Driving light upgrade.

[Peer81]

Hello,

I read in this paper from Lars Grimsrud on the Corvettefaq.com ( http://www.corvettefaq.com/c3/DrivingLightsTechPaper.doc ) that the 34 watt driving (fog) lights on the early c4's can be upgrade to 50 watt versions. The 34 watt has number 880 and the 50 watt has number 885.
There would also be a ultra white 885UH, a gold dichronic 885G and a high output 885H.
I have the c4 lights ready to put into my c3 but if i could order the 885 it would be very nice. Searching the web had no effect and there in Holland (europe) we don't have them (as far as i know). Does somebody know a link where i could order the bulbs? And is the 50watt not harmfull for the plastic of the driving lights?

Groeten Peter.

 

[c4cruiser]

Wish I could help you with ordering sources, but I would think that European bulb suppliers like Phillips or OSRAM/Sylvania could point you in the right direction.

The paper that Lars wrote has been around for some time and it has some good information in it. Heat from the higher output bulbs are the big enemy of C4 driving light housings as the housing and the lens are plastic and the entire assembly is glued together to form a single piece. The 885 50W bulb is about as powerful a bulb as you can iinstall and not risk damaging the housing.

As the article mentioned, the size of the wiring and the fuse that protects the circuit is also important. Because the C3 had no driving/fog lights, you have probably installed your own wiring for the lights. Hopefully you used a relay to power the lights directly from a 12v source like the battery and that the wire guage is large enough to provide all the current the bulb needs for maximum light output (up to the limits of the heat that will be generated).

My expeinece with the 885 higher wattage bulbs in C4 driving lingts (on both my 87 and 92) is that while the extra lumens help some, the lens design in the housing does little to add light to the road surface especially in rain or fog even at night.

 

[Peer81]

Thanks for the info c4cruiser.

I'll go and search at the local Phillips and Osram stores. But as far as i know these bulbs are not common in europe but maybe more general in the us?

Groeten Peter.

 

[Peer81]

Just found them at CEC,
Try http://www.cecindustries.com/pdf/halogen-guide.pdf

Groeten Peter.