Bulbs

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rossnunn
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Bulbs

Post by rossnunn »

What do you recommend?
I have been offered:
2x Sets (4 bulbs) H1's & 1x Set (2 Bulbs) H3's for £25 inc postage.
All have a rated output of: 3900K
Is this good?
Thanks
Ross
jeremy
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Post by jeremy »

Output is normally measured in watts - thousands = interesting.
They are probably better value if they fit your car!
jeremy
NiSk
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Post by NiSk »

3900K is the colour temperature of the light output - it says nothing about the actual light output onto the road, nor the power consumption, nor the expected lifetime of the bulbs. The manufacturer is also a good thing to know - Philips and Osram produce consistantly good products; Ring, Bosch, GE, Halfords etc. are much more erratic in the quality of their bulbs (some good some really bad).
//NiSk
tomsheppard
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Post by tomsheppard »

The fact that the colour temperature is stated and not the wattage suggests that this is selling face cream. Baffling with BS. 6 bulbs for £25. I usually pay £4-£5 each and buy bulbs about once every four or five years as they tend to be reliable enough. Not a deal that appeals to me then.
rossnunn
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Post by rossnunn »

At £25 do you think its worth the risk?
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Post by czenda »

If output in Watts is not identified, I would personally think it is some sort of bogus and would not go for it. NiSk somewhat surprisingly confirmed my experience with Osram bulbs (reliable). I had one Bosch and one Osram installed at the same time and the Osram performed much better, which led to Bosch being thrown away (er... recycled) after two nights. To make the story funny, the Osram bulbs available on the local market are made in Hungary and sold for about one third of the price of Bosch bulbs made in Germany...
rossnunn
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Post by rossnunn »

A friend of mine put uprated bulbs > these that pull the norm wattage but ouput like 100 - 110 watt in his 406 HDI, they lasted about a week before he had to buy 2 new headlights @ nearly £100 per side, cos they melted the plastic lenses. < they were the later crystal one piece type too
tomsheppard
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Post by tomsheppard »

Well if he was one of those people who regularly dazzle me with their ill adjusted, loose and overpowered bulbs, then he deserved no less.
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Kowalski
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Post by Kowalski »

How can a bulb "pull the normal wattage" but "ouput like 100 - 110 watt". Power out can never be greater than power in. You are taking a risk with higher wattage bulbs, not just your headlights are at risk, but the wiring relays fuses etc too.
Now that I have to drive in the dark again, I am amazed at how many people have badly adjusted headlights, Xenon HIDs badly adjusted are FAR worse than badly adjusted halogen.
I was being followed by a car with Xenon headlights, it had orange flair on the cutoff, and in my mirror it looked like the car had its hazard warning lights on at times. Another night I was followed by another car that had Xenons, and it did have its indicator on and I could tell until he got very close because of the orange flair off the headlights. If I see blue flair off Xenon headlights in my peripheral vision I play the "spot the police car that isn't there" game. I don't see Xenon headlights benefiting anyone in the bigger picture, once everybody has them there will be no advantage just confusion from coloured flair.
tomsheppard
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Post by tomsheppard »

My point exactly. There are legal limits on headlight output for a reason.
The orange and blue flare from these bulbs is dangerous IMHO and as for the pillocks who use blue LEDs everywhere, I'd reccommend a simple fixed penalty, say decapitation.
rossnunn
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Post by rossnunn »

The 'blue light rule' is a funny one, on one hand I rekon blue lights that do not flash should be ok. If I see a blue light, I slow down - its natural - how is that a bad thing? but on the other hand after a while I'd get used to them, ignore them almost, then it could lead to problems with the services trying to get through - but they have sirens - ooh I don't know.
Another one: underlights good or bad? bad because they could be confusing for a oncomming car. Good because its more light around a car, makes the car more visable.
Last one: This rule with tinted windows; whats all that about? I heared its because you could hide a weapon & the police wouldn't see it. Sounds like a lame excuse to me, I'd like to know how many officers have been hurt / killed because of tinted windows.
What about these faded tints, If i faded my tints from black at the bottom to clear at the top would that be illegal? the copper - who is taller than the car would be looking down - through the clear bit into the car I'd be looking back out through the tinted bit.
Have a look at your own car, the ZX has black carpets, seats, dash & headlining, factory tinted glass. You can't see anything in there, looking from the outside, you can't see the driver in the dark at all.
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