[SoCalB14]

Well I have 9007's in the car because 9004 are as bright as a lighter. Since 9007's are a much better setup, I installed those, but now have the stupid headlight problem -- I'm thinking it is drawing too much current through the circuit. Quick ? -- Has anybody tried to use a relay with the low beam? (The high should be fine, it's still 65w) The relay should reduce the current to next to nothing on that circuit and even boost the voltage slightly to the 9007 bulbs.

I really don't want to go back to the 9004's.

 

[I'm Slow]

Well I have 9007's in the car because 9004 are as bright as a lighter. Since 9007's are a much better setup, I installed those, but now have the stupid headlight problem -- I'm thinking it is drawing too much current through the circuit. Quick ? -- Has anybody tried to use a relay with the low beam? (The high should be fine, it's still 65w) The relay should reduce the current to next to nothing on that circuit and even boost the voltage slightly to the 9007 bulbs.

I really don't want to go back to the 9004's.

not sure about the relay but ive had no problems with the 9004 people flash me all the time when i drive with the low beams on (only to be blinded and pissed off by me flasing the high ones back at them..) mabye the problem isnt so much the bulbs as it is the light housing. pull it off and give it a good scrubb or just buy new ones.

 

[SoCalB14]

Yeah, they were pretty bad when I bought the car. I wet sanded them, then used rubbing compound and plastic polish using a random orbital polisher and they are in much better shape. I am a firm believer that D.O.T. Standards for lumens is pathetic, so I am always trying to max out my lighting.

I did switch over to 9004 XV (Sylvania's) and the lighting systems works fine, although it is dimmer than it should be (IMO). Once I get the rest of the car working correctly, I probably will try the relay idea because 700 lumens just ain't gonna cut it when a 9007 can put out 1000. I think it will work because the relay will draw next to nothing from the Headlight circuit, and I will just run a fused 12ga wire straight from the batt to the relay, to the bulbs.

I realize that I could go with a different housing for HID or Projector beams, but the name of the game is bang for the buck 9007's are the same price as 9004's yet they are much brighter.

 

[IanH]

Yeah, they were pretty bad when I bought the car. I wet sanded them, then used rubbing compound and plastic polish using a random orbital polisher and they are in much better shape. I am a firm believer that D.O.T. Standards for lumens is pathetic, so I am always trying to max out my lighting.

I did switch over to 9004 XV (Sylvania's) and the lighting systems works fine, although it is dimmer than it should be (IMO). Once I get the rest of the car working correctly, I probably will try the relay idea because 700 lumens just ain't gonna cut it when a 9007 can put out 1000. I think it will work because the relay will draw next to nothing from the Headlight circuit, and I will just run a fused 12ga wire straight from the batt to the relay, to the bulbs.

I realize that I could go with a different housing for HID or Projector beams, but the name of the game is bang for the buck 9007's are the same price as 9004's yet they are much brighter.

Are the 9007's a higher Wattage then ?
I run the relays for main and dipped that came with my Halos. One burnt out and Pep boys stock the same style for $5 that plug into the socket as "fog light accessories."
I did not look but you should be able to buy the socket as well. These clearly work well, are low draw and are rated at 30A (or 360W if you prefer to think in watts)
One final thought, use a thermal interupter instead of a fuse if you can, then the lights will recover once a problem is fixed. I had a car that had this and it was a real plus when I had some electrical problems. I purchased mine at an RV store.
Good luck.....

 

[jer28]

Well I have 9007's in the car because 9004 are as bright as a lighter. Since 9007's are a much better setup, I installed those, but now have the stupid headlight problem -- I'm thinking it is drawing too much current through the circuit. Quick ? -- Has anybody tried to use a relay with the low beam? (The high should be fine, it's still 65w) The relay should reduce the current to next to nothing on that circuit and even boost the voltage slightly to the 9007 bulbs.

I really don't want to go back to the 9004's.

I think that I would be tempted to try this (without knowing the wattage of the low beam bulbs). Cut the low beam power wire a few inches away from the socket on both sides.Use the low beam power wire from 1 headlight to energize the coil of the relay, obviously you would ground the other terminal (I'm trying to remember is this 86,87 or 85,87?). Now run your 12 gauge wire from the battery to one of the terminals on the load side of the relay. Now connect 2 wires onto the last terminal of the output side of the relay, one going to each of the cut wires going into the harness. Assuming the relay can handle the wattage of the bulbs, then this will prevent any damage to the circuit. Also I assume that the 9007 are a direct fit into the factory sockets ?(since this would be better bang for the buck ).

 

[pete?]

oh snap! when my dad owned the car and he replaced the light bulbs he said the 9004 didnt fit. so he bought 9007 and they fit fine...........thats what i have had on my car the entire time i have been driving (over 2 years now) will this do something bad to my car?!?

 

[SoCalB14]

9004 = 45w/65w = 700 lumens low ? lumens high
9007 = 55w/65w = 1000 lumens low ? lumens high (High is the same)

While The difference is roughly 1 amp for each headlight, the stock circuit is so sensitive that it freaked out on my car causing the brights indicator to be on all the time, and I either had two very dim headlights, 1 normal headlight, or two bright headlights (brights) depending on the switch and fog light settings.

When I put the 9004s back it's fine, so it's a current problem. The relays will fix that.

The 9007 socket itself is the same as the 9004 socket, but there are three mounting tabs in the composite headlight for locating the light. You need to snap one off and then the 9007 will fit fine.

I'll probably do a writup if everybody is interested in a few weeks. First I need to get the timing chain fixed before I start monkeying around with other stuff

 

[pete?]

so im thinking maybe the 99 uses 9007 because it has alot of other minor things that are differant

 

[I'm Slow]

so im thinking maybe the 99 uses 9007 because it has alot of other minor things that are differant

isecond that cause i think ive read it some where but the dude at autozone said there is really no problem using eather...what do they know tho

 

[pete?]

isecond that cause i think ive read it some where but the dude at autozone said there is really no problem using eather...what do they know tho

yea dont ever trust them............i went and couldnt find bolts to put my plates on (i thought maybe they would have some cool anodized or painted ones just to some pizzaz lol) and the dude asked me for the engine size of my car! WTF! i said no! my lisense plates! he was like yea.. i know. any who. i think that 1999 sentras lights may be differant idk though

 

[I'm Slow]

yea dont ever trust them............i went and couldnt find bolts to put my plates on (i thought maybe they would have some cool anodized or painted ones just to some pizzaz lol) and the dude asked me for the engine size of my car! WTF! i said no! my lisense plates! he was like yea.. i know. any who. i think that 1999 sentras lights may be differant idk though

lol^ good one..aparently they didnt know what a control arm was atleast the dumb blonbde there didnt