What's the best car headlight???

[AlexGT]

Can someone explain the relay harness thing to prevent power loss? What relay to use how to set it up. Thanks!

BTW the bulb is a 9007

AlexGT

 

[VWTim]

Check out here for the relay wiring diagram. I use something similar I build in car.
http://www.rallylights.com/useful_info/headlamp_wiring.htm

Many cars out there run the full power load of the headlights thru the indash headlight switch. This causes a bunch of resistance so the lights don't see the full level of power the alternator is putting out. Using a Relay cuts that distance for power to travel WAY down, plus limits the number of connections the power has to go thru.
hth,

 

[AlexGT]

I just removed the bulb and checked and the bulb is a H13, but the T&C user manual says its a 9007 are the 2 bulbs the same?

I'm following an auction for silverstars but want to make sure.

Thanks!
AlexGT

 

[Diesel_Bomber]

I'm surprised no one's mentioned Daniel Stern Lighting. The tech section is especially important. It includes wiring diagrams and discussions on color-coated bulbs and beam patterns.

I'd stick with the stock bulbs. Maybe higher wattage, but never anything color coated. Definitely go for relays and big wires. If you do the work yourself you can easily rewire your headlights with Bosch 30 amp relays and 10awg wire, with the appropriate fuses, for about the same cost as a set of Silverstars. You'll be amazed at how white stock halogen bulbs look when they're actually getting their full rated voltage.


Cheers! :buddies:

 

[Flummo]

The DOT code for headlights still puts a LOT of glare into the eye's of incoming drivers. This is from back before street signs were as reflective as they are now.

A spinoff on that would be to get a set of european headlights instead of the DOT-approved american ones. I have never had the "fortune" to ride in a car with DOT-lights at night since they're not road legal here, but from what I hear they are pretty useless compared to "E-code" european lights.

But changing the entire headlights would be quite a bit more expensive than just changing lamps, and changing lamps is where we started this thread...

 

[Handlobraesing]

Silverstar is just another filter coated wannabe HID bulb.

Get the GE Nighthawk or Sylvania XtraVision. They're basically the best non ricer bulb you can get.

Diesel bomber, stock bulbs are usually rather pretty lame. They're "long life" bulb at the expense of output in order to minimize burn outs during warranty

 

[270winchester]

Get the GE Nighthawk or Sylvania XtraVision. They're basically the best non ricer bulb you can get.

I replaced my xtra-visions and the Silverstars let me see better at night...

they are definitely NOT HID- wannabes. even though it is coated with blueish color, the light is white, not a tint of blue to it. from the receiving end of the beam it casts a very bright , white light. please don't compare it to the 4.99 Ebay Special.

If you have driven with Silverstars and reached the "ricer look" conclusion then I want to know how white your other lights are. If you haven't actually seen them in operation, don't discriminate because of the color of its glass....

 

[VWTim]

A spinoff on that would be to get a set of european headlights instead of the DOT-approved american ones. I have never had the "fortune" to ride in a car with DOT-lights at night since they're not road legal here, but from what I hear they are pretty useless compared to "E-code" european lights.

But changing the entire headlights would be quite a bit more expensive than just changing lamps, and changing lamps is where we started this thread...

Very true. I run E-codes in all my cars, but then they're older so much easier as they use standard 7" lights. With enough searching you can find E-code lamps for later model cars from Europe. Just remember, DON"T buy your lights from England, or in a RHD pattern, as the road sign glare will become oncoming driver glare.

 

[Handlobraesing]

The blue coating makes the light whiter by taking away a portion of longer wavelength spectrum, thus reducing the total output. They're HID wannabe, because the only purpose of the blue coating is to mimic the color of HID. Taking away a portion of light does not increase lumen output, but rather reduces it.

 

[ak645]

The blue coating makes the light whiter by taking away a portion of longer wavelength spectrum, thus reducing the total output. They're HID wannabe, because the only purpose of the blue coating is to mimic the color of HID. Taking away a portion of light does not increase lumen output, but rather reduces it.

Have you seen the SilverStars in action? Are you speaking from personal experience?

Andy

 

[270winchester]

The blue coating makes the light whiter by taking away a portion of longer wavelength spectrum, thus reducing the total output. They're HID wannabe, because the only purpose of the blue coating is to mimic the color of HID. Taking away a portion of light does not increase lumen output, but rather reduces it.

That's a helluva generalization. There are degrees of tint-playing, and there is a huge difference in the results. Have you ever seen the Silver stars in person? The HID-wannabes I have seen have horrible blue color and really dim. The Silverstars are far from that. putting it in the same category as those Ebay Wonders is just not fair categorization to tell people who have never seen the light in person.

The portion of light taken is more than compensated with the amount of light produced at the filament(hehe, now the bulb lumen is in dispute, we can call it "fillement lumen). The bulb is designed to be DOT legal, so you are not losing any light by using it when compared to any other street legal headlight lamp.

The same cannot be said of the really blue lamps.

 

[rudbwoy69camaro]

Have you ever seen the Silver stars in person? The HID-wannabes I have seen have horrible blue color and really dim.

I upgraded to HID. 2002 Tahoe, no modification. Too bad I can't do a projector retrofit, no room.

 

[s0crates82]

I upgraded to HID. 2002 Tahoe, no modification. Too bad I can't do a projector retrofit, no room.

So you just elected to put a incredibly bright lamp in very glarey reflector housings... which will blind anyone unfortunate enough to share the road with you?

Grand.

 

[Diesel_Bomber]

Diesel bomber, stock bulbs are usually rather pretty lame. They're "long life" bulb at the expense of output in order to minimize burn outs during warranty

No argument from me!

While I wouldn't precisely call Silverstars ricer bulbs, the coating on them certainly doesn't help. I also think it's a bandaid. People don't like how their headlights are turning incan-Mag yellow. What this is caused by most of the time is old, corroded wiring that was inadaquate from a voltage-drop standpoint when it was brand new. The wiring only got worse as it aged. Instead of upgrading the wiring to something that'd deliver full rated voltage to the headlight, maintaining a true white halogen color, people swap bulbs to something that filters out the yellow. A band aid, not fixing the real problem.

s0crates82-

The kit rudbwoy69camaro posted replaces the reflector and all; not just cramming an HID capsule into a halogen reflector. It's completely legal(although in the US a "legal" headlight is still pretty ridiculous) and glares no more than the stock headlights would have.


Cheers all. :buddies:

 

[schiesz]

I am very happy with the output of the Silverstars, and have used both Osram and Silvania (Osram is the parent company to silvania in Europe IRC) and see no difference in them in use. My only complaint is that they burn out fast. I have gone through at least 5 sets of silverstars, one pair lasting only about 6 months. That is in 3 different cars so its not the wiring in the car causing it. I've also had Xtravsions and Nighthawks and the color and output of the silverstars is much nicer. I'd recommend the silverstars, even for the money they cost, but be prepared to replace them more often.

schiesz

 

[270winchester]

The wiring only got worse as it aged. Instead of upgrading the wiring to something that'd deliver full rated voltage to the headlight, maintaining a true white halogen color, people swap bulbs to something that filters out the yellow. A band aid, not fixing the real problem.



Cheers all. :buddies:

You know, not everyone is so savvy or has enough time on their hands to experiment doing the swapping on their own time. It's far easier to swap bulbs than to tear apart the wiring(which is not the easiest thing to work on in a lot of cars).

If you pay a shop to do it it will cost 7-8 Silverstar bulbs just for the labor. That's 3-4 years of Silver Stars(assuming a set work foe a year) THat's a long time to own a car for most people(unlike my family).

I'll look into the wiring though. Anyone in the bay area want to help me?

 

[Diesel_Bomber]

Ya got me there. I can rewire an entire car in my sleep; I do keep forgetting that not everyone can do these things. I'm not suggesting that anyone attempt anything beyond their level of competence. Headlights failing on a deserted country road at night could kill someone. If swapping bulbs is the limit, then Silverstars are indeed better than stock bulbs when used with the stock wiring, while remaining legal. The rest of my post may be pointless.

On the one vehicle('91 Cavalier) I did where the person was using Silverstars previously, my upgraded wiring w/stock bulbs was brighter than his stock wiring w/Silverstars. I'll admit it, the Silverstars still looked a bit more white. Even if I had to pay someone else to do the wiring, I'd still consider it worth the cost. You're also then free to play with higher wattage bulbs without the chance of burning up your wiring. In the case of the '91 Cavalier, he then put the Silverstars back in with the upgraded wiring.

Whatever amount of light a blue-coated bulb puts out, it could put out more light without the blue coating. I realize that there's a lumen limit on legal bulbs. Silverstars are legal and probably wouldn't be without their coating, where as over wattage bulbs are not.

Different strokes for different folks. :buddies:

Edit: If I was in the area I'd be happy to give you a hand, if you'd have me.

 

[Flummo]

If you don't like the american(?) silverstars with the coating, you could always buy the (european?) ones with clear glass. As I said earlier, they have gotten eccelent results in tests here.

About rewiring in your sleep, I am one of the lucky few that also could do that. Even if I couldn't i think it would be worth paying someone else (like me ) to do it, as the normal drop around 1V or more does kill alot of the light you could get with full voltage at the lamps. Actually I think that your original bulbs must be really horrible if a set of 55/60W Philips/Osram/whatever will give you more light with the standard harness than the original lamps would with new wiring...

 

[monkeyboy]

(Rant)

Don't get PIAA bulbs. They're way overpriced and don't last long at all. I had a pair of H7's that only lasted about 6 months. The website advertises them as new technology that emits more efficient whiter light. This is complete BS

The extra efficiency and whiteness is due to them being overdriven and the blue filter absorbs a lot of this extra light. Also the colour is nothing like HID, it emits a sickly greenish tint in comparison that is not as easy on the eye. HID conversion kits are relatively cheap these days and will outlast these 20 times so will be much cheaper in the long run. They will also produce brighter whiter light.

I also wasted my money on those PIAA LED sidelights. each one uses 2 puny little dim LEDs that you can hardly even see. Standard sidelights are far superior and cost about one fifth of the price.

AAAAAAAA!!! I feel so ripped off!

 

[VWTim]

The wiring is like running your flashlight with a worn battery and dirty contacts. if Silverstars improve the output, think about what relay'd silverstars will do. I'd help ya for pizza and beer, but I'm in Oregon. Also there are a few companies that sell drop in relay'd wiring harness's. Also I'd be willing to help talk you thru it. It's really rather simple if you can crimp wires.