Headlight bulb upgrades - your opinions please

[1sttruck]

Heating up wires to make light is a fairly well developed technology, and tinting bulbs blue to look trendy is just cosmetics.

 

[Jim Spahr]

I was the one who was inquiring about how to convert from 9004's to 9007's and if there was an advantage to do so. Looking at the spec.s on the Sylvania XtraVision web site, it looks like the 9004 XV (XtraVision for 9.99) they are rated 45 watts low beam/ 65 watts high. The 9007 XV are rated 55 low beam/ 65 high, so you gain 10 watts but only on low beam. Now the strange thing is- the life expectance is 220 hours for the 9004 XV low beam and 375 hrs. for the 9007 XV low beam which is 10 watts better! So the 9007 low beam is hotter and lasts longer. But the 9007 XV high beam is only 80 hours compared to the 9004 hi beam life exp of 145 hrs. So now the same wattage on both bulbs high beams, but the 9004 XV lasts longer!? So I guess I'll stay with the 9004 XV's.

 

[toocrazy2yoo]

Well, I just got my harness and 80/100 bulbs (CLEARS!!!) from http://www.hioutputbulbs.com/compt.htm amd I'll let you know how they work out. Might be the best 75.00 I ever spent!

 

[1sttruck]

I use to run H4 55W/100W headlight bulbs in my motorcycles, and I didn't have problems with people keeping their high beams on.

 

[toocrazy2yoo]

No, me either. Nothing like 100 watts right in the old retinas to get a knucklehead off their brights!

 

[MADMIKE]

The recent issue of Consumr Reports just came out and they tested many of these bulbs and guess what? None of 'em work worth a ****! Check it out--some of 'em even performed worse than standard OEM bulbs so save your money, and perceived improvment is likely due to the "placebo effect".

 

[m2200b]

Has anyone used GE HO High Output bulbs?
They are a great price at Walmart but all I want is more light and long life than standard Halogen and the Sylvania Xtra Vision cost more
but I don't know if the GE HO are comparable?

 

[toocrazy2yoo]

I just put GE NightHawks in mine. Before the new harness, with the lights on, I'm getting 10.79 VDC to the hot side AT the bulb, it drops to 10.22 VDC on brights. Nonetheless, in stock-wiring usage, the NightHawks are the brightest bulbs I've ever had. They're a clear bulb, BTW. Let you know how they are when I'm feeding them the whole 13.8 volts that my system charges at.

I'm thinking I won't even need the Super-Bulbs.

 

[Mitch]

I put the Hella 55/100 bulbs and housings in my 78 fj40 landcruiser in '81. Maybe it is just me but I have never replaced them.Yep going strong 24 years later.