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ud40 Samba Member
Joined: October 20, 2007 Posts: 198 Location: New Mexico
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Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2016 2:54 pm Post subject: Hella driving lights |
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Found a set of old Hella driving lights made in Germany at a garage sale. Can anyone help me with a wiring diagram? Want to hook them up in my 73 thing with a switch of course. One has a Brown wire and a white wire the other has a brown, white, and a yellow wire. Thanks |
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Captain Spalding Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2005 Posts: 2519 Location: . . . in denial.
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Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2016 7:22 pm Post subject: Re: Hella driving lights |
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I'm happy to help you with a diagram. But first I must ask you this: how do you want them to behave?
Come on only with the low beams.
Come on only with the high beams.
Come on with either high beams or low beams, but not by themselves.
Come on with or without headlights, but only when the key is switched on.
Come on with or without headlights, even if the key is off.
I think that different locations have different requirements, and different definitions and distinctions between driving lights and fog lights. So check your local laws.
PIAA has this to say, FWIW:
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What is the difference between a fog light & a driving light?
Fog lights provide illumination forward of the vehicle that enhances visibility in fog, rain, snow, or dust. Fog lights are intended to be used in conjunction with standard headlamp low beams. Driving lights are mounted to provide illumination forward of the vehicle and intended to supplement the high beam of a standard headlamp system. It is not intended for use alone or with the low beam of a standard headlamp system. |
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ud40 Samba Member
Joined: October 20, 2007 Posts: 198 Location: New Mexico
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Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2016 5:42 pm Post subject: Re: Hella driving lights |
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Thanks for the reply Captain. I think to keep it simple I would go with the, Come on with or without headlights, even if the key is off. |
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Rev. Scott Samba Member
Joined: June 04, 2006 Posts: 770 Location: Philo, Ca.
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Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2016 6:48 pm Post subject: Re: Hella driving lights |
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Pull a hot lead from the battery, I would piggyback one to the ignition fuse, run that lead to the switch and then lights, and lights to ground...get a relay. _________________ "I haven't seen one of those since I was shootin' at 'em!" |
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oasis Samba Member
Joined: December 12, 2002 Posts: 2168
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Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2016 9:47 am Post subject: Re: Hella driving lights |
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Captain Spalding wrote: |
PIAA has this to say, FWIW:
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What is the difference between a fog light & a driving light?
Fog lights provide illumination forward of the vehicle that enhances visibility in fog, rain, snow, or dust. Fog lights are intended to be used in conjunction with standard headlamp low beams. Driving lights are mounted to provide illumination forward of the vehicle and intended to supplement the high beam of a standard headlamp system. It is not intended for use alone or with the low beam of a standard headlamp system. |
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Amazing. I have called the fog lamps on my Tiguan, Eos, Cabrio, etc., driving lamps all these years but they only work with the low beams.
So what's better -- (and I hope I'm not opening a can of worms) ... amber fog lamps, mounted above the bumper, or white fog lamps, mounted below the bumper?
I have heard amber light cuts through the fog while lower-mounted lights illuminate below the fog cover. Any of this true? _________________ Now: 2003 New Beetle Turbo S / 1990 Single Cab Transporter / 2014 Tiguan R-Line 4motion / 2013 Tiguan S / 2002 Golf GLS TDI
Past: 1974 Thing Acapulco / 2009 Eos Komfort / 1997 Jetta GT / 2002 Cabrio GLX / 2002 Passat GLS / 1971 Super Beetle / 1993 EuroVan MV Westfalia / 1981 Pickup LX / 1985 Vanagon / 1986 Jetta GLI |
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Captain Spalding Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2005 Posts: 2519 Location: . . . in denial.
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Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2016 10:52 am Post subject: Re: Hella driving lights |
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ud40 wrote: |
Thanks for the reply Captain. I think to keep it simple I would go with the, Come on with or without headlights, even if the key is off. |
Okay here is what you asked for. I'm assuming the white wires on the Hella lights are meant to connect the lights together, and that the yellow wire is for power.
But if I were you, I would reconsider having those lights come on with the key out. It's just as simple to wire the lights so that the key switch must be on. Might save you coming out to your car to find a dead battery one day . . .
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Captain Spalding Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2005 Posts: 2519 Location: . . . in denial.
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Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2016 11:04 am Post subject: Re: Hella driving lights |
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oasis wrote: |
Amazing. I have called the fog lamps on my Tiguan, Eos, Cabrio, etc., driving lamps all these years but they only work with the low beams.
So what's better -- (and I hope I'm not opening a can of worms) ... amber fog lamps, mounted above the bumper, or white fog lamps, mounted below the bumper?
I have heard amber light cuts through the fog while lower-mounted lights illuminate below the fog cover. Any of this true? |
I'm not sure I'd take PIAA's definition as gospel. Different areas have different laws and definitions regarding auxiliary lights.
In my limited experience with fog lights I would say that amber lights are less effective than white lights, and that pencil beams are more effective than floods. It seems that the most practical purpose of fog lights is to let other cars see you. The reason for mounting them low is so they don't make the fog right in front of your face opaque. Because when you shine light on fog it is harder to see through. Not easier.
If I were putting aux lights on my car I'd want a nice wide pattern. Not fog lamps per se. Pencil beams are for faster cars. Hella 500's are great. Hella 4000 cornering lights are a step up. |
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oasis Samba Member
Joined: December 12, 2002 Posts: 2168
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Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2016 8:20 am Post subject: Re: Hella driving lights |
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Good to know your experience.
Not sure I'd be driving Thing in fog too much anyway.
I was thinking three up front due to size and mine coming with a push bar -- the two outside offering flood and the center being pencil. I love LEDs (my H4 headlights are now LEDs), but the rectangular LED bars would look out of place on my Acapulco (although they might look dynamite on other Thing applications).
I have other stuff on the front burner but info gathering is never on the back burner. Thanks! _________________ Now: 2003 New Beetle Turbo S / 1990 Single Cab Transporter / 2014 Tiguan R-Line 4motion / 2013 Tiguan S / 2002 Golf GLS TDI
Past: 1974 Thing Acapulco / 2009 Eos Komfort / 1997 Jetta GT / 2002 Cabrio GLX / 2002 Passat GLS / 1971 Super Beetle / 1993 EuroVan MV Westfalia / 1981 Pickup LX / 1985 Vanagon / 1986 Jetta GLI |
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ud40 Samba Member
Joined: October 20, 2007 Posts: 198 Location: New Mexico
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Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2016 5:51 am Post subject: Re: Hella driving lights |
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Thanks Captain for the diagrams I think I will go with the second one and not tie into the headlights. What kind of relay is that? |
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Captain Spalding Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2005 Posts: 2519 Location: . . . in denial.
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Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2016 2:11 pm Post subject: Re: Hella driving lights |
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ud40 wrote: |
What kind of relay is that? |
Happy to help. It's just a common multi-purpose 4-pin relay. You'll be able to find one at your closest FLAPS.
Here's one that has the fuse holder built in: LINK
FYI, if your Hella lamps have 55w bulbs in them, you'll be pulling around 9 amps, so select a fuse accordingly. |
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EDragnDean Samba Member
Joined: July 13, 2005 Posts: 1148 Location: Vancouver, WA
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ud40 Samba Member
Joined: October 20, 2007 Posts: 198 Location: New Mexico
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Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2016 8:06 am Post subject: Re: Hella driving lights |
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I think I can get by without the relay just use an inline fuse. These Hella lights are very old and I only want them on the thing so people can see me better they seem to think the car is slow because it is a VW so they like to pull out in front of you. |
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Captain Spalding Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2005 Posts: 2519 Location: . . . in denial.
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Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2016 2:37 pm Post subject: Re: Hella driving lights |
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EDragnDean wrote: |
$91 for a relay?!?!? |
Yikes! I only linked to it for the photo. I didn't even look at the price. It should be selling for about a tenth of that!
ud40 wrote: |
I think I can get by without the relay just use an inline fuse. These Hella lights are very old and I only want them on the thing so people can see me better they seem to think the car is slow because it is a VW so they like to pull out in front of you. |
You could certainly do it that way. But a relay will save wear and tear on the switch. A relay should set you back about $5. A vintage VW or Porsche fog light switch with bezel will cost 10 times that much. An investment worth protecting, IHMO. |
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