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alileg69
Thursday 7th August 2008, 11:53
Just wondering if anyone else has poor light from the headlights on a P1 V70? Have tried 3 sets of bulbs, last set were Philips Xtreeme, and all give poor light. Seems as if they arent getting enough power?
On my old Rover 800 the philips bulbs made a huge difference, much whiter and brighter light, but nothing seems to change on the Volvo...

Any ideas?

Filterlab
Thursday 7th August 2008, 12:22
The headlights just aren't that good I'm afraid but you have a couple of options;

An HID kit which gives amazing light (http://www.hids4u.co.uk/store/product.php?productid=3&cat=16&page=1)

-or-

Replace the headlights with projector type lenses (http://www.partsforvolvosonline.com/product_info.php?cPath=515_680&products_id=5296)

You could mix the two, but I'm not sure if the projectors will take the heat from the HID bulb - probably be ok though. :)

alileg69
Thursday 7th August 2008, 12:38
Was guessing that was the case, have herd that the later C70 ones with the clear lens are meant to be better. HID's in the std lamps are illegal, so just the projector ones then. Which i'm sure will be better, but its the full beam that i want for the country roads i drive, so might just keep it simple, upgrade the wiring and stick some high power bulbs in....

Ah well, we'll see!!

Filterlab
Thursday 7th August 2008, 12:45
Or you could add some driving lamps although they always look a bit "aftermarket". You'd probably be ok with HIDs as long as you don't draw attention to the if you get stopped, but legally they should be installed in automatic self-levelling lamps.

The new lenses would probably be my choice (and they will be soon helpfully) but you could try relaying directly from the battery with some high amperage cable and some fat bulbs first. I live in SW London so everything's streetlamps here, other than local roads I only drive on the motorway where mega headlights aren't really required so I've never really felt a change to be that necessary.

alileg69
Friday 8th August 2008, 00:40
Well trying to keep things legal, i tried my mates Osram nigthbreaker bulbs. Meant to be really good, and to be honest have made a huge difference. They look even better on his car, so can only think it is the reflector/lens on the volvo which isnt up to much.
A friend of my dad has a late phase 1 C70 with clear lenses and am going to see how much better his lights are as he says there the best lights he's ever had on a car!!! Lol!

paullus
Saturday 9th August 2008, 08:40
Hi.
The problem is the mirrored reflectors in the headlights get dulled over the years by the heat of the bulbs. This is worse on cars such as ours which have running lights on all the time. On my S70 I have the option to turn the running lights off which I did. I have recently replaced the headlights and indicators with the clear type from the late C70 and fitted Osram Nightbreakers into the dip beam. Incredible difference in lighting performance in dip and main beam. I got the headlights from Rufe. They are not aftermarket items yet.
Cheers.

Wombatbomb
Saturday 9th August 2008, 09:08
The standard lights on a P1 car are seldom descibed as anything other than "crap". I initially fitted a set of HIDs to just the dipped beams and the improvement was amazing. I have subsequently also swapped to the projector units from ABM and the overall combination is simply awesome.

I've not yet had to use my mainbeams at all (except for flashing them) since fitting at the start of this year and have been flasehd twice I think by people thinking my mainbeams are on, which makes me smile as they were initially aligned using an MOT test station, and have been checked twice since, and MOT tested too, all times being set absolutely correctly. Perhaps folks should think about cleaning the inside of their windscreens properly as from my experience that is often the cause of supposed "dazzle" from oncoming lights.

idwal67
Sunday 10th August 2008, 01:41
Hi - wombatbomb

can you tell me where you got your hid kit, how much and does it cause
any fault messages on you car

thanks
ken (idwal67)

MARKY70RRR
Sunday 10th August 2008, 22:03
Was guessing that was the case, have herd that the later C70 ones with the clear lens are meant to be better. HID's in the std lamps are illegal, so just the projector ones then. Which i'm sure will be better, but its the full beam that i want for the country roads i drive, so might just keep it simple, upgrade the wiring and stick some high power bulbs in....

Ah well, we'll see!!
why are they illegal can you fit hid lights in projector lights
and be legal

Filterlab
Monday 11th August 2008, 09:08
why are they illegal can you fit hid lights in projector lights
and be legal

HIDs should only be used with automatic self levelling headlamps.

Dangerous Dave
Monday 11th August 2008, 09:14
I've got nightbreakers in my 850 (in bot main beam and dipped compartments) and they're ok. I got them for £15 including delivery off ebay which is cheaper than any replacement from halfrauds!

They're supposed to be 90% brighter than standard bulbs, and to be fair they do look brighter, but I can't really tell the diference. I'll see if I can put an old standard bulb in one side and take a piccy.

mexybhouy
Saturday 16th August 2008, 00:23
As Filterlab says, hid's should only be used with auto leveling, self cleaning headlamps! the only ones i know to date require someone to press a switch to wash/wipe and roll an adjuster on the headlamp setting for required level.. they ain't auto by no stretch of the imagination! but if you have these facillities then you should be ok! i have hid's & projectors on my 1998 v70r awd and they are the Dogs m8!

MARKY70RRR
Tuesday 19th August 2008, 22:29
Was guessing that was the case, have herd that the later C70 ones with the clear lens are meant to be better. HID's in the std lamps are illegal, so just the projector ones then. Which i'm sure will be better, but its the full beam that i want for the country roads i drive, so might just keep it simple, upgrade the wiring and stick some high power bulbs in....

Ah well, we'll see!!

where can you get these lights from and any pics of em anywhere

Terminator
Wednesday 20th August 2008, 13:15
I have fitted a 55W HID kit to my P1 V70R AWD (standard not projector headlamps) and it sailed through the MOT and was accepted as a modification by my insurance company. The issue of illegality is a grey area and is more likely to apply to new cars manufactured with HID Lights and Self Levelling than older cars with the units retro fitted. Providing HID beams are correctly aligned (most important) and kept clean (headlamp wash wipe helps) problems with the authorities and dazzling oncoming drivers can be avoided.

When fitting HID lights, get the 55W over the 35W type as this will stop the bulb out warning light from appearing.

The difference 55W HID lights make is truly amazing and well worth a £70 outlay imo (bought off Chinese supplier on Ebay, surprisingly good quality).

gazjacko
Wednesday 20th August 2008, 17:57
the section on the right is HID + late clear C70 lens
can't fault them

Wombatbomb
Wednesday 20th August 2008, 18:04
IMO what makes the HIDs really valuable to me is the fact that it becomes much less tiring to drive at night with them fitted.

MARKY70RRR
Wednesday 20th August 2008, 18:18
the section on the right is HID + late clear C70 lens
can't fault them

where and how much were late c70 lenses wot colour are lights measured in k or summit

MARKY70RRR
Wednesday 20th August 2008, 21:45
i have fitted a 55w hid kit to my p1 v70r awd (standard not projector headlamps) and it sailed through the mot and was accepted as a modification by my insurance company. The issue of illegality is a grey area and is more likely to apply to new cars manufactured with hid lights and self levelling than older cars with the units retro fitted. Providing hid beams are correctly aligned (most important) and kept clean (headlamp wash wipe helps) problems with the authorities and dazzling oncoming drivers can be avoided.

When fitting hid lights, get the 55w over the 35w type as this will stop the bulb out warning light from appearing.

The difference 55w hid lights make is truly amazing and well worth a £70 outlay imo (bought off chinese supplier on ebay, surprisingly good quality).have been told 55w may cause cabling to get hot n stuff he doesnt recommend on standard wirin.

alileg69
Thursday 21st August 2008, 10:04
Hi.
The problem is the mirrored reflectors in the headlights get dulled over the years by the heat of the bulbs. This is worse on cars such as ours which have running lights on all the time. On my S70 I have the option to turn the running lights off which I did. I have recently replaced the headlights and indicators with the clear type from the late C70 and fitted Osram Nightbreakers into the dip beam. Incredible difference in lighting performance in dip and main beam. I got the headlights from Rufe. They are not aftermarket items yet.
Cheers.



How much were they for the set of 4? Tried my bulbs in my dads mates car and ther loads better. Think ill be having a few bits through Rufe soon...

Terminator
Thursday 21st August 2008, 13:53
have been told 55w may cause cabling to get hot n stuff he doesnt recommend on standard wirin.

But surely 55W is the same as halogen headlights, therefore there is no additional draw through the cabling, unless I have missed something?!

MARKY70RRR
Thursday 21st August 2008, 17:43
im a spark but may be something to do with the cables in a big loom with loads of wires that will make a difference to the heat dont know size of cable either not looked.all to do with inducin.ordered 35w try em out dont want car on fire.ha

gazjacko
Friday 22nd August 2008, 09:36
where and how much were late c70 lenses wot colour are lights measured in k or summit

Lenses were on the car when I got it, I think the lights are 6000k, all the MOT mand does os hold a sheet of A4 paper to the front of them to check they project white. I believe above 6000k they start to 'blue'.

alileg69
Friday 22nd August 2008, 09:53
im a spark but may be something to do with the cables in a big loom with loads of wires that will make a difference to the heat dont know size of cable either not looked.all to do with inducin.ordered 35w try em out dont want car on fire.ha



55w is standard a headlight bulb? :confused: