68 Headlight Question

[Kurt B.]

I needed low beams for my 68 and the guy at the parts store asked if I wanted regular bulbs or Halogen so I chose the Halogen thinking they might be brighter for these old eyes.
My question is: Do the Halogen bulbs draw more electricity and will it overheat the wiring?
I had original (used) T-3s that I bought a few weeks ago and 3 of the 4 bulbs failed already so I replaced with Halogen Low beams and regular high beams.
Thank you for any input,
Kurt

[Joe L.]

Re: 68 Headlight Question

I needed low beams for my 68 and the guy at the parts store asked if I wanted regular bulbs or Halogen so I chose the Halogen thinking they might be brighter for these old eyes.
My question is: Do the Halogen bulbs draw more electricity and will it overheat the wiring?
I had original (used) T-3s that I bought a few weeks ago and 3 of the 4 bulbs failed already so I replaced with Halogen Low beams and regular high beams.
Thank you for any input,
Kurt

Kurt-----


Absolutely no problems, whatsoever, will be created by going to halogen headlamps. In fact, these days, it's pretty hard to find conventional, old-fashioned sealed beams. I've used halogen lamps in my 69 for years for both low and high beam. Actually, you don't get a lot more brightness from the low beam halogens because of DOT requirements for output of low beams. However, the light is "whiter". The real advantage is with the high beams. You get a lot more light with those than with conventional sealed beams. Of course, one doesn't get to use the high beams too much but when one does, the difference is tremendous.

[Jim T.]

Re: 68 Headlight Question

Kurt, Agree with Joe very much on the halogens. I have using them for over 20 years in my 68 and 70. They are also long lasting, have not had to change one since installation.
Still have the removed ones, store them on a kitchen cabinet shelf my wife can't reach.

[Michael B.]

Re: 68 Headlight Question

Halogens actually burn cooler than conventional. I don't know if they are still doing it but for many years after halogens were standard equipment, California Highway Patrol was spec'ing conventional lamps for vehicles assigned to snow area because the halogens weren't hot enough to keep falling snow from building up on the headlamps.

[Jean C.]

Re: 68 Headlight Question

Michael, that seems to be a strange occurence. In some instances, local fire codes have been quoted as the reason for not allowing lamps with halogen bulbs (some college dorms come to mind) because of the fire danger that is supposedly inherent with such lamps. I wonder what is different with the headlights in CA.

[John H.]

Re: 68 Headlight Question

Michael, that seems to be a strange occurence. In some instances, local fire codes have been quoted as the reason for not allowing lamps with halogen bulbs (some college dorms come to mind) because of the fire danger that is supposedly inherent with such lamps. I wonder what is different with the headlights in CA.

Charlie -

Typically halogen desk lamps use a very small bulb that gets VERY hot, with slits/slots in the housing for cooling; halogen headlights have a HUGE heat sink (all that thick glass).

[Michael B.]

Re: 68 Headlight Question

I should have said Halogen Sealed Beam Headlamps burn cooler. Certainly the halogen bulbs themselves do burn much hotter than conventional incandescent lamps.