2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Brighter Headlight Bulbs?

[rmrc]

I already have the Brite Box but was wondering if there is another type of head lamp that might give me a bit more light without producing more heat. I have the non-sport head lamps.



I don't want to damage the Brite Box, existing wiring or the head lamp assembly with a bulb that produces too much heat.



Any suggestions?

 

[College Cummins]

I would check out the products and accesories forum, it seems like there is always a discussion about the sylvania silverstars goin' on in there, and if that doesn't work, do a search, and I am sure that you'll come up with tons of info. I just did a Sport headlight conversion on mine, and I love it! I have only wired in the 9007's and they alone are a vast improvement over the 9004's. when all is said and done, i should have four lows, and four highs, and my fogs with both lows and highs, I should probably be able to see what I want to by then Then it will be time to start on some "real" back up lights. James

 

[bayvalve]

I have a set of PIAA lights that are really great... much brighter than the stock headlights, I don't have any experience with the brite-box... but the PIAA's were around 60 bucks a pair.

 

[datablitz]

i also have a set of piaas and i like them, they are the extreme white set or something they retail for like 80, i got em for like 60

 

[y-knot]

Piaa is the answer, I tried all the other cheap lamps and never had any luck. The Piaa's through their technology is able to get 110/85 watts of light out of their Supper White lamps, while only drawing 65/45 Watts. They do work well, and if you really would like to improve your night vision, then their $65 price tag won't bother you. Just ask for their Piaa 9004 Super White lamps.

 

[BigPapa]

I personally don't like the "Super White" or the other blue tinted lamps. I've been running a set of these:



http://www.jcwhitney.com/webapp/wcs...-1&productId=153717&mediaCode=ZX&appId=416083



in my truck and the wife's Caprice. They are standard colored lamps but instead of the factory 55/60 watt lamps they offer them in 55/100 and 80/100. They are much brighter than stock, much cheaper than the Piaa's, and they've been in both vehicles now for over 2 years with no problems.

 

[BigPapa]

Sorry, wrong link. Try this one:



http://www.jcwhitney.com/webapp/wcs...-1&productId=228398&mediaCode=ZX&appId=497879



Those others are the "All Weather" yellow ones.

 

[tbrudder]

Originally posted by y-knot

The Piaa's through their technology is able to get 110/85 watts of light out of their Supper White lamps, while only drawing 65/45 Watts.

Technically, that's impossible. You can't output 110W with a 65W input--Law of Conservation of Energy, and all that. And of that 65W going in, a lot is converted to heat--the actual power output in the visible spectrum is substantially lower.



Anyway, what they're probably trying to say is, "Our bulb is as bright as the other guy's bulb when his is being overdriven at 110W. " Is that even true? Not really. I believe the power draw is limited by law to 65W (they couldn't call it a 9004/9007, otherwise). If PIAA does it anything like Silvania does (and I'm pretty sure they do), they put a filter on the bulb that shifts the output toward the blue end of the spectrum--higher in color temperature. The whiter light looks like the filament of a higher wattage bulb, but the light output is the same.



The result?

Less light output, while looking brighter--the eye doesn't react as well to blue light.



Daniel Stern seems to be the guy in the know about this kind of stuff, and his website is full of technical articles about the benefits of various lighting sources, and why these specialty bulbs are usually not worth the money.



http://www.danielsternlighting.com



--Ty

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

The lights - especially the high beam - on my truck were not nearly as good as the lights on my old '91 - but it was clear they were poorly adjusted, aimed way too high. I kept lowering the adjustment to bring the beam focus bck down on the road instead of up into the treetops, and now they seem just fine...

 

[Duluth Diesel]

Well, in a way you can as far a equivilant light brightness. Different types of bulbs put out different lumens of light given a set wattage. A 20 watt fluroescent (sp?) can put out the same amount of lumens as a 60 watt incandescent bulb. The same equivilant brightness can be applies to car lamps. Same goes for LED flashlights. Real low energy demand for the light output you get.

 

[DPelletier]

You're right Duluth, when talking about different types of bulbs. That having been said, almost all the incandecent bulbs available our there, are not giving you any more light than the stock bulbs and Ty's comments on the shifting of the output in the visible spectrum is valid. Most of the bulbs out there look brighter, but aren't really brighter AND the whiter light is more difficult for the human eye to use. I had a set of Silverstars on my '01. Saved myself the cash this time. I read an article where they tested four or five aftermarket bulbs (including Piaa and the SS's) on a Honda or Toyota car. They checked for lumens at set distances, etc. Results were that none of the "high performance" bulbs outperformed the stockers and most were worse. Wish I still had the link.





Dave

 

[Bob4x4]

If you can afford the sport lights go for it they out perform all the mickey mouse replacement bulbs. Your lenses and reflectors are the biggest down fall.



Bob

 

[tbrudder]

Originally posted by DPelletier

You're right Duluth, when talking about different types of bulbs. That having been said, almost all the incandecent bulbs available our there, are not giving you any more light than the stock bulbs and Ty's comments on the shifting of the output in the visible spectrum is valid.

Exactly. I'm virtually certain that these are all tungsten-filament bulbs. Quartz-halogen type. The filament is going to produce the same lumens per watt, no matter what you do with the coating. Silverstars work around this by overdriving the elements slightly, that's why the burn out fast (they're putting more current through them than they're rated for, making them burn brighter).



Put more current through the filament, it gets brighter, and the color temperature goes up. These 'special' bulbs use a blue color coating on the bulb surface that shifts the color temperature up, making them appear brighter, but the coating actually filters out a lot of the light on the yellow side of the spectrum, so you get less light output.



I'll agree that the lens/reflector assembly is the main problem here. The shapes they make these things into now, to fit the lines of the vehicle, it's no wonder they're not efficient. The old sealed-beams were much better, especially the round ones (the halogens, anyway).



If you really want more light, get the brightest bulb you can with completely clear glass. I hear the XtraVisions, and any similar bulb, are good in this regard. The Europeans are ahead of us here, both bulb and reflector. You can get H3 type bulbs at higher wattages, but I believe the 9004 (and 9007) spec specifies the wattage, so there are no (legal) high-powered bulbs for us.



If you really, really want more light, try a projector or HID upgrade. Neither will be cheap, and requires replacing the entire headlight assembly--you can't just put an HID element in the stock reflector.



--Ty

 

[DLewis]

I have been in the parts business all of my life and have used many different types of bulbs. I have to say that I have been really impressed with the Sylvania Silverstars. I bought a set for my truck and I know that it is a different color of light than the ordinary halogen bulb but I guarantee they are brighter also. With my dim lights on and adjusted correctly I can begin to illuminate road signs about 1/2-3/4 of a mile away. I have suggested these to some of my friends too that use their trucks for a living and they agree with me. There is no better choice for $40. 00 per pair. My 2 cents.