Brighter bulbs - Do they work?

[Jonpearce]

Just a slightly different angle, has anyone tried replacement H4 light units, available over the Internet? If so are they any good? Drastic I know, but if any good would make a worthwhile investment

[KenONeill]

Just a slightly different angle, has anyone tried replacement H4 light units, available over the Internet? If so are they any good? Drastic I know, but if any good would make a worthwhile investment

? H4 is a specification for a combined main/dip headlight bulb. Replacing the lens and reflector is unlikely to get you far with range, spread and beam pattern although there have been units made which replaced OEM quadrilateral H4s with a pair of small round H1 (or possibly H3) bulbs. Try a web search for "Morette" "Fabia II" to see if they'd be available from the best known name.

[Jonpearce]

Sorry I wasn't very clear. The standard projectors offer a poor quality beam whatever quality bulb you use. If the replacement reflector type lights are of good design, then they could be as effective with a standard bulb as anything else with good headlights. For example, the lights on my Traffic van are superb in all weather conditions.

[WAUOla]

I always get my bulbs of Metrodirect on eBay...

So got the Osram Night breakers on their way for the Roomster, and a set of silverstar 2.0s for the Westmoreland Golf (peachy coloring to the "white" bulbs there...).
Diadems will defineatly go into the Roomsters turns up front too.

[KenONeill]

Sorry I wasn't very clear. The standard projectors offer a poor quality beam whatever quality bulb you use. If the replacement reflector type lights are of good design, then they could be as effective with a standard bulb as anything else with good headlights. For example, the lights on my Traffic van are superb in all weather conditions.

As I said, you won't find anything better with the standard shape lens. I then went on to supply the name of a well-known maker of alternative headlights, although that will require you to replace the lights, re-wire the headlights, and then hope that the reflector (and lens if applicable) design is better.

[delta925]

I agree.

However those figures are derived 300 hours over 5 years is 60 hours. At 45 mins a day on the darkest days that is 80 days and I'm sure my lights are on more than that then there are the dull and wet days so those figures seem conservative.

 

 

 

Er bulb lives are burn hours, not engine run hours.

 

Correct.

My calculation was dipped lights on for 45mins x 80 days =  60 hours per year, 300 hours over 5 years. Engine hours for the same journey over a year would be 45 mins x 235 days = 176 hours per year.

 

Add on all other times headlights on over 5 years and the total is well in excess of 300 hours.

[vxh26]

With the arrival of winter, with the clocks going back this weekend and as I am now driving down country lanes for an hour each morning and evening I have been looking at Osram Night Breaker bulbs.

 

Imagine my shock when I discovered that Osram claim a maximum life expectancy of 300 hours for the "Unlimited" version and 500 hours for the "Laser" version!

 

I could probably just about cope with this were it not for the fact that changing the damned things is a complete nightmare, particularly at night in the rain.

[Ootohere]

?

Which Fabia that is a nightmare to change them on do you have?

[homesqueeze]

Don't change them at night and in the rain then. Problem solved.

[Ootohere]

An hours driving in the evening on lanes and an hours driving in the morning will be quite a distance but then everyone else driving will have on dipped or full beam on and 

be getting on just fine quite likely, only being blinded by those with special needs lighting.

Winter is here and the hours of darkness are no different this winter than every other winter in the same area since cars were invented, 

or even last winter.

[peter3197]

Sorry I wasn't very clear. The standard projectors offer a poor quality beam whatever quality bulb you use. If the replacement reflector type lights are of good design, then they could be as effective with a standard bulb as anything else with good headlights. For example, the lights on my Traffic van are superb in all weather conditions.

The bottom of the range of both the Mk2 and Mk3 are fitted with headlights that take a single H4 bulb. The mk3 lights fitted to the S model are a great improvement over the projector lights in a facelift mk2, having used both with nightbreaker bulbs in, What the base model mk2 headlights are like, unfortunately, I have no experience of but the chances of them being worse than the projectors is pretty remote..

Edited 30 October, 2016 by peter3197

[ccmrob12]

I found the Bosch Pure Lights from Halfords better than the night breakers. Better reviews on Which! as well. Made lots of difference over the factory fitted Osrams. 

[Furbytom]

As already well documented, the mk2 black headlights fitted to our vRS are shockingly poor. Upgraded the stock bulbs to nightbreakers about a year or so ago but they are still borderline dangerous. This week installed a Xenon HID conversion kit and the difference is absolutely huge. Night and day improvement lol ;-) Legal technicalities aside I wish I'd done this ages ago.

Edited 1 November, 2016 by Furbytom

[vxh26]

I found the Bosch Pure Lights from Halfords better than the night breakers. Better reviews on Which! as well. Made lots of difference over the factory fitted Osrams. 

I was in Halfords the other day and noticed that they were selling what they described as "Off Road" (i.e. illegal) bulbs - I did also see their (pricey) Bosch bulbs.

 

Which? are usually fair in their assessments. Which Bosch bulbs did you buy?

 

<SNIP> Legal technicalities aside <SNIP>

Quite. However, in my opinion, the real concern with this type of modification is the effect it has on oncoming traffic.

[KenONeill]

I was in Halfords the other day and noticed that they were selling what they described as "Off Road" (i.e. illegal) bulbs - I did also see their (pricey) Bosch bulbs.

 

Which? are usually fair in their assessments. Which Bosch bulbs did you buy?

 

Quite. However, in my opinion, the real concern with this type of modification is the effect it has on oncoming traffic.

Any bulb with a rated output of over 60W @ 12v is illegal for road use.

[Furbytom]

Quite. However, in my opinion, the real concern with this type of modification is the effect it has on oncoming traffic.

Xenon bulbs put into a reflector lens can cause issues due to the scattered light. The Fabia however has projector lenses so contains the beam much better. Nobody has been flashing at us so far touch wood so all seems good!

[fabiamk2SE]

Xenon bulbs put into a reflector lens can cause issues due to the scattered light. The Fabia however has projector lenses so contains the beam much better. Nobody has been flashing at us so far touch wood so all seems good!

 

You shouldn't have any issues Tom. I've had them in on/off for 3 years now. 

 

The beauty of the projectors is that there isn't scatter. The light is where it should be, just brighter. 

 

The only difference is... i like to think that people think its an Audi or Merc coming up behind.. then i manage to overtake and bam.. they've been done by a Fabia. Nice. 

Edited 2 November, 2016 by fabiamk2SE

[MillsyVRS]

As already well documented, the mk2 black headlights fitted to our vRS are shockingly poor. Upgraded the stock bulbs to nightbreakers about a year or so ago but they are still borderline dangerous. This week installed a Xenon HID conversion kit and the difference is absolutely huge. Night and day improvement lol ;-) Legal technicalities aside I wish I'd done this ages ago.

Are they easy to fit? And cost much? If you don't mind me asking? How long do they last for before needing replacing etc?

[fabiamk2SE]

Are they easy to fit? And cost much? If you don't mind me asking? How long do they last for before needing replacing etc?

 

abit more to them than just a halogen bulb. You'll need to find somewhere to fit the ballast n that... also you'll need to cut two holes in the rubber boots. 

 

They don't like cycling on/off so avoid that where you can but generally they should last a good while. Alot longer than normal halogens. They generally get less bright over time.. but i have had them blow when i've used them in high beam. 

[Furbytom]

Are they easy to fit? And cost much? If you don't mind me asking? How long do they last for before needing replacing etc?

Not tooooo bad to fit. The main ballache was the fact the supplied bulb holders were completely useless and wouldn't clip in to the projector housing no matter what we tried. Had to modify (cut) the OEM bulb holders and use that to get them to fit.

Went for a kit from Hids4U which cost £69 I think :-)

[AntbvRS1988]

I had Osram Nightbreaker+ last year and kept questioning if I actually put my lights on while other cars passed me on a dark motorway.

I so decided to get a HID conversion.

[SeaGoat]

Changing the bulbs on the VRS looks like a complete nightmare. In realistic terms, how easy are HIDs to fit?  Is there an easy guide?

Wouldn't these bulbs run much hotter than the standard bulbs?

Edited 4 November, 2016 by SeaGoat

[b1ackb1rd]

What effect 100w Xenon H7 bulbs in standard pre-facelift projector headlamp?

[fabiamk2SE]

What effect 100w Xenon H7 bulbs in standard pre-facelift projector headlamp?

 

Assuming the username is a Honda Blackbird? . 

 

You run the risk of pulling too much current draw through the OEM wiring and too much heat in the headlamp. 

 

Really, your best bet is to run a 35W HID kit.. you'll get a much nicer colour temp at a much brighter output, at a much lower temp in the headlamp and a lower current draw once they've warmed up. Happy days. 

[SeaGoat]

Assuming the username is a Honda Blackbird? . 

 

You run the risk of pulling too much current draw through the OEM wiring and too much heat in the headlamp. 

 

Really, your best bet is to run a 35W HID kit.. you'll get a much nicer colour temp at a much brighter output, at a much lower temp in the headlamp and a lower current draw once they've warmed up. Happy days. 

I assume 100 watt is illegal but why 35 watt rather than 55 watt?

Do HIDs output more or less heat that conventional bulbs?