Typical Headlight Draw Inquiry

[dhodak]

I have a 50 Starlight Coupe and the battery keeps going dead. I have determined the generator is not putting out enough amperage. However during that process I determined that the headlights were pulling about 20A. This is 20 A at the battery terminal with the headlight switch pulled out - the tailights included. On high beam, they pull about 25A.

Is 20A unusually high? I measured my 53 at 10A in the same situation.

PS - the headlights are standard 6V - nothing fancy or modern.

[Bud]

20 amps sounds high, more like 10 amps on low beam would be in the normal range. If you are checking the current draw at the hot lead of the headlight switch, you have to add the draw for the tail lights, license plate bulbs and instrument lights which will raise the current draw considerably. Bud

[Lark Hunter]

Standard 6 volt sealed beams are 40 watt low beam, 50 watt high. This translates to 6.45 amps per bulb on low beam, 8.20 each on high. Tail, licence, and dash bulbs will add around 3 or 4 amps total to these figures.

LH

[dhodak]

Fantastic info LH - thank you.

[Lark Hunter]

No problem-o

LH