D-Lamps and Halogen Headlights.

[Aaron IIA]

I paid a visit to Classic and Vintage Bulbs the other day. I purchased from him a pair of D-Lamps, and a pair of halogen bulbs for my "tractor" headlights. The D-Lamps are well worth their cost. They are exactly correct - red glass lense, clear plastic bottom lense and two seperate light chambers. The halogen bulbs, which fit in the original bayonet base, make my half shinny reflectors almost as bright as a modern car. Well worth it.
Aaron.

[JDNSW]

Are these the same bulb as the later S1 & S2? If so I am interested, although there are a couple of points to be careful about -

1. The power consumption of most halogen bulbs is higher than the original specified bulbs - since there is no relay this can lead to burning of contacts in the headlight switch and the dip switch. (You can always add a relay - which will improve your lights anyway!)

2. Halogen bulbs get a lot hotter than ordinary ones, and this may cause damage to headlights not designed for them, possibly cracking the glass for example. this would be more likely in the smaller tractor type lights, so it is worth checking how hot they get.

Do you have an address for them?

John

[Lotz-A-Landies]

Are these the same bulb as the later S1 & S2? If so I am interested, although there are a couple of points to be careful about -

Do you have an address for them?

John
John

These replacements are for the 5" Butler lamps and the later BPF L700 lens, the ones with a large metal cap (not the same as modern H4 or sealed beam fittings.)

They are still only 65W/55W same as the original wattage. They also have LED replacement bulbs.

The website is: Classic and Vintage Bulbs (http://www.classicandvintagebulbs.com/).

Diana

[JDNSW]

John

These replacements are for the 5" Butler lamps and the later BPF L700 lens, the ones with a large metal cap (not the same as modern H4 or sealed beam fittings.)

They are still only 65W/55W same as the original wattage. They also have LED replacement bulbs.

The website is: Classic and Vintage Bulbs (http://www.classicandvintagebulbs.com/).

Diana

Thanks for the link. I don't have a Series 1 owner's manual, but the 2a manual gives 50/40w as the original. The extra current from the 65/55W should make little difference to the switches (although it is worth pointing out that the vehicles we are talking about have generators, not alternators, and there is not a lot of spare current available, so that even with the original lights it is quite easy to find yourselves with the battery getting gradually flat if you do a lot of city night driving, as those of us who lived through that era will remember).

Also worth noting that in general the use of LED bulbs in fittings designed for incandescent bulbs would not meet legal requirements - although I'm not sure what the situation would be where the vehicle dates from a period where there were no specifications further than phrases like "clearly visible" or "approximately equal brightness" which would certainly apply to Series 1. The first ADRs date from 2a times.

John

P.S. BPF??

[Aaron IIA]

The original bulbs for the 5" Butler lamps (headlights behind the grille, 1948 and 1949 (early 1950?)) are 30/30 watts with a BA15d base (bayonet fitting, parallel pins, 15 mm diameter, double contact). He can sell you 30/30 watt halogen bulbs or 55/60 watt halogen bulbs. If you choose bulbs of the same wattage, then they would create the same amount of heat. Being more efficient though, you will get more light output. I chose the 55/60 watt lights, as I intend to drive it at night time, and would like as much light as possible. I have an original C39 Lucas generator fitted, and it provides ample current (18 amps nominal). The battery is still charging even when the lights are turned on.
The BPF L700 lense is the headlight fitted to later SI's, and SII/SIIA's. It is a 7" headlight. They take a British Pre Focus bulb. He can sell you halogen bulbs to suit these headlights aswell. I drive a SIIA as my everyday car. I still use an original C40 Lucas generator that provides 22 amps nominal. This runs my 55/60 watts headlight, runs the radio, heater, windscreen wipers and still charges the two batteries. You just have to correctly adjust the regulator from time to time, about once a year, to get optimal performance.
The amount of heat generated by an incandescent bulb is proportional to the wattage. Halogen bulbs tend to be hotter than non halogen bulbs, as they are contained in a smaller glass envelope, so have less surface area to disapate the heat. Compare a 55/60 watt headlight bulb with a 60 watt household bulb. The amount of heat output will be the same, but the halogen bulb will be at a higher temperature. Therefore the heat being transmitted to the reflector will be the same no matter which bulb you use (assuming a similiar wattage).
Aaron.

[JDNSW]

The original bulbs for the 5" Butler lamps (headlights behind the grille, 1948 and 1949 (early 1950?)) are 30/30 watts with a BA15d base (bayonet fitting, parallel pins, 15 mm diameter, double contact). He can sell you 30/30 watt halogen bulbs or 55/60 watt halogen bulbs. If you choose bulbs of the same wattage, then they would create the same amount of heat. Being more efficient though, you will get more light output. I chose the 55/60 watt lights, as I intend to drive it at night time, and would like as much light as possible. I have an original C39 Lucas generator fitted, and it provides ample current (18 amps nominal). The battery is still charging even when the lights are turned on.
The BPF L700 lense is the headlight fitted to later SI's, and SII/SIIA's. It is a 7" headlight. They take a British Pre Focus bulb. He can sell you halogen bulbs to suit these headlights aswell. I drive a SIIA as my everyday car. I still use an original C40 Lucas generator that provides 22 amps nominal. This runs my 55/60 watts headlight, runs the radio, heater, windscreen wipers and still charges the two batteries. You just have to correctly adjust the regulator from time to time, about once a year, to get optimal performance.
The amount of heat generated by an incandescent bulb is proportional to the wattage. Halogen bulbs tend to be hotter than non halogen bulbs, as they are contained in a smaller glass envelope, so have less surface area to disapate the heat. Compare a 55/60 watt headlight bulb with a 60 watt household bulb. The amount of heat output will be the same, but the halogen bulb will be at a higher temperature. Therefore the heat being transmitted to the reflector will be the same no matter which bulb you use (assuming a similiar wattage).
Aaron.

The problem with a generator as opposed to an alternator is not so much the current output - although your load described is probably around 12-15A, comfortably within the 18-22A nominal of the generators, but that below 1200(engine)RPM, the current output is very little. Nominal maximum output of the C40 is listed as at 2500rpm. So if you spend a lot of time idling with your lights on, the average charge rate can easily get negative. Whereas with an alternator, particularly with modern engines idling at 1000+rpm as opposes to a Series engine idling at 600rpm, being geared to run at about twice the speed of a generator, will comfortably manage the current draw.

Your logic regarding the halogen bulb's heat is correct, except that the much hotter halogen bulb with less surface area to disperse heat by convection, will transfer a much larger proportion of its heat direct to the reflector (or the bulb holder at least) by conduction. I have had problems with H1 bulbs actually softening the zinc diecast socket on my driving lights, allowing the spring clips that hold it to come loose. Problem fixed, incidentally by going from 100 to 55w bulbs with no perceptible loss of light (probably because the voltage at the bulb was higher with half the current!).

Another point is that although the halogen bulb is more efficient at transforming electrical energy to light, the efficiency is still so low that the difference in the amount of heat generated is negligible, although there is a big increase in the amount of light emitted. (amount of energy emitted as light is 3.5% compared to 2.1% - a 67% increase in light for the same power input, but the amount of heat is reduced from 97.9% to 96.5% - a reduction of 1.4% - pretty near nothing)

John

[Lotz-A-Landies]

and there is not a lot of spare current available, so that even with the original lights it is quite easy to find yourselves with the battery getting gradually flat if you do a lot of city night driving, as those of us who lived through that era will remember).

John

P.S. BPF??

Very true John, and yes I didn't check the manual, it has been so long since I ordered anything less than 55W. But I remember well the headlamp glow that would dribble out the lamp and land about three feet in front of the car.

Yes also remember that people were changing to the Bosch alternators off Holdens which had a really large generating capacity. What was it 35Amp, people today will laugh at that, but it was a big jump from the dynamos generating 20amps or for some of the SIIas 25 amps! :)

BPF is British Pre-Focus.

Diana

[Bigbjorn]

I well remember 6 volt vehicles with generators. If we went long distances at night using high beams then we quite commonly found we had insufficient battery to start in the morning and a push or a roll was needed.

My experiences with using QH bulbs in lamps originally intended to use tungsten was this, in Lucas SFT576 & SFT700 fog lamps which had quite thick lenses, the glass would crack when used with a QH bulb which I always understood was from uneven expansion of the thick glass from the extra heat of the QH bulb. The other problem encountered with Lucas headlights and SLR576 and SLR700 driving lights when using QH bulbs was discolouration and lifting of the reflective film on the steel reflector. Lucas sold the bulbs under their own label but claimed using them was not a correct application as the lamp units were unsuitable for these bulbs. If you are looking for any Lucas ( and many other brands) lamps, bulbs, switches and ignition and spare parts, contact Kev. Baker, KB Classic Parts, 2 Margaret St. Witta, Via Maleny 4552. Telephone 07 5494 4221. Kev. is known as the "Lucas Man" and has encyclopaedic knowledge of auto electrical and Lucas in particular from thirty+ years experience. He took nearly forty tons of parts up the mountain when he moved from Carina to Maleny. Kev will be cheaper than virtually any other auto electrical specialist.

[Aaron IIA]

The problem with a generator as opposed to an alternator is not so much the current output - although your load described is probably around 12-15A, comfortably within the 18-22A nominal of the generators, but that below 1200(engine)RPM, the current output is very little. Nominal maximum output of the C40 is listed as at 2500rpm. So if you spend a lot of time idling with your lights on, the average charge rate can easily get negative. Whereas with an alternator, particularly with modern engines idling at 1000+rpm as opposes to a Series engine idling at 600rpm, being geared to run at about twice the speed of a generator, will comfortably manage the current draw.


This is quite true. When I go rabbit and fox hunting at night, I usually end up with a flat battery. I have a diesel engine, and need a fair amount of power to get it started. So that I could start it in the morning after a long night with the engine basically idling, I like to park it on a slight slope. I now have two 12V batteries fitted in parallel. This gives me more stored energy than the originally specified two 6V batteries fitted in series. This only happens when I drive for long periods at night time with the engine only idling. Even when stop start driving in night time traffic, when I get home, turn the lights off and rev the engine, the charging current only rises for a brief time.

When I ran a petrol engine in my SIIA, I would prime the fuel, pump the accelerator twice, engage the choke, wait five or so seconds and engage the starter. It would fire first or second compression, even if it was barely turning over. A little bit of maintenance ensures a good carburettor and a strong sparking system.

In my SI, I follow a similiar procedure, except that the fuel priming is automatic with the SU fuel pump. It always runs within one revolution. If the battery is too flat for this, (it rarely gets driven, and has an old, previously condemned battery) then the crank handle gets it going on the first or second go. Remember to retard the ignition though. This makes it safer and easier to start.

When properly adjusted, there is no problem with standard Lucas generators, even when running accessories. And more importantly, there are no solid state components in generators that can suddenly stop. I would have a generator over an alternator any day. It is important to get a full size quality battery. A good battery can have three to four times the capacity of the cheap batteries that I see some people use.

Aaron.

[JDNSW]

This is quite true. When I go rabbit and fox hunting at night, I usually end up with a flat battery. I have a diesel engine, and need a fair amount of power to get it started. So that I could start it in the morning after a long night with the engine basically idling, I like to park it on a slight slope. I now have two 12V batteries fitted in parallel. This gives me more stored energy than the originally specified two 6V batteries fitted in series. This only happens when I drive for long periods at night time with the engine only idling. Even when stop start driving in night time traffic, when I get home, turn the lights off and rev the engine, the charging current only rises for a brief time.

When I ran a petrol engine in my SIIA, I would prime the fuel, pump the accelerator twice, engage the choke, wait five or so seconds and engage the starter. It would fire first or second compression, even if it was barely turning over. A little bit of maintenance ensures a good carburettor and a strong sparking system.

In my SI, I follow a similiar procedure, except that the fuel priming is automatic with the SU fuel pump. It always runs within one revolution. If the battery is too flat for this, (it rarely gets driven, and has an old, previously condemned battery) then the crank handle gets it going on the first or second go. Remember to retard the ignition though. This makes it safer and easier to start.

When properly adjusted, there is no problem with standard Lucas generators, even when running accessories. And more importantly, there are no solid state components in generators that can suddenly stop. I would have a generator over an alternator any day. It is important to get a full size quality battery. A good battery can have three to four times the capacity of the cheap batteries that I see some people use.

Aaron.

A good post, but I don't agree about the advantages of a generator, at least Lucas ones. For this reason I now have an alternator on my S2a, having replaced the generator twice - the failure was the same each time - in a dusty environment they get dust in the end bush, which then cuts out very rapidly, helped by the oil you added, allowing the armature to pole and burn out. After similar problems I replaced the generator on the 2a I owned in the sixties with an alternator. However, I retained the generator on the S1 and S2 that I owned before it, probably lucky I was living in a climate that was not as dusty.

As you point out, the advantage of a petrol engine is that you can crank start it, and, if everything is in good shape, particularly ignition and carburetion, then it will start easily.

Running storage batteries in parallel is not good practice, as even when new and matched, their internal resistance will differ, so that one will do a lot more work than the other, and they will progressively become more uneven. The two 6v batteries of the correct size should give just as much stored energy as the two 12v ones, but I appreciate that it is much more difficult to get 6v batteries, and getting the right ones may be almost impossible. But I would be inclined to set them up with a proper two battery charging system and only parallel them for starting, or perhaps the choice of which one for starting and spotlighting.

John