Headlights

[mohp624]

I am new to this site. As a matter of fact, this is my first post. It looks like it could be a great source of information.

Question: Does anyone know the headlight throw distance of a 2004 Ford Crown Victoria with standard headlights? I know that there are a lot of variables! I'm just looking for a starting point. I think that the recommended throw distance for bright lights is approximately 300 feet. Am I in the ball park? Any idea about the dim setting throw distance?

Thanks in advance for your input on this question.

 

[TorchBoy]

:welcome: Send a PM to Scheinwerfermann. If anyone would know, he would.

 

[Diesel_Bomber]

Not sure what the exact specs are, but your low beams should easily outshine 300 feet, and your high beams should be 1000+ feet.

Like TorchBoy said, Scheinwerfermann will know. Hopefully he'll chime in this thread and enlighten all of us.

:buddies:

 

[Jarl]

Not sure what the exact specs are, but your low beams should easily outshine 300 feet, and your high beams should be 1000+ feet.

Like TorchBoy said, Scheinwerfermann will know. Hopefully he'll chime in this thread and enlighten all of us.

:buddies:

Do your low beams do that? I can't think of a car I've been in whose low headlights have thrown more than 150'.

 

[iced_theater]

I think most stock headlights shine in the 100-150 ft range for lowbeams. I don't believe there is an actual distance they have to shine, but they do have a maximum intensity in the space they test in that they aren't supposed to go over.

As for high beams, I'd say 300 ft is the minimum for distance. Here is a site that will help you aim your headlights correctly so you can at least see as best as you can with your headlights.
http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/aim/aim.html

 

[-Virgil-]

Almost any headlamp will make retroreflective road signs light up from half a mile away, some more than others. That's easy. The real measure of headlamp distance reach is effective range, not reflective range. In a nutshell, effective range is how far the beam reaches in terms of ability to illuminate significantly a non-retroreflective item. The 2-lux reach is a justifiable criterion for the boundary between effectively unlit and effectively lit non-retroreflective items.

1000 feet from the high beams under discussion here? Not even close. Figure maybe 300 to 375 feet for those high beams. For those low beams, figure about 250 feet or so.

More if you install relays and larger-gauge feed and ground wires to fix Ford's inadequate headlamp wiring that tends to underfeed the bulbs.

 

[Diesel_Bomber]

Oops, I read the OP's question wrong. My response was for what headlights in general should be, not what his necessarily are.

Jarl-

When my car is sitting in the street in front of my house, my low beams shine across my part of the street(150'), across my neighbor's part of the street(another 150'), across the road at the end(another ~20'), and into the field on the other side of the road(who knows how much farther). Google E-code or European beam headlights. I also have the relays and upgraded wiring that Scheinwerfermann mentioned, in addition to over wattage bulbs. The E-code beam pattern allows this extra lighting without blinding others.

:buddies:

 

[kaichu dento]

Figure maybe 300 to 375 feet for those high beams. For those low beams, figure about 250 feet or so.

More if you install relays and larger-gauge feed and ground wires to fix Ford's inadequate headlamp wiring that tends to underfeed the bulbs.

Would that be true for my Astro van with H6054's too?

I've been wanting to brighten up the road more, but without blinding the oncoming driver. It seems that so many headlights nowadays are still blinding even on low beam.

 

[MichaelW]

"It seems that so many headlights nowadays are still blinding even on low beam."

Yes, the SAE headlight system was outmoded when halogen bulbs came into vogue in the US (circa 1975-85)
The SAE system has completely failed with HID light sources (1995-2005).

Even if you are completely and properly aligned, you are still too glaring, because the system is designed to glare.

Just because fifty odd years ago, the poor rural towns could not afford road signs with their own lights, or high grade retro-reflective material, we are stuck with the ramifications.

It is time to scrap SAE, and move to ECE headlights.
White LEDs are cost effective for signage, retro-reflective material is cheap.
or at least phase in the change to european headlights.
(e-code headlights for HIDs for '10 model year, quad beams halogens '11, dual beams '12)
That would be like the change to DTV, required a ATSC tuner in the largest (and most $$) and working its way to the cheapest models.

 

[ak645]

Would that be true for my Astro van with H6054's too?

I've been wanting to brighten up the road more, but without blinding the oncoming driver. It seems that so many headlights nowadays are still blinding even on low beam.

I recently installed Cibie H4 conversion w/+50 (stock wattage) lamps,in that size on my S10.I could not be happier.They put more light where it's needed while causing less glare for others.Check out this thread for more info.

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=189369

 

[-Virgil-]

Would that be true for my Astro van with H6054's too?

Yep, H6054s are junk. But there are much better headlights that can be installed directly in place of them. Send an e-mail to Stern and see what he's recommending these days.

I've been wanting to brighten up the road more, but without blinding the oncoming driver. It seems that so many headlights nowadays are still blinding even on low beam.

You don't have to pick one or the other. Well engineered headlamps produce a low beam pattern that is very effective for you without offensive glare to others.

 

[Nitroz]

On the way home last night this F250 jacked up had stuck in an HID kit in the fogs and headlights.:shakehead He was looking cool and being stupid all at the same time.

Luckily I was on a 4 lane divided hwy. and the glare did not kill me to bad.

 

[MichaelW]

Why can't the cops stop with the taxes (you were doing 5 over the 'limit') and get real offenders. Those kind of: either morons or a-holes.

Either way they are causing massive debilitating glare.

 

[270winchester]

Why can't the cops stop with the taxes (you were doing 5 over the 'limit') and get real offenders. Those kind of: either morons or a-holes.

Either way they are causing massive debilitating glare.

often times illegally installed HID kits glare no worse than older lights with aged plastic lens that scatter light everywhere.

 

[swxb12]

Generic HID kits and aftermarket headlight enclosures are dirt cheap nowadays. Some people will just snatch 'em off the 'bay and install without even giving much though to properly aiming them according to state laws and common sense...

And those jacked up trucks need to have their lights aimed downward more to compensate for the raised base I reckon. Probably won't help much if they're really close to you anyways.

 

[Diesel_Bomber]

There really needs to be a maximum headlight height as well as a minimum. I really like how new F*rd Superduty trucks have the headlights low and the turn signals high.

:buddies:

 

[iced_theater]

There really needs to be a maximum headlight height as well as a minimum. I really like how new F*rd Superduty trucks have the headlights low and the turn signals high.

:buddies:

I agree with you, I wish they would make just a small range for the height of the headlight whether it be a car or truck. As it is, you get these brand new trucks with headlights at 4 feet above ground versus a car at 1 1/2 feet. If they just mandated a set height; example 15"-30" then a truck wouldn't blind as much as they currently do.

 

[swxb12]

Well, here's California DMV law regarding headlight height:

The headlamps and every light source in any headlamp unit shall be located at a height of not more than 54 inches nor less than 22 inches.

That's freakin 4.5 feet high. I'm for certain that I've seen trucks on the road with headlights way higher than that. It's just not being enforced.

 

[bobski]

I'm for certain that I've seen trucks on the road with headlights way higher than that.

You mean like on plows? Or just trucks with lift kits? I guess it never snows in CA, so such a clause may be missing, but here in DE I'm pretty sure there's an exception for emergency vehicles and such.

 

[Diesel_Bomber]

I'm a bit of a hypocrite. Just measured the headlights on my main truck...........47" off the ground. I wonder how often I'd get pulled over if I mounted headlights under the bumper(would still be over the legal minimum height) and didn't use the stock headlights. I'd use legal headlights and it'd be fine once the LEO found out what I'd done, but I wonder how much hassle I'd have getting pulled over for driving with what looks like fog lights only? Interesting thoughts.....

:buddies: