H4 Conversion... Ipf, Hella, Cibie?

[1989 Eliminator]

Here are two websites to order the upgraded headlight parts from:

 

The harness:

http://www.eautowork... ... D7540.aspx

The e-code housings and bulbs from Susquehanna Motor Sports:

http://www.rallyligh...ail.aspx?ID=744

 

I found these off of another topic (http://comancheclub.com/topic/27796-2001-eliminator/?p=336763) and he bought:  Hella e-code H4 headlight housings and Osram 85W/80W bulbs and the eautoworks upgrade harness

 

 

I have not ordered these yet myself but they seem to be better quality that what you would find on amazon.

[Alexia]

I installed the Hella ECE H4 housings late December and they have been great to drive with. The line cut off is actually better with a more defined edge than the 7" round Hella ECE H4 housings in my Wrangler.

[Automan2164]

Time to update this thread. Ended up going Hella H4.

 

Got the bulbs and everything earlier this month in the middle of a cold snap, and I mean -15 without windchill cold snap. Excuse the frost on the lenses, I had just brought them in.

 

 

I had planned to do a full redeux of the lighting system back to coup-stock, by plugging in the original harness and letting the stock system drag it down, but it was just too darn cold out. I ended up just doing all the comparisons with the Putco Harness in place.

 

The bulbs to start with really woke up with the harness, like pure white compared to dusty yellow. The sealed beams were higher quality Sylvania from a previous owner.

 

Stock, Putco Harness:

 

 

Hella H4 housing and lamp that came with on left, sealed beam on right... Low beams. You can see the flare of the E-codes to the right to highlight signs yet not be obtrusive to oncoming traffic.:

 

 

Same with high beams:

 

 

Both converted, low beams.:

 

 

Both converted, high beams.:

 

 

 

 

Impressions after driving with them for a few weeks... I like them, a lot. I think it would have been more "Oh my unholy god" if I had done everything at once. I think, nay, know, that the number one thing someone can do is upgrade that stupid stock harness to a relay based design. Whether it be Putco, ARB, Daniel Stern, IPF... Just do it. It woke up the stock lights.

 

I think the beam pattern was what it was all about with the Hella bulbs. I would compare the cutoff on these to those of a projection beam. I had projections on my '05 Yamaha R6, and if you were to just sit in the XJ without knowing, you'd swear they were projection beam also. I have them aimed just right so that they cut the trunk/tails of most smaller cars in half. Just high enough without the actual intensity of the beam in anyone's face. As far ahead as I look when I drive, I wish I could point them maybe a tad higher, or maybe upgrade the lamp when the time comes for that extra distance. The high beams... Forget about it... The pattern is unreal. I wish I could drive around with them on all the time, but I couldn't even imagine being an oncoming driver.

 

I will say though that after poking around on the internet, I kind of wish I would have pulled the trigger on the TruckLite LED's... Pricey, but you don't have to upgrade the harness, and the pics of the light they cast out is incredible.

 

Rob

[HOrnbrod]

Looks good Rob and thanks for posting the pics. Now you have to do the city lights with the Hella housings too - I use them all the time.

 

I'm about 1" away from pulling the trigger on the TruckLite LEDs. I'd just keep the harness and the new fuse box I put in too. Only thing that's holding me back is I haven't seen the LEDs in person, and it's tough to imagine anything better than the Hella Ecodes. Have you (or anyone else) seen both to compare?

[Automan2164]

This thread has me drooling for them... He does an excellent writeup, and sounds like he even hated their first generation, but converted after trying these out...

 

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1082758

 

 

His stock lows:

 

 

New Truck Lite LED low beams: :drool:

 

[HOrnbrod]

Saw that thread Rob, I've been looking too. :yes:   I think what I'm going to do is order a set of the round LEDs for the JK then do a side-by-side with my MJ and the Hellas. The stock JK lights really suck, about the same as the MJ with the original sealed beams. 

[earl*t]

As a result of following this thread, I just installed the Putco harness and Hella E-codes in my wife's XJ. To each his/her own, but I would highly recommend this upgrade. Excellent bang for the buck, I need to order three more sets.   

[Jeep Driver]

$500 for the LEDs?

 

Ain't for this poor boy.

[HOrnbrod]

Jest ordered the JK Trucklite LED head lamp kit from Northridge. Not much more than the Hella e-codes and a harness would be and a whole lot less work. I'll post up some comparison pics against the Hella MJ when I get them in.

 

[HOrnbrod]

Got them installed in the JK and as compared to the stock junk - WoW! As compared to the Ecode Hellas in the MJ, they do not have the sharp cutoff line of the Hella housings on low beam, but for distance and illumination, the LEDs and Hellas are about equal. On high beam though, the LEDs are far superior IMO. I'll have to get some side-to-side comparison shots soon..........

[Rohls]

So I upgraded my harness and headlight to hella ecodes and 85/100W hella bulbs. I installed these one month ago.they have been working great. And are super bright.

 

Yesterday i was driving in smelled a funny smell...I pulled over and turns out the low beam relay wires were fried and melted at the relay!!

 

Anybody know what could've caused this? Possibly a bad ground?

[Dillithium]

So I upgraded my harness and headlight to hella ecodes and 85/100W hella bulbs. I installed these one month ago.they have been working great. And are super bright.

 

Yesterday i was driving in smelled a funny smell...I pulled over and turns out the low beam relay wires were fried and melted at the relay!!

 

Anybody know what could've caused this? Possibly a bad ground?

 

Did you use the putco harness? I made my own with 6mm wire, a little tougher.

Sounds like the wiring was too thin to handle the current.

[Rohls]

 

So I upgraded my harness and headlight to hella ecodes and 85/100W hella bulbs. I installed these one month ago.they have been working great. And are super bright.

 

Yesterday i was driving in smelled a funny smell...I pulled over and turns out the low beam relay wires were fried and melted at the relay!!

 

Anybody know what could've caused this? Possibly a bad ground?

 

Did you use the putco harness? I made my own with 6mm wire, a little tougher.

Sounds like the wiring was too thin to handle the current.

 

 

I used a similar ceramic harness from amazon with good reviews....

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BMN30HY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

It's a little distrubing because the wires do look sturdy enough..

 

AND the 30 AMP fuse is still intact...

 

The high beams still work...I guess those are on their own relay....but don't they share a positive?

 

I'm leaning towards the ground being not good enough....but I scrapped the radiator bracket pretty well rid of paint before attaching...any other ides of where to mount it? Engine block...? Or is that too far from the driver's side headlight? Maybe use a external tooth washer...?

 

Should I go down in power ratings on my bulbs...? (currently 85/100W)

 

Thanks!

[benjy_26]

I ran the ground of my homemade harness straight to battery ground. I also used 8ga wire. No problems during almost a year of daily use.

[Dillithium]

As did I, straight to battery terminal.

[Rohls]

Thanks guys! I'll rewire the burnt relay wires and be sure to put the ground to the battery terminal....would really like to avoid any kind of melting of wires! :)

[gogmorgo]

I would suggest contacting the manufacturer to see if they'll send a replacement. Considering they rate it for 100W, it should support your bulbs.

 

I also doubt this is a ground issue. Usually electricity is pretty good at telling you the weak point, because that's what melts/fries. Sure, if something else is wrong it can lead to extra load on the weakest link, but I think a poor connection in the relay socket is likely to have caused this. I don't know what gauge wire this harness uses, but if everything was up to spec, you should be able to pull 30 amps through 14awg. Going by the pictures on Amazon it looks like it might be 12awg, but I'm pretty sure it's at least 14awg.

Heck. looking at the table I pulled the 14awg from, a 20awg wire should be able to take the load of a single 100W bulb at 12.5V... it's only drawing 8amps. But I wouldn't attempt that because safety factors and everything... But yeah, I think there was something wrong with your harness.