Head light configurations

[sujitroy]

Do UK Stag use 4 dipped light and 4 beams? (Do they use all H4 bulbs?) My Fed. '71 Stag, uses two H4 for the outer, but only beams for all 4.It originally came with sealed lights. I hooked up some to my power supply which reports wattage. All four report about 30 or so watts. This explains why I can't see at night.
Besides 2 wires to the inner bowls, I found out that the inner bowls are slightly different. You can't swap bulbs. There, is a slight shift of a locating lug on the beam only unit. All three of my Fed. Stags have this setup.
I'm going to install LED headlights into my Stag, I had to cut the backs of the bowl. If anyone is looking to do this, I found out that Triumph Dolomite headlight bowls work well.
Sujit

[wilf]

I rewired mine for 4 dip, 4 main, with relays to take the load off the lighting switch on the column and give better voltage actually at the bulbs. Not LED though, so as not to fall foul of the MOT man since there is no self levelling or headlamp washers. Better than original, and good enough for what I want. This is not standard though.

[mole42]

Standard fitment was dipped beam on the outers, main on the inners. So on dip you have two lights showing, on main you have four lights, the two outers on dip, the two inners on main. Many have modified the wiring to use all sorts of combinations, mine has the two outers using H4 lamps to provide dip and main, the inners just have H1 to provide main beam so in town where I don't really need lots of light I just have the two outers, driving on the highway when I need to see where I'm going I have all four main beams on.....

[gbb483]

The standard in the UK (I believe) is to have the outer pair with the dipped filaments connected and the main beam filaments disconnected (H4) and the inner pair with the main beam filaments connected (H1). When you select 'dipped' from the switches, the outer pair come on. When you select 'main beam' from the switches all four come on. I'm not sure what you get if you apply the head light flash control, probably just the inner pair.

If you want to use the main beam filaments of the outer pair you need to add relays to ensure the dipped filaments are turned off.

However, with the addition of relays and LED bulbs these are one of the easiest items for owners to personalise, so you will probably get a different suggestion from each poster.

[MandM]

don't you also need a alternator to deal with the extra amps being used? if you have all 4 on main

[mole42]

don't you also need an alternator to deal with the extra amps being used? if you have all 4 on main

AFAIK all Stags were equipped with alternators.

[trunt]

H1and H4 lamps reflectors are different as the H1 is only for main beam (or indeed h1 dipped beam) and have different glass and maybe reflectors suited for each job. Sealed beams can be as low as 35/35 watts, H4 usually 60/55 watts. And h1 55 watts though I believe there are higher wattage ones out there..

fun fact, the H1-H4 are not legal in USA there is an equivalent but pretty ridiculous when most states don’t even check were they are pointing!

I’m quite happy with my h4/h1 setup

I think M&M meant there are alternators and ALTERNATORS! My 55 amp one is handling the H1/4 plus a 17amp cooling fan fine.

[Philip Wardle]

AFAIK all Stags were equipped with alternators.

Yes I believe that's right - Lucas 11AC (43 amp) or 18 ACR (18 amp) - although with a non-standard set-up (especially four on main) a lot of owners seem to invest in a higher output alternator than the original fitments, e.g. the upgrades from E J Ward (Powerlite 55 amp or WOSP 80 amp).

[Tdafforn]

I upgraded mine to all 4 main and dip using LEDs running on relays. Looks bright. By pulling various fuses I can change the configuration easily if it is too much.
cheers
Tim

[DJT]

UK Stags were originally supplied with 4 headlights fitted with H1 bulbs (single filament). H4 (twin filament) bulbs were not fitted. The outer units had dipped lenses and the inners had main beam lenses. Outer only on dip. Outers and inners on main. Over the past 50 years, many will have been modified to some extent.

[trunt]

Just to add to the info, Federals had dip/main outers and main only inners, they came wired for dip outer and all 4 main. They cane with awful sealed beam units.

[mole42]

They cane with awful sealed beam units.

my modified UK spec car has Cibié sealed beam units - certainly not awful!

[MandM]

H1and H4 lamps reflectors are different as the H1 is only for main beam (or indeed h1 dipped beam) and have different glass and maybe reflectors suited for each job. Sealed beams can be as low as 35/35 watts, H4 usually 60/55 watts. And h1 55 watts though I believe there are higher wattage ones out there..

fun fact, the H1-H4 are not legal in USA there is an equivalent but pretty ridiculous when most states don’t even check were they are pointing!

I’m quite happy with my h4/h1 setup

I think M&M meant there are alternators and ALTERNATORS! My 55 amp one is handling the H1/4 plus a 17amp cooling fan fine.

yes , it's no going to work( 4 on main) for long on a 18acr that I have, is that correct?

[trunt]

If it’s just 4 main beams it may be OK. The biggest advantage of newer alternators is how much more current they put out at lower revs than the old ACR units.. as to H4 with main and dip at the same time then probably no, plus ISTR they are not really designed to take the heat of both filaments being on at the same time.

Cue someone to say it’s fine!

[Phil S]

4x led unit in mine, not all will agree or like. 20211213_101857.jpg