Hi All.. this is my first post in your very useful forums.

I have recently got an Octavia (2000 model Glxi) to myself. When driving in the nights (and specailly the bad rainy these days) I feel that the lights are not as powerful as they should be. So was toying with the idea of upgrading the bulbs. However, not sure about the following:

1. Is it legal to use 90/100W bulbs in the uk?

2. Would it affect the wiring or turn on any engine management lights due to overload? (I have recently got over the nightmare of it coming up due to MAF and then the coils)

2. If not legal then is the Osram +90 a better choice than the standard 55W bulbs? Has anyone used and noticed the difference.

Many thanks

IMHO:

- Dipped beam use the 55w uprated bulbs

- Main beam use the 55w or the 100w as they are not on for long periods of time.

Since the octy I is H4 that will limit you to the 55w bulbs.

I say this as IIRC 55w is the maximum 'legal' wattage for the UK and also the car came with 55w so in theory that is what the wiring supports.

If you want to play it safe something like, Osram silverstar/nightbreakers or Phillips GT150 nightvision/Visionplus/extreme should do the job nicely. I used silverstars (+50% 55w bulbs) and noticed a very good improvement over the standard bulbs.

Hiya.

Anything over 60W bulbs are illegal for road use in the UK. I'm not saying that this will happen with an Octy, but 100W bulbs have been known to melt the bulbholders out of the reflectors in some applications, leaving the unlucky owner with a bill for new headlight units.

I'd go with high output Quartz-Xenon (+50% or so) 60/55W H4 bulbs too. Try Powerbulbs for usually good deals (like buy one, get one free, and get free blue/white sidelight bulbs as well).

I bought and fitted the Osram +90% "Night Breaker" bulbs last week and am very impressed with the results so far. Will be interesting to see whether the annual AutoExpress bulb review rates them at all.

BTW - make sure your headlight adjustment wheel (to the right of the steering column) is set correctly. I sometimes knock mine with my long legs, and the light output is seriously diminished.

Si

Thanks a lot guys. Appreciate your time and reply

I tried the 100w bulbs a few years ago in a Lancia Delta I was running at the time. Made a massive improvement over the standard 60w bulbs...

Until the headlight switch melted.

I put some osram silverstars in my Mk2 octy recently.

On dipped beam the absoluter range seems to be only a bit further , but it's a better light up to that point with a more well defined cut off point. On main beam they seem to show more of a range improvement than the dipped ones.

I changed the bulbs in my Mk1 octy , but can't remember exactly what to (Philips of some kind) and they were worth the money too

BTW - make sure your headlight adjustment wheel (to the right of the steering column) is set correctly. I sometimes knock mine with my long legs, and the light output is seriously diminished.

Was driving home the other night and thought the "throw" of the lights was a bit shorter than usual. It was only when I neared home that it occurred to me my 2 year old daughter had been playing at driving (read pressing ever switch and button relentlessly) and had knocked the wheel down to setting 5. Still, at least she didn't leave my foglights on :rofl:

Btw, I'm currently using the Philips Xtremes and really like them.

Chris

Ive recently put halfords super brilliance blue in mine and am very impressed.Took advantage of their buy one get 1 free deal and also my staff discount hehe

Don't put higher wattage bulbs in than you're supposed to. The guy who owned my Intera before me had changed the bulbs to 100w jobbies, I wondered why everyone would flash their main beam at me all the time. It was only when the bulbs would start to work intermitently that I found the problem. They were seriously bright, hence the flashing of lights at me, and wehre they drew to much current they had melted the wiring and the actually plug that connects to the bulb. I had to try and source a new loom for the headlights and resolder it all back up. Just get standard rated bulbs but a decent set.

Ive recently put halfords super brilliance blue in mine and am very impressed.Took advantage of their buy one get 1 free deal and also my staff discount hehe

That's what I had in mine before the Night Breakers: they're also very good (and a worthy winner of the AutoExpress +50% bulb test).

I was gonna ask this question too, cos I can fart brighter than my Octys headlight.

Question is are they a gimmick or do they actually work?

They actually work - a few members have posted side-by-side pics showing the differences. Try some - you won't be disappointed

Chris

Well I've just ordered a set of Philips X-Treme Power's, now I shall wait and see if they make a difference!

shoulda got some Philips Rally 90/100W jobbies brother's got them in his mk1 and has never had a problem with oncoming cars, MOT or melted wires. in fact the headlights are probably the only part that actually work properly :P

i used to use in an old car 100w bulbs that had a slight tint and although they looked good they didnt do naff all on the road i swapped to a set of vision plus ones that where legal and would never use fancy looking bulbs again.

I'd say that headlight bulbs with a "slight tint" are useless. A 10% tint roughly halves the amount of light incident on an object 50m down the road from you.

Thanks to all that responded.

Update - I finally bought Osram +90 and found that it is considerably brighter than my normal 55W bulbs - can't say if 90% brighter though. But am happy with the brightness now.

No problems. The "90% brighter" bit refers to the light incident on an object a set distance down the road (I think 50m). Thanks to the operation of the root square law, it only increases effective range by 9.5% relative to a new Quartz-iodine 60/55W H4 bulb though.

Thanks to all that responded.

Update - I finally bought Osram +90 and found that it is considerably brighter than my normal 55W bulbs - can't say if 90% brighter though. But am happy with the brightness now.

Any chance of posting some pictures up of the the light out on these bulbs?

I fancy getting a set.

The Philips X-Treme Power wins Auto-Express's most recent test:

Make Light of Winter | Products | Auto Express

Strange: MK1 Octavia got H4 bulbs?

I got 2006 MK1 octavia and its got H7 bulbs (2 pin) but they are not Xenon lights just the standard lights and mine are dim too.

Strange: MK1 Octavia got H4 bulbs?

I got 2006 MK1 octavia and its got H7 bulbs (2 pin) but they are not Xenon lights just the standard lights and mine are dim too.

MK I Octy is definately H4 for main/dipped beam when you dont' have Xenon bulbs.

The one behind the projector style unit might be a H7, but those are the front fog lights.

The Philips X-Treme Power wins Auto-Express's most recent test:

Make Light of Winter | Products | Auto Express

Call me an old cynic, but Philips winning a test conducted at a Philips facility? Still, my Xtreme Power bulbs are excellent

Chris