Well they might just sent you some replacements to keep you quiet

Trust me, if they do then the Briskoda brethren will be the first to know.

Have just sent off an email to Osram's German HQ, their GB HQ and also one to autobulbs.co.uk, which is where I bought mine from (on 15/08/08 as it happens).

Will update as and when...

Edited 4 February, 200917 yr by Mr Wobblytickle

Looking round their site (where I usually buy from) has anyone got experience of the Philips Power2Nights? Philips GT150 Power2Night H7 from Power Bulbs | Free Worldwide Delivery

Steve

Update time: heard back from the delightfully helpful Hannah at autobulbsdirect.co.uk early this morning.

Even though it clearly wasn’t her fault the Nightbreakers blew, she nonetheless apologised and said she was more than happy to replace them, or get me an alternative.

Once bitten twice shy and all that, so I’ve gone for some Philips X-Treme.

I also mentioned that the Church of Briskoda’s brethren is over 40,000 strong and often there are threads about lighting, best bulbs, blown bulbs etc, one of which prompted my letter.

As there are so many of us and we all need bulbs from time to time (five months grrr), I suggested a discount for Briskodians… and you know what? ... beating The Man From Delmonte at his own game, she only bloomin went and said ‘Yes’.

See here for details.

As there are so many of us and we all need bulbs from time to time (five months grrr), I suggested a discount for Briskodians… and you know what? ... beating The Man From Delmonte at his own game, she only bloomin went and said ‘Yes’.

See here for details.

not bad

Still no word back from Osram about my bulb failures :-(

Alan

Worth making them aware, yes. But where did you purchase them from? Replacement-wise, might be better going back to them to sort out?

Steve

Bought from AutoBulbsOnline have sent them an email too just now so will wait to see what they have to say.

Alan

Aside from faults,

the nightbreakers i used to replace my main beams seem showing a marginal improvement on light. Surely not worth the hassle of fitting them. That's my mileage, anyway.

Update:

Everyone I originally wrote to has now written back.

Autobulbsdirect.co.uk were the first and responded on the morning of the very next day.

I arranged a 10% discount for all Briskodians, sent the bulbs back and paid the difference for some Philips X-treme.

And now Osram has written back... twice.

The first, most likely from the email I sent to Osram.co.uk:

Dear Mr Wobblytickle,

Thank you for your email, and please accept our apologies for the

trouble you have experienced with your Nightbreakers.

We do indeed wish to resolve your query, and this will involve having

Technical Services requesting to look at your bulbs.

Please can you post them, or if you only have the recently failed bulb,

the latest, to the following address:

FREEPOST

OSRAM

CSC

This will not cost you anything to post, and is all you need for it to

be delivered to us.

As soon as I receive your bulbs I will pass them to Technical Services

who will contact you directly. Please enclose your full contact details

with the bulbs.

Kind Regards

Peter Brown

Fair enough.

Took a while, though.

So long in fact that, as stated, the bulbs have gone.

I inquired if I could get them back, but they are now mixed with other defective bulbs (likely Nightbreaker heavy) in an Autobulbsdirect bin, so no.

Shame, as I'd have really liked a tech to give his opinion.

The second, probably from the email I sent to osram.com, both blinds me with science and hints that my Furby is a little generous with its volts: :eek:

Hello Mr Wobblytickle,

The significant improvement in light output of OSRAM NIIGHTBREAKER bulbs

is widely acknowledged and feedback from customers is almost unanimous

in praising the beam performance.

To achieve this improvement, the colour temperature is boosted and this

does inevitably result in a lower life compared with standard bulbs.

The life on all bulbs is very dependent on the applied voltage and even

a small increase above the designed value of 13.2V will result in

reduced life. As an example, a vehicle voltage of 13.9V will halve the

bulbs life. This can certainly affect the actual life achieved in the

vehicle.

As part of the ongoing development programme, work was carried out in

2008 that resulted in a significant increase in the life performance of

H7 and H4 NIGHTBREAKER bulbs without sacrificing the renowned beam

performance.

Best regards

Keith Raftery

Technical Sales Manager

Someone get out the multimeter...

I imagine that the 'work carried out in 2008' was in recognition of the very short life of the bulbs.

We must have got some 'old' ones.

Would be interesting to know what they changed.

Now that I've got the name of a tech bod (albeit a manager), I'm going to write back to Keith and ask him if the 'black blisters' that cover the glass shortly before the bulbs fail are attributable to high voltages, or something else.

They took their time replying back to your email thats great customer service

They took their time replying back to your email thats great customer service

As they've not responded to the OP yet, I must be doing well.

I have read on another forum about similar problems with these bulbs.....

I have read on another forum about similar problems with these bulbs.....

Ah, Len, but they must have had the old Nightbreakers.

Obviously.

Ah, Len, but they must have had the old Nightbreakers.

Obviously.

Sounds like it to me too

I do wonder though - that if they're making a distinction between 'new' and 'old' are they in effect admitting that the 'old' ones have some sort of defect? So if 'old' ones are failing, should Osram be providing those customers with broken 'old' ones, with 'new' ones that will work, and for a longer period?

:rubchin:

Steve

I do wonder though - that if they're making a distinction between 'new' and 'old' are they in effect admitting that the 'old' ones have some sort of defect? So if 'old' ones are failing, should Osram be providing those customers with broken 'old' ones, with 'new' ones that will work, and for a longer period?

:rubchin:

Steve

Unfortunately, I'm sure Osram would simply contend that the old were just fine thanks and that the new are even better, as they are continually improving their products, giving more to their customers etc... :blahblah:

Ah yes, of course.... the marketing angle

Can you smell something?

Ah yes, of course.... the marketing angle

Can you smell something?

Probably just the xenon escaping from yet another frazzled Nightbreaker.

Sweet zombie Jesus, I hope xenon ain't a greenhouse gas, or we're all fekked. :eek:

I made a suggestion elsewhere about the current special offer on Osram NBs being 'old' ones of 'variable quality' and there was a new improved design of the bulb in circulation but not on special offer.

Looks like I wasn't a million miles off regarding the old bulbs, can't speak for retailer though

Probably just the xenon escaping from yet another frazzled Nightbreaker.

Sweet zombie Jesus, I hope xenon ain't a greenhouse gas, or we're all fekked. :eek:

I'd reckon that they were just being optimistic about how hard they could drive/burn these filaments - and have now been caught out! Before you know it they will have launched a new series of bulbs - well at least start using a new name. I just wonder what their MTBF was for these original Nightbreakers, remember, in a car, the battery works quite well to "damped out" sharp potentially damaging voltage spikes - though maybe most of they failed at switch-on - and that can't be dampened or soft-started (much). This kind of follows what I commented on about the in-service life-span of early Philips Vision Plus - so maybe that is the way these bulb manufacturers behave - ie hype up their high output new products - then sort them out a bit later on in the production run. I'd suspect that the light outputs of any improved "highest output" bulbs will be slightly lower than the original highest output/short life versions that they were based on.

Bit of a thread resurrection going on here but did anyone ever get anything more than a dodgy excuse from Osram?

I've had a Nightbreaker blow on me today after just 4 months!! :eek: and before hasitly purchasing some Philips replacements I wondered if Osram are likely to honour their warranty and replace my bulbs.

Thanks in advance

Hi all

I'd like to bump this topic if at all possible! Getting into the winter months now and i've got to admit i'm not impressed with the standard bulbs in the Fabia. Does anyone have any further information on the Nightbreakers, or should I go for the Philips? If so which model is best for the dipped beam?

Advice would be much appreciated

My understanding is that there has been a design update to the Nightbreakers, but how you tell whether you're getting the 'revision B' is another matter entirely!

In this instance, I would be inclined to go for Philips X-Tremes if I was in your position.

H7s for the Fabia dipped bulbs:

Philips X-Treme Power H7 from Power Bulbs | Free Worldwide Delivery

Also consider upgrading your main beams, but that's very much dependant on how much you use them and is a personal choice really. I do a fair bit of night country lane routes, so find upgrades here useful as well

Steve

Thanks Steve

I was thinking of the Main beam upgrade too, but which ones do I need?

Full/high beam is H3.

Dipped/main is H7

Front fog light also H3.