H4 Headlights Options

[Cal]

I'm considering updating my sealed beam headlights with period correct H4's. What's the maximum wattage bulb that can be installed without having to install relays? In the past I've installed H1's with 100/80 watt bulbs in my early SWB 911 and I needed to install relays. I'm not interested in LED lights.

[Root_Werks]

Does anyone have issues with LED's freezing up or allowing snow to build up? I tried to run LED's on our Jeep TJ once and was shocked how fast they built up frost and became useless. I swapped them out for Hella H4's (run those on my Bug and 914 as well).

Seems like you need some heat on the glass if you do any cold weather driving, right?

[bbrock]

Does anyone have issues with LED's freezing up or allowing snow to build up? I tried to run LED's on our Jeep TJ once and was shocked how fast they built up frost and became useless. I swapped them out for Hella H4's (run those on my Bug and 914 as well).

Seems like you need some heat on the glass if you do any cold weather driving, right?

If you are worried about snow buildup on your 914 headlights, then you have bigger huevos than me. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/pray.gif)

I've said it before and will say it again. I'm not a fan of throwing LED bulbs into halogen housings unless you know what you are doing to make sure the beam pattern isn't changed. Too many dipshits on the road blinding oncoming traffic out there already.

[horizontally-opposed]

I've said it before and will say it again. I'm not a fan of throwing LED bulbs into halogen housings unless you know what you are doing to make sure the beam pattern isn't changed. Too many dipshits on the road blinding oncoming traffic out there already.

Count me in your camp.

One LED vendor sent me the right bulbs in the wrong housings, then told me to just keep the bulbs and put them in my existing H4s—admitting there's nothing different or special about its "premium" H4 housings for its LED bulbs. Its website sure "led" (sorry… (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif) ) me to believe the H4 housings it sold were somehow matched to the LED bulbs, and also left me thinking the company developed its own bulbs—which is funny, because what looked like the very same bulbs less a stenciled logo were available on Amazon for $29~/pair iirc.

My hangup is wanting modern LED performance and efficiency (less heat, less draw, less stress) with vintage looks…even when the lights are up. None I've seen did that, until I spotted these…but they aren't cheap. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/hly-lfrb...AyABEgKsjPD_BwE

[Jamie]

I've said it before and will say it again. I'm not a fan of throwing LED bulbs into halogen housings unless you know what you are doing to make sure the beam pattern isn't changed. Too many dipshits on the road blinding oncoming traffic out there already.

Count me in your camp.

One LED vendor sent me the right bulbs in the wrong housings, then told me to just keep the bulbs and put them in my existing H4s—admitting there's nothing different or special about its "premium" H4 housings for its LED bulbs. Its website sure "led" (sorry… (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif) ) me to believe the H4 housings it sold were somehow matched to the LED bulbs, and also left me thinking the company developed its own bulbs—which is funny, because what looked like the very same bulbs less a stenciled logo were available on Amazon for $29~/pair iirc.

My hangup is wanting modern LED performance and efficiency (less heat, less draw, less stress) with vintage looks…even when the lights are up. None I've seen did that, until I spotted these…but they aren't cheap. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/hly-lfrb...AyABEgKsjPD_BwE

Interesting that they class 3000K as "white" when it is close to the standard of "warm" rather than white. I wonder how the actual output cut-off beam looks in real life? Dang its so nice to have the World back!