Getting ready to do the headlight wiring harness upgrade. Was wondering why nobody recommends a sealed beam light. Seems like this would be better from a dust and water standpoint than a H4/Autopal upgrade.

Is there a recommended 55/65W sealed beam option?

 

Limited options, and they generally aren't that bright. I run the Sylvania Silverstar sealed beams with the harness upgrade and it's a pretty reasonable light output; a huge upgrade compared to cheap sealed beams with no harness. As far as I know those Silverstars are about as good as it gets for the sealed beams.

 

Also, the DOT approved sealed beams suck, pattern-wise. The H4 housings put out a much better light pattern, and the reflector and lens are (usually) of a higher quality.

 

+1 for Silverstar

 

One of my Jeeps has standard old halogen headlamps and it's fine.

I think the concerns expressed about the autopals and others is unwarranted though. They're sealed just fine.

 

I'm running the brightest sealed beams offered by Sylvania, ultra star I think they're called. I didn't do a harness upgrade and they are great. Those lights were a night & day difference from the standard ones I removed. They run hotter than normal ones so their life is shorter, without the harness upgrade they'll probably run a little cooler and longer. They're spendy, but it was worth it for me.

 

If they run hotter,you would think running a harness upgrade wouldn't be a bad idea right? I would think running hotter anything on the Jeeps cheapo headlight switch/wiring would eventually make the switch go sometime down the road.
Plus if you run a harness the Sylvania or any other sealed beam headlight really comes to life.

 

I'm pretty sure the wattage is the same, verify that, so it won't add more load to your switch or anything else. The wattage is what determines how much load will be put on the system. My understanding is that the filament in the Ultra is designed to run hotter, therefore brighter, with the same amount of current thus having a shorter life. Doing the upgrade will give them more power so they'll be even brighter and shorter lived. From memory the Ultras were brighter with the engine off that the old lights with the engine running.

"long life" bulbs are always dimmer with the same wattage, basically the reverse of what's being done to make the super bright headlights brighter. You have to trade longevity for brightness, or use a higher wattage bulb.

 

Oh I see, cool. For me I would still do the H-Upgrade..The cheapo wiring on the Jeep is why I like to do the upgrade. Every bit helps..lol

Im running the harness with GE Lighting H6054NH Nighthawk In my 95. Nice crisp white and bright.
Been good for a few years now.(4)

 

I see a failing headlight switch in your future......

 

Pretty sure the Ultras are the same wattage so no reason the switch would be compromised by using them.

 

If you replaced your lights because they had become dim, your switch was already being damaged by heat from the increased resistance in the circuit from corrosion, which also caused the dim lights. Standard sealed beam lamps are 35W. Silverstar Ultras are 55W. So you have added additional current draw to an already failing circuit, which will likely lead to headlight failure and a possible fire.

Do you carry a fire extinguisher?

 

i disagree. i had 2 sets of autopals (<4 years old) in my possession that were both rusting internally. ive seen a 3rd set on another jeep doing the same thing. i understand they're economically priced, but to say they're sealed adequately is misleading. unless of course you only expect a housing to last 2 years before the coating flakes off and begins to rust.

 

I'm running Hella e-code housings with H4 bulbs and a harness. Night and day difference over the crappy halogen sealed beams. The biggest difference between sealed beams and something like the Hellas is the quality of the reflector. The sealed beams are disposable, and their price point and design quality reflect that. The they're also designed to the horrible US DOT spec lighting pattern.

The Hellas, or equivalent, built to the far superior Euro pattern specs and the reflector is a permanent fixture, since only the bulb is replaced. You're paying substantially more for the housing, but the quality is so much better.

 

Maybe it's my arid climate.