[billj]

Having found a 9000 for my dad ('96 CSE 2.0 LPT auto), I want to give him the best lighting possible (he raves about the HID lamps on his Primera - I can't see the fuss, really). Admittedly, his night vision isn't the best, so I'm looking at high-brightness bulbs. I have tried 100W bulbs in my dipped beams and people kept flashing me, and I understand their beam pattern is less accurate than lower-wattage bulbs. In my Aero, I have Halfords "30% brighter" bulbs in the dips and 100W in the mains and they seem fairly good.

I've been looking at the PIAA Platinum Super White on the Demon Tweeks website, but are they really almost 30 quid a piece? Are they as good as they say? If so, perhaps I'd put them in the dips and 100W in the main beam.

The others I am considering are Philips Vision Plus "50% brighter" bulbs from PowerBulbs , which are a bit more affordable at 20 quid a pair.

Any other recommendations?

 

[mark e]

I've experimented with several of the "enhanced" H1 lamps at up to about £20 a pair and have found that generally:

-they have significantly shorter life than normal ones (I run my headlights on all the time)
-the difference is not that great compared to standard, except the ice blue which do indeed look bluer
- the so-called HID imitation lamps are pants. I had a pair at about £50 quid and although they looked OK in terms of colour, they gave out about 50% LESS light (I know, I measured it and then got my money back!!)

However, I recently (well Jan) bought some of the PIAA (enhanced not imitation HID) lamps and none of the above remarks apply to them. They are brighter, and haven't blown yet. I can't remember exactly which model though- I think they were about £45 for the pair.

Mark

 

[billj]

Thanks, Mark.
You wouldn't happen to remember where those PIAA bulbs came from, do you?
As for "imitation HID", if it's not white, I'm not interested. They all start out with a white light and anything that makes them look a different colour is robbing me of some of the light I've paid for. The Philips have good write-ups and I've ordered a pair to experiment with (since I currently have 3 9000s, including my dad's, I'll find a home for them somewhere).

 

[Stewart]

I was that Demon web site,they have a pair of bulbs at £65 well I should say that's "from" £65 they are PIA super white light.
I mean my god £65+ for bulb's

,I tell ya if I was paying that kind of money for bulb's I really would expect one hell of diffirence.Does anyone on here know/heard of if they are worth it??

 

[Stewart]

What I meant to say also,in my BM I can put 100w+ bulbs (main) and upgrade the fuse to a 10amp form 7.5 and that sorts that.
I did all this year's ago to an Astra,I was running 90/130's in it,and had to relay each filament,but yep it was worth it.
And when I put main beam on the alternator used to screech for the second,I tell you that was something
But back to these bulbs,well I take it you cant just upgrade the fuse on the Saab probably because the wiring can't take it,oh well.

 

[billj]

I checked the fuse/relay rating in my Aero before upgrading the lighting and worked out it would handle 100W bulbs in all four locations. I run 100W bulbs in my main beams, but the 100W dipped beams were annoying other road users, so I changed them.

I also checked (by feel) that the reflectors and lenses weren't getting too hot.

This obviously applies to the CS and later CD variants with the four separate H1 bulbs. I haven't investigated the possibility of lighting upgrades on the older style with the H4 bulbs, except that on my CD I tried some "30% brighter" Xenon bulbs and they were dimmer than the normal bulbs.

The main beam is no problem, but I need a good dipped beam that doesn't blind people.

 

[Stewart]

yep,I tried the Xenon bulbs too as was not impressed at all,infact got my money back.
But what did you upgrade the fuse to,you didn't say?.
Do you think I could get away with just upgrading the fuse (91'2.3 9000)?

 

[billj]

Sorry, I should have been clearer. I checked the standard fuse rating and calculated that it would support 100W bulbs in all four locations without needing to be uprated. I can't remember what the rating was (or how many fuses there are to handle the bulbs), but you're talking a requirement of 8-10 amps per 100W filament.

 

[Stewart]

Thanks for that Bill,I'll see I can work out

 

[mark e]

Originally posted by BillJ:
[qb]Thanks, Mark.
You wouldn't happen to remember where those PIAA bulbs came from, do you?
[/qb][/b]

The were from Tweeks too. I'm 95% sure they were the plain "Super White" (not the Platinum) at £40.96 for the pair.
Mark

 

[Stewart]

Why do we have to pay so much for these bulbs,anyone know,is because they think they can charge what they like because of the kind of bulb it is?

 

[Oles]

I use Osram Xenon gas lamps in my Hirsch 9000 and seem to do the trick they are about £20 each, and use them for dipped and main beams.

But some 'xenon' lamps are a mix of xenon and halogen, the xenon is only added to stop the premature clouding of the halogen gas on the inside of the lamp glass. As long as a lamp has 5% Xenon gas or more they can be sold as xenon lamps....con I know I've been caught out before.
The Osram ones are 100% xenon gas in a standard H1 fitting. The only thing is they only last about a year to 18 months, as they burn brighter.

I'm also concerned with all the mentions of using 100w lamps. I hope you guys realise that they are illegal to use on the road in dipped or main beams. And can be classed as an MOT failure if noticed. Your insurance company would also class it as a modification as they are not the standard power as set out in the owner's handbook

 

[billj]

Thanks. I'll look at the Osrams too, although the short life may be a problem (I'll be maintaining the car from a distance). I don't use 100W bulbs in the dip, although I admit I tried them and found they were annoying other road users so removed them. I do use 100W in the main beam and realise they're illegal. Being fully aware of the potential to dazzle other road users, I am extremely careful almost to the point of paranoia about making sure I don't hit anyone with them (it's surprising, though, how many people don't dip their lights until they've rounded a corner, even though they must have seen my beams and me dipping them). To be honest, I'll probably replace those with super-bright 55W when I find some good ones (at a reasonable price), as the beam pattern with the 100W bulbs is a bit naff, negating some of their benefit. Strange, though, how the law limits power input to the bulbs instead of light output, which is what the law is actually intended to control.

I've never had trouble with bulb wattages in the MOT as in my experience, they neither check nor notice.

 

[aeropilot]

I used to run 90/130 bulbs in my old classic 900SE, and occasionally had oncoming cars flashing me, even though I was only on dip. These bulbs didn't have a long life, anything between 2-8 months seemed the norm!
So, instead I fitted the Halfords 30% brighter performance bulbs in the dip lamps on my Aero about a year ago and did notice a slight but hardly dramatic improvement over standard. I did get round to fitting them in the main's as well a few months ago. I was tempted to fit 100w instead but wasn't sure about effects, as my electrics knowledge is zilch...

But I now know it would be OK, so may do so in future.

 

[cdcarlsson]

The best upgrade is to renew the reflectors within the headlamps @ some cost!!!
At over five years old the dulling of the silvered coat really lowers the light output.
Once renewed my dip beam (55w) was distinctly better than my friends CDE with 90w dip lamps.
HTH.
Nick.

 

[ylee coyote]

I have tried the uprated bulbs but for me the halfords ones did not last too long ,the last 0nes a matter of weeks !!
I have put in a pair of philips vision ones and I find them as bright as the 100/130 w ones and they are legal
I would recommend them..

 

[MikeH]

We are all paying the price of designers more worried about looks rather than performance,I have uprated the bulbs with Super Whites from Halfords,Some improvement but still bloody useless if compered with the possible performance of the car.
I would like to fit a couple of good round driving lights,but alas I can see no way of doing it without compromising the engine cooling.
Mike

 

[vgmf]

I have a 89 carlsson , and have fitted [ with out alterations ]Halfords 100/80 bulbs big improvement, not too expensive.

 

[Toby Mack]

I put philips vision ones in mine (only because I managed to get a pair for £10!). Big improvement over standard and gets good reviews so I'd recommend them.

 

[Derek]

I fitted a PIAA Platinum Super White to my bike along with relays and heavy wiring for dip and main. The beam is very white but not as much improvement in light output as I expected. I originally intended to fit a 100/80 but I'm doubtful whether the voltage regulator which is a known weak spot would cope with it.
In retrospect, I could have saved a lot of money and fitted a Philips Vision Plus but I only needed one and they only seem to be sold in pairs.
The white light looks cool though.