FreeHam

I am looking to replace the bulbs in my Se-R (Both 9007s and H3s). I was planning on purchasing PIAA Halogen (Super White) bulbs.

1. Does anyone recommend anything different with respect to brighter replacements? Or is PIAA a good choice

2. I was thinking of trying (testing) xenon 80/120 bulbs. Are there any cautions about doing this, or opinions.

Thanks

 

Slow 96R

Yes, that is a high wattage. Stay 70 and below unless U plan to do a wiring harness with it. PIAA is a good choise as well as catz. The others seem to blow to fast. My $.02

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FreeHam

Thank you. I ended up going with PIAA Extreem White for the headlamps and driving lights. The headlamps are 55/65 (110/120 effective) and the driving lights are H3 85w (135 effective). A very reputable dealer said that high wattage in the headlamps would present issues but that the driving lights would be ok pushing the wattage a bit (unless you recommend different).

I only ran the 80/120 (actual wattage) for the headlamps for about 40 minutes of driving. They did seem to work ok, but another person like yourself said to be careful. I returned the 80/120 bulbs today.

Thanks again

Slow 96R

Yes I recommend different because it fried my wires to my fogs and my head lights No more than 75 period!


Smart move

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FreeHam

Should I return the PIAA 85 watt fogs?

 

Slow 96R

Very good ?. Umm, I would contact them and find out what gauge wire is needed to prevent it from shorting out. I know 75 was a good limit not sure about 85. Ask if anyone else has used these in one of the sections.

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FreeHam

Earlier today I had put the piaa extreem brights in (55/65). So I wait for night. I try them. Yes, they are bright (very bright), but I don't know if I am in love with them. They do flood the road, that is for sure, but compared to the light that I tried last night, they seem very different. And according to a discussion I held with my friend tonight, he says I should see no visual difference with respect to color temp. I will explain further.

Light one: Korean Made (Don't remember the mfr)
Low Beam: 80w (true 80)
High Beam: 120w (true 120)
Color Temp: 4000k
Cost: $22.00 / pair

Light feature: Xenon technology (mfr claims equivilency to HID 130w)

Light two: PIAA Extreem Bright
Low Beam: 55w (effective 110w)
High Beam: 65w (effective 120w)
Color Temp: 4000k
Cost: $89.00 / pair

Light feature: Bulb/filament construction superior, that is what
Makes PIAA work like it does.


Difference between the two:

The Korean bulb's light seemed to be more present than the PIAA. The light, as it hit the ground, from the korean bulb, seemed to be the color of a xenon strobe (very white with a steel blue tinge). The PIAA's light seemed to be a very very bright white, but as it hit the ground it did not have the same impact of color presence. It was just plain bright white.

So, I am faced with a dilemma:

The dilemma being that the xenon-like bulb, cheap-o ($22.00), is of higher wattage (80/120) and more dangerous to put in the car, but I like the output color (a steel-white xenon strobe) (although technically they should be the same - 4000k) vs the very very white expensive ($89.00) that is (55w/65w - effective 110w/120w) which is safer to be in the car.

Now I did buy the $22.00 bulbs at a NAPA. Maybe that does not mean much since even a good place can sell not so good parts etc. Maybe not.

So, two questions ultimately come to mind.

1. Could it be that the cheap-o bulb really is not cheap but it just happens to be the price of a xenon bulb? (or the bulb is cheap, which means they could slap any selling point on a package to get you to buy it. i.e. xenon (hid-like 130w) etc.) and the bulb is unstable (or garbage) and would cause great harm to the wiring/housing.

2. If the above question reveals that this so-called xenon is the real thing, then how do I prepare the wiring/housing to accept the difference in wattage?

OK, in closing, so maybe I am nuts, and 'think' that this so called xenon is better than the PIAA. according to the 'laws' of color temp, I should not see the difference, but I really think I do.

Please help

Blinded by the light.

Slow 96R

Get yourself a APC wiring harness to bypass the stock wires. Part # 509104. $55
Then you can runwhatever watts you want

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