Silverstar headlights and relays comparison.
08-22-2010, 12:27 PM
#1
Chapter President
Thread Starter
Silverstar headlights and relays comparison.
I just thought I would share my results from following Jim Lane's relay write up and installing silverstar headlights.
Unfortunately i did not take any pictures before the relays with the original (at least to me) headlights but they were horrible and don't know how I drove like that. But here are a few pictures. The pictures were taken with lows on and the truck not running. As you can see there was a huge improvement and anyone thinking about doing this certainly should. It is well worth the time and money.
crappy lamp with relay's
the two side by side.
both silverstars
I need to adjust them yet tonight and go for a ride.
Unfortunately i did not take any pictures before the relays with the original (at least to me) headlights but they were horrible and don't know how I drove like that. But here are a few pictures. The pictures were taken with lows on and the truck not running. As you can see there was a huge improvement and anyone thinking about doing this certainly should. It is well worth the time and money.
crappy lamp with relay's
the two side by side.
both silverstars
I need to adjust them yet tonight and go for a ride.
08-22-2010, 02:17 PM
#4
Registered User
We have had relayed lights for quite some time on several of our trucks; I went heavy-duty all the way, with big wire and lots of big GROUNDs, giving within a tenth-of-a-volt of full alternator voltage at the light-plugs.
We ran the SilverStars for a few years and LOVED THEM; we could see way over into the next county; plenty of good far-reaching light.
ALAS , the Silver-Stars cost twenty-bucks apiece; that's $40/pair, plus tax.
With the relayed power, they proved to be VERY SHORT-LIVED, like often barely three months.
Also, when one side shot, the other one would go within a couple miles, due to it REALLY getting a shot of current once the other one was gone.
Several times, I made it home with only ONE of the original four elements left burning.
Regretfully, I went back to plain old halogens and have not had a light to shoot since.
With the relayed power, the plain-jane halogens are PLENTY bright, just not quite so wonderful as the Silver-Stars.
I think I remember JIM LANE having some sort of electronic device that cures this short life problem; when I financially recuperate from the economy of the present administration, I may give that a shot.
We ran the SilverStars for a few years and LOVED THEM; we could see way over into the next county; plenty of good far-reaching light.
ALAS , the Silver-Stars cost twenty-bucks apiece; that's $40/pair, plus tax.With the relayed power, they proved to be VERY SHORT-LIVED, like often barely three months.
Also, when one side shot, the other one would go within a couple miles, due to it REALLY getting a shot of current once the other one was gone.
Several times, I made it home with only ONE of the original four elements left burning.
Regretfully, I went back to plain old halogens and have not had a light to shoot since.
With the relayed power, the plain-jane halogens are PLENTY bright, just not quite so wonderful as the Silver-Stars.
I think I remember JIM LANE having some sort of electronic device that cures this short life problem; when I financially recuperate from the economy of the present administration, I may give that a shot.
08-22-2010, 04:32 PM
#5
Chapter President
Thread Starter
We have had relayed lights for quite some time on several of our trucks; I went heavy-duty all the way, with big wire and lots of big GROUNDs, giving within a tenth-of-a-volt of full alternator voltage at the light-plugs.
We ran the SilverStars for a few years and LOVED THEM; we could see way over into the next county; plenty of good far-reaching light.
ALAS , the Silver-Stars cost twenty-bucks apiece; that's $40/pair, plus tax.
With the relayed power, they proved to be VERY SHORT-LIVED, like often barely three months.
Also, when one side shot, the other one would go within a couple miles, due to it REALLY getting a shot of current once the other one was gone.
Several times, I made it home with only ONE of the original four elements left burning.
Regretfully, I went back to plain old halogens and have not had a light to shoot since.
With the relayed power, the plain-jane halogens are PLENTY bright, just not quite so wonderful as the Silver-Stars.
I think I remember JIM LANE having some sort of electronic device that cures this short life problem; when I financially recuperate from the economy of the present administration, I may give that a shot.
We ran the SilverStars for a few years and LOVED THEM; we could see way over into the next county; plenty of good far-reaching light.
ALAS , the Silver-Stars cost twenty-bucks apiece; that's $40/pair, plus tax.With the relayed power, they proved to be VERY SHORT-LIVED, like often barely three months.
Also, when one side shot, the other one would go within a couple miles, due to it REALLY getting a shot of current once the other one was gone.
Several times, I made it home with only ONE of the original four elements left burning.
Regretfully, I went back to plain old halogens and have not had a light to shoot since.
With the relayed power, the plain-jane halogens are PLENTY bright, just not quite so wonderful as the Silver-Stars.
I think I remember JIM LANE having some sort of electronic device that cures this short life problem; when I financially recuperate from the economy of the present administration, I may give that a shot.
08-22-2010, 05:34 PM
#6
Registered User
I am glad that you got the bugs worked out and are now no longer driving around in the dark.
After you get used to the relays and SilverStars, anything else you drive will seem like surely a bulb is shot, or it will seem like the brights are not as good as your dims.
After you get used to the relays and SilverStars, anything else you drive will seem like surely a bulb is shot, or it will seem like the brights are not as good as your dims.
08-23-2010, 05:14 PM
#7
Registered User
I ran silver stars until I went through 4 of them in less than 2 weeks. I gave up on them and went with the Nighthawk lights and haven't had to replace one yet. They aren't nearly as bright but they are still much better than they were before the relays.
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08-23-2010, 05:26 PM
#8
Adminstrator-ess
I've never burnt out a Silverstar, but I did lose one to a flying stone about a month after installing them. That hacked me off!
I think the reason I haven't toasted any is that I didn't upgrade the grounds or run heavy gauge wire, I just relayed the lights to take the load off the switch. My headlights don't get a full 14 volts across them due to the wiring losses. It was laziness rather than a clever plan, but it seems to have worked out well.
I think the reason I haven't toasted any is that I didn't upgrade the grounds or run heavy gauge wire, I just relayed the lights to take the load off the switch. My headlights don't get a full 14 volts across them due to the wiring losses. It was laziness rather than a clever plan, but it seems to have worked out well.
08-23-2010, 07:07 PM
#9
Registered User
08-24-2010, 04:02 PM
#11
Registered User
Add me to the list of silverstar failures. I gave up after 2 sets and went back to stock halogens, and no problems so far.
I did use 12ga. wiring.
I attributed part of it to the harsh ride.
I did use 12ga. wiring.
I attributed part of it to the harsh ride.
08-24-2010, 05:28 PM
#12
Registered User
It's probable that some percentage of life-span is lost to a stiff suspension, but my truck rides like a Peterbilt on air, better than most big cars, so I can't blame the ride for my SilverStar failures.
I would run them again in an instant if I could get them to last.
It is funny that the best and brightest lights on the place are the factory-original round non-halogen ones in my old 1978 Chevy; I don't ever remember replacing one and I bought the truck brand-new.
08-25-2010, 01:59 PM
#14
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Even trucks that old have "DTR" lights? How did dodge do that in 93 if you don't mind me asking? just wire the headlights to a hot all the time?
08-25-2010, 02:08 PM
#15
Registered User
It's pretty easy to disable the DRLs. Simply unplug the module, then you need to jump two pins together to allow your high beam indicator to work.