Uprated headlight wiring looms

[Ginger60 0]

Anyone know any tips as to where I can get one of these looms as I cant wait any longer... winters approuching... :(

[Mystic Rado 0]

Anyone know any tips as to where I can get one of these looms as I cant wait any longer... winters approuching... :(

 

I'd steer clear of the eBay ones, they look pretty gash and simply make up your own. There are plenty of places selling automotive electrical stuff on the web - http://www.autoelectricsupplies.co.uk for example and http://www.vehicle-wiring-products.eu/ - and some relevant wiring diagrams floating about.

 

For example: http://www.matey-matey.com/uprated_head ... ring.shtml

 

There's also a really good US lighting site that explains the principles etc in real detail, erm, http://www.danielsternlighting.com and also has diagrams and advice, see this article.

 

It's really not that difficult and making it yourself means you can use top quality wiring, solder the connections properly, seal stuff - I think Vehicle Electrical Wiring Products and Demon Tweeks both sell the water-resistant fuse holders Andy's using for example - and spec it how you want. You can buy the OE headlight plugs from VW dealers and hardwire the uprated loom into the existing headlight wiring to trigger the relays.

 

There's an American guy who makes bespoke looms as well, including a Corrado one, but he didn't get back to me when I e-mailed him a year or so ago. You can probably find him with google, I seem to have lost the bookmark, but he exists and his stuff does look good.

 

I'm not great with electrics, but I made up a pretty effective loom off my own bat, so if I can do it, I'm sure anyone can :?

[Ginger60 0]

Dude,

 

Thankyou kindly for your email, I am an engineer by trade so I should be able to make a good job of this... (was just too lazy!) But your quite right, should be quite easy with a few tips... I will use your links & get one together... watch this space... :wink:

 

Thanks!

[Critical_Mass 10]

I bought one of the ones off ebay, seems to work fine and no water has effected it but i'd rather use one that is a bit better quality.

[ReekieVR 0]

So has anyone actually paid for and received a loom yet ?

[John-M 0]

I hope I'm still on Andy's list ... ...

[storm_warning 0]

I guess we're all hoping that, especially now it's dark all the time!!! :D

 

Any updates, Andy? Is there anything any of us can do to help?

[Ginger60 0]

Easy,

 

Yeah I wouldn't bother trying to get a loom as the guys AWOL!

 

Refer to the last post about construction on your own, thats the best bet I am to follow the good mans advice!

 

Cheers

[ReekieVR 0]

Please see this thread if you have had dealings with andy_vw with regard to uprated wiring looms. Especially if you have handed any money over.

[MonkeyVR6 0]

So whats the deal with getting a plug n' play loom?

 

How much do they cost?

 

Can I get it shipped to Germany? (British Forces Post Office Address, so its the same as UK costs)

 

How do they work/are they any good?

 

Cheers.

[ReekieVR 0]

There are no looms MonkeyVR6 - at least not from this bloke.

[coolrado 0]

I might look into making some looms up, but i wouldn't really be happy making them the same as the previous ones, the relays are a bit too exposed and i have seen the effect of wet relays (i thought my car was being stolen when the headlights turned themselves on at 11pm in the rain :lol: ) i also dont like crimps or any exposed contacts under the bonnet

 

i would probably mount the relays in a box with a water tight gland at the bottom or try and source some genuinely water tight relays and holders, i will look into some options and post up on here if its worth me doing it.

[Jim Bowen 1]

i'll be interested in this, after driving in the dark and rain lastnight and realising i can only see a few metres in front of me and next to nothing if there are oncoming cars, wouldn't like to drive my car on roads i don't know :shock:

 

even some tips on how to make them would be good

[Jim 2]

I might look into making some looms up, but i wouldn't really be happy making them the same as the previous ones, the relays are a bit too exposed and i have seen the effect of wet relays (i thought my car was being stolen when the headlights turned themselves on at 11pm in the rain :lol: ) i also dont like crimps or any exposed contacts under the bonnet

 

i would probably mount the relays in a box with a water tight gland at the bottom or try and source some genuinely water tight relays and holders, i will look into some options and post up on here if its worth me doing it.

 

I'm sure you'd get no end of customers!

[Mystic Rado 0]

I might look into making some looms up, but i wouldn't really be happy making them the same as the previous ones, the relays are a bit too exposed and i have seen the effect of wet relays (i thought my car was being stolen when the headlights turned themselves on at 11pm in the rain :lol: ) i also dont like crimps or any exposed contacts under the bonnet

 

i would probably mount the relays in a box with a water tight gland at the bottom or try and source some genuinely water tight relays and holders, i will look into some options and post up on here if its worth me doing it.

 

I'm sure you'd get no end of customers!

 

Given the level of demand for these things and the fact that folk are clearly prepared to pay a commercial rate for a decent, well-made loom, I wonder if there's any mileage in seeing if we can approach an automotive wiring specialist and simply getting a batch made up.

 

I made my own using soldered joints, heat skrink, OE plugs, protective convoluted tubing and splashproof fuse holders then hardwired it into the original wiring loom - I don't trust spade connectors when it comes to seeing where I'm going at night :?

 

But making your own is quite time consuming ime anyway, and to do it properly, you end up shelling out on a lot of specialist bits - decent quality cable, fuse holders, relays etc - that a professional could probably source cheaper by buying in bulk.

 

There seem to be so many people who want uprated looms that we must be close to a point where someone could produce them commercially and be confident of selling a fair number. I think it's asking a lot for an enthusiastic amateur to produce these in his or her spare time in the sort of numbers that seem to be required for minimal profit.

 

Just a thought, but if someone knows an individual or company who could come up with a quote for producing uprated looms on a commercial basis, then maybe it's worth looking at that option?

[Jim Bowen 1]

is there a rough diagram or pic of how the loom should be?

[vwdeviant 0]

Yeah like the list of us who are still waiting for Andy!

 

3corsameal.. get to Halfords and buy a set of their 50% brighter than standard bulbs.. they make a difference! (Not the 100w ones though!) or if you can find the Phillips 80% ones even better!

[storm_warning 0]

50% brighter than standard bulbs.. they make a difference!

 

I have tried a set of Osrams which came out the same week they went in. They boasted to be brighter than originals but were naff.

Have you fitted the 50% brighter ones, then?

[vwdeviant 0]

Yup and it's better.. more on the distance stuff like roadsigns and cats eyes.. Will get even better when I fanally get round to replacing the yellowing reflectors and cleaning the glass front and back too!

 

Now All I need is a Late N/S headlight lense..

[Mystic Rado 0]

is there a rough diagram or pic of how the loom should be?

 

There are a few out there, one on http://www.matey-matey.com - erm - this thing. The problem with the Corrado is the headlight plug design, you can buy them from VW dealers, but it's fiddlier than doing a loom, for, say a Mark 2 Golf, which just uses standard H4 connectors. Making 'plug and play' looms is really problematic because you need something that mates with the original headlight plug, but no-one makes one.

 

There's a load of great basic information on this site, complete with a decent wiring diagram.

 

Oh, and there's this in the knowledge base.

[Critical_Mass 10]

I'd definately purchase one. Only have one that i bought off the bay, would prefer a better quality one.

[Jim Bowen 1]

Yeah like the list of us who are still waiting for Andy!

 

3corsameal.. get to Halfords and buy a set of their 50% brighter than standard bulbs.. they make a difference! (Not the 100w ones though!) or if you can find the Phillips 80% ones even better!

 

i think i already have them abotu £16 each?

[TrentSC 0]

Given the level of demand for these things and the fact that folk are clearly prepared to pay a commercial rate for a decent, well-made loom, I wonder if there's any mileage in seeing if we can approach an automotive wiring specialist and simply getting a batch made up.

...

There seem to be so many people who want uprated looms that we must be close to a point where someone could produce them commercially and be confident of selling a fair number. I think it's asking a lot for an enthusiastic amateur to produce these in his or her spare time in the sort of numbers that seem to be required for minimal profit.

Just a thought, but if someone knows an individual or company who could come up with a quote for producing uprated looms on a commercial basis, then maybe it's worth looking at that option?

 

If it's relevant, I'd buy one. I'm a complete non-techie, so a plug & play option is my best bet for improving visibility.

 

I'd happily buy one of Andy's if the general consensus of the group is that they're worth waiting for, but I do need to do something, so waiting for another few months isn't really an option. Since other posters have advised to avoid eBay options, I'm rather stuck for options, unless someone can recommend a particular maker/supplier...

 

Cheers.

[ReekieVR 0]

I'd happily buy one of Andy's if the general consensus of the group is that they're worth waiting for...

 

Andy didnt make any and stole my money - and i was one of the 1st on the list. I wouldnt bother waiting TrentSC !

[vwdeviant 0]

Yeah like the list of us who are still waiting for Andy!

 

3corsameal.. get to Halfords and buy a set of their 50% brighter than standard bulbs.. they make a difference! (Not the 100w ones though!) or if you can find the Phillips 80% ones even better!

 

i think i already have them abotu £16 each?

 

Yup they're the ones... So other options are new reflectors (still available from VAG? if not ARZ sell them) and clean out the glass front and back.. Just don't expect them to be on a par with Modern/HID lights though..