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Headlight thread

24K views 70 replies 30 participants last post by  GA240D 
#1 ·
I was wondering maybe we could put all our headlight questions and queries here. Some members were PMing me about what headlights to use after I posted images of my car with headlights on at various angles.

For starters, there are three main headlights the W123 chassis uses that include two European versions and the US DOT version.

Early European version:


Late European version:


US DOT version:


Owners of the US DOT cars will have difficulty at night because of the outdated and inadequate sealed beams. They are inadequate for today's needs and driving habits. Most of them barely illuminate the foreground but have good lateral distribution (to an extent). They also have glare above the horizontal cut-off since US standards demand above-facing light in order to illuminate overhead roadsigns. This just adds to glare especially in heavy city traffic. The European conversions are the best solutions for your money because they:

1. Provide European quality illumination and dispersion of light onto the road, roadsigns, and foreground.

2. Don't require throwing away the lenses unlike sealed beams.

3. They usually cost $100 or below for a nice pair that includes bulbs. Some, like Cibie are quite expensive but I've heard are extremely good too.

4. Research has shown (as per Daniel Stern's articles) that an increase in foreground illumination allows less stress for the driver and gives him/her the confidence to look further into the distance rather than focus on the road directly ahead. European conversions have an abundance of foreground illumination compared to sealed beams.

The best feature of European conversions is its light cut-off that shows a distinct __/__/. This indicates that the flat line doesn't glare oncoming traffic while the sharp cut-off provides roadside illumination as well as to road signs. I was driving last night and noticed that the angle of inclination is equivalent to the angle at which you approach the road visually, so all roadsigns from the distance up until the front of the car are illuminated!! That is some engineering right there.

I have Osram bulbs (when I purchased the Bosch ones from the Philippines as spares and also have Hella bulbs from there. So far they're great. H4's are what you need for these Euro conversions and are also known as 9003 bulbs. Fog lamps use H3.

H4:

H3:


Sources for headlight conversions:

7 inch HELLA H4 Euro conversion
http://www.rallylights.com/hella/7in.asp


7 inch CIBIE H4 Euro conversion
http://www.danielsternlighting.com/products/products.html


7 inch BOSCH H4 Euro conversion
http://www.mercedessource.com/store/item.php?item=Bosch H4 Headlight Upgrade Kit


What bulbs can you use?
Standard H4/9003 60/55W bulbs should work fine with any of them. Make sure the rubber boots fit in snug to get a good seal.

US members who want hassle-free bulbs might want Sylvania Long Life bulbs for really cheap. Others who prefer German/Euro quality might want the German Osram:

http://www.powerbulbs.co.uk/product...History=cat&strKeywords=&SearchFor=&PT_ID=90
...or Phillips Vision Plus:

http://www.powerbulbs.co.uk/product...eHistory=cat&strKeywords=&SearchFor=&PT_ID=90

Daniel Stern provides a good list of high-quality bulbs too:

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/products/products.html



Wiring harnesses
Many of you might want overwattage bulbs. Susquehanna MotorSports sells wiring harnesses but since I have normall wattage lights on my car, don't know much about rewiring and what connections to use:
http://www.rallylights.com/hella/wiring_harnesses.asp

Daniel Stern has also collaborated with Steve Lacker and David Hueppchen to write a good article on relays and why you should use them:
http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/relays/relays.html

Some night shots of my car's headlights with Bosch conversions:





 
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#2 ·
Good thread!
Here´s a photo of the lights i have on my 280E -79.
The "things" there the bulbs is under is black on thess lights, and also the black "things" look different that the ones that i have on my 200 -85.
I havent test it, but i think that they are different that they have different lights on the road, but thats just a thougt.

Also, the "never" euro´s came -83 here in europe, but the 280-models had it from the start as my -79 280E has it then already!

That´s a little bit strange i think!

 
#3 ·
Karugs, thanks! This is great info. I recently purchased Euro code lamps that are convex and resemble the U.S. DOT lamps. I like the curved look of the U.S. sealed beams but the cut and intenisity of the H4 lamps. Great for the city and useful enough when in country. I am using 80/100s which look great!
 
#4 ·
anybody know what the highest wattage bulbs that the stock wiring harness can handle with the aftermarket h4 headlights? also im interested in the bulbs that produce a white light, not the super "Rice burner" look but just the nice white beam instead of the regular halogens, and i was wondering what the best kind to get is. im most likely going to order from this site(http://www.rallylights.com/hella/7in.asp
) but there are so many options i dont know wich ones to get, hopefully some of you know some more info on this, even though patrick knows it all[;)]
 
#6 ·
Hi guys,
I just got the DEPO headlights assemblies yesterday; am going to fix them during this weekend.
I have a question: DEPO headlights do not come with bulbs, right?

Can I use the headlight bulbs from my existing US headlights in the DEPO?

Or should I buy new bulbs to go with them? If yes, what is the rating?

Thanks,
 

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#9 ·
Once again, there is no 'early' vs. 'late' European W123 headlights. It is "low spec" and "high spec" headlights. Ever since the 1976, they have been producing what you would call the 'late' headlights on the top of the line W123 models. Appx 1982, all W123s got the "high spec" headlights, and they did away with the "low spec" for good.

People in North America never seem to get this for some reason.
 
#11 ·
merouby - 2/20/2006 6:07 AM

Once again, there is no 'early' vs. 'late' European W123 headlights. It is "low spec" and "high spec" headlights. Ever since the 1976, they have been producing what you would call the 'late' headlights on the top of the line W123 models. Appx 1982, all W123s got the "high spec" headlights, and they did away with the "low spec" for good.

People in North America never seem to get this for some reason.
Merouby, I didn't know they were called those. I just know that the "early style" lights as how I called them were produced first than the squarish Euros. I hope this clears it up, and either way we look at it it's also nice to know both "terminologies" if I may say so.

benzmizer - 2/19/2006 12:35 AM

Haha! You're right, obaja.

Not to hijack the thread... somewhat related thou... may I ask Señor karugs if there are H4 headlamps for R107? [:p]

Thanks!
Hey BM,

I would think that these lights are the correct ones?

http://www.rallylights.com/hella/5.75_lo.asp

Hi Jim,

I'd also like those low spec Euros! But for now my Bosch conversions do just fine. [:)]
 
#12 ·
Hey BM,

I would think that these lights are the correct ones?

http://www.rallylights.com/hella/5.75_lo.asp
Thanks, bro. I'll check it out.

I'd also like those low spec Euros! But for now my Bosch conversions do just fine. [:)]
I agree! I like them... and for a while thought they were even "urgrades" of the "smoked-type", high-spec headlamps.... Here's a photo on my '78 300td:

 
#13 ·
Ok, I want some h4 conversions for my turbo. It looks like the hella's will cost me about $80 or so with shipping and I am trying to find the Bosch ones and have had no luck (the mercedes source link gives no price). So are the Bosch's cheaper than the Hella's or should I just go for hella's. In the picture that lens looks flat and I don't want that. I like how they are still rounded in the bosch version. Ok, I'm rambling now, where can I find the bosch conversions?
 
#15 ·
Boardmonger said:
Ok, I want some h4 conversions for my turbo. It looks like the hella's will cost me about $80 or so with shipping and I am trying to find the Bosch ones and have had no luck (the mercedes source link gives no price). So are the Bosch's cheaper than the Hella's or should I just go for hella's. In the picture that lens looks flat and I don't want that. I like how they are still rounded in the bosch version. Ok, I'm rambling now, where can I find the bosch conversions?
You'll want the Cibie's. Both Bosch and Hella lenses are flat on the conversions.
 
#16 ·
Karugs,

did you use cibie or Hella's in your car?
 
#17 ·
Boardmonger said:
Ok, I want some h4 conversions for my turbo. It looks like the hella's will cost me about $80 or so with shipping and I am trying to find the Bosch ones and have had no luck (the mercedes source link gives no price). So are the Bosch's cheaper than the Hella's or should I just go for hella's. In the picture that lens looks flat and I don't want that. I like how they are still rounded in the bosch version. Ok, I'm rambling now, where can I find the bosch conversions?

Believe me, i didnt like the flat lenses either at all, and to tell u the truth, i still dont like them, they dont match at all but man do they put out good light! i love them even if they dont look that good during the day, at night its alllll worth it.
 
#18 ·
Ok, where might I be able to find some made by bosch? I suppose I will have to settle because the cibie's at 65-70 each cost about as much as a set of euro's and I don't want that look for the turbo.
 
#22 ·
There is another feature of the Euro lights, a small BA9 light is in the headlight as well as the H4 headligh and H3 fog light. A six prong connector is needed for standard Euro wiring.

I have some "low spec"/early Bosch headlights not yet installed. I also have some LED (4 leds, white) BA9 bulbs. I plan to wire them up as daylight running light. A relay that turns them on when the run circuit is activated and off when the headlight comes on. (heat kills LEDS quickly). A relay will be needed, of course.

It appears that to install the BA9 bulb (or change it) one pry off the 14 or so clips around the front glass (about 40 cm wide, 25 cm tall). Putting them back on does NOT look easy !!

I am also considering installed HID (35 watt but brighter) H4 bulbs that are HID on low and halogen on high.

Busy with too much else after Katrina ATM though.
 
#23 ·
I put in the 80/100 watt bulbs as u all know, in my new h4s. Didnt have a problem with them for about a month. Now my alternator is shot and wont charge the battery, already tried a different voltage regulator and that wasnt it. I really hope that the higher wattage bulbs didnt cause thise, some people said the bulbs work no problem and some people say it will fry things.

When i turn my key on to the number 2 position none of the lights on the left side of the guage cluster turn on before i crank it over, only the glow plug light. All that is lit up is very very dimly the battery light is lit up from when the key is turned on, doestn matter if engine is on or off with key on, the light will be on very dim. of course when i turn off the key the light goes off. Hopefully my alternator is just old and needed replacing.

Anyone have the 65 amp alternator instead of the 55? work better, have any problems?
 
#24 ·
See my last post:

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w12...-300d-turbo-voltages.html?highlight=amp+watts

If you’re not blowing a fuse on either headlight circuit then there should be no problem. If the engine’s turning fast enough to turn the alt and provide power to all sources and recharge the battery there should be no problem. There should be no problem if the alt/vr are working correctly and the battery is in good shape. If the engine is not turning fast enough for a long enough period of time to run all the sources the battery is forced to take up the slack, which can cause it to drain. The extra power used by the lights may be causing the battery to take up the slack more often as you now have a very narrow margin of error with the new lights. A more efficient alt may be needed, I don’t know; perhaps one that will produce more power at a lower rpm.

How often do you drive with your lights on? Do you do any high speed highway driving?
 
#25 ·
i only drive with my lights on at night, and of course when its raining but that barely ever happens here. I drive 3-4 times a week on the freeway for about 25 min wich in turn gives the battery a GOOD charge. Ill get the new 65 amp alternator and see if it does the trick. Gosh ur the man jdc!
 
#26 ·
Marsh, I have the 65 amp Bosch alt. Never had problems. Wagon, on the other hand, has the old 55 amp. Shows signs of what you said, the leftmost dash lights don't turn on at times when I start the car. Sometimes they do. That car has sealed beams, though.
 
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