Brightest NON HID bulbs

I know this has been discussed before but with winter coming up and the amount of traveling I do through snowstorms and all other kinds of bad conditions I am looking for the the brightest low beams and high beams plus fogs for my 98. Does anyone own really bright aftermarket headlights? I currently have one silverstar and one regular light in from when the front end damage was fixed on my truck. Basically not a whole lot of difference. I know Sylvania just put out the the Ultra Silverstar but I am looking for something even better if possible. And I want to throw the clear headlight housing in to boot. So anyone got any ideas for me and the others out there who demand brightness from there bulbs!:grinyes:

http://www.automotivelightingusa.com/

Very cool site

dude check out PIAA, go to www.stylinconcepts.com to get some ideas (although they have high prices). PIAA makes bulbs from ultra white to so bright they look like they have a little blue in them. I got my lights from them and they look like Mercedes color headlights.

Very nice I will check it out, thank you

Silverstar ultra or philips nighhawk is the only way to go.

All the others are pointless.

Silverstar ultra or philips nighhawk is the only way to go.

All the others are pointless.

+1, there are also a brand of Silverstar that are distributed over in Europe, but that you can get over here through ebay, that work very well. If you go up in wattage, make sure to get a relay harness to take all of the strain off of the OEM harness.

Are the ultras much better than the normal silverstars? I had a set of the normal ones and wasn't very impressed.

Are the ultras much better than the normal silverstars? I had a set of the normal ones and wasn't very impressed.

I wouldn't say that much better, neither of them compare to the ones that can be had from Europe.

Are you talking about the ones that are called "osrams" or something like that?

What's the difference in those and the ones sold here. The set I bought at walmart were sold as sylvania, but had osram on the package.

I was also not impressed with the Silverstars

Are you talking about the ones that are called "osrams" or something like that?

What's the difference in those and the ones sold here. The set I bought at walmart were sold as sylvania, but had osram on the package.

Yes, there is a set of just Osram Silverstars, w/o the Sylvania. I would actually go with some HIR bulbs over any of those. Here is a little comparison done by a friend of mine about the difference between some bulbs.

1. Here is a regular Philips 9005 halogen bulb
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v607/s10cyncrvr/hir03.jpg

2. Here is a crappy blue coated "xenon" bulb. Notice that the light is more white, by noticibly less intense
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v607/s10cyncrvr/hir02.jpg

3. Here is a 9011 (9005 equivalent) HIR bulb. Notice both the increased color as well as intensity over both previous bulbs
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v607/s10cyncrvr/hir04.jpg

All of these pics were taken from an S10 headlamp

Hir?

http://www.hirheadlights.com/Bulbs%20Images/2bulbs338x330.png

They have an infrared coating on the outside bubble which allows the filament to burn hotter, increasing luminosity

where do you get somthin like that

where do you get somthin like that


ebay

HIR 9012 I think is the 9006 equivalent

Are you talking about the ones that are called "osrams" or something like that?

What's the difference in those and the ones sold here. The set I bought at walmart were sold as sylvania, but had osram on the package.

Osram and Sylvania are the same company.

I would be cautious about using HIR bulbs. Anything that keeps heat inside the envelope is going to dramatically shorten the life of the bulb.

Osram and Sylvania are the same company.


I understand that, but so are Philips and Magnavox, yet they sell TV's and other appliances as just "Philips" or just "Magnavox", it's the same principle.

He is right, they are the same company and product, just with a different name.

I think Osram is the parent company.

I have read some interesting reports about the the HIR bulbs of Toshiba which seem to be more bright and have more effectiveness.
Here are some links:
http://www.finemotoring.com/index.htm
http://www.finemotoring.com/stats.htm
http://www.bmwcca.org/members/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Let_There_Be_E36_Light
I hope it will help.

I guess HIR might be the way to go

I have the bulbs in my truck and do enjoy them.

if they create more heat than a regular bulb would that damage the housing over time?

So it looks like no harness upgrade is needed?? These look like a good investment!

There won't be enough extra heat to notice.

Also, a new harness is not necessary.

BlazerLT, if you have the the time can you take and post some pics of your lights shining on a garage or something similiar? I am curious about these bubs. Also they seem to range in price from $30 a bulb to $100 a bulb.

I have the Xenon bulbs in mine.

They are brighter for sure, BUT, the thing is I found out the the yellow band frequency is the most powerful frequency and thus can penetrate farther than the blue and white.

Hence why fog lights are used.

The only way to counteract this is to use a higher wattage white light bulb.

I know I get flashed constantly on the highway by people thinking I have my hi-beams on when I am only running the lows. When I kick it up to high to show them the difference I have seen some cars swerve a bit seeing they get a little blinded. I now only quickly flash them to show them I am using the lows.

They are aligned properly.

BlazerLT explains why HID lamps are really not "all that" in automotive lighting. They actually tend to do worse for driver visibility in for, mist, and snow. The higher frequency light tends to reflect or "flare" a lot more in water droplets and ice cystals (smow) than lower frequency light. Just because Benz used them doesn't make them good. You won't find them in taxi or landing lights on aircraft, because they just don't work as well in marginal visibility.

I want bright, clear, sometimes powerful bulbs to really light up the road ahead when i am driving on backroads that are not lit and snowing or raining. I also want to buy the clear housings for my headlights

The "old guy" trick with the 4-headlamp cars (5-1/2" rounds) was to remove the high beams and their mounting buckets, get a pair of 4007 lamps and hacksaw slots in the buckets to accomodate their different mounting lug positions (molded into the back of the PAR 46 lamp) and plug it all back together. The 4007s were clear/plain lenses and had an initial power of 100 watts, compared to the 37W of the "regular" high beam lamps. With the older mechanical voltage regulators, it was easy enough to bump the system up to about 14.5V where it would really do some good and push the lamps closer to 115W.

I had the "bright idea" that if a little was good, a lot was far better. As a result, my '67 Firebird had G.E. 4522 lamps in the high beam buckets. Still the PAR 46 envelope, but with screw terminals. That worked out well, since the wiring had to be upsized to 8 AWG and power relays installed to handle the two 250W lamps. The little old Delcotron 37A alternator had a little trouble at idle with those on, but it made for some spectacular lighting. I think I actually started to melt paint on my parent's garage wall once, many years ago.

The composite headlamps commonly used today are so limiting. I'm sure the polycarbonate housings on most vehicles just wouldn't take that kind of heat. Fortunately, some vehicles (like my Impalas) are made for European export, and thus have GLASS lamp housings available to satisfy exports requirements. They take a lot more wattage without starting fire. If you want to go nuts with your lighting wattages, you might want to see if export lamp housings are available for the vehicle first (usually a dealer only item). If not, plan on replacing them frequently due to distortion and yellowing. Several places have replacements available, like this: http://zbra.com

I have the Xenon bulbs in mine.

They are brighter for sure, BUT, the thing is I found out the the yellow band frequency is the most powerful frequency and thus can penetrate farther than the blue and white.

Hence why fog lights are used.

The only way to counteract this is to use a higher wattage white light bulb.

I know I get flashed constantly on the highway by people thinking I have my hi-beams on when I am only running the lows. When I kick it up to high to show them the difference I have seen some cars swerve a bit seeing they get a little blinded. I now only quickly flash them to show them I am using the lows.

They are aligned properly.


I love amber lights for bad weather. My last truck had them and during really bad snow I would drive with just them on. I could see plain as day.

Don't forget when you mention fog lights you are refering to a beam pattern. Fogs are low and wide where driving are directed upfront.

True, but my point is when you go with white bumbs, you are removing the most powerful part of the spectrum and some of your visibility can go down.

The only way to counteract it is to upp the wattage to overcome the difference.

I want bright, clear, sometimes powerful bulbs to really light up the road ahead when i am driving on backroads that are not lit and snowing or raining. I also want to buy the clear housings for my headlights

The new Silverstar Ultras will do the trick for ya.

Who owns the Silverstar Ultras? Like Is aid I have on regular bulb and one of the original silverstars in now and when I hav both silverstars I was not impressed by any means.

True, but my point is when you go with white bumbs, you are removing the most powerful part of the spectrum and some of your visibility can go down.

The only way to counteract it is to upp the wattage to overcome the difference.

No arguement here

Who owns the Silverstar Ultras? Like Is aid I have on regular bulb and one of the original silverstars in now and when I hav both silverstars I was not impressed by any means.

They are pretty new on the market.

But all in all, you can't go wrong with them.

Who owns the Silverstar Ultras? Like Is aid I have on regular bulb and one of the original silverstars in now and when I hav both silverstars I was not impressed by any means.
I finally found some specs for the different bulbs.

Low Beams/9006

Type Watts (power consumption) Hours (life span) Kelvin (color) Lumens (light output)Stock55100032001000Silverstar5515040001000S ilverstar Ultra551504000 1200Toshiba HIR 90125580036001700








High Beams/9005


Type Watts (power consumption) Hours (life span) Kelvin (color) Lumens (light output)Stock6532032001700Silverstar6513540001700Si lverstar Ultra651354000 2040Toshiba HIR 90116530036002300 HID3530004100-100003200



According to the specs that I found:

The regular Silverstars are not any brighter than stock bulbs. They just appear that way, because they are whiter. That's why most people that use them say that they were not impressed.

The Silverstar Ultras are the only 9005/9006 bulbs that I've seen that actually put out more light than stock 9005/9006 bulbs. However, they still have the whiter light which will still give you a glare.

The HIR bulbs put out much more light while still consuming the same amount of power, and have a whiteness directly between that of stock and the silvertstars which means that they shouldn't have the glare problems if properly adjusted.



I've also found several sources that tell the difference in the Silverstars sold as Osrams and those sold as Sylvania. As we've already established, Osram is the parent company to Sylvania. The ones sold over seas are sold under the name Osram and are clear. The ones sold here under the name Sylvania have a blue coating to make them appear whiter. The reason so many people recommend the ones from overseas is because the ones sold here cause more glare and they get hotter causing them to have a shorter lifespan.

just found an ebay auction for the hir bulbs and they are $27 a piece :eek2: ! anywhere else that sells them cheaper? is there an hir equivilant for fog light bulbs?

I get a lot of people flashing me with just the 3500k Xenon bulbs even while using low beam.

Just watch that the local officials don't pull you over because they are too bright.

I have silver stars in my company truck. I like em.

you might want to consider this ....


1 ) i switched my standard bulbs for nighthawks and found that even with the lights aimed down to there lowest point - there was a noticeable glare which im sure would affect the oncoming drivers ability to see the centerline - not only that - the nighthawks did a great job of lighting up the ditches out to about 100 feet but terrible on the long range where the deer are waiting - switched back to the standard bulbs and felt much safer that i had excellent long range on high beams and i wasn't blinding an oncoming driver - get my drift .......

2) even with the lights aimed according to instructions / dot regs / and even by a shop - i could see that the glare from these nighthawks was right in the face of a driver crossing the intersection in front of me - so much so - that driver had to cover his eyes - since that incident i will never put those lights in my car .

3) driving lights are the way to go - you dont need that extra light in the city and you have the control of turning them off - if your on the highway you will likely be using your highbeams anyway and this where a driver can use some extra light - hook them up to your highbeams so they turn off when you dim the lights to an approaching driver .... by the way - here in canada and alot states - dot regs state that a driving or auxilary light must be installed so they only operate when the high beams are lit - a good rule if you ask me - but even with the regs you still see brand new vehicles with oem driving lights that are on with the low beams - but a case in point - driving lights on a 2005 gmc sierra are oem rated at 40 watts -- aftermarket stuff is 55 watts thru a cheap lens that gives off a blinding glare .look around and you will see a difference.


so to sum it up - i would go with a set of oem driving lights -even if they didnt make some specifically for your vehicle there will be something that will fit and look great too .and stay away from the high out put headlights - you will be much safer without them . were all guilty of not slowing down at night and unless you have a 180 deg, arc of 100 watt flood lights the high outputs aren't going to save you from hitting an animal -




....and i have to say one more thing .... if you see a deer on the road at night - dont highbeam it and honk at it - in fact dim your lights slow down & put the 4 ways on to warn that guy with the blinding light thats going by you and about to have deer ass for dinner - that theres a problem ahead ....:icon16:

by the way - here in canada and alot states - dot regs state that a driving or auxilary light must be installed so they only operate when the high beams are lit - a good rule if you ask me - ....:icon16:

I believe that they can only be lit while the LOW beams are lit.

Auxiliary driving lamps

4.09 (1) A motor vehicle may be equipped with 2 auxiliary driving lamps, mounted on the front of the vehicle at a height of not less than 40 cm and not more than 1.06 m, that are capable of displaying onlywhite light.
(2) An auxiliary driving lamp must be directed so that the high intensity portion of the beam is, at a distance of 8 m from the lamp, at least 12 cm below the height of the lamp and, at a distance of 25 m from the lamp, not higher than 1.06 m from the road surface.
(3) An auxiliary driving lamp must operate so that it is illuminated only when the upper beam of a multiple beam headlamp is illuminated.
[en. B.C. Reg. 476/98, s. 2.]

Curious. I'm thinking it's different in the states. I don't have any statutes but factory fog/driving lights turn off automatically when you switch to high beams so I'll stick with what I posted earlier.

i think it's only used at the officers discretion - i mean like i said most if not all of the oem drive lamps are at a lower wattage and they are constructed to properly reflect the light as oppose to most aftermarket stuff that gets mass produced in korea or wherever and they just use glass and a reflective material thats cheap - so driving around with a set of those will get you some attention and notice to have them corrected and or a fine --- on the other hand factory lights have never bothered me and i doubt they would even raise an eyebrow from the authorities . i've seen the cops pull over guy's with the aftermarket ones and yet the guy with the factory lights drives on thru - technically they both could get pulled over but like i say theres a big difference between 40 watts or 55 watts of controlled light as opposed 40 or 55 watts of flooding light .

:banghead:
...............i think we can beat this to death if we want to ..LOL

Just wanted to say that Im using Silverstars on my Civic and Im pretty happy with them. Replacing your housings at the same time makes a good difference. I wanted to try the Ultras but they dont make them in my type. I would love to have HID but a decent set is $450, a little out of my budget.

A little OT, but related...

I got Osram Silverstars for my motorcycle and they are definitely a different bulb than the Sylvania Silverstars.

While I would not claim to be an expert, I have played with many different bulbs and unless you are running an illegal bulb, there is not LOTS of difference.

The Osrams provide noticeably more beam length, but again, it's not a huge difference.

Many times those high watt illegal bulbs do put out lots of light, but that does not necessarily make it useful. What good is a bunch of extra light it most of it just adds extra glare? Besides, many of them cost a small fortune and burn out rather quickly. The Silverstars, GE Nighthawks, and Phillips VisionPlus are the best combination of light, life, and cost, IMO.

If you want significantly more, then as mentioned, add some auxillary lighting.

To avoid deer in my truck, I have added relays to better supply the factory headlights (reduced voltage drop) and also added some (approximately) 8" round Bosch pencil beam driving lights with 100W H3 bulbs and some rectangular Bosch driving lights also with 100W H3 bulbs.

Then, the problem is, you can't see a darn thing when you turn them off meeting another car because your eyes are so use to the bright illumination.

I've updated the spec list to include Nighthawks, but couldn't find info for Visionplus. If someone sees the specs please let me know and I'll add them.



Low Beams/9006

Type Watts (power consumption) Hours (life span) Kelvin (color) Lumens (light output)Stock55100032001000GE Nighthawk5585035701000 Silverstar5515040001000Silverstar Ultra551504000 1200Toshiba HIR 90125580036001700








High Beams/9005


Type Watts (power consumption) Hours (life span) Kelvin (color) Lumens (light output)Stock6532032001700GE Nighthawk6572037001695 Silverstar6513540001700Silverstar Ultra651354000 2040Toshiba HIR 90116530036002300 HID3530004100-100003200

Just wanted to say that Im using Silverstars on my Civic and Im pretty happy with them. Replacing your housings at the same time makes a good difference. I wanted to try the Ultras but they dont make them in my type. I would love to have HID but a decent set is $450, a little out of my budget.


Honda!!!!??? You brought a Honda here????


Just kidding!

Curious. I'm thinking it's different in the states. I don't have any statutes but factory fog/driving lights turn off automatically when you switch to high beams so I'll stick with what I posted earlier.
Looks like the difference is the way they are aimed, Florida law states that drivers must be able to switch between different elevations of light distribution. Since most of the oem auxiliary lights are driving/fog lights and aimed below the eyeline of other drivers they are classified as the lower most distribution of light and must be turned off when the uppermost (high beams) distrubution of light is selected.

The opposite would be true for driving lights aimed in the uppermost distribution of light. Which appear to be the type that riptide is talking about.

It also appears that in florida, you can have a shitload of lights on the front of your car as long as you call them different names. :naughty:




316.233 Spot lamps and auxiliary lamps.--
(1) SPOT LAMPS.--Any motor vehicle may be equipped with not to exceed two spot lamps and every lighted spot lamp shall be so aimed and used that no part of the high intensity portion of the beam will strike the windshield, or any windows, mirror, or occupant of another vehicle in use.
(2) FOG LAMPS.--Any motor vehicle may be equipped with not to exceed two fog lamps mounted on the front at a height not less than 12 inches nor more than 30 inches above the level surface upon which the vehicle stands and so aimed that when the vehicle is not loaded none of the high intensity portion of the light to the left of the center of the vehicle shall at a distance of 25 feet ahead project higher than a level of 4 inches below the level of the center of the lamp from which it comes. Lighted fog lamps meeting the above requirements may be used with lower headlamp beams as specified in s. 316.237 (http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=auxiliary%20lamp&URL=Ch0316/Sec237.HTM)(1)(b).
(3) AUXILIARY PASSING LAMPS.--Any motor vehicle may be equipped with not to exceed two auxiliary passing lamps mounted on the front at a height not less than 24 inches nor more than 42 inches above the level surface upon which the vehicle stands. The provisions of s. 316.237 (http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=auxiliary%20lamp&URL=Ch0316/Sec237.HTM) shall apply to any combination of headlamps and auxiliary passing lamps.
(4) AUXILIARY DRIVING LAMPS.--Any motor vehicle may be equipped with not to exceed two auxiliary driving lamps mounted on the front at a height not less than 16 inches nor more than 42 inches above the level surface upon which the vehicle stands. The provisions of s. 316.237 (http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=auxiliary%20lamp&URL=Ch0316/Sec237.HTM) shall apply to any combination of headlamps and auxiliary driving lamps.
(5) VIOLATIONS.--A violation of this section is a noncriminal traffic infraction, punishable as a nonmoving violation as provided in chapter 318.




316.237 Multiple-beam road-lighting equipment.--
(1) Except as hereinafter provided, the headlamps or the auxiliary driving lamp or the auxiliary passing lamp or combination thereof on motor vehicles shall be so arranged that the driver may select at will between distributions of light projected to different elevations and such lamps may, in addition, be so arranged that such selection can be made automatically, subject to the following limitations:
(a) There shall be an uppermost distribution of light, or composite beam, so aimed and of such intensity as to reveal persons and vehicles at a distance of at least 450 feet ahead for all conditions of loading.
(b) There shall be a lowermost distribution of light, or composite beam, so aimed and of sufficient intensity to reveal persons and vehicles at a distance of at least 150 feet ahead; and on a straight level road under any condition of loading none of the high intensity portion of the beam shall be directed to strike the eyes of an approaching driver.

An object, material, or covering that alters the headlamp's visibility from at least 450 feet for an uppermost distribution of light or at least 150 feet for a lowermost distribution of light may not be placed, displayed, installed, affixed, or applied over a headlamp.
(2) Every new motor vehicle registered in this state shall be equipped with a beam indicator, which shall be lighted whenever the uppermost distribution of light from the headlamps is in use, and shall not otherwise be lighted. Said indicator shall be so designed and located that when lighted it will be readily visible without glare to the driver of the vehicle so equipped.
(3) A violation of this section is a noncriminal traffic infraction, punishable as a nonmoving violation as provided in chapter 318.

I don't think they are driving lights on new cars, the are fog lights and go off when you turn on the high beams.

Looks like the difference is the way they are aimed, Florida law states that drivers must be able to switch between different elevations of light distribution. Since most of the oem auxiliary lights are driving/fog lights and aimed below the eyeline of other drivers they are classified as the lower most distribution of light and must be turned off when the uppermost (high beams) distrubution of light is selected.

The opposite would be true for driving lights aimed in the uppermost distribution of light. Which appear to be the type that riptide is talking about.

It also appears that in florida, you can have a shitload of lights on the front of your car as long as you call them different names. :naughty:




316.233 Spot lamps and auxiliary lamps.--
(1) SPOT LAMPS.--Any motor vehicle may be equipped with not to exceed two spot lamps and every lighted spot lamp shall be so aimed and used that no part of the high intensity portion of the beam will strike the windshield, or any windows, mirror, or occupant of another vehicle in use.
(2) FOG LAMPS.--Any motor vehicle may be equipped with not to exceed two fog lamps mounted on the front at a height not less than 12 inches nor more than 30 inches above the level surface upon which the vehicle stands and so aimed that when the vehicle is not loaded none of the high intensity portion of the light to the left of the center of the vehicle shall at a distance of 25 feet ahead project higher than a level of 4 inches below the level of the center of the lamp from which it comes. Lighted fog lamps meeting the above requirements may be used with lower headlamp beams as specified in s. 316.237 (http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=auxiliary%20lamp&URL=Ch0316/Sec237.HTM)(1)(b).
(3) AUXILIARY PASSING LAMPS.--Any motor vehicle may be equipped with not to exceed two auxiliary passing lamps mounted on the front at a height not less than 24 inches nor more than 42 inches above the level surface upon which the vehicle stands. The provisions of s. 316.237 (http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=auxiliary%20lamp&URL=Ch0316/Sec237.HTM) shall apply to any combination of headlamps and auxiliary passing lamps.
(4) AUXILIARY DRIVING LAMPS.--Any motor vehicle may be equipped with not to exceed two auxiliary driving lamps mounted on the front at a height not less than 16 inches nor more than 42 inches above the level surface upon which the vehicle stands. The provisions of s. 316.237 (http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=auxiliary%20lamp&URL=Ch0316/Sec237.HTM) shall apply to any combination of headlamps and auxiliary driving lamps.
(5) VIOLATIONS.--A violation of this section is a noncriminal traffic infraction, punishable as a nonmoving violation as provided in chapter 318.




316.237 Multiple-beam road-lighting equipment.--
(1) Except as hereinafter provided, the headlamps or the auxiliary driving lamp or the auxiliary passing lamp or combination thereof on motor vehicles shall be so arranged that the driver may select at will between distributions of light projected to different elevations and such lamps may, in addition, be so arranged that such selection can be made automatically, subject to the following limitations:
(a) There shall be an uppermost distribution of light, or composite beam, so aimed and of such intensity as to reveal persons and vehicles at a distance of at least 450 feet ahead for all conditions of loading.
(b) There shall be a lowermost distribution of light, or composite beam, so aimed and of sufficient intensity to reveal persons and vehicles at a distance of at least 150 feet ahead; and on a straight level road under any condition of loading none of the high intensity portion of the beam shall be directed to strike the eyes of an approaching driver.

An object, material, or covering that alters the headlamp's visibility from at least 450 feet for an uppermost distribution of light or at least 150 feet for a lowermost distribution of light may not be placed, displayed, installed, affixed, or applied over a headlamp.
(2) Every new motor vehicle registered in this state shall be equipped with a beam indicator, which shall be lighted whenever the uppermost distribution of light from the headlamps is in use, and shall not otherwise be lighted. Said indicator shall be so designed and located that when lighted it will be readily visible without glare to the driver of the vehicle so equipped.
(3) A violation of this section is a noncriminal traffic infraction, punishable as a nonmoving violation as provided in chapter 318.


Great - all that reading - now I need a nap.

Consumer Reports
Not all bright ideas are the most economical

By the editors of Consumer Reports

Premium replacement-headlight bulbs are marketed as a functional and cosmetic improvement over the conventional bulbs found in most cars. But are they? Consumer Reports recently tested five top-selling models to find out.

Bulbs such as the APC Plasma Ultra White, GE Nighthawk, Philips CrystalVision, Sylvania SilverStar, and Wagner TruView try to mimic the whiter, brighter light of the high-intensity-discharge (HID) lamps that are standard equipment on some pricey vehicles.

HID lights can be brighter than conventional halogen bulbs, but illuminated distances are often just comparable. One clear advantage of conventional halogen lighting over HID is that, when the former requires replacement, you need only change the bulb — usually a simple task for most backyard mechanics. With high-intensity-discharge lights, the entire assembly must be replaced.

Premium halogen-replacement bulbs attempt to offer some of the benefits of HID lights while fitting into the vehicle's original headlight assembly.

The five bulbs Consumer Reports tested are priced between $26 and $40 a pair (two to three times the price of standard halogen bulbs) and are sold in discount or auto-parts stores. The test bulbs claimed Department of Transportation-standard compliance. Noncompliant bulbs may be marked as "for off-road use only."

CR's tests were designed to be both subjective (to determine how well distant objects could be seen by the human eye) and objective (measuring bulb illuminance, or brightness). Three test vehicles — a Chrysler Sebring, a Toyota Camry and a Honda Ridgeline — were used to provide a variety of bulb sizes and original equipment (OE) performance. (The Wagner TruView was not available for the Honda.)

To test claims of increased brightness, CR moved inside a dark building and placed a light sensor 50 feet in front of each vehicle — at different heights, both on center and to the right to simulate a shoulder.

Subjectively, all five bulbs emitted a whiter light than OE bulbs. That could prove attractive to buyers seeking the look of HID lights: Studies show that some drivers prefer driving behind whiter light than the more yellow light of most OE halogen bulbs. But that doesn't mean you can see farther.

In the distance tests, only the GE Nighthawk improved low-beam sight distance, and then just for the Honda Ridgeline. Generally, low- and high-beam distance either remained the same or decreased with the premium replacement bulbs.

Meanwhile, results of CR's brightness tests showed some localized improvements, but no one replacement bulb scored consistently better than OE. The Nighthawk and APC Plasma Ultra White improved illuminance in more tests than the other bulbs, some of which did not perform as well as stock bulbs.

Premium replacement bulbs may be cosmetically pleasing — CR's tests showed that they do yield whiter-looking light than original-equipment bulbs — but they don't offer a consistent performance advantage. In fact, they can perform worse than OE bulbs.

Bottom line: Outfitting your car with these dazzling premium bulbs may not be such a bright idea.

2005, Consumers Union

Copyright © 2006 The Seattle Times Company

A bit different article with some more info:

Sorry, but for some reason, I'm not allowed to edit my post anymore, or start new threads!?

A Consumer Reports Study

Replacement headlight bulbs: A bright idea?

Premium replacement headlight bulbs are marketed as a functional and cosmetic improvement over the conventional bulbs found in most cars. The bulbs try to mimic the whiter, brighter light of the high-intensity-discharge (HID) lights found on some pricey vehicles. However, while these bulbs emit whiter-looking light, they don’t provide a consistent performance improvement in our tests.

Changes in lighting regulations in the mid-1980s allowed automobile designers to create aerodynamic headlight assemblies. These assemblies use a replaceable halogen bulb rather than an entire replaceable assembly. Headlight performance varies considerably depending on the assembly’s design, including reflector design and lens shape.

Expensive HID lights are a more recent innovation. CR’s tests have shown that HID lights can be brighter, but illuminated distances are often comparable to those of halogen bulbs. Premium halogen replacement bulbs attempt to offer some of the benefits of HID lights while retaining the vehicle’s original headlight assembly.

Bulb replacement is usually a simple task for most backyard mechanics.


MEASURING THE LIGHTS

CR tested five premium replacement bulbs, one from each of the top-selling brands: the APC Plasma Ultra White, GE Nighthawk, Philips CrystalVision, Sylvania SilverStar, and Wagner TruView. The bulbs are priced between $26 and $40 a pair (two to three times more than standard bulbs) and are sold in discount or auto-parts stores. All tested bulbs claim Department of Transportation-standard compliance; noncompliant bulbs may be marked as “for off-road use only.”

Tests were both subjective, to determine how well distant objects could be seen by the human eye, and objective, measuring bulb illuminance, or brightness.

Three test vehicles, a Chrysler Sebring, a Toyota Camry, and a Honda Ridgeline, were used to provide a variety of bulb sizes and original equipment (OE) performance.

Headlight distance is vital because the sooner an object is illuminated, the better the chance of avoiding it. Distance is measured outdoors on a moonless night, from a stationary vehicle. Black, unlighted signs were set up at various distances, and engineers recorded which were visible from each vehicle with each set of bulbs. Only one set of bulbs, the Nighthawk, improved low-beam sight distance for one tested vehicle, the Ridgeline. However, they reduced distance on the Camry. Generally, low- and high-beam distance either remained the same or decreased with replacement bulbs.

To test claims of increased brightness, CR measured illuminance, the quantity of light that reaches a particular area. Inside a dark building, a light sensor was placed at a distance 50 feet in front of each vehicle at different heights both on center and 8 feet to the right to simulate a roadway shoulder. Results showed some localized improvements, but no one bulb scored consistently better than OE. The Nighthawk and Plasma Ultra White improved illuminance in more tests than the other bulbs, some of which did not perform as well as stock bulbs.

Subjectively, all five bulbs emitted a whiter light than OE bulbs, which could appeal to buyers seeking the look of HID lights. Studies show that some drivers prefer driving behind whiter light than the more yellow light of most OE halogen bulbs, but that doesn’t mean you can see farther.

Some manufacturers claim that their premium halogen bulbs improve brightness without causing oncoming glare, a common complaint about HID lights. Oncoming glare is caused by a combination of bright lights and an inherent sharp light cutoff. This combination can exist in HID or halogen lights. Most of the tested bulb-vehicle combinations did not cause high levels of oncoming glare. But using whiter premium bulbs in the Honda Ridgeline increased glare to where it could be a discomfort for oncoming drivers.


BOTTOM LINE

Our tests showed that while they do yield whiter-looking light, premium aftermarket halogen bulbs don’t offer a consistent performance advantage over original equipment bulbs, and they can perform worse. Much of a headlight’s distribution of light is dictated by its reflector and lens, factors that remain unaffected by changing the bulb. And the combination of higher cost and some manufacturer specifications of a shorter life span than standard replacement bulbs add up to increased costs.


http://www.canadiandriver.com/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=3bdc48d261d68dd94a4d78222b8a79 7b&action=dlattach;topic=42486.0;id=1895;image

Yeah the cat's been out of the bag a while about the bulbs that use a blue coating to make the bulbs appear whiter. The majority produce less light. And those that manage to produce equal or slightly more light have a color further up in the spectrum that can't be fully utilized by the human eye. So even by producing more light, they still give you less vision.

There's a lot of info about bulbs at http://www.danielsternlighting.com/

wow i didnt even know there was report about headlights - good to know though and it confirms exactly what i have seen for myself - and it is true the ge nighthawks ( which i got rid of becuase of glare to other drivers and to my eye a loss of long distance performance) did give somewhat better low beam performance - they would light up the sides of road either side of you - but only out to about 50 yards - that does make you feel better about whats waiting in the ditch to jump out in front of you - if they could just reduce the glare and improve the long distance visual they'd have a good light .


someone said something about depending on what you called them - you could have any lights you want on the front -- i know what you're saying - there is a difference between a spotlamp and an off road lamp even though most people ( including myself until i knew ) call them all off road or 4x4 lights- a spot light has an intense focused straight line beam and even here where i live you can have up to 2 of those on a vehicle legally without covers and use them ,even though they are 100 watts - if you look at a real off road light - equally 100 watts - they are illegal uncovered on the highway because they are actually a flood light ( no focus just emmits light everywhere ) - i have both spots and floods on my jimmy for off roading - ( the floods get covered before i hit the highway - and it always gets a good chuckle from the local cop who asks why aren't they all covered - but his reg book always lets me go .....even when they are on you can see the difference in how the light is focused - or in the case of the floods - not focused .

I have to cover the 8" Bosch lights I have - for off-road use only. Technically, the rectangular ones are illegal too since they are fitted OEM with 55w bulbs but I have replaced them with 100w.

I don't turn any of them on unless there are no cars for a LONG distance ahead and or off on some real desolate roads.

good info

What I find to be interesting is the hour rating of the Silver Star bulbs (150 hours) ...

I installed a set of Silver Stars on my car oh, almost three years ago now. I extensively drive the car at night time, and I'm pretty sure that I've put orders of magnitude more time on my bulbs than 150 hours ... almost half of my 15-20k/yr driving is at night - that's up to 30k miles on these bulbs.

any thing new ????

just wanted to chime in that daniel stern does have a great resource if you end up going non hid