Blue Headlamp Bulbs

[richdave]

Hasn't this been covered before?

[Guest 56Mainline]

Had the blue 55/60W H3's in the Prado, Supercheap brand.

They were CRAP!

Ditched them.

Whatever you do, make sure the bulbs you use are compatable with the polycarbonate lenses on the BA, otherwise discolouration will result with the passage of time...

[EvilDaifu]

Okay, so I want to replace the bulbs on my BA 2004 with something that's brighter and well a little different. I checked out Senna's thread on HIDs but not sure if I want to go to all that trouble. Are the bulbs out there that I can just swap in that have a blue look and are brighter?

[dre]

Do the xenon conversion.

[TonyD]

+1 for Xenon conversion. And while you're at it, go to the Retrofit source, pull part your headlights, and do this:

[YOB POM]

It's been shown that although blue light looks brighter they actually reduce vision.

John.

[aiboart]

Blue globes are normal globes with a blue filter.

So everything outside of the blue spectrum, which is most of the filament output, goes into making heat.

Hence:

• Total light output is pathetic.
  
• The globes blow from heat stress every few months.
  
• Many of the cheap blue globes have no UV coating and will wreck your lights over time.
  
• Some of the globes have a higher wattage rating, they can fry wiring and distort lamps.
  

Then:

• Eyes are most sensitive to the non blue spectrum, which was conveniently removed with the blue filters. Eyes strain trying to see in the relative dark.
  
• Eyes find it difficult to focus the 400 odd nm wavelengths of the blue end of the spectrum. You can see this when you look at blue LED display. So focus is more difficult; remember it's darker and the wavelengths that would have let your eyes lock onto the target are now missing, so all you have is a dim (relatively) blue light .
  
• Blue light scatters more in dust and fog, hence penetration of the beam is hopeless. What is worse is most of the light bounces back at you and sideways into oncoming traffic.
  

Gas Discharge (Xenon)

Don't be confused by the term, ' xenon'. Many high end filament bulbs have a xenon filling. A gas discharge xenon globe as no filament. (fluorescent tubes and neon tubes also have no filament)

Here is the thing:

• A xenon gas discharge produces a very white spectrum and degree of UV. Again you need a UV coating or your lamps will degrade.
  
• Then, the shape of the gas discharge itself has no relation to the shape of a filament. The projected light is going everywhere it shouldn't and not where it should. You might think its great, but you would be wrong. Perception can do funny things.
  
• Many gas discharge systems rely on servo driven reflectors to produce a high and low beam, its the same beam, pointed in a different way. Our lamps do not have such systems.
  
• The current draw of one of these systems may fry your wiring and distort your lamps.
  

Fitting non OEM gas discharge systems to a car is illegal.

Now you know why.

For the record, eBay gas discharge after market kits are are load of BS and illegal. Run, do not walk from such a project.

So, you want more light so what do you do????

This.

Fit Philips Extreme Power +80% 55/65 watt globes to the XR6-T/G6/G6 in all lamps.

• This is a conventional filament globe with state of the art enhancements.
  
• These are standard wattage. They will not fry your wiring.
  
• These are standard spectrum (a touch whiter) so your eyes can focus and the globe will not blow from excess filter derived heat.
  
• The globes are UV shielded so that your lamps will not degrade.
  
• The new filament design improves the performance of the existing reflector design.
  

You will see little to no effect in daytime or twilight.

At night however you will be stunned. These things are amazing.

Regards,

aa