Fitting High wattage globes vs alternator output

[Wave]

Many modern cars have a much higher rated alternator, If I recall the Fortuner has a 90amp

Many Auto Sparky's can upgrade your alternator to get more out, also different model cars have different output alternators, so you may find you can buy a 2nd hand unit for a newer Isuzu that will fit right in and give you a better output

[icemanza]

Would you not have to take into consideration the wattage required to charge the battery as well?

[Paul#25]

I don't know where you would get 250w spots but if you do get them you better fit some big relays and heavy duty wiring to feed them.
I have 130w spotlight bulbs that I brought in from the UK for the spots that were fitted to the Ex's Porsche race car and 100w bulbs that are available locally. All of those have warnings on the packaging that they are for motorsport use only. With the installation of all those lights we had one relay per light and 6mm squared cable all the way through. DC power when you are drawing big amps is not something you must ever underestimate.
Why would you want to fit lights with that intensity to your vehicle?

[Wave]

True, I didn't ponder that, legally head lights and spot lights must be 55W each max

[icemanza]

Valid question Paul - and especially with the cops now pulling you over and removing and fining people for light bars and modified lights.

[Paul#25]

Geoff you can also buy H7 headlight bulbs that are 80/110w that fit into the standard holder but they are marked as for motorsport use only too. Guys do fit them to their road cars without wiring mods but soon pick up problems. Generally before the wiring melts and causes a fire, the bright/dim selector switch melts it's plastic housing. The only way to do it correctly is to use the standard wiring to switch relays that then power the globes. If you start playing with headlight wiring just remember that most vehicles use negative switching on the headlight circuit now.

[Paul#25]

Craig stay away from these headlight upgrade kits as most are illegal and just blind oncoming motorists. Older vehicles start having problems with the headlights due to high resistances in the system because of bad earths and corrosion of contacts. Go and buy yourself some 4mm wiring and 2 relays with relay bases. Use the standard wiring as the power to switch the relays and run new wiring from your battery to the relays and lights. I can guarantee that the light will be better. If you still want it better then change the bulbs to a better quality bulb that you can get from the auto-elect shops.

[Wave]

Geoff you can also buy H7 headlight bulbs that are 80/110w that fit into the standard holder but they are marked as for motorsport use only too.

I have heard from the likes of Autostyle that the SABS is hitting the importers hard for this exact problem, as the higher wattage just blinds other road users

Guys do fit them to their road cars without wiring mods but soon pick up problems. Generally before the wiring melts and causes a fire, the bright/dim selector switch melts it's plastic housing.

We used to fit these crappy "Xenon" blue bulbs back in the day, we didn't know they were illegal, but never had any wire melting issues, Nissan must have made thick harnesses in the 200STI Sentras

The only way to do it correctly is to use the standard wiring to switch relays that then power the globes. If you start playing with headlight wiring just remember that most vehicles use negative switching on the headlight circuit now.

Yes, my Fortuner tricked me with negative switching, I run Hella 4" spots with std 55W bulbs, does help a tad