Brought our new to us 1999 U320 home yesterday. Everything worked great except the headlights. It has the headlight conversion with the small round headlights. Had to drive home in the rain. The light from the headlights is terrible. Does anyone know if there is a brighter bulb replacement?
IF your headlights are receiving enough power to function as designed, maybe they need to be adjusted to suit the law and maybe your driving style? A voltmeter will tell you the former and a flat wall, level ground, and tape measure the latter.
My concern would be "Did You have the correct switch on" Being a retrofit maybe the correct beams were not functioning... ::) Maybe you only had the "Day Time " Running lights" on????
That's a Xtreme headlight conversion. Headlight switch should be the same. I would suggest what art said. Put the coach facing a wall and see where your headlights are aiming. When I was at xtreme in 2020 getting work done they asked me if I wanted to switch over to the headlight conversion from my JW speaker headlight setup. I said no thanks. I love my headlights on the coach now.
Although I try not to drive at night anymore I've had to several times and having good headlights was the difference.
After you check out whether the headlights are aimed properly I would give Xtreme a call. Ask about upgrading the lighting. Or do you like most of us and try not to drive at night.
Congratulations on your new coach and let us know what you find. Also when you get a chance at a signature to your name with your coaches year build etc that way when you ask questions people will know what kind of Coach you have.
Bob
I have done exactly this and spoken with Rance directly. He'll tell you the same thing I responded to the OPs Facebook comment with: adjust them and upgrade to LED bulbs if that's not satisfactory.
BUT, still start out with your digital voltmeter to confirm that with the engine running, there is 13.5+ VDC at the bulbs.
Check the voltage first. I don't know anything about the little round bulbs but as Elliott said
maybe you can get LED bulbs for them. I have LED lights even out of adjustment they would
throw out lots of light. I drive a lot at night so I now have great lights.
I now have LED in everything .
Some points of interest for the lights. If there is no relay in the circuit, all of the voltage passes through the switch . If you can reach the switch, jump the wires and see if the lights get brighter. Or simply power them with a long jumper lead directly to the light. with the engine running and the switch on. If the circuit is sound, no increase in light will be the result .
The fix is to use the switch to trigger a relay that is close to the light. Reduce switch loss, reduce wire run loss.
Low light output is /was a very common complaint with Ford trucks. Same reason, may be the same switch even.
For those of you that upgraded to LED's, is there a plug and play part number? Never had them out so don't know what the bulb's socket look like.
The socket on the Xtreme conversion is the standard plug. I believe it is H-4 but not sure. I bought led bulbs and just plugged them in. Also the high and low both take the same bulb.
No one has mentioned the return path for the electricity aka "The Ground."
Anecdote:
Recently I decided to bite the bullet and re-arrange the headlights i the Studebaker in DOT fashion rather than where the "Restoration Shop" put them on my nickel. I found very nice paint on the tab where the headlight bucket should ground such that the only contact was through the mounting screw. 14.4VDC going in, with little place to go.
So check where the return wire from those little round headlights is connected to the chassis. That Extreme conversion should be the Cat's Pajamas for night time driving.
aka "It's always the ground."
H4 9003 HB2 Fog Light LED Headlight 100W Hi/Lo Beam 8000K Driving DRL Lamp... (https://www.ebay.com/itm/401925776480).. These are in my Honda VFR. very nice .
Are you saying that the link to these bulbs will also work for our Extreme conversion headlights?
They would work in mine. I have the same number just a different manufacturer.
The bulbs in my link have the elements at the proper heights to mimic the standard H4 bulb
They seem to work well in the stock reflector housings. Decent cut off. Bright enough .
This is for the motorcycle BTW.
I'm only confirming because in other posts I see people referring to the H9 bulb socket working in the extreme conversion, which seems to be a different socket than the H4.
...though you could be throwing my scent cold because you're referring to your motorcycle not your coach??
I believe my conversion has the H-4, a simple call to Xtreme with your coach info would get you the answer for your coach. Maybe they did different bulbs on different coaches.
JChafton, can you post a better picture (or pictures) of your coach garage?
Thanks