PIAA Night Tech H4 bulbs

[JHZR2]

One of my trusty Hella H4 +30 bulbs failed on low beam recently. It really lasted a long time, probably six years and 60-70k miles of usually being on. These were installed in Hella 5 3/4" e-code lights.

I didn't easily find that bulb, so I decided to try these PIAA bulbs. I like their silicone wipers, they are white lights, weren't really any worse priced than any other of the high end bulbs out there, so why not. The car, 1991 BMW 318i has slightly lower operating voltage than modern cars, so I opted for brighter lights to compensate (I've used the Eco bulbs in other newer cars, and in fact installed one Phillips Eco H7 in the wife's vw since it uses low beams as drls).

The bulbs claim more light and better performance, with a superior gas composition in the capsule.

So I installed just one to compare against the old Hella.

I found that they did seem to give a bit more light up close, and throw it a bit further in practice, though it's tough to see.
Right side is the new bulb.

Low beams:

High beams (sorry no street view):

No complaints. Hope they last as well as the Hellas did. After all, they claim Japanese quality made in Germany.

 

[dparm]

LOL at the highly-scientific spider graph.

 

[Smokescreen]

You may need to adjust your headlights. They are supposed to look like this:
__/ __/

You have this:
--/ __/
Where one light is higher/lower than the other. This is evident again in the high beam shots where one is lower than the other.

Also next time check out: http://store.candlepower.com/h4hb29003bulbs.html as they will have the best bulbs listed. PIAA is characteristically not one of the more respected bulb/lamp manufacturers in the industry, especially the ones with the tinted blue glass. Clear glass is always best. Remember that blue tinting tends to be more irritating than bright, sometimes our minds confuse irritation with intensity.

 

[JHZR2]

I agree on alignment. Never noticed it before!

These bulbs have a coating but are bright white. Not blue.

 

[Rand]

while I like their articles their prices are somewhat high.

For example they list osram nightbreaker unlimited in h11@55$

I paid 43$ for a set.

It does appear to be the high on the drivers side. Almost like some RHD cars.

Originally Posted By: Smokescreen
You may need to adjust your headlights. They are supposed to look like this:
__/ __/

You have this:
--/ __/
Where one light is higher/lower than the other. This is evident again in the high beam shots where one is lower than the other.

Also next time check out: http://store.candlepower.com/h4hb29003bulbs.html as they will have the best bulbs listed. PIAA is characteristically not one of the more respected bulb/lamp manufacturers in the industry, especially the ones with the tinted blue glass. Clear glass is always best. Remember that blue tinting tends to be more irritating than bright, sometimes our minds confuse irritation with intensity.

 

[wirelessF]

Does your car do low+high beams or high only when you switch on high beams? Interesting for a BMW to take H4 bulbs. Isn't it separate headlamps for low or high beam?

 

[dparm]

Originally Posted By: wirelessF
Does your car do low+high beams or high only when you switch on high beams? Interesting for a BMW to take H4 bulbs. Isn't it separate headlamps for low or high beam?


Most of them are bi-xenon these days (or dual-filament in the case of halogen).

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: wirelessF
Does your car do low+high beams or high only when you switch on high beams? Interesting for a BMW to take H4 bulbs. Isn't it separate headlamps for low or high beam?


This is a 1991 vehicle which came with sealed beams as OEM. I always upgrade cars with sealed beams to e-codes. The H4 is the appropriate bulb for 7" e-codes and for the low beam portion of the quad-bulb 5 3/4 variant.

The H4 is 60 W on low, and 55W when on high beam, which works in tandem with its sister beam, which is a 5 3/4" H1, iirc.

 

[HTSS_TR]

I agree with Smokescreen, you need to adjust your headlight.

Personally I don't like blue tinted bulb from any manufacture, be it PIAA or Osram or Phillips. I also don't like PIAA headlight bulb of all kind, from the day they advertised 80-85W bulb that use only 50-55W power.

But you already paid for the bulb and you like it, and that is all importance to you.

Sorry for negative opinion about PIAA blue tinted bulb.

 

[Hokiefyd]

The blue coating is what people are referring to with the "blue" comments. Not necessarily that the light is "blue", but that the blue coating is removing some of the light from the potential output. Fortunately, the areas immediately perpendicular to the low beam filament are not coated, so that's good.

PIAA is a re-brander; they don't make their own bulbs. If these are made in Germany, it's a good bet that they're made by either Osram, Philips, or Hella. At least they're not made in China. In H4, the Philips Xtreme Vision is generally regarded as the best available choice. Another excellent choice is the 65/70W Osram bulb found here:

http://store.candlepower.com/64205.html

If your headlamp housings are metal with glass front covers, those Osram 64205s would be very appropriate, and will out-perform any 55/60W bulb.

Also, an H4 is 55W on low beam and 60W on high beam. I think you might have had it backwards in an earlier post.

 

[JHZR2]

Thanks. They were listed many places as 60/55, I really couldnt care less what the wattage was so long as the ampacity in the wiring is correct, I can see decently, and the load isnt too much for the car. I check the box for most of those pretty decently.

I wont be going up in power because the car is already a little low voltage-wise compared to others (newer vehicles), and I dont need a lower resistance fillament causing a higher load tht drops me further. If I need light, Ill turn on the high beams which absolutely blast down the road since four lights are going.

I have to take for action to adjust that light, but certainly it appears from the color, quality and extent of illumination, that Im not losing anything compared at least to some older hella +30 bulbs. In my other cars with higher operating voltage and where the DRLs are the low beams, Ive been using the eco bulbs and have been rather happy with them.

 

[Volvohead]

Late in on this one.

But for an E-code H4 lamp of good quality, the Osram 64205 is about as good as it gets in a near-spec bulb. Significantly stronger output than even the Philips XV +100, but with better life. The extra output is very safely focused in that beam pattern, and is zero risk to most standard circuits and lamps. It's the bulb that Daniel Stern apparently frequently recommends if you ask him.

I'm running these bulbs now in the E-codes on our R129, and they rival HIDs without the hassles. Fantastic improvement over the dismal DOT 9004 lamps the car came with.

Give them a try when the PIAAs die out.