headlight bulbs from the black market

[shovelbill]

@1995z71: My lenses are pointed down, really. Nobody will be blinded unless I get right up behind them. It's actually so bad I really need to adjust them. More like 20" from the bumper is the top of the light beam hitting the road surface. Besides that, 15% difference in brightness isn't that much. I want to be able to see off road without putting a lot of giant light bars on.

@poncho62: Not sure about that blue coating, I think it dims the light slightly. I went with clear bulbs. Philips Rally Vision 9005's are 100w and the 9006's are Hella 80w.

I will consider those lenses on ebay. I dunno, maybe too bright then.

a 63.25 watts bulb would be 15% "brighter" on the the low beam, 74.75 watts would be 15% "brighter" for the high beam bulb...as you say......your math is incorrect.

 

[michael hurd]

A lot of the 'junk science' bulbs that are marketed as 'brighter' use a coating on the bulb. This filters out a portion of the light and tricks your eyes into believing they are brighter.

The way this works, has to do with the way humans see visible light, we are more sensitive to certain wavelengths than others.

An instrument test will show that when a portion of the visible light is taken away, the light output is less.

 

[df2x4]

A lot of the 'junk science' bulbs that are marketed as 'brighter' use a coating on the bulb. This filters out a portion of the light and tricks your eyes into believing they are brighter.

The way this works, has to do with the way humans see visible light, we are more sensitive to certain wavelengths than others.

An instrument test will show that when a portion of the visible light is taken away, the light output is less.

Not to mention the fact that some of those coatings can make the bulbs run hotter, and therefore burn out quicker. Hence the reason that the ever popular SilverStar Ultras are actually dimmer than factory bulbs, with a shorter lifespan. And all for a steal at about five times the price of standard bulbs!

 

[michael hurd]

Fact, all filament and HID arc type lamps will decline in output as they age. Even if they still produce light, they may not produce the required amount of light as per specification.

Fact, in white LED's, they are in fact BLUE with a yellow phosphor.

 

[michael hurd]

Not to mention the fact that some of those coatings can make the bulbs run hotter, and therefore burn out quicker. Hence the reason that the ever popular SilverStar Ultras are actually dimmer than factory bulbs, with a shorter lifespan. And all for a steal at about five times the price of standard bulbs!

Just because something is popular, doesn't mean it is GOOD.

I don't recall where I saw a lumen maintenance chart for a halogen headlight bulb, but if I find it I will post it.

Bulb lumens does not equal the on road output.

"And all for a steal at about five times the price of standard bulbs!"

Caveat Emptor.

 

[michael hurd]

Halogen and Incandescent lighting lumen maintenance chart in this link, down on pg. 6.

http://www.pnnl.gov/main/publications/external/technical_reports/PNNL-22727.pdf

Not the chart I was referring to, but similar enough.

 

[df2x4]

Yeah, screw everyone else who has to look at them in oncoming traffic, right?



Like everyone said twice, you wouldn't need them if you put some good housings in and did it right. Just because you think your're not blinding anyone doesn't mean you aren't.

 

[DaltonB98]

Do what everyone else is telling you, replace your headlight housings and get the correct bulbs. There is no doubt about it that your blinding people. I got flashed multiple times in my Mazda 6 when I had 55w HIDs in projector housings. So if I got flashed when I had the correct bulbs for my car, then yours must be terrible with the wrong bulbs. Test it out by letting someone drive your truck and you drive on a 2 lane road with you guys driving towards each other.

 

[tinfoil_hat]

Or.... Try cleaning the fogged up lenses. Buff the plastic with a soft cloth and lots of insect repellant, followed by a rinse from the hose.

 

[DaltonB98]

Yeah or that, I used wipe new on my car headlights, best 10$ investment ever, shined them up to look basically brand new.