Philips X-treme Vision +100 vs X-treme Vision +130

[crassus]

Here is a link from Philips Singapore on the +100% bulbs. http://www.philips.com.sg/c-p/9005XVS2/x-tremevision-car-headlight-bulb/specifications Philips provide the B3/Tc value as 200/400 . When the B3/Tc values are published, they are always tested at 13.2V .

 

[TEEJ]

Understood.
But when the low beams are aligned correctly, the high beam hot spots seems way to the left of the headlamp centerlines.

Most that I see are essentially low to the P-side in low, to get more shoulder/less oncoming traffic glare....and higher to the D-side on hi, to shine more down the center line of the road, farther away than when there was oncoming traffic.

The centerline of the road is obviously going to be be far D-side of the center line between the headlights.

 

[Ofelas]

I'm likely not being logical about trying "brighter" bulbs to help compensate, but so far, H4 housings haven't impressed me.

I've tried Cibie ECE housings (aimed by ECE pattern) , Cibie BOBI housings (aimed at VOL pattern), with various flavors of bulbs - Narva +50, Narva 55/100, Narva 80/100, Philips XtraVision, Nightguide, and a couple good brands of OE replacement bulbs.

I finally found an old timer owned shop with a mechanical contraption for aiming them, and done so on a DOT approved level surface.

My wiring/voltage is above whats needed, but the light pattern/throw underwhelm me.

The Trucklite LED housings (set to VOL) give me the most seeing offroad & highway, on low as well as high. I see more on high with these than even the Narva 55/100 H4 bulbs. When I use the Trucklites on low, it makes me wonder whether all my previous H4 low filaments were working at all.

What am I doing wrong? I do eat plenty of carrots, but the 9007 XtraVisions in my '01 Ram & 9007 Nightguides in the '03 Liberty seem much more usable than the Cibie H4's.

 

[Alaric Darconville]

DOT approved level surface.

The DOT approves level surfaces now?

 

[Ofelas]

The DOT approves level surfaces now?

A DOT (MOT) fleet inspection facility which obviously has the required level surface.

I will let someone with constructive input help me, rather than a bored web surfer who chooses to ignore the content in my query.

 

[-Virgil-]

so far, H4 housings haven't impressed me.

Nobody knowledgeable ever said H4 headlamps are the be-all, end-all, best headlamps in the world, though that is a common claim among Euro-fans, including on this site (see here and here starting at post #14 for example). There are some good to very good H4 headlamps, but there are also plenty of weak ones.

I've tried Cibie ECE housings (aimed by ECE pattern)

Should have aimed these to VOL specs; the Euro aim setting specs are very low in catering to certain governments' unjustifiable singleminded priority on minimizing glare.

I finally found an old timer owned shop with a mechanical contraption for aiming them, and done so on a DOT approved level surface.

I'm assuming you are talking about the BOBI lamps here, because ECE lamps don't have aiming pads for use with a mechanical aimer.

The Trucklite LED housings (set to VOL)

That's not actually possible. The US-spec Truck-Lite LED lamps do not have a cutoff on the left side of the low beam pattern, so there is no way to aim them to VOL. They can be aimed to VOR using the cutoff at the top of the right side of the low beam pattern. How exactly did you aim them?

When I use the Trucklites on low, it makes me wonder whether all my previous H4 low filaments were working at all.

That's not surprising, since you are comparing relatively expensive 2013 technology (the LEDs) to relatively inexpensive 1973 technology (the H4s). Good LED headlamps have much more flux in the beam and give longer seeing distance because of the higher-intensity hot spot. That said, there are halogen headlamps -- there are even sealed beams! -- that give objective performance very similar to the Truck-Lite LEDs you like.

What am I doing wrong?

From your description, the only thing I see you doing wrong is trying to aim the Truck-Lite LEDs to the VOL spec.

the 9007 XtraVisions in my '01 Ram & 9007 Nightguides in the '03 Liberty seem much more usable than the Cibie H4's.

This is an interesting comment, because neither of those headlamps are very good ('01 Ram, I am assuming Sport since you mention 9007; '03 Liberty). Still, in a head-to-head versus a good H4, either of them would have plus points and minus points.

 

[Ofelas]

Hi Virgil,

You are correct on all counts.

ECE Cibie aimed visually

BOBI aimed mechanically to VOL

I did the Trucklites like you told me to a few months back - so it must be VOR (if I incorrectly used VOL I must have used the left side of the hotspot)

I will double check what I did with the Trucklites when it gets dark - if wrong, I will get them mechanically aimed again.

Yes, Sport Ram with Sylvania Xtravisions & '03 Liberty with surprisingly good Nightguides.

I found the GE Nighthawk 6x8 sealed beam units more useful than either the Cibie ECE or BOBI...go figure.

 

[-Virgil-]

The GE Night Hawk 142mm x 200mm sealed beam (H6054NH) is sure a fine headlamp for the money, though its lifespan isn't very long.

 

[Hamilton Felix]

Interestingly (I was just looking up the H6054NH, thinking it might do better than the H4 Hellas in my F250), I see that in addition to the GE H6054NH Nighthawk halogen lamp, there is now a GE Nighthawk LED headlight to replace the H6054 lamp.

However, the difference between $14.76 per bulb and $286.67 per bulb (Amazon prices) is - - - significant.

 

[bright star]

I've been looking at Phillips extreme power and crystal vision ultra. From what I can see the Kelvin temperature of the bulb on the Crystal Vision is just about right, a nice pure bright white my only concern is how long these bulbs will actually last.

 

[-Virgil-]

there is now a GE Nighthawk LED headlight to replace the H6054 lamp.

That's a PFR (Purchase For Resale) Truck-Lite.

 

[-Virgil-]

I've been looking at Phillips extreme power and crystal vision ultra. From what I can see the Kelvin temperature of the bulb on the Crystal Vision is just about right, a nice pure bright white my only concern is how long these bulbs will actually last.

Do not choose bulbs by "Kelvin temperature", and do not buy all-blue-glass bulbs like the Crystal Vision -- they are not "just about right" for doing anything but reducing the amount of light you have to see with at night -- a very foolish move. Get the Xtreme Visions.

 

[Ofelas]

Hi Hamilton - the GE Nighthawk LED is a rebadged Trucklite LED.

 

[Hamilton Felix]

Thanks. I wondered. I think my old F250 falls more in the halogen Nighthawk price range.

 

[RedShift42]

...there is now a GE Nighthawk LED headlight to replace the H6054 lamp.

However, the difference between $14.76 per bulb and $286.67 per bulb (Amazon prices) is - - - significant.

FWIW, I notice there's currently a $100 instant coupon for those on Amazon-- look at the fine print below the pricing.

 

[RedShift42]

No, it isn't. That section is the same on both the +100 and +130 sheets you linked. Remember, "12v 60/55w" is the nominal electrical specification for all standard-wattage H4 bulbs except those that are "6v 60/55w" or "24v 75/70w"...

Is this why my new 9003/H4 Xtreme Vision bulbs are stamped 60/55W on the body, despite their 67/60W spec?

 

[RedShift42]

Is this why my new 9003/H4 Xtreme Vision bulbs are stamped 60/55W on the body, despite their 67/60W spec?

Nevermind, found the answer in Virgil's response to another Q.

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/posts/4559427#post4559427

Short answer for others who may not yet know: 60/55W is standard boilerplate nominal wattage marking for H4 bulbs, manufactures have some leeway for actual wattage.

 

[Aonsaithya]

Hmm, I thought I posted in this thread earlier today, but now I can't find it.

Anyway, I ordered a bunch of X-treme Vision +130% bulbs, and thought I'd try out some extension tubes to have a closer look at them. Here are three photos with different lighting.

So...any idea what those weird patterns on the glass are, most visible on the second and third photo? A fault resulting from the manufacturing process? Tiny fractures?

 

[-Virgil-]

Interesting. Where did you buy them from? Have you tried wiping them with a clean, lint-free cloth wetted with isopropyl, ethyl, or denatured alcohol?

(It's not fractures)

 

[Alaric Darconville]

So...any idea what those weird patterns on the glass are, most visible on the second and third photo? A fault resulting from the manufacturing process? Tiny fractures?

Looks to me like oils picked up during the manufacturing process and/or packaging and/or shipping.

This is why I always wipe bulb envelopes clean with a lint-free cloth and a little isopropyl alcohol. It's not enough for me to know my own finger oils aren't on the envelopes-- there could be someone else's or just something picked up at random.