I park my car outside all the time and I was wondering is there a removable cover I could put over the lens when it's parked and baking in the Florida sun? Something like a sun shade except for the headlamps and not for the interior. I read about wrapping the lens in "clear" UV blocking material but those aren't readily removable before driving and they diminish light out put. I just want something to cover the lens that I can easily take off when I want to drive so they degrade slower versus being cooked all day by the sun while I'm at work.
Headlamp covers?
- Thread starter Ls400
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Sadden
Enlightened
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Seems like a chunk of canvas tarp would achieve what you are looking for. But you would be well served waxing them once in awhile
Alaric Darconville
Flashlight Enthusiast
I'm inventing a 'solution' for this that, while somewhat elaborate, would offer good protection and would be obvious to the driver that they'd need to remove it before driving.
The amount of UV protection afforded by a microscopically-thin layer of wax is dubious. Then you run a slight risk of abrading the UV coating applying and buffing the wax.
Yes, I thought of just cutting up some tarp and attaching a few suction cups to them to cling onto the hood. At the same time, while I don't mind looking tacky at home, I'd not look tacky at work with flaps of canvas clinging onto my hood partially obscuring the front facsia. I don't want to use a whole car cover either as that is a pain to put on and it'll draw excess attention from the general public and there are enough shady people in the public parking lot already.
When will this product be available for purchase?
kingofwylietx
Enlightened
I've considered this idea of trying to avoid prolonged sun exposure when parked. Something I've noticed is that even with fogged headlights, most taillights seem to hold up pretty well over time.
Along those lines, my thinking would be to choose a parking space and direction that shields the headlights from the sun. Here, that would mean pulling in to face in a northern direction.
Alternatively, use some feature of the area, such as a building that offers shade, to shield the headlights. Good luck.
Alaric Darconville
Flashlight Enthusiast
Those headlamps just don't look right. They look to be of the aftermarket variety, and there's an awful lot of junk in the aftermarket. I'd replace those with JW Speaker LED headlamps.
They have the stamp at the bottom and the beam pattern looks great to me. They've had Osram SilverStar's in them for 12 years now, planning to install Philips VisionPlus soon.
The only LED I'd consider would be the GE's which are $160 each.
https://commercial.gelighting.com/catalog/p/69822
https://www.amazon.com/d/Automotive...ting-69822-Rectangular-Replacement/B00BQX2BSO
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It's a very interesting comment that you would only consider the GE LEDs. Why do you say that?
Alaric is right -- those "headlamps" on your car are junk. It's not clear what "stamp at the bottom" you are talking about, but if you mean the "SAE HR 01 DOT", that doesn't mean what it sounds like you might think it means, and in this case the markings are clearly fraudulent; this is an illegal and unsafe, headlight-shaped toy.
Also, most people on the face of this planet do not have the knowledge to be able to meaningfully assess the formation or focus of a headlight beam pattern. What many people think makes a headlight beam that "looks great" (or a headlight beam they think they like, etc) is in fact the opposite of what's needed. What criteria are you basing your "looks great" assessment?
And, what leads you to pick the Philips Vision Plus bulb when you can do so much better?
Alaric is right -- those "headlamps" on your car are junk. It's not clear what "stamp at the bottom" you are talking about, but if you mean the "SAE HR 01 DOT", that doesn't mean what it sounds like you might think it means, and in this case the markings are clearly fraudulent; this is an illegal and unsafe, headlight-shaped toy.
Also, most people on the face of this planet do not have the knowledge to be able to meaningfully assess the formation or focus of a headlight beam pattern. What many people think makes a headlight beam that "looks great" (or a headlight beam they think they like, etc) is in fact the opposite of what's needed. What criteria are you basing your "looks great" assessment?
And, what leads you to pick the Philips Vision Plus bulb when you can do so much better?
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I am interested in what you have cooking...or should I say to prevent from cooking...
alpg88
Flashlight Enthusiast
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- Messages
- 5,339
wow, you still have running Probe in 2019!!! i have not seen those in nyc for prbly a decade.
Because I am not yet aware of Philips or Osram/Sylvania or Vosla making any yet. I only consider bulbs from the big legit light bulb manufactures. BTW is Hella legit? They used to make German made lamp fixtures (my factory fogs on the Probe are Hella, also looking for some good selective yellow H3's for them) but their bulbs these days seem cheaply made...
I got them from JCWhitney back in 2007. https://www.jcwhitney.com/details/Univ/Pilot/Headlight_Conversion_Kit/P25WIHL5A.html
They are still being made today... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006309WA/?tag=cpf0b6-20
It's wide and flat with a good cut off. I can't take pics right now or I would, the Probe is in storage over 100miles away right now.
Are you talking about the 9003/H4 bulb for my existing fixtures or are you talking about complete fixture bulbs? No way I'm going back to non clear-lens. I realize most of you recommend the ExtremeVision over the VisionPlus but I don't like the blue band on the ExtremeVision nor do I like the short life.
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Yep. and it's a turbo model...
You rejected Alaric's recommendation for JW Speaker LED headlamps: "No way, man, I'd only use the GEs!". Maybe you don't like the appearance of the JW Speaker lights (even though they have a clear lens you seem to consider essential, and are the best-performing lamps in the size your car takes). Guess what? The GE (and Philips) LED sealed beams are reboxed Truck-Lite units, which are also sold under the Rigid brand. One lamp, four brands. So did you have a real reason for "No way, man, I'd only use the GEs!"? Asking because there isn't one. It looks like you were trying to throw brand names around as if you had knowledge you clearly don't.
Fact is, your headlamps are unsafe and illegal (not a guess, not an opinion, it's a fact that's plain to see in your pics), no matter how much you think you like them.
"Wide and flat with a good cut off" does not mean the beam is good or effective or safe, and pics are useless. You're batting 0.000, dude.
Is pizza good?
Or preferably for use in real headlamps.
What do you do, pull up a chair and sit in front of your car with the headlamps open so you can bask in the warm glow of the clear lenses' glowing warmth or something? headlamps are life-safety equipment, not fashion accessories.
So let's review: you don't like a blue band that has exactly zero effect on the color of the light the headlamp puts out, but you're OK with the mostly/fully blue bulb you have in the headlamps now, and you'd rather get in a crash than have to replace your bulbs a little more often. Oh, and it's super important that the headlamps have clear lenses because those are cool and stuff. Those are not the priorities of a mature adult.
Fact is, your headlamps are unsafe and illegal (not a guess, not an opinion, it's a fact that's plain to see in your pics), no matter how much you think you like them.
"Wide and flat with a good cut off" does not mean the beam is good or effective or safe, and pics are useless. You're batting 0.000, dude.
Is pizza good?
Or preferably for use in real headlamps.
What do you do, pull up a chair and sit in front of your car with the headlamps open so you can bask in the warm glow of the clear lenses' glowing warmth or something? headlamps are life-safety equipment, not fashion accessories.
So let's review: you don't like a blue band that has exactly zero effect on the color of the light the headlamp puts out, but you're OK with the mostly/fully blue bulb you have in the headlamps now, and you'd rather get in a crash than have to replace your bulbs a little more often. Oh, and it's super important that the headlamps have clear lenses because those are cool and stuff. Those are not the priorities of a mature adult.
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Alaric Darconville
Flashlight Enthusiast
"Looks great to me" does not necessarily mean it's a safe and legal and effective beam pattern. Lens markings can be forged.
Why only the (rebadged Truck-Lite) GE lamps?
The blue band on halogen bulbs is designed to reduce the total output of the bulb to legal limits without degrading the performance of the bulb, because the light that becomes tinted is light that would have been wasted (not part of the useful beam).
I really don't think we should be criticizing the guy who bought the lights but rather those who sold them. There is really no way to know when lights are safe and legal especially when they come from a reputable source and the lens markings are forged.
1. The lens markings are not forged -- the manufacturer put them on. What they are is fraudulent.
2. JC Whitney hasn't been a reputable source for quality parts in at least fifty years, if it ever was. On occasion, mostly in the (distant) past you could wind up with a legitimate-brand part in non-reject quality from Whitney, but mostly they sell off-brand junk...such as these "headlights".
What's being criticized here is the buyer's careless attitude and insistence on trying to substitute guesses and fairytales in place of knowledge. That doesn't fly here; it never has. Moreover, when those who do know about this stuff point out problems, and the guy who doesn't know does the equivalent of sticking his fingers in his ears and going "I CAN'T HEAR YOU I LIKE MY HEADLIGHTS JUST FINE!", that's also fair game for criticism.
2. JC Whitney hasn't been a reputable source for quality parts in at least fifty years, if it ever was. On occasion, mostly in the (distant) past you could wind up with a legitimate-brand part in non-reject quality from Whitney, but mostly they sell off-brand junk...such as these "headlights".
What's being criticized here is the buyer's careless attitude and insistence on trying to substitute guesses and fairytales in place of knowledge. That doesn't fly here; it never has. Moreover, when those who do know about this stuff point out problems, and the guy who doesn't know does the equivalent of sticking his fingers in his ears and going "I CAN'T HEAR YOU I LIKE MY HEADLIGHTS JUST FINE!", that's also fair game for criticism.
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I bought those Osram SilverStar's back when I was in my 20's. Once I reached my 30's blue light started bothering me, funny it was around the same time I also had to get glasses due to a astigmatism.
The reason I jumped straight to the GE's is because I've seen them on 18 wheeler's and know they get frequent DOT inspections and would not pass if those fixtures did not meet requirements. I have not noticed the JW Speaker ones on any.
I'm unable to afford to invest in new headlight units at this time (that are over around $60) on a car that gets driven no more than 100 miles a year and 99% of the time during the day time. Is there a better clear lens 9003 fixture available? These don't look much different than what I have other than having a bulb cover in them. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000ES6N72/?tag=cpf0b6-20 and these https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002M9QRE/?tag=cpf0b6-20 are not clear lens although they do look a little better than sealed beam.
I really don't like LED as even legit ones are still too blue at over 5000K, 4300K HID is ok but I have not seen any 4300K LED yet. I think I remember seeing some legit manufacturer 6x8's in HID years ago but they were around $800.
I just think it's about time I get rid of the SilverStar's since they bother me now and look quite dim after driving my HIR bulb equipped Explorer not to mention the bulbs are 12 years old which is quite old for bulbs, especially bulbs like SilverStar's that are not supposed to last as long.
Another reason I don't want to go back to H6054 glass diffuser (i call them) lens bulb units is the low beam is only 35 watts...
The reason I jumped straight to the GE's is because I've seen them on 18 wheeler's and know they get frequent DOT inspections and would not pass if those fixtures did not meet requirements. I have not noticed the JW Speaker ones on any.
I'm unable to afford to invest in new headlight units at this time (that are over around $60) on a car that gets driven no more than 100 miles a year and 99% of the time during the day time. Is there a better clear lens 9003 fixture available? These don't look much different than what I have other than having a bulb cover in them. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000ES6N72/?tag=cpf0b6-20 and these https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002M9QRE/?tag=cpf0b6-20 are not clear lens although they do look a little better than sealed beam.
I really don't like LED as even legit ones are still too blue at over 5000K, 4300K HID is ok but I have not seen any 4300K LED yet. I think I remember seeing some legit manufacturer 6x8's in HID years ago but they were around $800.
I just think it's about time I get rid of the SilverStar's since they bother me now and look quite dim after driving my HIR bulb equipped Explorer not to mention the bulbs are 12 years old which is quite old for bulbs, especially bulbs like SilverStar's that are not supposed to last as long.
Another reason I don't want to go back to H6054 glass diffuser (i call them) lens bulb units is the low beam is only 35 watts...
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There are many technical fields, and you might be a Tech Guru in one or more of them, but when it comes to headlamps, you really should be availing yourself of the knowledge available here by asking a lot more questions and making a lot fewer statements -- your statements so far are pretty much 100% without basis in facts and science and reality, but so far you seem bound and determined to stick by 'em anyway. You make guesses based on what you think you see, and yell 'em out as if they were facts instead of asking if you've got it right. You get the terminology wrong. You assume your choices are limited to what you think you've understood of what you think you've seen (nobody said you should go back to H6054s!), instead of asking what your options are. You say self-contradicting stuff that makes no sense at all, and won't hear corrections (you point to the fraudulent markings on your headlight-shaped trinkets in your car and say 'see, they're fine!' but then turn around and say you think you've seen the GE LED units on heavy trucks but not the JW Speakers so that means the GEs are legit and the others aren't -- are you running a fever???). You say stuff that's flat-out not true, as evidenced by your photos.
You're very effectively acting as your own worst enemy on the mission to have good, effective, safe, legal headlamps on your car. Which is a shame, because for not very much money or effort you could easily have a very good, effective, safe, legal halogen headlamp setup on your car.
Ignorance is not a moral failure, but willfully, deliberately maintained ignorance is an ugly shame. Some horses that will die of thirst before they'll acknowledge the tub of nice, cool, clean water right in front of 'em, though.
You're very effectively acting as your own worst enemy on the mission to have good, effective, safe, legal headlamps on your car. Which is a shame, because for not very much money or effort you could easily have a very good, effective, safe, legal halogen headlamp setup on your car.
Ignorance is not a moral failure, but willfully, deliberately maintained ignorance is an ugly shame. Some horses that will die of thirst before they'll acknowledge the tub of nice, cool, clean water right in front of 'em, though.
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