44 replies to this topic

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They are a direct upgrade, no upgrading of wiring/relays etc is necessary.

[jaydee]

The standard relay is fine, although i'm afraid you'll be frying some switches using 55W lamps and the thin standard loom that was used with sealed beams

[IainStallard]

My halogens fitted straight on with no issues. All I had to do was cut off the existing sidelight holder and solder on a new one.

 

Just fitted straight on:

http://minispares.co...lamps.aspx|Back to shop

Edited by IainStallard, 02 July 2013 - 01:44 PM.

[KernowCooper]

Ok here it is from the horses mouth, What Simon has said is correct the sealed beam units were 45w and the new Halogen are 55w

 

the sealed beams take 3.75amps each to run and the halogen 4.58amps, this is within the realms of the standard wiring on a Mini when it was all new!

 

The problem arises when you ask 30+ year old wiring and switches to handle just a few more amps, the switch contacts are more than likely electrically dirty and weak and therefore more resistance inside the switch = more heat. So there may well be Minis out there which have had halogens fitted with no effect and there may well be some who have experienced headlight switch failure due to the above, or melted connections between switch and light units of which there many.

 

When ever I'm asked to do any conversions on older cars I always wire it for road use with 2 relays with a new common 12v feed.

The feed is taken from the starter solenoid and feeds the 2 relays, the blue/white main beam cars wiring works relay 1 and the blue dip works relay 2, this way the light stalk and the headlight switch only works the relays and the current is very low and thus taking the load off the dip/main beam stalk and the headlight switch.

[Captain Mainwaring]

We have available rather nice little kits available here - all fused etc - unplug the old spindly cables and plug in the new heavy cables to the lamps, use one of the existing cables and plug in the relay unit adapter - feed on to starter terminal done - I bought 2 kits for about 4 quid - figured it was worth it just for the spares supplied.

[Cooperman]

If you really want to improve your lights you can fit 100/80 watt headlight halogen bulbs. But then you MUST have relays and some people like to use 4 relays, one for each main beam and one for each dip beam. That's a 'belt & braces' approach.

Edited by Cooperman, 02 July 2013 - 03:09 PM.

[rodandtom]

 

 

Ok here it is from the horses mouth, What Simon has said is correct the sealed beam units were 45w and the new Halogen are 55w

 

the sealed beams take 3.75amps each to run and the halogen 4.58amps, this is within the realms of the standard wiring on a Mini when it was all new!

 

The problem arises when you ask 30+ year old wiring and switches to handle just a few more amps, the switch contacts are more than likely electrically dirty and weak and therefore more resistance inside the switch = more heat. So there may well be Minis out there which have had halogens fitted with no effect and there may well be some who have experienced headlight switch failure due to the above, or melted connections between switch and light units of which there many.

 

When ever I'm asked to do any conversions on older cars I always wire it for road use with 2 relays with a new common 12v feed.

The feed is taken from the starter solenoid and feeds the 2 relays, the blue/white main beam cars wiring works relay 1 and the blue dip works relay 2, this way the light stalk and the headlight switch only works the relays and the current is very low and thus taking the load off the dip/main beam stalk and the headlight switch.

Hi 

 

I really like this post but can you clarify the wiring for me. I understand that the 12v feed is coming off the solenoid but you say it's the input for both the relays. Are they fed one after the other in line or do you split a feed off so they are in parallel? Also, are you taking the load off the dip/ main beam stalk by using the original wires as the 'activator/ control' feed for the relays? So if I get that right, the power would normally come in to the stalk and then be switched through the stalk to allow the power to turn on the lights - right? If you are not using them in that way, have you had to change the power going in to the stalk as well?

 

Thanks,

 

Rod

 

RodAndTom

Edited by rodandtom, 02 July 2013 - 06:18 PM.

[PaulColeman]

We have available rather nice little kits available here - all fused etc - unplug the old spindly cables and plug in the new heavy cables to the lamps, use one of the existing cables and plug in the relay unit adapter - feed on to starter terminal done - I bought 2 kits for about 4 quid - figured it was worth it just for the spares supplied.

Where exactly are these available from?

 

Thanks, Paul.

[KernowCooper]

Hi Rod

 

Just to clarify I run 1 large feed wire (Non Fused) from the starter which is more than capable of taking the light 9amps, I then connect this to relay 1 and then onto relay 2, the cars wiring stays the same as now the origional dip/main from the switch just switches the relays. You would not fuse the wire from the starer solenoid for obvoius reasons, if the fuse blew you would have no lights. Or to be double safe run 2 seperate wires from the solenoid 12v to each relay.

 

everything about the stalk and the headlight switch and the cars loom out to the lights remains standard and running at a reduced load

[jaydee]

Sounds a clever solution instead of messing around with the original wiring.

[Bazooka Joe]

So where do you put the relay Dave - under the wheel arch near the light or on the inner wing? And I take it you just disconnect the wiring from the back of the head and connect that to the relay's to provide the "switch"?

[lrostoke]

I've put my relays on the bulkhead next to the brake master cylinder, I'm lucky in having no servo so nice space there.

 

Best to put them somewhere they will stay dry, so wheelarch not such a good place

[KernowCooper]

Yes Joe as said above I mount them on the drivers inner wing of if a servo car then the bulkhead, wing is easier to connect the original wiring to the relays and your near the starter solenoid there as well