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DUTCH
Administrator Doppelgänger
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, GA, Atlanta
Vehicle(s): 2015 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI,2018 Sprinter
Posts: 9963
| Backup Light Improvement?
Hi Scheinwerfermann,
What can be done to improve the backup lights in a G? They standard ones are quite puny. Other than adding a rear work light I mean.  |
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Scheinwerfermann
Date registered: Oct 2006
Location: Budapest
Vehicle(s): Too many to list
| RE: Backup Light Improvement?
Standard bulb produces about 415 lumens. Bulb type P796 produces 780 lumens and is physically, electrically and thermally a direct drop-in. Get 'em from sales@candlepower.ca, and pick up the better bulbs for your brake lamps, turn signals, sidemarkers, etc. while you're at it. |
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trc
Elite Veteran
Date registered: Jun 2006
Location: Estonia
Vehicle(s): MB G350DT '93; MB 300 SD '83 ; Subaru Forester,
Posts: 786
| Re: Backup Light Improvement?
First of all guys. I thank god that you both exist there in web :P - have got lot of good ideas and info for "tuning" my G.
Any idea - do they sell to Europe also? So if i understood correctly - to improve my stop/turn/backup light - i have to buy three pairs of those P796 lamps??? |
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DUTCH
Administrator Doppelgänger
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, GA, Atlanta
Vehicle(s): 2015 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI,2018 Sprinter
Posts: 9963
| Re: Backup Light Improvement?
trc - 11/26/2006 10:08 AM
First of all guys. I thank god that you both exist there in web :P - have got lot of good ideas and info for "tuning" my G.
Any idea - do they sell to Europe also? So if i understood correctly - to improve my stop/turn/backup light - i have to buy three pairs of those P796 lamps???
I'm sure that Scheinwerfermann can tell you if they're sold in Europe or not.
However, I would only use the 796 bulbs in the backup lights. They are halogen and are probably too hot to use in the brake and turn signals; and some people think that they are even too hot to use in the backup lights.
For the brake and turn signal I would use the P3497. Brighter, but not too hot.
Here are the values:
P21W - 415 lumens (standard bulb)
P3497 - 566 lumens (36% improvement)
796 - 780 lumens (88% improvement - halogen) |
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trc
Elite Veteran
Date registered: Jun 2006
Location: Estonia
Vehicle(s): MB G350DT '93; MB 300 SD '83 ; Subaru Forester,
Posts: 786
| Re: Backup Light Improvement?
m'kay. and any advice for those "parking"lights (back) - that burn all the time when lights are on? seems that candlepower.ca dos'nt have homepage... any other place to search for? |
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DUTCH
Administrator Doppelgänger
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, GA, Atlanta
Vehicle(s): 2015 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI,2018 Sprinter
Posts: 9963
| Re: Backup Light Improvement?
trc - 11/26/2006 11:19 AM
m'kay. and any advice for those "parking"lights (back) - that burn all the time when lights are on? seems that candlepower.ca dos'nt have homepage... any other place to search for?
They are R5W bulbs. There is nothing brighter that is recommended.
Candlepower.com is the same as candlepower.ca. I have not been able to find much on their home page, so I just go by the recommendations of Scheinwerfermann. |
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trc
Elite Veteran
Date registered: Jun 2006
Location: Estonia
Vehicle(s): MB G350DT '93; MB 300 SD '83 ; Subaru Forester,
Posts: 786
| Re: Backup Light Improvement?
Ok. Thanks and will wait for Daniel  |
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Scheinwerfermann
Date registered: Oct 2006
Location: Budapest
Vehicle(s): Too many to list
| RE: Backup Light Improvement?
Yep, do as Dutch suggests and use the bulb types he mentions. These are US-market bulbs and are not generally available in Europe, but they can be had via e-mail order and shipped!
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thairish
Date registered: Jun 2006
Location: hk/th
Vehicle(s): 461: 230ge/swb & g300cdi/lwb
| Re: Backup Light Improvement?
hi guys.
will the exact same upgrade package work on me 461?
so i can order all at once... what bulbs would you recommend for the front -- headlights, foglights & turnsignals?
thanks in advance,
dd |
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DUTCH
Administrator Doppelgänger
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, GA, Atlanta
Vehicle(s): 2015 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI,2018 Sprinter
Posts: 9963
| Re: Backup Light Improvement?
thairish - 1/14/2007 5:42 AM
hi guys.
will the exact same upgrade package work on me 461?
so i can order all at once... what bulbs would you recommend for the front -- headlights, foglights & turnsignals?
thanks in advance,
dd
Are the headlights and foglights made of glass and metal or are they plastic? I'm not sure which bulb is used in the turn signals in your part of the world. Is it a single filament bulb on top of the fender, or is it a dual filament? |
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thairish
Date registered: Jun 2006
Location: hk/th
Vehicle(s): 461: 230ge/swb & g300cdi/lwb
| Re: Backup Light Improvement?
thanks for the prompt reply as always dutch.
i know the fogs are plastic, i think the headlights are metal and not sure if turn signals are single or double. unless you can tell from this pic, i will have to take a look at each when i am down there next -- probably this weekend.
cheers,
dd
 (g front.jpg)
Attachments
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 g front.jpg (61KB - 6 downloads)
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DUTCH
Administrator Doppelgänger
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, GA, Atlanta
Vehicle(s): 2015 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI,2018 Sprinter
Posts: 9963
| Re: Backup Light Improvement?
thairish - 1/14/2007 11:40 AM
thanks for the prompt reply as always dutch.
i know the fogs are plastic, i think the headlights are metal and not sure if turn signals are single or double. unless you can tell from this pic, i will have to take a look at each when i am down there next -- probably this weekend.
cheers,
dd
If the headlights are metal & glass, you can up the wattage without worry. I particularly like the new 85/80W Osram Plus 50 H4's that Daniel Stern has on his website. You will be absolutely amazed at the light they can throw!
If the fogs are plastic, best stick with the 55 watt H3. That new Ultra High Efficiency 50 he has listed will probably work A-OK without any extra heat issues to melt the plastic.
The best way to tell if those top of the fender lights are single or dual filament is to see if they come on when the first click (parking lights) on your headlight switch is turned on. If yes, they're dual filament; and I have no recommendation. If not and they only come on with the flashers, it is a single filament; and go with the upgraded P3497 bulb in there, as well as in the back turn signals and in the brake lights. Use the 796 in the backup lights only - because of potential excess heat issues. |
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thairish
Date registered: Jun 2006
Location: hk/th
Vehicle(s): 461: 230ge/swb & g300cdi/lwb
| Re: Backup Light Improvement?
no parking light -- only flashers on the fenders, so single filament it is. but that reminded me of something on the headlights...
my headlights turn on very dim at the first click, or parking light position. so basically headlamps have 3 different beams: dim, low & high. there is probably a better term for the dim parking beam, but i am not sure what it is. it is common here and in europe, but not in the states, as you probably know. question is, does this affect my bulb choice or is there no difference.
so is stern now the recommended vendor?
many thanks again dutch.
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DUTCH
Administrator Doppelgänger
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, GA, Atlanta
Vehicle(s): 2015 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI,2018 Sprinter
Posts: 9963
| Re: Backup Light Improvement?
thairish - 1/14/2007 9:14 PM
no parking light -- only flashers on the fenders, so single filament it is. but that reminded me of something on the headlights...
my headlights turn on very dim at the first click, or parking light position. so basically headlamps have 3 different beams: dim, low & high. there is probably a better term for the dim parking beam, but i am not sure what it is. it is common here and in europe, but not in the states, as you probably know. question is, does this affect my bulb choice or is there no difference.
so is stern now the recommended vendor?
many thanks again dutch.
The "dim" light at first click is the city light. It's a separate small (4 watt) bulb mounted on the side of the reflector. Most European cities do not allow the headlight to be used in the city - only the "city light".
Yes, Stern is a good vendor. Use the email address he provided in the second message in this thread. |
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thairish
Date registered: Jun 2006
Location: hk/th
Vehicle(s): 461: 230ge/swb & g300cdi/lwb
| Re: Backup Light Improvement?
roger - will try to post some before & after pics later when all said & done. have a good one dutch. |
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thairish
Date registered: Jun 2006
Location: hk/th
Vehicle(s): 461: 230ge/swb & g300cdi/lwb
| Re: Backup Light Improvement?
one more question for ya dutch or scheinwerfermann. what about the red rear foglight mounted on the door to next to the spare tire -- any bulb suggestions for that one?
thanks in advance,
dd
 (g rear.jpg)
Attachments
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g rear.jpg (49KB - 5 downloads)
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DUTCH
Administrator Doppelgänger
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, GA, Atlanta
Vehicle(s): 2015 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI,2018 Sprinter
Posts: 9963
| Re: Backup Light Improvement?
thairish - 1/16/2007 11:24 AM
one more question for ya dutch or scheinwerfermann. what about the red rear foglight mounted on the door to next to the spare tire -- any bulb suggestions for that one?
thanks in advance,
dd
I don't have an answer on that one; and Scheinwefermann seems to be indisposed right now. I've emailed him several times in the past couple of days, but get no response. He may be out of the country. |
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thairish
Date registered: Jun 2006
Location: hk/th
Vehicle(s): 461: 230ge/swb & g300cdi/lwb
| Re: Backup Light Improvement?
yup, no reply on my end yet either.
also, my tail lights are different from your 463 -- 3 color i/o 2. will the p3497 for both the orange flasher/turn signal and the red parking/brake light? |
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DUTCH
Administrator Doppelgänger
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, GA, Atlanta
Vehicle(s): 2015 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI,2018 Sprinter
Posts: 9963
| Re: Backup Light Improvement?
thairish - 1/21/2007 12:12 AM
yup, no reply on my end yet either.
also, my tail lights are different from your 463 -- 3 color i/o 2. will the p3497 for both the orange flasher/turn signal and the red parking/brake light?
Do you have yellow turn signal lens with a clear bulb or yellow turn signal bulb with a clear lens? If the former, the same bulb will work for both brake and turn.
I have an order ready to go to Daniel, but will not place it until I hear back from him. |
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thairish
Date registered: Jun 2006
Location: hk/th
Vehicle(s): 461: 230ge/swb & g300cdi/lwb
| Re: Backup Light Improvement?
hey dutch.
90% sure i have yellow lense w/ clear bulb, but will have to check [this weekend] to be 100% sure of that. you may even be able to tell yourself from the pic above (?).
still no reply from daniel/schweinwefermann/candlepower
cheers,
dd |
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