[SoupChef]

All:

Since I do a great deal of night driving, I am adding lights to the car. I've used Hella before and I am considering these

http://www.amazon.com/HELLA-12-Volt...860656&sr=8-1&keywords=hella+1000+black+magic

My question is the alternator. Will I need to upgrade it for the additional power?

 

[Octane]

depends how many you want to install... 2 more would be less than 10 amps, which even at idle would not be a problem IMO.

 

[SoupChef]

It would only be the two extra. They would be driving with pencil beams. The high beam have too much scatter for me. My highlander had higher lights so it makes seeing out farther easier.

I live in NY and work up in MA, I do about 275 in miles one way each week.

 

[Mikey D.]

Pix/write-up when you're done with the project please. ?

 

[Octane]

It would only be the two extra. They would be driving with pencil beams. The high beam have too much scatter for me. My highlander had higher lights so it makes seeing out farther easier.

I live in NY and work up in MA, I do about 275 in miles one way each week.

then the alternator will certainly not have a problem!

 

[SoupChef]

I had an issue with my Ford F-250. I put multiple strobe and two pairs of Hella (1 fog, 1 driving)

It ended up that the vehicle would dim everything at idle, especially when at a stop light. I went to Mr Alternator in Ohio and had them build me one that output 500 more amps above factory using the same size body and plug configuration.

 

[Bluenoser]

500 amps???......Most med duty alts are about 65 amps, and the hi-output ones about 100 amps......to my knowledge....correct me if wrong.....
With the F-250, did you mount the lites over the cab??? My 4.1 had the high factory roof racks and I slung 2 cheap driving lites under the front cross-bar.....what a difference the height made. The trick, as I see it, is to mount them far enough back so no lite falls on the hood.
I used to feed my lites from a piggy-back fuse holder on the rear defroster fuse (heavy factory wiring) and thru a relay. The relay was controlled by the hi-beam voltage, which meant no fumbling for a switch when meeting on-coming traffic.
I can only imagine what a good set of pencil beams would be like mounted on the RAVs roof rack............
Pics when you're finished!!!.....or it didn't happen....:wink

 

[SoupChef]

The Ford i put them on the push bar for driving and below fender for fog. I made metal cage for the fog lights to protect against rocks. Because I was on a fire department I installed strobe lights in the headlight, rear brake and backup lights. I hated getting to a stop light and having the lights dim or heater blower slow due to the decrease in output.

In addition I would have to jump start diesel trucks off the engine, so I added a second battery system and 20 foot jumper connection to the push bar.

As far as the RAV, I will be changing out the H2 bulbs to LED as well as change out the inside lights to LED as well.