant benefit. Did the same thing for my heater motor and kicked it up 15% or so.
J.T. Bamford

Mike, I think Hella's belong in German cars and Wipac or Lucas in an MG. It just looks better IMO.
Willem van der Veer

DOT = Department of Transportation, never ahead of the times, seldom with it, but always inept with the past.

There are a number of pickups here raised to rediculous heights. In a rear ender, they would completely run over my MGB and I would become much shorter and headless. Yet they are legal.

As I recall, the rubber bumper law was due to our chrome bumpers being 2 inches too low.
Dan Robinson

Several years ago I installed halogen headlites on my 74B in an effort to increase safety. I have never had a problem with them and in fact ran a second wire thru an ignition switched circuit on the fuse box thru an added dash switch to the low beams so as to have automatic daytime running lites. Too many people around driving big SUV's while talking on their cell phones so I'm trying to increase visibility. It really seems to work too! I'm convinced its prevented several people from pulling out in front of me. I've also mounted a rear third stop lite on my rear license frame... these have been known to work too! Anyway the elecrical system seems to handle it OK although I do make it a habit of putting the battery on a trickle charger a couple times a year. I got them at a local auto parts store cheap.
Bob Ekstrand

Just last night on the way home I was lamenting the poor lighting on my 77 "B". I know it is possible on my 77 B to pull the headlamp dimmer switch rearward which allows both the low and high beams to operate at the same time. I also recall seeing a link somewhere with instructions on the installation of a relay for this purpose. The use of both beams made a great difference.
R Hill

If you do go with halogens, certainly inst~~~ relays. The OE rocker switches on Bs tend to melt with the excessive juice flowing through them. I found out the hard way.

BTW, you'll need a relay for the low beams AND a separate relay for the high beams. Bob Meunch has a great website showing how to go about it. At least I think it was Bob.
Luigi

DOT = Department of Transportation in US speak. The beam patterns are completely different than E-4 lights and IMHO, a lot worse.
Mike MaGee

Nice thing about the halogens is you can get replacement bulbs with diferent wattages. Heck, I think JC Whitney still sells replacement bulbs 55/130 "for off-road use only" pretty cheap. Great for cooking with as well. I've already melted one original headlight rocker switch, so a good relay setup is well advised.

Regards,

Brian C.
Brian Corrigan

"55/130 for off road use only" - Hmmm, that would make another reason for upgrading to that 80 amp one wire alternator!
R Hill

I bought a pair of halogen headlamps from LBCarco. They have an extra light built into them that you can wire up as running lights in addition to the two main filaments. I've seen some really bright LED tailights and brake lights on some custom cars. Anybody know anything about them?
R. L Carleen

Maybe it's time to invest in a good set of auxiliary driving lights for the B.You can wire in to a new switch, a good relay and a fat wire to the starter relay input, and have a nice safe system that will be there when you need it. My little toggle switch is down on the console,still handy for a quick flip on or off.
G. Wayne Hardy

When going with a halogen lights with blubs that are greater than 65 on high beam, make sure you have the headlights aimed correctly. The cops will over look hot lights if they don't blind on-coming cars.
Jim Lema

being older than I'll admit I also like bright lites at night. I installed a set of the new sylvania silver star lights several months ago in my 79B and now I find reasons to go out driving after dark. They are bright.They are available at advance auto parts for around 20.00 ea.
bill dwyer

Everyone has their preferences and needs in lighting, and it is still good that lamps from outfits like Hella, etc are still offered. After having spent money on Marchal's and Cibie's, I will admit that they are bright, but have a distinctive European pattern that not everyone feels suits their needs or keep the local constabulary happy.

I use the Sylvania XtraVision 7" halogen lamps, and find, that for the money, I can see every bit as well under virtually all driving conditions as with the euro brands. Heresy, I know, but it does depend on what you look for and expect to be able to see. For my purposes, they do a credible job of lighting the road ahead, not necessarily every thing ahead of or above the car.

However, in my usage, I actually use three lamp brightnesses. There are the two standard ones, low and high beam, and then, when I pull back on the light stalk for flash, both filaments light up for even more light. Using relays for my headlighting means that I can get away with this without much trouble and most of the time, I only need the Overkill lighting for brief periods anyway. FWIW.
Bob Muenchausen

Jim,

Spot on. If you go with wattage that makes a significant contribution to global warming, make sure they are aimed properly as a courtesy to fellow drivers...and the constable.

Safety fast,

Brian C.
Brian Corrigan

Or move to Nevada lol!
The Highway Patrol only seems to care if MGB's drive with a headlight out (and only MGB's for some strange reason that I won't trouble you about here... Idaho too, and Washington, and don't forget Oregon, ooops I said I wouldn't start!)

I put halogens on my "B" and the light intensity instantly doubled. Didn't install a relay but that would help. Definitely go over the grounds first! Heck, I have trouble even finding "standard" headlights anymore.

Does anyone really need 130W lights for reasonable driving? By the time I see a deer it is past me anyway (brush by side of curvy road).

LED lights are the bomb! They use much less power and are VERY bright. They also tend to last five to ten times longer than filament type lights! Of course when you find them hold on to your wallet!

mike!
mike!

OK, Mike! Nevada, name us a source for the Bright LEDs... Enquiring minds and poorly lit MGBs are just dying to know where they come from and who makes them. I bought some from Schuck's/Kragen/Checker and they were a bust, not a bomb. As I recall, the halogen alternatives to incandescent bulbs (1157s, etc) were not exactly cheap either. I replaced all my outer lighting with halogens from LBCar Co. a number of years ago and they seem to be doing just fine too. However, I am sure that I am not the only person here interested in a source for the BRIGHT LEDs, they certainly would be a much lower current and longer lived alternative.
Bob Muenchausen

Bob,

LED's are available from - http://www.norbsa02.freeuk.com/goffyleds.htm

Geoff
Geoff King

Geoff....

Have you tried them ?

I'm tempted.....but as an honorary Scotsman surely you find the price is off-putting..I know it is for me, I calculate I have 10 bulbs to replace !

Mike
Michael barnfather

Mike,

I considered the stop/tail lights and had some correspondence with Paul Goff. The LEDs are 26.00 per pair, but the price put me off even being just an honorary Scot. And now I have read led bulbs are generally not as bright as standard incandescent bulbs, they have many advantages over filament bulbs (longer life, faster on/off times, lower power consumption, more vivid colors) but brightness is not one of them. From http://www.superbrightleds.com/ (another supplier Bob) I dont think Ill bother.

Geoff
Geoff King

I am using the same Sylvania halogen headlamps that Bob mentioned, purchased from the local Autozone, and in terms of lumens per buck they are hard to beat. I am saving my old Lucas bulbs in case I ever need them for a hanger queen concours restoration (like thats ever going to happen...) The Sylvanias seem to be about the equal of the modern lights in my wife's 2004 Malibu.
I am using the LBC halogens for brake lights, for safety reasons.
Bob, do you save the "ovekill" light for those jerks who wont dip their high intensity zenon lights?
Andy Blackley

Andy,
No, I do not retaliate by giving a long blast but just a very quick flash ~ supposedly the "universal" signal that the brights are blinding. If they don't dim their lamps, I just put my hand up to shield my vision from their lights until they pass. I would rather a cop nailed them.

I hope to someday see what the newer Sylvania "BrightStar" (I think that's right) lamps are like ~ they are supposedly brighter still. I want to see if their beams are as well controlled as the XtraVision lamps are. I am rather surprised that the Sylvania lamps work as well as they do as several of the other US made sealed beam Halogen headlamps are not particularly impressive.

As I just mentioned elsewhere, there is an interesting disclaimer at the SuperBright LED site:

"LED bulbs are generally not as bright as standard incandescent bulbs, they have many advantages over filament bulbs but brightness is not one of them."
Bob Muenchausen

Luigi,
Perhaps you are thinking of Rick Astley's site: http://www.mgbexperience.com/electrical/index.html or David Dubois? These both have excellent info on relays and this is where I usually send folks who are interested in adding relays.
Bob Muenchausen

Generally when LED's are used several are ganged together as they are small, they require only 2V per lamp and the INDIVIDUAL output is less than incandescent. However, they draw much less current and last far longer and as a unit are equvalent to incandescent. The only problem is that the flasher relays don't like them as much without a resistor in the circuit (replacement light units include a resistor in the style lights that typically are on a flasher circuit).
I make my own for my camper as it is much cheaper than getting them retail.

Mike!
mike!

Yo, Bob. I do believe you are correct :)

Have a fantastic day.

Luigi
Luigi

Mike,
do you know if the lighting arrays that I now see used on most modern trucks are actually LEDs (the large scale kind) or are they just arrays of incandescent bulbs?

I keep meaning to ask a trucker when I am on the road, but always seem to foget. The concept of a lighting array seems to me to be an excellent one to keep tail lighting functional always. However, the individual light elements do seem to look like the large scale LEDs I have seen. Just curious.
Bob Muenchausen

Ok, now how about those HID lights. Recently I purchased a Toyota that was equipped with self leveling HID lights. In a word, they are just amazing. My B has Ciebie 80/100 halogens - E Code for RHD, but the low power HID lights are sharp, clear and I seldom find the need to use the high beams.
rn
RN Lipow

Dan, I have to say this about your earlier post about the ridiculously high pickups; that in a rear-ender you would end up shorter and "headless"... does that mean that you, personally, could then be called, "head-light"... ?? I had to say that.

My '69 B has had sealed beam Sylvania halogens forever... they came with it when I first bought it used. They've never caused a problem and they're brighter than stock. Not bad.

Roger Hotelling
'69 Roadster
Roger Hotelling

Bob, I don't know fer sure but they certainly look like it don't they!

Mike!
mike!

LED tail lights are easy to spot as they go on and off instantly, whereas incandescent lights come on and off gradually (ie, it takes a split second for them to reach their peak output when power is applied, and a similar amount of time to "cool off" when power is turned off).
David Breneman

This thread was discussed between 30/06/2004 and 09/07/2004

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