Why are my Lo Beams burning out?

[alpinecrick]

96 and 97 K1500's.

The 97 has had the Painless Headlight and 4 hi kit for two years--no problem. Sylvania SilverStar Ultras in all four headlights. I put maybe 5k on the truck a year.
My 96 has had the same kits, installed a little over a year ago, I installed it the same as the 97 with my own relays, but I just burned out my second set of Sylvania SilverStar Ultra 9006's. I've probably put 13k on the truck in the last 15 months. I just had a friend/mechanic tell me the Sylvanias--especially the Ultras--have a very short lifespan.

Both trucks still have the factory "driving lights" feature that come on as soon as I turn the key on.

Shurkey and others have mentioned too high of a voltage can contribute to shorter bulb life.

You guys have any ideas or is it a function that Sylvanias actually do have a short lifespan?

 

[RichLo]

I took the OEM bulbs out of my daily driver 2014 Cruze and put in those Sylvanias because I was working a bunch of night shifts and they were slightly better than the OEMs. But they also burnt out after less than 6 months, High beam first on one bulb then low beam on the other bulb. I put in the original OEMS and they are still running now, almost 8 years old and over 150k miles. Its the bulb, not the car.

 

[alpinecrick]

I took the OEM bulbs out of my daily driver 2014 Cruze and put in those Sylvanias because I was working a bunch of night shifts and they were slightly better than the OEMs. But they also burnt out after less than 6 months, High beam first on one bulb then low beam on the other bulb. I put in the original OEMS and they are still running now, almost 8 years old and over 150k miles. Its the bulb, not the car.

Thanks Rich,that's what I was told.......I gotta disconnect the driving light feature....

My bud also said the Phillips bulbs almost across the board have a longer lifespan, including the Phillips CrystalVision Ultras which he said are SLIGHTLY less bright than the Sylvania Ultras.

 

[thegawd]

all of the sylvania silverstars I have ever bought have burnt out in under a year. I buy standard cheap halogen bulbs now. But I also put the original bulbs back in and that was about 7 years ago in my Burb. I have 4 high and low beam mods and can see absolutely fine at night.

the 4 high beam mod is okay but the low beams are not nearly as bright as when they are when turned back on with the relay when in 4 high mode.

I took a tip from @kennythewelder and moded the low beams to operate off a relay as well, taking all the power available from the battery.

thanks Kenny!

 

[thegawd]

And before anyone else suggests were doing something wrong and touching the bulbs... no that never happened ever.

I have also heard that those Philips bulbs are the best but my cheap bulbs continue to work and I can see so I find it hard to change something that is not broke.

 

[alpinecrick]

I just ordered the Phillips CrystalVision Ultras--I guess I'll find out if they last longer.

Anybody have experience with the Phillips X-treme Vision bulbs?

And yes, I am quite conscious of blinding oncoming drivers--I hate the dilrods that do that plus I don't want a blinded driver to head-on me.

 

[alpinecrick]

Gawd,
I have three relays as well for mine as well.

 

[RichLo]

I can see so I find it hard to change something that is not broke.

Thats where I was with my Cruze. I took out the originals that were just fine, put in the 'upgraded' Sylvanias, they burnt out within 6 months and I put the originals back in without any problems 160k miles later.

 

[thegawd]

Man I hate wasting money, I was pissed with the silverstars but I bought one more set thinking I must have been careless and touched the bulbs but I definitely did not touch the second set.

I think those silverstars bulbs are a gimmick. POS and I dont really think I saw any better with them at all. I never had them in glass lenses though so they could be better but they prematurely burn out.

but I am happy with my headlights and that took many years. they definitely were not the best engineered part of these trucks that's for sure. composite headlight are horrible.

Iv heard other people say they have a 3 relay headlight harness, I only have 2. one for just the low beams and one that triggers the low beams back on with the high beams. what's the 3rd for?

well I guess I do have 3 relays and the 3rd is for my fog lights.

 

[thegawd]

oh wait one sec.... I have a package with an extra cheap set... it's possible our 4 High mods are destroying these bulbs. they only have a voltage rating of 12.8 Volts. I think most halogen bulbs have a rating closer to 14V.

pure speculation.

You must be registered for see images attach

Actually if they burnt out in Rich's Cruz, that I'm assuming has all of its stock headlight wiring, then this may not be the case. I dont know though.