Improving Halogen Headlights

[harro]

Hi;
I dont know if anyone can help, but i figured i'd put it out there anyway.
I've got a Golf Mk5 GT Sport ( Diesel vers. of GTI sort of.. ) and want to improve the low beam lights without having to resort to crappy aftermarket HID kits.
At the moment, lo and hi run Phillips CrystalVision 4300k color temp globes. The color from the driver seat is a really clear white light, albeit seemingly reduced slightly over the std globe output. You also tend to look a bit of a wally during daytime, because the reflectors look blue to oncoming drivers. Now i've seen these Phillips Xtremevision 100% + globes and was wondering how they arrive at a 100% increase in light over the standard globe without resorting to increased wattage?
The Golf, and a lot of other cars too, i suppose, run something called CANBUS, which basically means no mods to existing equipment without a lot of heartache and pain!
The standard headlight wiring is pathetically thin ( at least leading to the connector immediately on the back of the globe ) and i was curious to know if anyone has had experience with running relay's and a decent current to the globe, without sending the car's computer haywire? And if so, how did you do it?
The auto sparkies around here dont want to know, as soon as you mention the " C " word!!
What i'm basically after is an increase in light output, mainly on low, without blinding others and not destroying my car as well.
I apologize to the moderators and forum if this post is out of bounds.
Many thanks;
Mike.

 

[1980Gabo]

From my knowledge, the trick behind getting "more light" from a bulb is the cosntruction type... I don´t know exactly if the filament is wider or something else, but it reduces lifespan. Cheers.

 

[127.0.0.1]

to get more light legally you are restricted to incandescent bulbs with thinner filaments = brighter = short lifetime

CANBUS is the communication protocol between ECU and rest of car, and engine management, has pretty much
zero to do with lighting though it can communicate state of switches and lights burnt out and whatnot. However
it is surprisingly simple to use and program...it doesn't mean you are locked out of it or anything...you just need
tools... a) deep programming knowledge b) the specs for Volkswagen possibly also a Volkswagen specific
diagnostic computer (expensive) c) electronics building kung-fu d) eeprom burner/eraser

 

[Alaric Darconville]

...and want to improve the low beam lights without having to resort to crappy aftermarket HID kits

Except that HID kits don't improve the low beam lights ANYWAY (they'll actually make them much WORSE), so that just goes without saying.

 

[-Virgil-]

At the moment, lo and hi run Phillips CrystalVision 4300k color temp globes.

Well, that's holding you back right there -- all of those "whiter light" bulbs advertised with a color temperature rating put out less light than a standard bulb, despite the advertising hype.

The color from the driver seat is a really clear white light, albeit seemingly reduced slightly over the std globe output.

Exactly.

i've seen these Phillips Xtremevision 100% + globes

Get those if you must stick with standard-wattage bulbs. Get Osram 65w H7s if you don't expect any cops to be disassembling your car to inspect the headlight bulb base markings.

and was wondering how they arrive at a 100% increase in light over the standard globe without resorting to increased wattage?

It's not that the bulbs put out 100% more light, it's that the higher-luminance filament is precision focused such that a headlamp in which such a bulb is installed emits up to(!) 100% more light at some point in the beam. The 65w Osram H7 has a high-luminance, high precision filament and puts out about 50% more actual, raw light than an H7.

The standard headlight wiring is pathetically thin ( at least leading to the connector immediately on the back of the globe ) and i was curious to know if anyone has had experience with running relay's and a decent current to the globe

It's definitely more hassle to do so on a CANbus car than on an older one, and even if you manage to do so, remember bulb output is exponential to the power 3.4 with voltage change, but bulb lifespan is exponential to the power -13 (negative 13). H7 bulbs are not a long-life design anyhow, so you would be changing expensive bulbs unreasonably often.

What i'm basically after is an increase in light output, mainly on low, without blinding others and not destroying my car as well

Install a set of the factory-optional (genuine) HID headlamps and associated equipment. That will achieve all your goals.

 

[harro]

To all who have answered, thanks!! This has answered many questions, and confirmed a couple of suspicions. I certainly knew nothing about fillament size being a factor in output, but i had a bit of an idea that those aftermarket HID kits are generally crap, and certainly illegal, at least in Australia. The Osrams seem to be the go, and i'll see where i can obtain them from in Oz. I guess the longevity thing can be addressed with a spare set sitting in the shed. I dont know what factory HID lights cost elsewhere, but the cost here could best be described as horiffic ( read prohibitive ! ). Again, thanks everyone for your input, i knew that the answers would be there somewhere.:thumbsup:
Cheers;
Mike.

 

[harro]

Just an update. I've replaced the Phillips Crystal Vision ( which incidently were marked ' Osram Cool Blue ' on the base ) with Philips Extreme vision + 100% 55w globes in the low beam pockets of the Golf.
To my eyes, there is a noticible increase in output, resulting in the low beam light being much fuller !? Not any more distance, which i didnt want, just more light in the same area.
The old Crystal Visions were rated at 1250 lumens/4300k.
The Extreme Visions are rated at 1450 lumens/3700k.
I dont know if this is at the fillament or the glass or if it's each or per pair, but for $80.00 AUD i think its worth it.
Next step is the high beams.
Cheers;
Mike.

 

[Alaric Darconville]

The old Crystal Visions were rated at 1250 lumens/4300k.
The Extreme Visions are rated at 1450 lumens/3700k.
I dont know if this is at the fillament or the glass or if it's each or per pair, but for $80.00 AUD i think its worth it.

It's not "at" anywhere; it's the total output of the bulb measured in an integrating sphere.

By necessity, the testing is done with the bulb in its completed state, with any coating on the tip, or any coloring of the glass, as if the bulb were about to be boxed as a finished good. Also, it's "each", not per pair.

As far as the "4300K" and "3700K", color temperature applies only to white light; the "Crystal Vision" has sufficient tinting over the whole envelope that it's not really white.

 

[kaichu dento]

The Extreme Visions are rated at 1450 lumens/3700k.

...the "4300K" and "3700K", color temperature applies only to white light; the "Crystal Vision" has sufficient tinting over the whole envelope that it's not really white.

So are the Extreme Visions rated accurately when they advertise them as 3700K?

 

[-Virgil-]

So are the Extreme Visions rated accurately when they advertise them as 3700K?

Probably not; a more realistic value would be 3400K or so. But there's little point in paying attention to this kind of rating when selecting car bulbs.

 

[kaichu dento]

Probably not; a more realistic value would be 3400K or so. But there's little point in paying attention to this kind of rating when selecting car bulbs.

Is that because of the output levels being so high that they have little relevance to what were used to with flashlights? Mostly hoping to avoid the super-white that I keep seeing lately, or worse yet, the bluish ones. I don't like them in my eyes and don't want to do that to other drivers either.

 

[-Virgil-]

No, it's because the color temperature of an automotive headlight bulb, properly supplied with the correct voltage and with uncolored glass, is going to be within the narrow range of 3050K to 3450K depending on the parameters of the particular bulb being looked at. Mostly the kelvin claims are advertising fluff.

 

[Hamilton Felix]

Just out of curiousity, Scheinwerfermann, how much does it differ between halogen and standard old incandescent? Recently, while putting away things in the shop, I lit one of my old/new 7701 sealed beams, then one of my halogens (car battery floating on a charger at about 13.6v or so). There's a visible difference; not saying the sealed beam is "yellow," but it's not quite as "white" appearing as the halogen.

(I bought those auxiliary low beams at NAPA, probably around 1990 or a bit later, because I wanted the buckets. Today, I cannot even find an image of those chrome Dietz buckets. Most PAR46 buckets are hemisperical in back, but these were "flattened" a bit, angling forward toward the top. I just barely had room for my Cibie 5-3/4" H1 lights, but they fit the limited space above the bumper on a Saab 900 and the hood cleared them OK.)

For me, the color temp of the old sealed beams or the later halogen lights are fine, just so I get enough light in the right places. As long as it's not blue, I'm happy.

 

[harro]

Just an update. Have replaced Lo and Hi beam globes with Philips H7 Extremevision 100% and professional alignment. Definite noticible improvement over original. Good, full area of light on low for about 75M with very nice cutoff. Hi continues for another 100M or so. Viewing car from about 500M away, Lo is not glary at all, but bright ( if that makes sense ?! ) Hi is very bright and would make me flash the car if it was coming towards me.
Concensus of improving OE without silly mods is pretty much spot on.
Cheers;
Mike.