13V Headlight Adjustment?

[physicshogon]

I've seen on the VWVortex website that an owner adjusted his headlight voltage to 13V (via VCDS) and I'd like to know....what's the advantage of doing this? My first thought would be you'd get a brighter shining bulb but I may be way off the mark. Please advise.

And if any of you have had any experience w/ it...do you think it's worth it?

 

[Coffeemade]

I think this is for HID's but I haven't done it and my HID's work fine

 

[physicshogon]

I think this is for HID's but I haven't done it and my HID's work fine

You didn't get any service engine lights or anything when you changed out the bulbs? Or did you install an entire system w/ ballasts and such?

 

[ColoradoDriver]

I have increased the halogen headlamp bulb voltages (as well as tail light voltages) to 13.0. The 2012 Passat comes with voltage set for 12.6 in order to extend the life of the bulbs. However, the bulbs are all rated for 13.2 volts. By going to 13.0, the lights are noticeably brighter. Since the US Passats do not offer HID lights, this is an easy way to improve lighting of the stock headlamps. I also used VCDS to enable using the fog lights while high beams are on. This is illegal in most/all states; however, it sure helps to see when driving mountain roads in the middle of the night. You just need to switch to low beams as cars approach--but you need to do that anyway!

 

[TheGrove]

... By going to 13.0, the lights are noticeably brighter...

Agreed! I couldn't believe how much brighter the stock bulbs were with the higher voltage. I can't wait until I put my illegal 65w bulbs in.

 

[Coffeemade]

You didn't get any service engine lights or anything when you changed out the bulbs? Or did you install an entire system w/ ballasts and such?

I installed an entire system with ballasts and nope no service engine lights or bulb out issues.

 

[ColoradoDriver]

Agreed! I couldn't believe how much brighter the stock bulbs were with the higher voltage. I can't wait until I put my illegal 65w bulbs in.

Do you expect any wiring overheating issues when pulling 65W instead of 55W?

 

[VeeDubTDI]

The advantage to doing this is more light output.

The disadvantage to doing this is shorter lamp life.

 

[physicshogon]

The advantage to doing this is more light output.

The disadvantage to doing this is shorter lamp life.

In that case I will pass on making any lamp/voltage mods.

 

[TheGrove]

Do you expect any wiring overheating issues when pulling 65W instead of 55W?

I'm not, I know it's not quite apples to apples but I ran them in my '04 all the time without issues.

Now if they would just fix my biggest aggivation - allow me to turn the fog lights on in auto mode...

 

[IXLR8]

The advantage to doing this is more light output.
The disadvantage to doing this is shorter lamp life.

I will gladly give up a little lamp life for more light output, which is why I disabled the "bulb life extension" option completely. Not bad for output, not as good as HID projectors, but better than my Jetta, my Golf or the MB E320 I test drove. Each set of bulbs in my Golf lasted about 50K miles, I expect these will be the same, or longer since they are not being used as DRL's. So I spend $30 every 2 years for better lighting, I am okay with that. It is much cheaper, and easier, than installing HID projectors.

 

[VeeDubTDI]

Even with the increased voltage, halogens pale in comparison to HIDs. I recommend the voltage increase for folks who want more light without installing HIDs.

 

[ColoradoDriver]

Since folks have been asking me the VCDS path to do the 13 volts, here you go:


09- Central Elect.
Long Coding Helper
Byte 19
Bit 0-3 (Pull Down Choice 08 for 13.0 volts)

----------------------
While there, suggest:
Byte 19
Bit 4-7 (Pull Down Choice 80 for tail lights 13.0 volts)

 

[Sharky]

I'm not, I know it's not quite apples to apples but I ran them in my '04 all the time without issues.

Now if they would just fix my biggest aggivation - allow me to turn the fog lights on in auto mode...

In Auto mode one of your fogs should turn on when making a turn.

I need to get a hold of VCDS in Langley BC area to turn to 13V and having fog lights on with high beams.

 

[physicshogon]

I've made the mod to 13V (head and tail lights) but didn't really notice a difference...

 

[IXLR8]

I've made the mod to 13V (head and tail lights) but didn't really notice a difference...

If I remember correctly, it is coded for 12.8 volts from the factory, so going to 13.0 is not going to be much of a change. I disabled the 'extend bulb life' feature so I should be getting at least 13.8 volts to my bulbs, haven't measured it to be sure though.

 

[ColoradoDriver]

I've made the mod to 13V (head and tail lights) but didn't really notice a difference...

Is it dark outside where you live yet? LOL

 

[ColoradoDriver]

If I remember correctly, it is coded for 12.8 volts from the factory, so going to 13.0 is not going to be much of a change. I disabled the 'extend bulb life' feature so I should be getting at least 13.8 volts to my bulbs, haven't measured it to be sure though.

Mine was factory set at 12.6v. Going to 13v really helped.

 

[TheGrove]

In Auto mode one of your fogs should turn on when making a turn.

I need to get a hold of VCDS in Langley BC area to turn to 13V and having fog lights on with high beams.

Yes it does, but that isn't what I want. I want to be able to have my low beams and fogs on at the same time. If you put the headlight switch in the on position and pull out the fogs are on. But you have to push the fogs off to put the switch in auto mode. What I want is for auto mode to allow me to pull out and turn the fogs on and leave it that way. Then when the lights auto turn on/off the fogs will turn on/off with them. My F350 and Explorer do this, you can turn on the fogs with the lights in auto mode and they come on and off together.

 

[767wrench]

I am currently installing hid low beams 10000k on my car. The voltage to low beams with the high beams on is reduced to around 11.9 volts. At that voltage my hid lights start flickering and burned up the ballast. The normal voltage for the ballasts is 13.2. So I need to purchase the cable and software to adjust the voltage or run wires from the battery with relays to get full batt voltage.

 

[VeeDubTDI]

Trust me - you DO NOT want 10,000K HIDs unless you're trying to be ricey purple headlight guy. Purple light is terrible for your night vision and gets lost in poor weather.

Pics please!

 

[VernK]

bulb life extension is more than just lowered voltage. It also turns the bulbs on slowly to avoid the big current inrush and shock heating of the filament.

I'd leave it on and turn up the voltage.

Yours
Vern

 

[VeeDubTDI]

If you have HIDs, you should turn bulb life extension OFF so that the ballasts get full voltage right away (rather than the ramp up).

 

[767wrench]

10000k

Heres a pic of the 10000k kit. The only pic i got before the ballast failed. Ill post some better ones once i get my replacement ballast and VCDS. Hopefully they come by this weekend

 

[VeeDubTDI]

Wow. Those are very very blue. Curious to see what you think of them driving down the road at night. My recommendation would be to get something with a lower color temperature - ours are 4300K and I love them... a light lavender color similar to most stock HID systems.

 

[767wrench]

The light pattern is pretty good with the stock vw headlight housings. My F250 has aftermarket housings with 8k HID and the light control is terrible. My 97 Nissan pickup has a 10 or 12k hid kit with aftermarket housings which have good light control but you always sacrafice visibility with the darker colors. I'm ok with the visibility loss. The more blue the better for me! I have the stock halogen brights for my country driving.

 

[VeeDubTDI]

To each his own, I suppose.

Light control is very good in the stock Passat housings. I have been very impressed. Our 4300K 35w HIDs put out an incredible amount of light.

 

[vortexgolf]

Can anyone post how to set the voltage in VCD?

 

[Mr. Furious]

Yes it does, but that isn't what I want. I want to be able to have my low beams and fogs on at the same time. If you put the headlight switch in the on position and pull out the fogs are on. But you have to push the fogs off to put the switch in auto mode. What I want is for auto mode to allow me to pull out and turn the fogs on and leave it that way. Then when the lights auto turn on/off the fogs will turn on/off with them. My F350 and Explorer do this, you can turn on the fogs with the lights in auto mode and they come on and off together.

That is something that I would like as well. The 2008 Accord I had allowed it, as the fog light control was separate from the headlight control. It would be really nice if there was a way to accomplish this.

 

[VeeDubTDI]

None of the switches allow fog operation in auto mode - not even the Euro switches. You would probably have to make internal switch modifications to make it work.