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Old 04-05-2005, 04:24 PM
  #3  
dpkelly
1999 Civic Driver
 
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Newmarket, ON, Canada
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Basically you need to consider a basic equation for power.
P=VxI.
Power equals voltage (in volts) times current (in amperes).
When upgrading to bigger bulb with more wattage, you will have more current flowing through your wires because the voltage is always constant at 12V. A wire that takes more current must be upgraded to a thicker size otherwise, the wire could heat up and melt away. You will have to check the current rating of the wires you have now based on the wire's thickness and material (copper, steel). Then see if this will match the amount of current your new bulbs will require.

But there are other things in the civic I'm not sure how they connect like the load sense box on the driver's side. This too may need an upgrade. Just check everything that is in line with your new lights to make sure it can handle the current in amperes. You may want to also over-design by a factor of 1.5 to handle 1.5 times the required current just to be sure.

Your alternator should hopefully be able to handle this additional current too.

Good luck. It's a good thing you're considering this.