Hey everyone:), was just wondering what sizes/watts&volts are all the headlight gloves in the headlights of a TJ VRX, mine is a 2001 TJ VRX to be specific:)
So volts/watts&Globe sizes of low beam, high beem, fog lights& and Parkers ???
Thanks :):):):)

First off, this has been asked and covered many times. In fact, a massive FAQ on Third Gen headlights was written by a member named Heath Young quite some time ago. This thread is stickied to the top of the Third Gen forums (the forum you posted this question in); you can find it here (http://www.aussiemagna.com/forums/showthread.php?t=57256).

To answer your question though, these are the following bulbs in the front of your car:
Parabolic headlamp high beam - H1 55W
Parabolic headlamp low beam - H7 55W
Parabolic parking lights - BA9S 5W
Foglights - H3 55W
They're all 12V globes as our cars run on a 12V system.

Thanks for that!!! :)

Oh and sorry about that, I'm still fairly new to this
Thanks again anyways :):)

Oh and are the Parkers reverse or normal polarity?? Cheers:)

Tungsten filament halogen bulbs do not have polarity.

Oh and are the Parkers reverse or normal polarity?? Cheers :)


Tungsten filament halogen bulbs do not have polarity.

When I first read your question WhitePaladin, I immediately came to the same conclusion as Magnette: tungsten filament halogen bulbs (the standard automotive bulb) are not polarity-sensitive, just like the household incandescent bulbs they evolved from. For these bulbs, it doesn't matter which way current flows the thin tungsten filament, it just heats up and glows, generating light.

But after giving the question some thought, the only reason I could come up with for why you would want/need to know this is for using LED replacement "bulbs". My first instinct was to believe that they would be normal polarity (base = positive, casing = ground) because this is the normal/standard/typical way that bayonet connectors are wired (thus why it is aptly named "normal polarity"), and doing it the other way would be a pain in the bum for everyone involved. Just to be sure, I connected a spare set of one-piece paras to my car and checked them with a multimeter: they both came up as normal polarity.

With that said, I feel I should warn you a little about LED parkers. Many members have used them and still do use them, but they tend to die quickly from heat due to their close proximity to the low beam globe. I'm not saying don't do LEDs, just be prepared for that. Also, do be cautious with coloured LEDs, and definitely do not use red or blue, it's not worth the hassle.

It would have been nice if Stanley (the headlight manufacturer) used different coloured wires for the base and casing wires, or at least one wire with a trace colour. It would have made this check so much easier: just note which of the base/casing wires on the headlight side connect to the positive/ground wires on the car side, no need for multimeters and blown fuses (oops).

haha Mr Hyphen takes the long scenic route :)

yeah I too thought of LEDs, but they'll 99.9% be made to suit negative-ground vehicles anyway. Well maybe except for those bulbs which push in with a tab that could go either way, or a festoon bulb... you've got 50% of getting it wrong, it just don't light up & you only need to R&R them the other way.

(I also lurk on other forums where Magnas are positive-ground! But not made by Mitsu... where LEDs can be handy for reducing current flow to try preserve 90yo switch contacts; also they're nicely bright on 6V electrics)

Short version is... LED retrofits are "for off road/show use only". Plus they don't work that good imho, not even for cabin lights. Lousy spotty illumination, weird coloration.

I like to be thorough ;)

You are right in saying that 99.9% would be made the standard way. There have been many reports of people using LED parkers and having one of them not working. Cutting and swapping the wires on the parker connector fixed the problem for these people, as it's impossible to flip a bayonet bulb around unlike a wedge or festoon connector. On the other hand, you can buy specifically wired reverse-polarity LED bulbs if the car was wired in such a way. If I were to use LED parkers, I guarantee I'd prefer to use the right bulb for the application (by knowing how my car was wired) than having to cut and solder/crimp.

Of course, it's likely that the cheap eBay LED bulbs were wired backwards because they are cheap, so it comes down to a bit of luck, but I'd still rather not cut perfectly good wires and have to use ugly crimps, leccy tape and heat shrink.

Why can't you flip a wedge bulb around 180deg and reinsert?

Wedge = those with the glass tab melded in, with the 2 legs of copper wire in a hoop wrapped around the edge, right? :)

If I were to retrofit LEDs I think I'd install one of those "panel" type assemblies not just a single point bulb replacement. But it'll be a bigger job to crack open the light lens etc etc

Whoops, typo.


<snip> it's impossible to flip a bayonet bulb around unlike a wedge or festoon connector <snip>

Fixed.

I'd be interested to know how you'd go about an LED panel retrofit into paras. I've done the angel eye mod using LED rings which are currently set up as my parkers, but I'm in the process of rewiring them to be DRLs instead using a couple of relays.