High intensity headlights (Xenon, etc)

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mystical
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M

Mystical

Hi, I would appreciate all the help I can get in understanding these high
intensity headlights that are being hawked all over the place for
replacement to the high and low beams and in some cases, offered in color. I
would like to put more light on the road for safety's sake but I don't know
if that is what is really being done, or it all about gadgetry. Thanks, Brad
 
Mystical said:
Hi, I would appreciate all the help I can get in understanding these high
intensity headlights that are being hawked all over the place for
replacement to the high and low beams and in some cases, offered in color. I
would like to put more light on the road for safety's sake but I don't know
if that is what is really being done, or it all about gadgetry. Thanks, Brad
Click to expand...

In a perfect world, all light sources (aka bulb) would be a point, and
you'd just need to get this point into the correct position and any type
of light would work as long as it was the correct brightness. However
each bulb is not a point source, so the headlight lens and reflector are
designed for the source of light. Changing the source for one that is a
different shape (and if poorly done, position) will only scatter your
light around where is doesn't do you any good and hurts other users of
the road.
Coloured bulbs get that way by blocking some light, thus there's less
available to light your way. All you need to know (and more) is at:
http://www.danielsternlighting.com/

--
Mike F.
Thornhill (near Toronto), Ont.

NOTE: new address!!
Replace tt with t (twice!) and remove parentheses to email me directly.
(But I check the newsgroup more often than this email address.)
 
Mystical said:
Hi, I would appreciate all the help I can get in understanding these high
intensity headlights that are being hawked all over the place for
replacement to the high and low beams and in some cases, offered in color. I
would like to put more light on the road for safety's sake but I don't know
if that is what is really being done, or it all about gadgetry. Thanks,
Click to expand...
Brad

Xenon bulbs are direct replacements for your halogen items, except the gas
inside them (xenon) produces a bright white light when charged, as opposed
to a yellowish light with Halogen. I've just fitted Xenons to the dips and
mains of my S70 and it makes a hell of a difference at night.

J.
 
Replaced my main and dipped bulbs on my S70 with Osram Silver Star Xenon
bulbs. They take exactly the same current so the standard car electrics are
not affected in any way.

The improvement in light output and visibility is amazing.!!!

The normal price here in the UK is £19.99 (US$ 37) per bulb but I bought the
genuine item from ebay for £9 (US$16) for 2 bulbs.
For further information look at the Osram website
 
Replaced my main and dipped bulbs on my S70 with Osram Silver Star Xenon
bulbs.
Click to expand...

NB: The bulbs sold as "Osram Silver Star" in the US are completely
different from the ones sold in Europe. If the OP is in the US, he
should *definitely* read Daniel Stern's site (already posted) before
purchasing any bulbs that do not match the OEM spec.
The improvement in light output and visibility is amazing.!!!
Click to expand...

There's considerable debate among people who have studied the effects
of "whiter" bulbs on whether it's actually helpful. I have no
interest in arguing this point, but I would suggest that anyone
considering changing their bulb type do some research.

Also, as Stern notes, you may well get the largest improvement in
lighting performance by rewiring your lighting system to reduce
voltage drop, not by changing bulb type.

--
Michael Wojcik [email protected]

O sometimes, nevertheless,
The labourer at his instrument or tractor,
Bending into a state of merge with objects,
Finds the same love that, from a machine of sex,
Steps down as Venus to her invoker. -- George Barker
 
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