Hella Optilux XY

Sadden

Enlightened
Joined
Mar 14, 2015
Messages
262
Now I know that tinting the assembly is the preferred method for getting selective yellow lamps.

However, I cannot for the life of me find yellow metalcast around here, I've been too every paint shop and hardware store, arts and crafts stores. Ive called and tried too order them, and because its an aerosol noone will ship too me. On top of that I have vehicles that i dont want too be making permanent changes too (for example the rig I drive at work)

On top of that I dont have the time(especially) and space too be pulling headlamps and foglamps, cleaning them up and painting them properly (even if I could get yellow metalcast). Maybe after we get our own home, but not happening till spring. So a simple bulb swaps seem more realistic

If the Optilux XY are no good (like most of the optilux line) are there ANY quality yellow tinted bulbs? Looking primarily for h11 and h9 variations.
 

jzchen

Enlightened
Joined
Jan 16, 2015
Messages
328
Location
Arcadia, CA
Metal cast is designed for metal. Might be challenging to apply to glass, or plastic. The new Sylvania FogVision bulbs are no good too? The tint seems to be on part, center part, of bulb. With the fog lights low on the vehicle those exterior yellowing products are subject to being damaged and reapplication may be necessary of somewhat high frequency.....

With my personally low usage of fog lights I could not reconcile frequency of reapplication compared to yellow bulb...
 

-Virgil-

Flashaholic
Joined
Mar 26, 2004
Messages
7,802
Metal cast is designed for metal

Yes, for polished metal: hard and nonporous with low surface activity. Just like glass and polycarbonate.

Might be challenging to apply to glass, or plastic.

That sounds a little like you're guessing.

The new Sylvania FogVision bulbs are no good too?

Please carefully read the first sentence in post #2 of this thread.

exterior yellowing products are subject to being damaged and reapplication may be necessary of somewhat high frequency.....

"may" is another word that indicates guessing.

With my personally low usage of fog lights I could not reconcile frequency of reapplication compared to yellow bulb...

That is a neat magic trick you did right there: first you guessed, then you magically transformed your guess into a "fact" and said you don't want to live with that fact.

Please try to post in a more helpful manner. If you're not sure or don't know, ask rather than making stuff up and presenting it as reality.
 

John_Galt

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Feb 20, 2009
Messages
1,831
Location
SW, PA
I painted the glass lenses of my 3rd gen 4runners headlamps in February of this year. Cl3aned the lenses with brakleen and a couple washes with acetone and then xylene.

Held up just fine until early september, when I was ticketed by a leo for it, when he couldn't get me for speeding.

No chips, no scratches, no flaking. Held up significantly better than I would have assumed it would.
 

Sadden

Enlightened
Joined
Mar 14, 2015
Messages
262
There are no good yellow bulbs -- just junk not worth a plug nickel.
What i figured...

Aerosol, will NOT ship too me.

Capton tape right here.
Havent tried it yet, hows the durability? We have high sand and salt content here in the winter, parts of my car look they have been sandblasted due too the road conditions.
 

KXA

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Jul 28, 2015
Messages
92
Location
USA
If you're going to use these in a fog lamp, then these might work for you (they're to yellow for legal use in a headlamp). (I have personal experience with these bulbs, using them in the factory fog lights on a Honda CRV.) They are very yellow, but not full selective yellow, and are also not yellowish like all-weather halogen bulbs. These are made by Osram for the Asian market. (It takes along time to receive them.) They are sold on eBay and come from Hong Kong, and seem to be the only yellow bulb even worth considering. https://www.ebay.com/itm/2X-OSRAM-S...aѕh=itеm284526757c:g:4VIAAMXQ01dRdRBu&vxp=mtr
 
Last edited by a moderator:

-Virgil-

Flashaholic
Joined
Mar 26, 2004
Messages
7,802
No. For one thing, those bulbs aren't legitimate, they're fake (knockoff or 3rd-party modified), and the Ebay auction is sketchy as all gadzooks: at least two/possibly three different bulbs in the various auction pictures, mismatch between what's on the box and what's on the bulb, coming from a part of the world famous above all for counterfeit products...the whole thing shouts "RUN AWAY!".

Then we have your own commentary, including "not yellowish like all-weather halogen bulbs". That right there is a dead giveaway that this is not a legitimate product. The Osram AllSeason line was exactly what you say these bulbs are not: yellowish, not full selective yellow. They were therefore legal for use in headlamps. Also, they were permanently marked, right on the bulb, "-ALL" (for AllSeason) or "-ALS" (for AllSeason Super). These, if at least one of the auction pics can be believed, are plain old "-L" (Long Life) bulbs some random Hongkongese has coated -- or more likely just a plain old generic Chinese bulb (as shown in some of the auctino pics) as lame counterfeits with the details wrong, not even a real Osram product. Especially because Osram never actually offered an H11 AllSeason or H11 AllSeason Super in any market. Plenty of "enterprising" people scattered around Asia did whatever they want with Osram bulbs and trademarks, though.

Also, there is no such thing as a bulb that is "very yellow, but not full selective yellow, and not yellowish like all-weather bulbs".

But ignore all that for a minute, and you're still left with the fact that dichroic-coated bulbs like this were always a bad idea. The irridescent nature of the coating puts random light reflections all over the place within the lamp, and when it's a yellow filter like this you get violet/blue haze above the beam cutoff, which is exactly the opposite of anything you ever want to do with fog lamps.

"There are no good yellow bulbs" means there are no good yellow bulbs.
 
Last edited:

Alaric Darconville

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Sep 2, 2001
Messages
5,377
Location
Stillwater, America
then these might work for you (they're to yellow for legal use in a headlamp)

An H11 "too yellow for legal use in a headlamp" is illegal per se, as it would render inoperative the H11 headlamp it could be installed in.

There are shiny yellow bulbs, bright yellow bulbs, fancy yellow bulbs, pretty yellow bulbs, but none of them are *good*. If you want yellow light from your factory fog lamp, treat the lens and move on.

The last picture in on that auction is a hoot. Never mind the deer, there's a giant yellow halogen bulb right in front of you!
 

-Virgil-

Flashaholic
Joined
Mar 26, 2004
Messages
7,802
The actual color of the "A" sealed beams varies all over the place from selective yellow to orange/amber to a dark honey brown, depending on what company made the sealed beam (and when). It doesn't really matter, a 4412A (or 4415A, etc) is useless no matter what color or brand. But to answer the question directly, the lens glass itself is colored.
 

JasonOk

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Aug 31, 2017
Messages
66
Location
Oklahoma
Op seems to be talking about headlamps they should be white right? Or did i miss something. (edit) with regards to h11 and h9 bulbs typically being headlamps right?
 
Last edited:

-Virgil-

Flashaholic
Joined
Mar 26, 2004
Messages
7,802
The OP is talking about making his fog lamps selective yellow instead of white. Either color is allowed for fogs. Read up on it here. Headlamps have to be white in most places, though some places allow white or yellow, and even in places that specify white, the "white box" (boundaries of what's considered white) is very large, so significant color appearance (yellow/brown/orange, blue/violet/green, pink...) is possible with the lamps still considered legally "white". But beyond a certain point of color saturation, it's no longer white, it's blue (or selective yellow, or violet, or whatever) and then it's no longer legal in areas where white headlamps are required.
 

John_Galt

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Feb 20, 2009
Messages
1,831
Location
SW, PA
The OP is talking about making his fog lamps selective yellow instead of white. Either color is allowed for fogs. Read up on it here. Headlamps have to be white in most places, though some places allow white or yellow, and even in places that specify white, the "white box" (boundaries of what's considered white) is very large, so significant color appearance (yellow/brown/orange, blue/violet/green, pink...) is possible with the lamps still considered legally "white". But beyond a certain point of color saturation, it's no longer white, it's blue (or selective yellow, or violet, or whatever) and then it's no longer legal in areas where white headlamps are required.

Or your state says that "white" is required, but does not reference any sort of standard for what is or isnt white.

Even federal code is very generous.
 

JasonOk

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Aug 31, 2017
Messages
66
Location
Oklahoma
The OP is talking about making his fog lamps selective yellow instead of white. Either color is allowed for fogs. Read up on it here. Headlamps have to be white in most places, though some places allow white or yellow, and even in places that specify white, the "white box" (boundaries of what's considered white) is very large, so significant color appearance (yellow/brown/orange, blue/violet/green, pink...) is possible with the lamps still considered legally "white". But beyond a certain point of color saturation, it's no longer white, it's blue (or selective yellow, or violet, or whatever) and then it's no longer legal in areas where white headlamps are required.
Thanks for confirming what i was thinking. Personally i prefer white at 5300>4500 for headlights. Just thinking, having seen some serious fog (could not see more than one or two stripes in the road dividing the lanes, driving about 5 mph) that h9 or h11 bulbs would be way to much light at any color to be effective for fog lights. That being said i'm particullary curious about this subject because my fog lamps on my truck need replacing due too exposure (yellow lenses and poor aim + i'm certain bad engeneering being it's a gm product)
 
Top