Headlight reflectors, UVIRA

[Fr Mike]

Ted, your information is a real gold-mine, as usual, and what you have put together on line is an outstanding contribution!. It has been a great help to others I know of and to me,  in safely improving our old cars? lighting!

Again, thanks  for helping me think through my current P2 situation.

As an update, I checked out my P2 again, reviewed your stuff and the Chrysler Service Manual,  and contacted the halogen bulb manufacturer (http://www.classicandvintagebulbs.com), and have came up with the following picture for my particular car:

     Original Load on Headlight Switch:

     Original headlight bulb--32-32cp.
        (There is a minimal difference between the 32-32cp stock bulbs and the     
         halogen 35-35cp ones)

     Original tail light bulb--3cp
        (no change).

     Dash lights, stop lights, turn signals, and driving lights are on
        separate switches:

Summing up, there is almost no change in bulb load here, but I need to minimizie resistance by cleaning up the headlight switch (or replacing it if needed), checking the wiring and connections, and possibly soldering the headlight bulb socket wires for a good ground.

And, if I want brighter bulbs, a relay, as you indicated, .will be needed.

[TodFitch]

Lighting ampere budget (see http://www.ply33.com/Backmatter/lightbulbs for bulb specifications):

Tail lamps
? ? 2 ea (#1154 or #1158) @ 0.75 amps = 1.5 amps

Dash lamps
? ? 3 ea (#63) @ 0.63 amps = 1.89 amps

Headlights
? ? 2 ea @ (35 watt @ 6v = 5.8 amps) = 11.6 amps

Total
? ? 15.2 amps

The after market replacement switch I bought at my local auto supply store was rated at 15 amps. I doubt that the original one was rated any higher. Running a switch at (or in this case slightly above) its maximum rating is not going to give it very long life.

[Fr Mike]

Thanks again, Ted, for your input! The headlight relay sounds like a good preventative move.

It's my understanding that there is almost no difference between the drain of the stock tungsten 25/25 bulbs and the replacement 25/25 halogen ones, and that the difference between the drain of the halogen 25/25 and 35/35  bulbs is minimal (that of the 35/35 is about 6 amps). My thinking so far is that. in the case of my '36 P2, a headlight relay is not needed---especially as my plan is to minimize resistance by cleaning up the headlight switch (or replacing it if needed), checking the wiring and connections, and possibly soldering the headlight bulb socket wires for a good ground.

Set me straight if I'm off in left field here.

[TodFitch]

Fr Mike,

If you go with 35/35 watt bulbs you might want to consider a headlight relay too. Keeping the high current of the 35 watt bulbs out of your 70 year old headlight switch would be a good idea. My guess it that the switch was only designed for 15 or so amps and it probably has accumulated some corrosion/resistance since it was manufactured.

--Tod

[Fr Mike]

Ted,

Your write-ups were very useful to me, and I have referred a number of others to them!

My '36 P2 was produced with a voltage regulator so I'm good to go on it with reflector re-plating and 35/35 halogen bulbs.

While the re-plating and 25/25 halogen bulbs have worked out quite well on my otherwise original '31 Buick, I would really like to install the electronic voltage regulator kit under the brush cover band. But, I understand it, unfortunately, won't fit in my '31's generator. Otherwise, it would be the way to go.

[TodFitch]

Been there. Done that. My original Delco-Remy generator tops out at 18 amps cold so I used the 25 watt quartz-halogen bulbs rather than the 35 watt ones. The other thing that I did that helps a lot is put an electronic voltage regulator under the brush cover band. Sure beats adjusting the third brush all the time to try and match the output to the power needs.

I did write ups on lights and generator at:

http://www.ply33.com/Repair/lights

http://www.ply33.com/Repair/voltreg

[Fr Mike]

Adding halogen bulbs to UVIRA plating brings the headlight illumination WAY up into a safe range for night driving! No wiring or socket change is necessary, and the drain on the battery is about the same. Just unplug the old ones and plug in the halogen. 

After checking out UVIRA, check the bulbs out at  http://classicandvintagebulbs.com.

[30 Ply 30U]

info transfer from old board.

Headlight reflectors, UVIRA
I had mine done for my 1938 Chrysler by UVIRA a couple of years ago.  I am very pleased with the result as they look like they have just been resilvered. Nice thing is that they will never tarnish.  The guy who runs UVIRA is an old car nut and does these for cost; at least he did for me. $US65.00 for the pair which included return shipping to Canada. I would highly recommend you use them. Here is the email address if you want to contact them and ask questions first.