Sealed beems

1928Pickuppain

1928Pickuppain

Senior Member
So I was reading a post about the Extra Box on firewall By Wuudie and they were talking about they belve this is a regulater for sealed beems. I have sealed beems and I dont have a regulator. My lights are very dim and it wont charge at night the gen puts out exactley what the beems take and they are very dull. So i take it i need a reulator? What exactly dose it do amplify the power into the headlights? And do they sell them commonly in model A stores like PV or snyders ect.. And finaly how much brighter will it make them? will they be almost as right as a modern sealed beem? my biggest problem about driving hom from work is the night. in the summer i was fine becouse it stayed light now now its not.
 
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A regulator won't do anything to increase the voltage.If you're running sealed beams you need to make sure your wiring is good and check all the connections, even then the generator output is marginal. Did you try to adjust the third brush in the generator for maximum output? To get the best output you will probably need to go to an alternator.
 
It's not a regulator but a relay, instead of using the light switch to carry the light's current which is large and can damage the switch, a relay is used and controlled by the switch. Similar examples, starter solenoid, horn relay.

Hope this helps,
GW
 
I think im just going to go to reflecters and bulbs ill probbly have more light. Becouse they take las juice to get as bright.
 
Model A's can have ground issues with the lights on any system, bulb, sealed or halogen. The contacts for the ground path from bulb to battery are:
The bulb base and socket; The socket and headlight bucket , which is the adj screw and the spring; The bucket to the headlight bar, which is the swivel base , the cup in the bar and the lock washer and nut contact to the bar; The headlight bar to the carriage bolts contact (very little contact area and easily rusted); The carriage bolt nut and lockwasher to fender bracket; The fender bracket to frame contact, bolt heads and lock washer; And the frame to battery cable and battery terminal contacts. Cleaning all contact surfaces to bright metal, using some di-electric grease on them before assembly and painting over them (not the battery) when assembled and tight to exclude water will really brighten up your lights.

BTW I have 32/32 bulbs and original reflectors in great condition, and my night lighting is very satisfactory for my 61 year old, floater ridden and clouded vitreous eyes..
 
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First I assume that you have a sealed beam conversion that makes the headlights look like the monster's eyes in a Grade B movie and that is good. If you have later light buckets that were designed to use sealed beams that is also good. If you are trying to hide sealed beams behind the stock lens that is a major part of your problem. The lens will defuse the light and make it useless. Next try running a wire from the negative post on the battery to the ground on the light socked. If the lights get bright (or brighter) you will need to find where you have a bad ground in the system or run a separate wire to ground the headlight socket. Now try bypassing the switch with a wire. If the lights get bright fix the switch (it probable is full of oil) or add a switch to bypass the switch at least until you have time to fix it right.

Charlie Stephens
 
A voltage regulator can't increase the maximun output of a Model A generator, but it will control the output to a safe level and correct charge rate for the battery. The common long generator has a maximum safe continuous output of about 12 amps, and the powerhouse generator about 15 amps. Sealed beams draw about 8 to 10 amps for EACH bulb, so your output is too low.

I have stock bulbs, very good original reflectors and a voltage regulator inside my powerhouse. The amp guage always stays right near zero to + 1 or 2 amps and I have very good lights for night driving.
 
1928Pickuppain said:
So I was reading a post about the Extra Box on firewall By Wuudie and they were talking about they belve this is a regulater for sealed beems. I have sealed beems and I dont have a regulator. My lights are very dim and it wont charge at night the gen puts out exactley what the beems take and they are very dull. So i take it i need a reulator? What exactly dose it do amplify the power into the headlights? And do they sell them commonly in model A stores like PV or snyders ect.. And finaly how much brighter will it make them? will they be almost as right as a modern sealed beem? my biggest problem about driving hom from work is the night. in the summer i was fine becouse it stayed light now now its not.
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I read the same posts and I see two different thoughts;

Voltage regulator - to regulate the output of the generator.
High beam relay - To allow the extra current needed to power the headlamps to be controlled by a lower current.
 
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