Hello Everyone!
First post here. =) I've spent the last few weeks reading through the archives (wonderful forum, and it's great to see a forum with such strict (and knowledgeable!) moderation!), and would like to ask a question.
Background:
Seven years ago I purchased a set of Valeo E-code Golf IV headlamp assemblies from Daniel Stern, together with long-life H7 bulbs for the low beams, and +30 (or possibly +50? -- I'm afraid I've forgotten!) H1 bulbs for the high beams. The low beams have been very nice, but the high beams are a bit narrow for my usage: I'm often on low speed, hilly, tightly winding roads -- and on climbing curves I find myself driving into darkness. (Indeed, for several years I was regretting the purchase, as the original US high beams were so much broader and (on my roads) more useful than the E-codes -- but of late I've been noticing how cloudy all the stock Golf IV lenses have become around here, and I'm now quite grateful for the Valeo's glass lenses!!)
This autumn I'd like to upgrade the bulbs. The low-beams seem straightforward: many threads in this forum recommend the Osram Rallye 65W H7, which I expect should be a considerable improvement over the Hella long-life H7 I've been using. But I'd like your collective advice on what H1 bulb to purchase for the high-beams.
Question:
Many posts on this forum extol the Philips Xtreme Vision H1, and my first thought was to try this bulb for my high beams. However, yesterday I read the following post from Scheinwerfermann, in the ongoing Honda 2013 CRV thread:
"...with Philips Xtreme Vision you get less light, but better beam focus which concentrates more light at the "hot spot" of the beam for longer seeing distance. Beam focus isn't quite as tight with the Osram 70/65w, but you get more light overall. So you do get better seeing distance and you also get better intensity throughout the beam pattern."
Now, I understand that the above refers to the 9003/H4 bulb (for which there is a higher-wattage alternative to the Xtreme Vision), but presumably the principles still apply to the H1? If so, would the Xtreme Vision H1 still be the best choice for my high beams, considering that my beam pattern is already too narrow (for my preferred usage), and I don't particularly need increased high beam range?
Or to put the question another way: if my priority is beam spread, would I be better off with the Xtreme Vision, or with a plain-jane standard H1? I've learned (from this forum) that the Xtreme Vision has improved beam focus AND more usable light output (from the clever placement of blue filter bands on unimportant parts of the envelope, thereby permitting higher light intensity in the important parts of the envelope without violating regulations on total output). Would the heightened effective output give me more light outside the "hot spot", despite the tightened beam focus? Or would my vision beyond the hot spot actually decline (be it from actual intensity reduction outside the hot spot, or from the contrast between hot spot and periphery)?
Supplementary Note:
Auxiliary lamps would probably solve my problems, but for a variety of reasons (e.g., my wife has nixed the idea!) I'd prefer not to explore that option. =)
Thank you very much for any advice! (And if there are alternatives I haven't considered, I'd love to hear about them!)
Best Wishes,
-Ceilidh
P.S. -- I have some additional questions about the H7 / low beam, but wonder whether you (the moderators) might prefer that I put them in a separate thread. In general, what is your preference?: Should I be combining questions in a single post (if those questions pertain to a single car)? Or should I split things apart with separate thread titles? Please let me know if you've a preference -- I don't have much knowledge to add to this forum, but I'd like to be a Good Citizen participant!
First post here. =) I've spent the last few weeks reading through the archives (wonderful forum, and it's great to see a forum with such strict (and knowledgeable!) moderation!), and would like to ask a question.
Background:
Seven years ago I purchased a set of Valeo E-code Golf IV headlamp assemblies from Daniel Stern, together with long-life H7 bulbs for the low beams, and +30 (or possibly +50? -- I'm afraid I've forgotten!) H1 bulbs for the high beams. The low beams have been very nice, but the high beams are a bit narrow for my usage: I'm often on low speed, hilly, tightly winding roads -- and on climbing curves I find myself driving into darkness. (Indeed, for several years I was regretting the purchase, as the original US high beams were so much broader and (on my roads) more useful than the E-codes -- but of late I've been noticing how cloudy all the stock Golf IV lenses have become around here, and I'm now quite grateful for the Valeo's glass lenses!!)
This autumn I'd like to upgrade the bulbs. The low-beams seem straightforward: many threads in this forum recommend the Osram Rallye 65W H7, which I expect should be a considerable improvement over the Hella long-life H7 I've been using. But I'd like your collective advice on what H1 bulb to purchase for the high-beams.
Question:
Many posts on this forum extol the Philips Xtreme Vision H1, and my first thought was to try this bulb for my high beams. However, yesterday I read the following post from Scheinwerfermann, in the ongoing Honda 2013 CRV thread:
"...with Philips Xtreme Vision you get less light, but better beam focus which concentrates more light at the "hot spot" of the beam for longer seeing distance. Beam focus isn't quite as tight with the Osram 70/65w, but you get more light overall. So you do get better seeing distance and you also get better intensity throughout the beam pattern."
Now, I understand that the above refers to the 9003/H4 bulb (for which there is a higher-wattage alternative to the Xtreme Vision), but presumably the principles still apply to the H1? If so, would the Xtreme Vision H1 still be the best choice for my high beams, considering that my beam pattern is already too narrow (for my preferred usage), and I don't particularly need increased high beam range?
Or to put the question another way: if my priority is beam spread, would I be better off with the Xtreme Vision, or with a plain-jane standard H1? I've learned (from this forum) that the Xtreme Vision has improved beam focus AND more usable light output (from the clever placement of blue filter bands on unimportant parts of the envelope, thereby permitting higher light intensity in the important parts of the envelope without violating regulations on total output). Would the heightened effective output give me more light outside the "hot spot", despite the tightened beam focus? Or would my vision beyond the hot spot actually decline (be it from actual intensity reduction outside the hot spot, or from the contrast between hot spot and periphery)?
Supplementary Note:
Auxiliary lamps would probably solve my problems, but for a variety of reasons (e.g., my wife has nixed the idea!) I'd prefer not to explore that option. =)
Thank you very much for any advice! (And if there are alternatives I haven't considered, I'd love to hear about them!)
Best Wishes,
-Ceilidh
P.S. -- I have some additional questions about the H7 / low beam, but wonder whether you (the moderators) might prefer that I put them in a separate thread. In general, what is your preference?: Should I be combining questions in a single post (if those questions pertain to a single car)? Or should I split things apart with separate thread titles? Please let me know if you've a preference -- I don't have much knowledge to add to this forum, but I'd like to be a Good Citizen participant!