Re: [MBZ] headlight brightness, 123 126
toss the stock lamps, not just the bulbs. get a set of H4 Cibié lamps and some decent bulbs like the Sylvania/Osrams, or high-efficacy Narvas; they'll mount in the same place as the stuff that came stock. having the right light in front of a car isn't just about wattage; it's about having a lens and reflector in the lamp that put the light in the right place (and don't interfere with oncoming traffic). lamps in most other parts of the world did a much better job of this than what the US DOT stuck us with. cheers! e On 17/Aug/14 11:35, Ralph Robertson via Mercedes wrote: I have a '84 300CD and a '87 300SDL and both vehicles' lights are not bright enough for night driving especially on back roads. I have tried upgrading the bulbs for brighter ones, but nothing yet is satisfactory. Any suggestions for making these safer? Thanks. Ralph ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com All posts are the result of individual contributors and as such, those individuals are responsible for the content of the post. The list owner has no control over the content of the messages of each contributor. ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com All posts are the result of individual contributors and as such, those individuals are responsible for the content of the post. The list owner has no control over the content of the messages of each contributor.
Re: [MBZ] headlight brightness, 123 126
I put 7 in. Hellas on my 81 300D 'bout 12 years ago. The first time I turned them on at night, I threw so much light out front that I thought I felt some thrust (deceleration) to the rear. Wilton - Original Message - From: ernest breakfield via Mercedes mercedes@okiebenz.com To: mercedes@okiebenz.com Sent: Monday, August 18, 2014 2:07 PM Subject: Re: [MBZ] headlight brightness, 123 126 toss the stock lamps, not just the bulbs. get a set of H4 Cibié lamps and some decent bulbs like the Sylvania/Osrams, or high-efficacy Narvas; they'll mount in the same place as the stuff that came stock. having the right light in front of a car isn't just about wattage; it's about having a lens and reflector in the lamp that put the light in the right place (and don't interfere with oncoming traffic). lamps in most other parts of the world did a much better job of this than what the US DOT stuck us with. cheers! e On 17/Aug/14 11:35, Ralph Robertson via Mercedes wrote: I have a '84 300CD and a '87 300SDL and both vehicles' lights are not bright enough for night driving especially on back roads. I have tried upgrading the bulbs for brighter ones, but nothing yet is satisfactory. Any suggestions for making these safer? Thanks. Ralph ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com All posts are the result of individual contributors and as such, those individuals are responsible for the content of the post. The list owner has no control over the content of the messages of each contributor. ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com All posts are the result of individual contributors and as such, those individuals are responsible for the content of the post. The list owner has no control over the content of the messages of each contributor. ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com All posts are the result of individual contributors and as such, those individuals are responsible for the content of the post. The list owner has no control over the content of the messages of each contributor.
Re: [MBZ] headlight brightness, 123 126
On Mon, 18 Aug 2014 15:20:17 -0400 WILTON via Mercedes mercedes@okiebenz.com wrote: I put 7 in. Hellas on my 81 300D 'bout 12 years ago. The first time I turned them on at night, I threw so much light out front that I thought I felt some thrust (deceleration) to the rear. ! :-) Craig ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com All posts are the result of individual contributors and as such, those individuals are responsible for the content of the post. The list owner has no control over the content of the messages of each contributor.
Re: [MBZ] headlight brightness, 123 126
yep; the difference between DOT and real headlamps is like that. as popular as Hellas are, i specifically didn't mention Hellas because in the cars where my family of lighting geeks has compared Hellas side-by-side with Cibiés, we've found that when they're aimed properly (so that the high beam points out to the horizon), the low beam pattern for the Hellas was shorter than the Cibiés. considering that most of us do 90% of our driving on the low beams, that's pretty significant. cheers! e On 18/Aug/14 12:20, WILTON wrote: I put 7 in. Hellas on my 81 300D 'bout 12 years ago. The first time I turned them on at night, I threw so much light out front that I thought I felt some thrust (deceleration) to the rear. Wilton - Original Message - From: ernest breakfield via Mercedes mercedes@okiebenz.com To: mercedes@okiebenz.com Sent: Monday, August 18, 2014 2:07 PM Subject: Re: [MBZ] headlight brightness, 123 126 toss the stock lamps, not just the bulbs. get a set of H4 Cibié lamps and some decent bulbs like the Sylvania/Osrams, or high-efficacy Narvas; they'll mount in the same place as the stuff that came stock. having the right light in front of a car isn't just about wattage; it's about having a lens and reflector in the lamp that put the light in the right place (and don't interfere with oncoming traffic). lamps in most other parts of the world did a much better job of this than what the US DOT stuck us with. cheers! e On 17/Aug/14 11:35, Ralph Robertson via Mercedes wrote: I have a '84 300CD and a '87 300SDL and both vehicles' lights are not bright enough for night driving especially on back roads. I have tried upgrading the bulbs for brighter ones, but nothing yet is satisfactory. Any suggestions for making these safer? Thanks. Ralph ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com All posts are the result of individual contributors and as such, those individuals are responsible for the content of the post. The list owner has no control over the content of the messages of each contributor. ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com All posts are the result of individual contributors and as such, those individuals are responsible for the content of the post. The list owner has no control over the content of the messages of each contributor. ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com All posts are the result of individual contributors and as such, those individuals are responsible for the content of the post. The list owner has no control over the content of the messages of each contributor.
Re: [MBZ] headlight brightness, 123 126
And that is really the problem isn't it? There is so much traffic anymore that I am stuck on low beam most of the time and most low beam lamps don't light enough ground for me at highway speeds - especially as I get older and my vision deteriorates. Randy On 18/08/2014 3:52 PM, ernest breakfield via Mercedes wrote: yep; the difference between DOT and real headlamps is like that. as popular as Hellas are, i specifically didn't mention Hellas because in the cars where my family of lighting geeks has compared Hellas side-by-side with Cibiés, we've found that when they're aimed properly (so that the high beam points out to the horizon), the low beam pattern for the Hellas was shorter than the Cibiés. considering that most of us do 90% of our driving on the low beams, that's pretty significant. cheers! e On 18/Aug/14 12:20, WILTON wrote: I put 7 in. Hellas on my 81 300D 'bout 12 years ago. The first time I turned them on at night, I threw so much light out front that I thought I felt some thrust (deceleration) to the rear. Wilton - Original Message - From: ernest breakfield via Mercedes mercedes@okiebenz.com To: mercedes@okiebenz.com Sent: Monday, August 18, 2014 2:07 PM Subject: Re: [MBZ] headlight brightness, 123 126 toss the stock lamps, not just the bulbs. get a set of H4 Cibié lamps and some decent bulbs like the Sylvania/Osrams, or high-efficacy Narvas; they'll mount in the same place as the stuff that came stock. having the right light in front of a car isn't just about wattage; it's about having a lens and reflector in the lamp that put the light in the right place (and don't interfere with oncoming traffic). lamps in most other parts of the world did a much better job of this than what the US DOT stuck us with. cheers! e On 17/Aug/14 11:35, Ralph Robertson via Mercedes wrote: I have a '84 300CD and a '87 300SDL and both vehicles' lights are not bright enough for night driving especially on back roads. I have tried upgrading the bulbs for brighter ones, but nothing yet is satisfactory. Any suggestions for making these safer? Thanks. Ralph ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com All posts are the result of individual contributors and as such, those individuals are responsible for the content of the post. The list owner has no control over the content of the messages of each contributor. ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com All posts are the result of individual contributors and as such, those individuals are responsible for the content of the post. The list owner has no control over the content of the messages of each contributor. ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com All posts are the result of individual contributors and as such, those individuals are responsible for the content of the post. The list owner has no control over the content of the messages of each contributor. ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com All posts are the result of individual contributors and as such, those individuals are responsible for the content of the post. The list owner has no control over the content of the messages of each contributor.
Re: [MBZ] headlight brightness, 123 126
I think Ernest probably has it right. But do the '94-95 124 headlights fit the earlier 124's? Those lights on my '95 were the brightest I ever had on any car Ned Sent from my iPhone ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com All posts are the result of individual contributors and as such, those individuals are responsible for the content of the post. The list owner has no control over the content of the messages of each contributor.
Re: [MBZ] headlight brightness, 123 126
WILTON via Mercedes wrote: I put 7 in. Hellas on my 81 300D 'bout 12 years ago. The first time I turned them on at night, I threw so much light out front that I thought I felt some thrust (deceleration) to the rear. I only bought one set of E-code lamps new, Hella 6x8. The aiming instructions called for setting the low beam cutoff level to slightly down, with the point at which the low beam started rising to illuminate road signs aimed straight ahead. I followed those instructions to the best of my ability, and loved those lights. I never felt the high beams were aimed too high either. I put a set of Candlepower 55/100w bulbs in them. Woe be onto any fool in a pickup truck who failed to dim his lights to me. Even a quick beam flash probably left them seeing spots for the next half hour. Mitch. ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com All posts are the result of individual contributors and as such, those individuals are responsible for the content of the post. The list owner has no control over the content of the messages of each contributor.
Re: [MBZ] headlight brightness, 123 126
Get the Euro headlights. Vast improvement, altnough the w123 shouldn't be any worse than any other car with sealed beams. The real dog is the W124, worst headlights I've ever had with the DOT ones. Euro's are great, vastly better illumination and not much trouble for oncoming drivers. Peter ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com All posts are the result of individual contributors and as such, those individuals are responsible for the content of the post. The list owner has no control over the content of the messages of each contributor.
Re: [MBZ] headlight brightness, 123 126
What Peter said. The headlights on these cars are woefully inadequate even for their time, and border on being dangerous when driving the car at highway speeds, in my opinion. My R129 (SL500) has the same lights as the W124, and I might as well be holding a candle in front of a reflector. It's about as efficient as these headlights... You can find OE Euro headlights from some guys in Eastern Europe at fairly reasonable prices. Another very low cost but high return item is to use relays to switch the headlights so you can run heavy duty wiring, By doing this you almost eliminate voltage drop and can utilize high wattage (80/100) lamps as well. As I used to like to say, I can melt the soccer mom's Ford Explorer bumper in front of me with a headlight setup like this. The difference is nothing short of night and day. Dan On Aug 17, 2014, at 2:42 PM, Peter Frederick via Mercedes mercedes@okiebenz.com wrote: Get the Euro headlights. Vast improvement, altnough the w123 shouldn't be any worse than any other car with sealed beams. The real dog is the W124, worst headlights I've ever had with the DOT ones. Euro's are great, vastly better illumination and not much trouble for oncoming drivers. Peter ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com All posts are the result of individual contributors and as such, those individuals are responsible for the content of the post. The list owner has no control over the content of the messages of each contributor. ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com All posts are the result of individual contributors and as such, those individuals are responsible for the content of the post. The list owner has no control over the content of the messages of each contributor.
Re: [MBZ] headlight brightness, 123 126
Not to be wise but perhaps its time for an eye exam. As we age our vision does tend to dim... I find the post 123 cars to have excellent headlights. Does your SDL have sealed beam lights? If not are the lenses plastic? If they are then polishing might make them brighter. For the CD I've read that Euro lights though costly are much brighter. Brighter is not always better, if you've got lights so bright they blind me that doesn't make you safer. One other thought is to make sure they're aimed properly. -Curt From: Ralph Robertson via Mercedes mercedes@okiebenz.com To: Mercedes Discussion List mercedes@okiebenz.com Sent: Sunday, August 17, 2014 2:35 PM Subject: [MBZ] headlight brightness, 123 126 I have a '84 300CD and a '87 300SDL and both vehicles' lights are not bright enough for night driving especially on back roads. I have tried upgrading the bulbs for brighter ones, but nothing yet is satisfactory. Any suggestions for making these safer? Thanks. Ralph ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com All posts are the result of individual contributors and as such, those individuals are responsible for the content of the post. The list owner has no control over the content of the messages of each contributor. ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com All posts are the result of individual contributors and as such, those individuals are responsible for the content of the post. The list owner has no control over the content of the messages of each contributor.
Re: [MBZ] headlight brightness, 123 126
Any suggestions for making these [USDOT lights] safer? http://formicapeak.com/~jimc/JSLlights.html -- Jim ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com All posts are the result of individual contributors and as such, those individuals are responsible for the content of the post. The list owner has no control over the content of the messages of each contributor.
