I just replaced my headlights with the brightest headlights Sylvane makes and let me tell ya, I cant see a thing....especially if it is raining. Anyone else have this problem or is this simply a specific problem to my unit? m I know the voltage out is right, and I know they are on when I am driving but when a regular car passes me up on the highway at night, The headlights on there cars are at least double what mine are. (btw..it is fine if my brights are on but for standard highway night travewl it is just not enough)..Any suggestions?

Do a search on "dim Headlights" and you'll get more info than you can believe. Barths are notorious for this problem and schematics are available to rewire them using solenoids where they will get full voltage to the lights.
BTW, I have the same problem and just hadn't gotten around to it yet.
Nick

Thanks for the info Nick. Will do. All work is being reserved on my cruiser untill the winter time but I will make sure this is added to my nearly complete reconstruction project.

I had the same problem as you and this is what I did. If you have any questions, I would be happy to help.

low voltage headlight repair

I had a similar issue with the SilverStars...but it wasn't the output, it was the aim. I had to adjust mine several times to get the low beams right.

quote:

I know the voltage out is right, and I know they are on when I am driving but when a regular car passes me up on the highway at night, The headlights on there cars are at least double what mine are.

Have you measured the voltage AT the bulb socket with the bulb in place? My voltage was 9.5VDC to 10.5VDC with a full 13.9VDC at the battery.

As Nick said, Barths are notorious for dim headlights caused by low voltage at the headlights.

I have been fighting this since we drove our Barth at night for the first time too! We are running H5 Off-Road 80/100 Watt Hella lamps in complex reflectors. These things should be blinding everyone, but no such luck. I did install a low beam relay and I am getting very good voltage to the bulbs. I am probably dealing with is an aiming issue. It is STILL a work in process.

I suspect Kris and Tina's Barth has either the foot dimmer or the stalk dimmer. Both have mechanical relays which do a pretty good job of getting power to the headlights.

I have a stalk dimmer and there is a relay for the high beams, but not the low beams and that would have nothing to do with the low beams having low voltage.

The high beams had a full 13.9 VDC when on, but the low beams did not. That is why I added the relay for the low beams to get full voltage to the low beams. I do know that this is a problem with Breakaways (maybe not all) as others have/had the same issue. There are a lot of connectors/switches that the voltage path for the low beams go thru (without a relay) and as I followed the path I could see the voltage drop at each. Adding a relay from the head light circuit breaker directly to the headlights solved that problem. I basically duplicate the high beam circuit for the low beam.

I also added Hella head lamps and that increased the problem because the H1/H4 drew more current causing a higher voltage drop.

Yes, Ed i also have a 91 breakaway and have that exact same issue that you and the rest describe,
dim low beams! My breakaway is a 28 footer so therefore i have no backup camera. but i have read and reread Ed's post and solution of this issue in preparation of when i attempt to fix this darn thing. i just used the high beams when driving at nite, although i misaligned the headlight lower.I know i have to buy another relay, and i hope it's as easy as Ed says.I'm not good with electrical stuff. i'm glad to be part of this site as i see that solutions get posted when one has problems with his/her coach. So i say thank you for being generous enough to share the solutions. We have a bunch of very talented
members here. That's what makes this site so great!!

ZIM

"have you measured the voltage AT the bulb socket with the bulb in place? My voltage was 9.5VDC to 10.5VDC with a full 13.9VDC at the battery."

No, I have not...a guy at work said it was ok...I will check that first. And to answer Rustys question it is the stalk dimmer on my unit. Thank you all once again.

On my 1997 Tahoe I could barely see at night on low beams. My truck has the high/low beam combo. I nearly paid for a $500 new reflector, bulbs and voltage-step up solenoid harness, but instead called my local NAPA guy. He said I should try some Sylvania higher wattage, -whiter light- sealed beams AND get them aimed properly. I did all this and I CANNOT OVERSTATE THE DIFFERENCE!!
I went down to the highschool at night and set the aim on the side of the gym and my night vision problems are solved. These bulbs do an outstanding job: High Beam AND Low beam at the lower (9.5V). I would try this before spending a lot of $$.
My $.02.

There is a name for the sylvania lights that are the brightest...they omit an almost blue light and it is an improvement from the stock bulb but...if it is raining and you are driving on blacktop it still does not cut it...it is just a problem I will have to deal with this winter but thanks for the recommendation.

The bulbs are specifically 'Brighter and WHITER Light". I think the blue lights are the HID lights and I hear mixed reviews on them.

I have used the Sylvania Silverstar, and was not all that impressed, even though they are a little brighter. The blue coloration gives more of an illusion of better light than the actuality. However, most people love them because they are going from a tired old dim light with corroded contacts, which would make any new light an improvement. And, the blue dye on the glass looks cool.

In my own case, I am better able to see deer in the road ahead with non-dyed bulbs. Some of my older friends have observed the same. The younger ones say the blue is just as good. Perhaps its an age thing. Or a style thing.

I now use the German-made Osram H4 Silverstars with stock wiring. They are the same as the Sylvania without the blue dye. They seems to offer the best balance of brightness and longevity. The higher wattage H4s that I or my riding buddies have tried don't live very long, and require rewiring.