Let's see - 60W / 12v = 5A draw;

rearranging and substituting 14v gives 5A * 14v = 70W. Your fusebox should be safe, because the relay means that the current is drawn directly from the battery (never connect a feed direct to the altenator) and doesn't pass through the fusebox, where the headlight fuses now only handle signal current for the relay.

I honestly don't know how hot the back of an Octy headlight gets, but I know someone who got themself a bill for £several hundred by melting the reflectors and wiring plugs on a V@*xh@11/0p*1 C@1ibr@ by using 100W H1 bulbs!

I totally agree that heat will be a issue if you chose higher wattage bulbs, so damage to the reflectors CAN happen!

But higher wattage bulbs also often unmask a problem of the el.system - its (lack of) abillty to deliver sufficient voltage and current because of cheap/thin wires in a long circut. Such bulbs will most often NOT give better light because of this limitations, but produce a yellow "glow" instead of a powerful brigth white light.

As Ken correctly says - you shall not connect directly to the alternator, but go thru the battery. If the regulator on the alternator is good, it will produce 14,4V - many don't.

And as Ken also correctly says - using a relay-solution, your original wires will be used as "signal-current" to the relay.

With a relay-solution i think most people will be happy with the light from std bulbs. If they need more light, Silverstars and Nightbreakers - still 55/60W, will be enough. And the reflectors should be safe.

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