Team-BHP - Auxiliary Lamps

Need urgent help :

What is the best place for install Auxiliary lamp in Ertiga?

Right now I have 2 Hella work lamp (For low beam).
Next week I will buy 2 more NEO 1010 lights (For high beam).

I am planning to fabricate a light mount bar like this.

From where I can get this type of light mount bar in India.
Any good light installer/auto electrician in Pune.

Mods: Sorry for consecutive post.

Guys anyone know a good Auto electrician in Pune. Or please recommend any garage from where I can install the lamps.

I am not going for any bull bar kind of thing. So is this possible to install 4 auxiliary lamp on Ertiga.

Or should i go for only Neo 1010 ?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sankar (Post 3287110)

These are my new aux lamps...
KC Hilites Apollo Pro 6" Driving beams

Sankar, any feedback on these ?
I am planning for the Apollo 450 spot beam lamps

Quote:

Originally Posted by condor (Post 3650280)

Sankar, any feedback on these ?
I am planning for the Apollo 450 spot beam lamps

They were not as good as the 'Hella Rallye 3003 Compact' i had earlier on my car. KC driving beams offered more spread; but the 3003 Compact offered more throw. I found more throw of the 3003 Compact combined with the spread of the highbeam headlamps to be a better combo for highway driving.

Build wise KC felt more abuse friendly owing to the integrated grill upfront. Hella without the grill felt vulnerable in bumper to bumper traffic.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sankar (Post 3650296)

KC driving beams offered more spread;

Just to be sure - did you pick the correct beam pattern ? KC has 3 types of beam - Spot, Spread & Fog. Your description seems to match that of the Spread beam.

Quote:

Originally Posted by condor (Post 3650546)

Just to be sure - did you pick the correct beam pattern ? KC has 3 types of beam - Spot, Spread & Fog. Your description seems to match that of the Spread beam.

I bought the driving beam pattern lamp. I missed the point 'spot beam' in your question.

I went by the illumination chart of the KC which were supposedly good for the distance i was expecting it to work alongwith the headlights, but it failed to impress. My headlights were 55/60 nightbreaker and the 100w KC didn't do much to improve visibility.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sankar (Post 3650573)

Ok. That's where you missed it. The driving beam pattern is a mix of fog & spot. Check this link, and note the three models. You have most likely taken the 451, instead of the 450 that would have helped you.

http://www.kchilites.com/lights/apollo-pro.html

Quote:

Originally Posted by condor (Post 3654171)

Sankar, here's a pictorial to show the difference in throw:

Attachment 1345007

(taken from eb a y)

Thats how i got misled into buying the KC driving lights. In the pic you can see that the KC driving lights throw almost 50% more than the OE driving beam. In practical usage the KC with its 100W bulb didn't do much over the stock Swift headlights (slightly lifted to increase high beam throw) running 55/60 Osram Nightbreakers.

The difference with KC driving beams was not as great as depicted in the picture. Maybe the reference picture is of them comparing their lights against a DOT headlight.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sankar (Post 3654178)

The difference with KC driving beams was not as great as depicted in the picture. Maybe the reference picture is of them comparing their lights against a DOT headlight.

Agree .. pictures are often for illustrative purposes only :)

The throw that is shown here for the long range lamps would be more in Lightforce territory than KC / Hella's etc. Then again, I would not expect that kind of throw from even the spot beam 450's.

I still think that the 450 series (Spot beam) would have helped you far more than the 451's you got.

Quote:

Originally Posted by condor (Post 3654196)

Agree .. pictures are often for illustrative purposes only :)

Yes but Hella's lighting chart seems more sensible. There used to be a russian site which had actual pics of how far the Hella lights illuminate down the road. Most of the popular models were included.

Quote:

Originally Posted by condor (Post 3654196)

I still think that the 450 series (Spot beam) would have helped you far more than the 451's you got.

Yes probably they would have been better, but if i am buying another set in future i will stick with Hella.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sankar (Post 3654352)

Yes but Hella's lighting chart seems more sensible. There used to be a russian site which had actual pics of how far the Hella lights illuminate down the road. .

Quick compare between two models:

Quote:

Originally Posted by condor (Post 3654738)

Quick compare between two models:

Attachment 1345363

Not this one, this lighting chart is available on various hella websites. The site i mentioned had the image of actual lighting with various markers placed to illustrate the range.

This topic has rekindled my interest in aux lights and i am thinking of buying a pair again :D

:-) Go for it ! I am looking for something relatively budget-level lamps in about 6". Dont want a bigger one like the hella 700FF which look to have some good range.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sankar (Post 3654802)

Not this one, this lighting chart is available on various hella websites.

This was something I put together.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sankar (Post 3654352)

There used to be a russian site which had actual pics of how far the Hella lights illuminate down the road. Most of the popular models were included.

Here is one comparison video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7quJgMasrg

I am running 500ff on my verna and don't really see much improvement in throw compared to the stock hi-beam. What I do is, use hellas for long throw and keep the headlight in low beam (or vice versa) to try and achieve both high and low beam on together scenario.