D2S HID bulb: Philips ($120) or Osram ($138) or Cheap off brand ($19)?

[mightymousetech]

Just installed a new set of OSRAM Night Breaker Laser. Phenomenal. Currently the best HID bulb you can get.

Make sure to buy from a trusted source. Specifically NOT Amazon. A large portion of the crap out there is counterfeit.

https://www.powerbulbs.com/product/osram-xenarc-night-breaker-laser-d2s-twin

 

[GMBoy]

Can you please tell me where you were in Hill Country - especially the road thru the water and such? I live in Texas and want to take a trip there and enjoy those roads. Last time I been to HC was 2011 and didn't go that deep.

 

[DBMaster]

Originally Posted by mightymousetech
Just installed a new set of OSRAM Night Breaker Laser. Phenomenal. Currently the best HID bulb you can get.

Make sure to buy from a trusted source. Specifically NOT Amazon. A large portion of the crap out there is counterfeit.

https://www.powerbulbs.com/product/osram-xenarc-night-breaker-laser-d2s-twin


The Philips HID capsules I ordered came from an Amazon seller. Philips's web site had a direct link to the listing and the seller was an authorized Philips retailer. But, I agree, you have to be very careful about the the source and be willing to pay the going rate for the genuine article. Aside from that, I was disappointed by the fact that the HID lamps don't last any longer than halogen bulbs. They seem to have a shorter life span, in fact. My GF's IS250 doesn't impress with its headlight performance, either, but the area they do light has a nice consistent beam pattern. Older people may have issues no matter how good the lighting is, though. My GF is ten years older than I am and she tries to minimize her night driving.

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

Originally Posted by GMBoy
Can you please tell me where you were in Hill Country - especially the road thru the water and such? I live in Texas and want to take a trip there and enjoy those roads. Last time I been to HC was 2011 and didn't go that deep.


I took a road trip and made a trip report. You can get all those details from my trip report. Most importantly, you have to buy the 2 books that I also bought. The pictures are on my road trip blog. You buy those 2 books and yhou will be set to explore all the back roads of the Hill Country and have some great fun seeing things you would never see normally.

Texas Hill Country Back Roads and Dirt Roads Adventure...

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

Oh wow. A lot of good info. I guess from all what I have read so far, it means I may go for the Osram or Philips.

I am thinking of doing a light mod before I finally decide if I should buy cheap aftermarket hid or a real Philips or Osram.

I will share pictures of the mod here, if I do it.

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted by PetitFrereArmada
Oh wow. A lot of good info. I guess from all what I have read so far, it means I may go for the Osram or Philips.

I am thinking of doing a light mod before I finally decide if I should buy cheap aftermarket hid or a real Philips or Osram.

I will share pictures of the mod here, if I do it.

If you stumble on Hella or Bosch, I would try it, if cheaper than Osram or Phillips.

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted by DBMaster
Originally Posted by mightymousetech
Just installed a new set of OSRAM Night Breaker Laser. Phenomenal. Currently the best HID bulb you can get.

Make sure to buy from a trusted source. Specifically NOT Amazon. A large portion of the crap out there is counterfeit.

https://www.powerbulbs.com/product/osram-xenarc-night-breaker-laser-d2s-twin


The Philips HID capsules I ordered came from an Amazon seller. Philips's web site had a direct link to the listing and the seller was an authorized Philips retailer. But, I agree, you have to be very careful about the the source and be willing to pay the going rate for the genuine article. Aside from that, I was disappointed by the fact that the HID lamps don't last any longer than halogen bulbs. They seem to have a shorter life span, in fact. My GF's IS250 doesn't impress with its headlight performance, either, but the area they do light has a nice consistent beam pattern. Older people may have issues no matter how good the lighting is, though. My GF is ten years older than I am and she tries to minimize her night driving.


If you look up the specs of HID bulbs, they're supposed to last longer than halogens. If yours don't, it's possible that they're fakes. Some OEM designs aren't that great to begin with. I still have the OEM ones and they seem fine, however, I'm in the city so don't even really notice it aside from when the active corning illumination kicks in and it will light up a curving road nicely. Lots of fakes burn out after two years, flicker and aren't that bright.

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

So, I decided to do this light mod first. Then I may buy the headlight bulb to replace my low beams.

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

This is a thread I just made on expedition portal which will be a lot detailed about the light mod.

KC Flex Led light VS Made in China alternative...

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

Unboxing flex led pods from China. Shipped through FedEx. It took 5 business days from China to my door.

Hooked up the light to test output. Very impressive.

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

As much as I do not like the gold bezel, the company in China told me they did not have black bezels for me. So, I will see what I will do about that some day soon or I will leave them gold as is.

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

I wanted these lights to have 2 switches. 1 to control the top and 1 to control the bottom. And here is the final product. I could not find a replacement switch that would give me oem look. So, I just have to live with these 2 switches here. If I find a better solution, I will go for it. These lights are very bright.

Switch for top row on.

Switch for bottom row on.

Both switches on.

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

 

[Malo83]

They'll probably see you running at night from the Space Station.

 

[edyvw]

You sure you have enough light?

 

[Skippy722]

Originally Posted by edyvw
You sure you have enough light?

No such thing! Assuming you use the power wisely of course

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted by Skippy722
Originally Posted by edyvw
You sure you have enough light?

No such thing! Assuming you use the power wisely of course

I'd like to see him use these LEDs. What's the specs of the one that you put in? I don't think these are really 2600 lumens as stuff from china is usually exaggerated, but the xhp50.2 is one of the brightest LEDs out there. Sometimes it's so bright that it hurts your eyes the first time you use it if you're not ready for it.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33042031343.html

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000015453188.html

I also seem to recall there was one flashlight out there that was so powerful and bright that once it was turned on, if you just shined it on paper, it would catch on fire. The sun is probably the brightest out there, it's a good thing we're far away...

 

[Skippy722]

Originally Posted by Wolf359
Originally Posted by Skippy722
Originally Posted by edyvw
You sure you have enough light?

No such thing! Assuming you use the power wisely of course

I'd like to see him use these LEDs. What's the specs of the one that you put in? I don't think these are really 2600 lumens as stuff from china is usually exaggerated, but the xhp50.2 is one of the brightest LEDs out there. Sometimes it's so bright that it hurts your eyes the first time you use it if you're not ready for it.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33042031343.html

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000015453188.html

I also seem to recall there was one flashlight out there that was so powerful and bright that once it was turned on, if you just shined it on paper, it would catch on fire. The sun is probably the brightest out there, it's a good thing we're far away...


I had diode Dynamics SL1's, removed them to go back to halogen.

I have an Olight Seeker 2 Pro flashlight, if you crank it to max brightness on a darker piece of paper, or plastic, or even grass it'll make it smoke and smolder. They do have one that is $600 and will burn just about anything though!

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

Originally Posted by Malo83
They'll probably see you running at night from the Space Station.

Lol, you are hilarious. But for real when I light up all my lights, I light up the night. It truly turns night into day.

Originally Posted by edyvw
You sure you have enough light?

Very funny. But yes, I think I have enough for now. Except there is a need for more which I may oblige.

Originally Posted by Skippy722
Originally Posted by edyvw
You sure you have enough light?

No such thing! Assuming you use the power wisely of course

Lol.

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

Originally Posted by Wolf359
Originally Posted by Skippy722
Originally Posted by edyvw
You sure you have enough light?

No such thing! Assuming you use the power wisely of course

I'd like to see him use these LEDs. What's the specs of the one that you put in? I don't think these are really 2600 lumens as stuff from china is usually exaggerated, but the xhp50.2 is one of the brightest LEDs out there. Sometimes it's so bright that it hurts your eyes the first time you use it if you're not ready for it.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33042031343.html

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000015453188.html

I also seem to recall there was one flashlight out there that was so powerful and bright that once it was turned on, if you just shined it on paper, it would catch on fire. The sun is probably the brightest out there, it's a good thing we're far away...


My led lights are extremely bright. I have taken road trips where I traveled throughout the night and use my led lights. My best times is when I happen to be all alone on the freeway and between the hours of midnight and 3 am and nobody ahead or behind of me. I turn all my lights and the night turns into day. When 18 wheelers appear in the distance, they start flashing their lights and I know it is time for me to turn off my lights. They are truly bright. They are the ones that hurt your eyes.

The specs on them are never correct. But then it is hard to know the right numbers because the tool to measure is not common to own. I do not have it but I know a lot of companies who sell leds do have it. Granted some chinese companies may exaggerate their numbers, but then these are truly very bright and look good.

If you wan to read more about them to see what the sellers say about the specs, here is a link to their ad o alibaba.

Made in China led pods on alibaba...

You mention XHP50.2, but you know there is also XHP70.2, which is brighter and I have bought XHP70 led which is the fog leds on my 2008 Nissan Maxima. Very bright led lights. And same XHP70 leds, I installed on a friend's headlight. Pretty bright indeed.

There are so many powerful flashlights that are so bright that they will burn paper when put too close to it because they get extremely hot. So many of such videos on youtube.