That's an accurate description of him. Cranky, but probably the best automotive lighting info resouce on the web.
Your favorite non-OEM halogen headlight bulb?
- Thread starter mshu7
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That's an accurate description of him. Cranky, but probably the best automotive lighting info resouce on the web.
Wouldn't you be cranky, too, if practically everybody buys into all the snake oil marketing instead of the sound information you give?
He's practically the only voice on the net to counter all the huckers, both large and small.
I've dealt with him directly, and he certainly wasn't cranky one on one.
A Dan Is The Lighting Guy forum would be just as helpful as BITOG.
I bought silver stars and one burned out at 9 mos. I went to Walmart and one cost about 21 bucks. I think a pair cost about 36 or 37 dollars.
Next day I was at Advanced Auto and they had the new and improved Sliver Star Ultra . Priced about 48 dollars but had about a 13 dollar discount for two. I am trying them out now. They are suppose to last 30% longer.
Next day I was at Advanced Auto and they had the new and improved Sliver Star Ultra . Priced about 48 dollars but had about a 13 dollar discount for two. I am trying them out now. They are suppose to last 30% longer.
GE Nighthwaks in H4 in a 94 civic. Best bulbs i've used so far, and i've tried piaa, xtravision (the xtravision are a great value), sylvania us market silverstars (the coating looks cool but reduces light--simple physics there), philips bluevision. About the only bulb i like better than the nighthawks was the Philips VisionPlus; these are not readily availible in the US.
We run all of our vehicles with the headlights on.
I asked for a set of Xtravisions for Christmas, Mom went all out and bought me the silverstars. Lasted 3 months!!!! They were really bright but I will not buy those again. I have had the Xtravisions that I bought as a replacement in for about 8 months and I'm very happy with them. I also installed a relay harness in the jeep and the lights on high beam are very very good.
I asked for a set of Xtravisions for Christmas, Mom went all out and bought me the silverstars. Lasted 3 months!!!! They were really bright but I will not buy those again. I have had the Xtravisions that I bought as a replacement in for about 8 months and I'm very happy with them. I also installed a relay harness in the jeep and the lights on high beam are very very good.
Some info on HIR lamps: http://tinyurl.com/yd332q
Another reference site: I've heard Dan Stern is involved with this outfit but don't hold me to it:
http://tinyurl.com/y6mz6r
Another reference site: I've heard Dan Stern is involved with this outfit but don't hold me to it:
http://tinyurl.com/y6mz6r
Found the following info:
Standard 9006 halogen (low beam): 1000 lumens, 800 hour rated life $6
Sylvania 9006 Xtravision (low beam): 1060 lumens, 300 hour rated life $10
GE 9006 Nighthawk (low beam): 1150 lumens, 250 hour rated life $14
Toshiba HIR 9006 (low beam): 1800 lumens, 800 hour rated life $27
Sylvania 9006 Silverstar (low beam): 910 lumens, 150 hour rated life $20
http://reviews.ebay.com/quot-Xenon-quot-...T:-1:LISTINGS:6
Standard 9006 halogen (low beam): 1000 lumens, 800 hour rated life $6
Sylvania 9006 Xtravision (low beam): 1060 lumens, 300 hour rated life $10
GE 9006 Nighthawk (low beam): 1150 lumens, 250 hour rated life $14
Toshiba HIR 9006 (low beam): 1800 lumens, 800 hour rated life $27
Sylvania 9006 Silverstar (low beam): 910 lumens, 150 hour rated life $20
http://reviews.ebay.com/quot-Xenon-quot-...T:-1:LISTINGS:6
I'm not an EE, or a "light engineer" or an opthamologist, but consider this; some machine is measuring the light output of these bulbs, but at what frequencies? The human eye has different sensitivites to different frequencies. If it APPEARS brighter even though the machine says it isn't, who's to say I should choose the bulb that the machine says is better but my eyes say is worse???
Dave
Dave
GE Nighthawks, while sounding good, seem hard to find. I have only seen them at some Wal-marts. Even so, I put NightHawk 9007s in my wife's 98 explorer.
Main reason I replaced the bulbs is that I heard Halogen bulbs get dimmer over time. These were the original bulbs I removed. They were about 9 years old.
Have not been out to see if they are brighter etc.
Main reason I replaced the bulbs is that I heard Halogen bulbs get dimmer over time. These were the original bulbs I removed. They were about 9 years old.
Have not been out to see if they are brighter etc.
For standard replacement: Sylvania Xtravasion are a hard value to beat. Nighthawks are darn good too, little pricey.
Better than all IMO are the Toshiba HIR Bulbs. Wow. And at $30 each, not any more than many of the bling bulbs like silverstars, but way more full spectrum lumens.
Better than all IMO are the Toshiba HIR Bulbs. Wow. And at $30 each, not any more than many of the bling bulbs like silverstars, but way more full spectrum lumens.
I went through my blue-light phase... and I wasted too much money on PIAA and Sylvania Silverstar bulbs.
Now, it's Philips VisionPlus. I first used them in a Hella H4 conversion lamp on a GMC Sonoma and then on a Chevrolet Tracker (also an H4 lamp). I'm sure alot of my impression has to do with the bulb design itself (I'm convinced that the H4 is the best incandescent headlamp out there), but going from a standard bulb in the Tracker to the VisionPlus yieled a noticable and impressive difference.
I'm currently on the lookout for some 9005/9006 VisionPlus bulbs for a Saturn Vue... the replacement vehicle for the above mentioned Tracker.
Now, it's Philips VisionPlus. I first used them in a Hella H4 conversion lamp on a GMC Sonoma and then on a Chevrolet Tracker (also an H4 lamp). I'm sure alot of my impression has to do with the bulb design itself (I'm convinced that the H4 is the best incandescent headlamp out there), but going from a standard bulb in the Tracker to the VisionPlus yieled a noticable and impressive difference.
I'm currently on the lookout for some 9005/9006 VisionPlus bulbs for a Saturn Vue... the replacement vehicle for the above mentioned Tracker.
HIR bulbs
http://www.hirheadlights.com/FAQs.htm
John Deer part# AH211917 about $10 each from your local JD dealer.
http://www.hirheadlights.com/FAQs.htm
John Deer part# AH211917 about $10 each from your local JD dealer.
Apparently the "blue" shade of most HID bulbs is a marketing thing. I remember Daniel Stern talking about some of the prototype HID systems of the 90's. They were plenty bright and had an slightly yellowish output color similar to halogen bulbs. Then the marketing types came back and said, "That's nice and all, but is there any way you can make it look different." I guess the marketing folks saw beyond just safety, but the look of exclusivity. The blue tinted "HID look" bulbs remind me of the Dr. Suess story about the Sneetches with stars on their bellies, and the enterprising man with a machine to place stars on the ones who didn't have any.
Since this is totally bogus, I doubt it came from Mr. Stern.
Factory HID systems have always been 4300K to 4500K, which is almost pure white. This color white can look "bluish" when compared to the typical 3500K of std halogen headlights. But for HID to actually BE blue, you've got to get up around 5400K. From there up, you've got a bulb putting out actual BLUE light.
HID projector headlights have a band of very blue light right at the cutoff line that is a product of the shield in the projector, not the bulb itself. If the cutoff line happens to land in an oncoming driver's line of vision, he is going to see blue. As the beam cutoff bounces in and out of his line of vision, he will see the tell-tale "blue flicker" that HID headlights are famous (or infamous) for.
Granted - I pulled what I remember from memory. Perhaps I didn't express everything exactly the way it was told. So for that, there's Google Groups.
http://groups.google.com/group/alt.autos.subaru/msg/8f3271925f9f7c33?dmode=source
Mr. Stern is one of the coolest site owners I'd ever consulted with. His site is by far most informative. I just wish I could order the lighting he's offered in the past.
Why not? He's located in the US (was it New Jersey?) and he ships to anywhere in the US that UPS can reach. Really though - his retail business was just as an independent Candlepower rep, at least when I ordered from him. I was looking to get some high-quality amber turn signal bulbs for my WRX that I couldn't find anywhere except the dealer (that wanted about $20 each). I got several from him for $6 as well as Osram Silverstar H1 (my first order) and Narva Rangepower +50 H1 bulbs (with the amber bulbs). He may be somewhat of a (playful) curmudgeon on usenet, but he's always pleasant when doing business.
The NAPA lights are made by Wagner....
