 | Home > Maintenance & Modifications > Lighting - Wipac crystal and relays? |
 
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| NoDo$h Member Since: 18 Aug 2007 Location: Buried in deer guts in Dorset Posts: 972  
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Spotlamps are good. We like spotlamps. Sadly they are only any good when on main beam. So having cracked one of the standard 7" lamps (the ones that are pretty much unchanged since Boudicea first mounted them on here chariot), I started sniffing around for replacements and came across the Wipac Crystal lamps. Because they use a revised reflector with clear glass, the beam pattern and projection appears better based on the various pics I've seen, with a nice clear cutoff so you don't dazzle other drivers. They're also e-marked, which is nice.
While sniffing around I also came across the suggestion to run the lighting circuit through relays with a decent direct feed from the battery to reduce voltage drop. Seems a simple enough solution and waterproof boxes are easy enough to pick up in Maplin / RS et al. Anyone on here tried either or both approaches? I've not checked to see what the voltage drop is on our 90 yet, but will make a note when I do and post back here before I start buying relays and rolls of cable. 
54 Freelander modded for mud 2008 D3 SE 2010 90 XS SW 1978 88 Series 3 undergoing surgery with a new owner 2007 90 County Truck Cab - gone 2006 D3 SE - gone 2004 Freelander Sport - gay 1999 Disco V8 ES rotted to bits |
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4th Mar 2008 1:27pm |
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| NoDo$h Member Since: 18 Aug 2007 Location: Buried in deer guts in Dorset Posts: 972
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Crystal lamps ordered from Paddocks. I'll look to fit them at the weekend and try and do some comparative photos of the beam pattern.
54 Freelander modded for mud 2008 D3 SE 2010 90 XS SW 1978 88 Series 3 undergoing surgery with a new owner 2007 90 County Truck Cab - gone 2006 D3 SE - gone 2004 Freelander Sport - gay 1999 Disco V8 ES rotted to bits |
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5th Mar 2008 1:20pm |
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| NoDo$h Member Since: 18 Aug 2007 Location: Buried in deer guts in Dorset Posts: 972
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Can't find any reference to lighting relays in the handbook
 I've had a good rummage but I can't find it under battery, fuses or lighting sections 
I understood one of the problems/weaknesses with the Defender lighting circuit was that the switch carried the full headlamp load. If that's not the case on 07 models then happy days 
54 Freelander modded for mud 2008 D3 SE 2010 90 XS SW 1978 88 Series 3 undergoing surgery with a new owner 2007 90 County Truck Cab - gone 2006 D3 SE - gone 2004 Freelander Sport - gay 1999 Disco V8 ES rotted to bits |
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6th Mar 2008 10:17am |
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| JSG Member Since: 12 Jul 2007 Location: Berkshire Posts: 2412  
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Really? You may be right - I'd assumed there were relays as it is standard practice on most vehicles these days and has been for some time.
Need to investigate I reckon. |
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6th Mar 2008 2:15pm |
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| NoDo$h Member Since: 18 Aug 2007 Location: Buried in deer guts in Dorset Posts: 972
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Unfortunately I won't be able to poke around the 90 until the weekend when I fit the lights.
As mentioned above, I'll post some comparative pics and some voltage readings and if it warrants it (and they aren't already fitted) will look at relays providing more direct current to the lamps as the next step. You're right, it's been standard on most cars for some years now, but then Defenders aren't "most cars" so anythings possible
54 Freelander modded for mud 2008 D3 SE 2010 90 XS SW 1978 88 Series 3 undergoing surgery with a new owner 2007 90 County Truck Cab - gone 2006 D3 SE - gone 2004 Freelander Sport - gay 1999 Disco V8 ES rotted to bits |
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6th Mar 2008 4:00pm |
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| DAZ110 Member Since: 06 Dec 2007 Location: East Sussex Posts: 2038 
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Fitted those new headlamps yet?
If so, do they give a better dip beam than the standard headlamps? DAZ110 |
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11th Mar 2008 8:56pm |
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| NoDo$h Member Since: 18 Aug 2007 Location: Buried in deer guts in Dorset Posts: 972
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Sorry Daz, had to put this off until ths coming weekend. Will post as soon as it's done
54 Freelander modded for mud 2008 D3 SE 2010 90 XS SW 1978 88 Series 3 undergoing surgery with a new owner 2007 90 County Truck Cab - gone 2006 D3 SE - gone 2004 Freelander Sport - gay 1999 Disco V8 ES rotted to bits |
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11th Mar 2008 9:06pm |
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| DAZ110 Member Since: 06 Dec 2007 Location: East Sussex Posts: 2038
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No problem, I was thinking of getting better headlamps myself.
I'll wait until we have your opinion, once you have tried and tested yours! With Thanks DAZ110 |
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11th Mar 2008 9:13pm |
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| MPS4x4 Member Since: 14 Aug 2007 Location: EAST SUSSEX Posts: 13 
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I tried the crystal lamps IMO waste of money no better than standard units. I have fitted IPF upgrade which consists of lamps, wiring loom and relays 100/170w bulbs. Brilliant but not road legal. Anyway passed Mot.
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12th Mar 2008 10:24pm |
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| NoDo$h Member Since: 18 Aug 2007 Location: Buried in deer guts in Dorset Posts: 972
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Swapped out the OE lamps today (Wipac Quadoptic) for the Crystals. Definitely a better beam pattern (more light thrown further) but as it's been hurling it down all day I haven't checked for voltage drop or taken the "after" photos. Really need to take it out for a drive on a clear night to see if it's a useful improvement or just looks cool
54 Freelander modded for mud 2008 D3 SE 2010 90 XS SW 1978 88 Series 3 undergoing surgery with a new owner 2007 90 County Truck Cab - gone 2006 D3 SE - gone 2004 Freelander Sport - gay 1999 Disco V8 ES rotted to bits |
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15th Mar 2008 9:28pm |
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| DAZ110 Member Since: 06 Dec 2007 Location: East Sussex Posts: 2038
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Any more news on the headlamp replacement, are they better than the standard lamps on dip beam?
Are they fitted on the land rover that was parked in that ditch last week!? DAZ110 |
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4th Apr 2008 1:02pm |
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| NoDo$h Member Since: 18 Aug 2007 Location: Buried in deer guts in Dorset Posts: 972
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Definitely better on dipped beam, the light spread is better and projects further up the road (alighnment still the same, checked that when fitting) and yes, they are fitted to the LR that was "resting" in the ditch. We've since fitted Philips +50% lamps and
 it's like being in a normal car, only higher!
Still need to take some pics though. A little preoccupied building a treehouse (palace?) for Little Miss Do$h with every hour I've got outside work at the moment but will get around to it, I promise!
54 Freelander modded for mud 2008 D3 SE 2010 90 XS SW 1978 88 Series 3 undergoing surgery with a new owner 2007 90 County Truck Cab - gone 2006 D3 SE - gone 2004 Freelander Sport - gay 1999 Disco V8 ES rotted to bits |
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4th Apr 2008 7:58pm |
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| one_iota Member Since: 06 May 2008 Location: Sydney Posts: 99  
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Hi all...new member...might as well get straight into eh? 
There's a mob here that do light harness upgrades for Land Rovers. www.traxide.com.au I installed an early prototype trial for the bloke who runs the place on the Disco and it improved the light output by about 20% (measured with a light meter). Nice to have white light rather than yellow. They seem to have developed it considerably since then including one for the Defender that gets around the burnt switch issue...also has a spotlight combination version. One of the many weekend pastimes awaiting me when the new Defender arrives from the "Old Country" Nice site chaps!  Mahn
'08 Defender 110 ex '95 Disco 300 Tdi www.aulro.com |
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6th May 2008 11:27am |
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