# best HID-style headlights?



## BugLightGeek (Mar 19, 2005)

I'm wondering...what is the best/brightest HID style 9007 headlights?
I'm not looking for an actual HID ballast or lamp, just the normal 9007 style replacement bulbs for my car.

I also see the various lamps with different ratings:
-8500K
-6500K

What do these mean and which is brighter?


My goal here is to get something with the HID tint to it as cheaply as possible /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/broke.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif


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## MaxaBaker (Mar 19, 2005)

I don't know what exact bulb would be brighter, but I can tell you what the k ratings are.

The "k" ratings (ddegrees kelvin) are the color temperature of the bulb. The sun's color temperature is somwhere from 5600-6200k. The higher the color temperature, the more blue to purple the color is (with the sun being almost perfectly white. it's like the middle of the road). The lower you go, the more yellow to orange to red the bulb "k", or color temperature will be.

The 6500k bulb would be slightly bluish giving you a very good HID tint where as the 8500k bulb would be more purplish tinted (I wouldn't suggest going over 9000k if you're putting it in your car). They go all the way up to something like 16000k which is a deep purple and looks very bad for automotive use IMHO.

Both should be about the same brightness I think.


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## BugLightGeek (Mar 19, 2005)

ok...good to know.
I definately want something that's 6500K then.

So, what are some suggestions for good & bright headlight bulbs? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/poke2.gif


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## lotsalumens (Mar 20, 2005)

If you look at the specs of the bulbs you'll see that the actual lumen outptut goes down as collor temp goes up. Those purple bulbs will not be quite as bright as a more whitish bulb around 49k. It's a tradeoff.


cfb


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## BugLightGeek (Mar 20, 2005)

so, anyone have experience with one brand or another?
recommendations?


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## Penguin (Mar 20, 2005)

Sylvania Silverstars seem to be pretty good. I use them in my Pathfinder, the light doesn't look much whiter/brighter from the driver's point of view.. but it DOES look whiter/cleaner from the outside


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## BugLightGeek (Mar 20, 2005)

what about those cheap HID style ones that are all over the place on eBay?


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## MaxaBaker (Mar 20, 2005)

SilverStars are cheap and are probably better than the ones plastered all over Ebay. You can get them from PepBoys for $25 /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif (for 1 set)


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## java_man (Mar 20, 2005)

those inxepensive ones with names like "hyper-white HID plasma-blue arc"
are not really HID at all, just tinted halgen bulbs /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsdown.gif

dont waste your money on them


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## modamag (Mar 20, 2005)

Try,
Phillips Ultinon 6000K from suvlights.com
They are really nice / bright.


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## Sway (Mar 20, 2005)

BLG,

You can't drop a 2DS HID into a standard Halogen automotive reflector and use it on the road a retro fit requires a cut off shield for the upper half of the beam to keep from blinding on coming traffic. Check out some of the car HID forums like this for more information. 

Later
kelly


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## Draco_Americanus (Mar 22, 2005)

The main reason the normal halogen "hid" knock offs are not as bright is because the blue coating filters out some of the light. 
I would get the silver stars, they are street legal and are a bit better in color.


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## NightShift (Mar 22, 2005)

retrofit time (e.g. http://members.aol.com/reill/hid/DSC00755.jpg )


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## BugLightGeek (Mar 23, 2005)

Yeah, I guess I should probably get some Silverstars.
I was really hoping for a better alternative that would more closely imitate HID without actually spending the $$$. 

I also found that Sylvania makes turning indicator bulbs that have a blue tint when unlit and amber when signaling. Those sound like they would look sweet. Especially since my car is a lighter shade of blue already.

In fact, I built up a DD Lux III Mag Mod with a Mag body the same color as my car! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinser2.gif


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## Disciple (Mar 26, 2005)

These are bright with a white tint, and the price is hard to beat.

Eurolite HXC


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## enLIGHTenment (Mar 26, 2005)

[ QUOTE ]
*BugLightGeek said:*
Yeah, I guess I should probably get some Silverstars.
I was really hoping for a better alternative that would more closely imitate HID without actually spending the $$$. 


[/ QUOTE ]

Isn't that a bit like pasting fake a 'R-Type' sticker on your car?


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## java_man (Mar 27, 2005)

be careful with these over wattage bulbs....besides being illegal to use on the road, they can melt the plastic around the lamp, melt the wire insulation and burn up the headlamp relay...auto electrical systems are engineered very very tightly to save money, doubling the amp load on a circuit is almost guaranteed trouble /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jpshakehead.gif


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## BugLightGeek (Mar 28, 2005)

Yeah, I hear you on doubling the amp load /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif
I will probably end up with SilverStars.

Now, I just need to find the SilverStar upgrade bulb for my turn indicators as well! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif


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## Waterfish (Mar 29, 2005)

Sylvania Silverstars blow pretty quick. They arent rated for two many hours to begin with. 

If you want the maximum light output without increased wattage from so called "HID xenon superbrite bulbs", you should consider Silverstars from Osram, sylvania's parent company. 

Osram silverstars are generally the same, but dont have the blue/purple coating that the sylvania ones have. You wont get that blue effect, but you also dont have to worry about the bulbs blowing early. 

Sylvania is well aware of this, that's why they dont rate their usage time for very long. On the upside they do look nicer/whiter. 

You might have trouble finding Osram Silverstars. I winded up ordering mine from the UK, then eventually switching over to HIDs. 

When your silverstars do blow out after several months though, you might have warranty to get yourself another set. 

-Jerry


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## BugLightGeek (Mar 30, 2005)

Interesting...I hadn't heard that before.


Hey, welcome to CPF!


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## Waterfish (Mar 30, 2005)

Thanks! I've been into flashlights for a while, I used to mess around with different bulbs and projectors as well as HID systems.


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## Disciple (Apr 3, 2005)

[ QUOTE ]
*java_man said:*
be careful with these over wattage bulbs....besides being illegal to use on the road, they can melt the plastic around the lamp, melt the wire insulation and burn up the headlamp relay...auto electrical systems are engineered very very tightly to save money, doubling the amp load on a circuit is almost guaranteed trouble /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jpshakehead.gif 

[/ QUOTE ]

Java_man, I appreciate the admonition. I was told that they would be OK in European cars, e.g. Volvo, because IIRC they were exported to countries that specified higher wattage lamps. Is this bad information?


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## iddibhai (Apr 3, 2005)

higher wattage lamps in different countries? not really, maybe a different lamp design, optics, housing, but generally incand. lamps all around the world for headlamps run about 60w. the wiring may be able to better tolerate overdrive just a little better than domestic cars, but nonetheless it is not advisable w/o upgrading the entire system since you'd not be getting the most out of hotter lamps if you can't supply them w/ the needed current and voltage, which WILL drop significantly.


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## Disciple (Apr 3, 2005)

Too bad I didn't find CPF *before* buying bulbs. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon23.gif

Please suggest standard wattage bulbs fitting:

<ul type="square">[*]9004, 9005, and 9006 formfactors  [*]Bright /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif [*]Xenon, uncoated (no blue/violet) [*]moderate cost [*]good bulb life[/list]


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## java_man (Apr 3, 2005)

[ QUOTE ]
*Disciple said:*
[ QUOTE ]
*java_man said:*
be careful with these over wattage bulbs....besides being illegal to use on the road, they can melt the plastic around the lamp, melt the wire insulation and burn up the headlamp relay...auto electrical systems are engineered very very tightly to save money, doubling the amp load on a circuit is almost guaranteed trouble /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jpshakehead.gif 

[/ QUOTE ]

Java_man, I appreciate the admonition. I was told that they would be OK in European cars, e.g. Volvo, because IIRC they were exported to countries that specified higher wattage lamps. Is this bad information? 

[/ QUOTE ]

All I can say for sure is they have a different standard in Europe... I dont know what the standard wattage is though


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## VidPro (Apr 3, 2005)

you know what is totally cool about silverstars.
they have silver caps on the top of them, that mean unlike the old style of bulb with the BLACK cap on them, there is a higher reflection of the light into the reflector, and back into the bulb making the filiment hotter.

on my MC i once scrapped the black cover off a regular bulb, and improved its output by a large ammount.
i was afraid it would make it last less time, but it did not. Note: that ain't easy to do when you cannot TOUCH the bulb.
i guess the main purpose of that is to keep other drivers from looking at the filliment, and frying thier retina out.

with the silverstars they dont waste the light, into a black hole, its reflected back.
the bluing on the bulb is very minor, and keeps them street legal.
mine have lasted just fine, i dont drive much , but i use the lights on when caravaning, and for safetly (like some corporations require).


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## iddibhai (Apr 3, 2005)

very little light is emitted into the glare-shield (the black or silver cap), since the filament is running N-S, and most of the output is perpendicular to that axis. So as far as the color of the cap making any significant impact, not likely.

Disciple: Sylvania XtraVision, or Napa BriteLite, depending on where you are and what stores carry.


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## Bob Snow (Apr 11, 2005)

HID-style is just a tinted incandescent quartz bulb. Sometimes they use a bit of Xenon as the inert gas to confuse the issue and even use HID in the name. The two negatives that I am aware of are pretty basic. Since the tint absorbs some of the light, light output is reduced and envelope temperature goes up causing shorter life. What I do is not legal and may be ill advised, but I have never had any damage. Since my car uses a two bulb system - 51watt 9006 for low beam and 60watt 9005 for high beam. The base of the high beam bulb can be modified to make it fit the low beam reflector. You need a slightly thicker o-ring as well to seal the slightly larger opening in the reflector. The bulb lacks the painted tip, but this is of no consequence since almost every headlight has a metal bulb shield. The result is an identical beam pattern but brighter light. This is not legal and could compromise wiring. I also use "off-road" 100 watt 9005 bulbs for high beams. I make sure my headlights are properly aimed and I don't think they are nearly as bright to oncoming traffic as real HID bulbs which put out much more light with a purple tint. I suppose I have been lucky in terms of my wiring, but have done this for many years.


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## The-David (Apr 12, 2005)

I put the Sylvania Silverstars H1-ST,H3-ST and 9005s in my Saubru RS and it made a world of difrence. Looks much better and easer to see now espshley in bad wether or rain. Had to replace my 20A fuse with a 25A fuse. Have had this problem befor. Contacted a frend at the local saubie dealer who avised that the system wireing should be fine up to 30A. Past that its my mess to cleen up.


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