[Nightmare]

Ive been looking all over the internet for xenons and or bright lights for my E. I really want brighter lights without doing an HID conversion, Im jealous of all these cars I see on the road with xenons.

 

[daoud]

That's something I'd like to know more about as well. Is it my imagination but are the OEM headlights kind of wimpy? Maybe mine are just aimed wrong, I dunno- but I'd like to know if there's something that would just plug and play....

 

[slimerdogs]

They do make H4 bulbs that are over wattage. The stock ones are 60-55 and you can get something like 80-100. Just don't go overboard as you can overload the circuit.

 

[Shabbis]

My previous vehicle was an 07 VW Touareg with the fancy AFS bi-xenon headlights that even had the cornering lights which would come on when you made a turn.

I find the stock headlights on my 10 E to be just as bright and just as good of road coverage as the xenons I had, just a different color, obviously. When I use the driving lights at night on dark roads, it's even better.

Maybe Honda improved the headlights on the 09+ models?

 

[daoud]

Well, all I know is that I RARELY used my high beams even on the darkest roads around here and now I'm finding I have to use them quite a lot. It's one of the VERY FEW things I have any complaints about, as far as my E goes. Perhaps I'll look into getting some higher-wattage bulbs. Thanks for the input, y'all.

 

[robc]

Just aim your lights higher

 

[daoud]

That might be what I need to do. On my last car I got flashed occasionally by folks who thought I had my high beams on BUT I could see......

 

[chesterspot]

Anyone know how the high/low circuit is designed? I know that when you turn the headlights on a relay clicks but hi/low doesn't seem to have a separate relay.

 

[scorsone]

I picked up a set of Phillips bulbs which are the same maker as OEM that are over wattage. The are advertised as giving you more range. I think they are only like 7 watts more so nothing drastic and they were less than $20 buck for the pair. I can tell a big difference in the illumination from them and have really made my drive home at night from the in-laws house out in the boonies a much more pleasant drive.

 

[daoud]

That sounds pretty much like what I'm after. Thanks!

 

[chesterspot]

There's a company called Nokya that makes nice lights for good prices. Just search ebay. 80/100w H4's are about 25bucks shipped. I'll be ordering the cosmic white ones (5000K). They have 2500K, 5000K, 7000K, 8500K. I know some one with the 70w 2500K's and they are butter yellow. He's got them on his motorcycle.

www.nokyausa.com

 

[LunchBoxDriver]

My previous vehicle was an 07 VW Touareg with the fancy AFS bi-xenon headlights that even had the cornering lights which would come on when you made a turn.

I find the stock headlights on my 10 E to be just as bright and just as good of road coverage as the xenons I had, just a different color, obviously. When I use the driving lights at night on dark roads, it's even better.

Maybe Honda improved the headlights on the 09+ models?

Shabbis, I agree with you on that... I took a look at '05s & up at our last meet and the '09s and '10s have a brighter and whiter light which I'm guessing the rest of the '09-'10 folks are noticing as well...

Nightmare and Daoud, look into those Sylvania Silverstars... You can pretty much pick those up anywhere... Since headlights are a safety issue, go with what you know... I not sure if anyone has given these a try but they look very good and Sylvania makes a lot of bulbs for lots of cars... SlimerDogs says 60-55 and maybe a little more and the SilverStars fit the bill (HERE) and if you want to see a comparison of all of Sylvania's stuff (HERE)...

Let us know what you end up with buddy...!

LBD

 

[ad.monk]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/IPF-...ptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

Recently installed a pair of these bulbs. Not night and day difference from stock but definitely an improvement. Without doing projectors, you are still limited by the parabolic reflectors in the factory headlights.

The IPF bulbs are similar to HIR bulbs. Google search HIR if you don't know what that is.

 

[chesterspot]

I installed my Nokya's and I am impressed. The distance has improved slightly but with the 5000k light signs, road markers, white lane markers reflect very well. I've been looking at HID's for some time but my engineering side gets me. The reflectors were designed for a filament and granted HID's put a lot of light out it's just not focused.

 

[ad.monk]

Stay away from Nokya and other blue coated bulbs.

Here's why, the blue coating serves as a filter, to block light produced so that only light towards the blue spectrum passes the glass, yielding a more white, HID-like light. The benefits are purely cosmetic and psychological. In real world use, this means instead of a full spectrum of light leaving the bulb, illuminating the road and bounce back into your eyes, you are actually getting less light back into your eyes.

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/bulbs/blue/blue.html

FAQ and science aside, it's just common sense. Take a flashlight and put a colored transparent acetate over the lens. It's an exaggerated example but it's the same idea.

 

[chesterspot]

Stay away from Nokya and other blue coated bulbs.

Here's why, the blue coating serves as a filter, to block light produced so that only light towards the blue spectrum passes the glass, yielding a more white, HID-like light. The benefits are purely cosmetic and psychological. In real world use, this means instead of a full spectrum of light leaving the bulb, illuminating the road and bounce back into your eyes, you are actually getting less light back into your eyes.

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/bulbs/blue/blue.html

FAQ and science aside, it's just common sense. Take a flashlight and put a colored transparent acetate over the lens. It's an exaggerated example but it's the same idea.

If you go back and read my first post you'll find that I went with to 80/100w lights. They are still brighter than stock even with the coating.

I like the butter yellow nokya's for fog and low speed driving, are you going to tell me that it's all psychological? Pot hole actually appear better with the yellow light where as a higher color temperature gives me better distance. It's how my eyes work.

I will be adding the yellows when i install the fog lights because it gives a really nice contrast for me on the road. For you things may be different but that's just how my eyes work.

 

[ad.monk]

If you go back and read my first post you'll find that I went with to 80/100w lights. They are still brighter than stock even with the coating.

I like the butter yellow nokya's for fog and low speed driving, are you going to tell me that it's all psychological? Pot hole actually appear better with the yellow light where as a higher color temperature gives me better distance. It's how my eyes work.

I will be adding the yellows when i install the fog lights because it gives a really nice contrast for me on the road. For you things may be different but that's just how my eyes work.

Before you get defensive, because you spent money on it, think about it objectively. It doesn't matter if it's rated higher, it's still a blue coated bulb. The same rules of quantum physics apply.

Also, if you dig into the Stern Lighting FAQ, you'll see that wattage ratings are not to be taken seriously. The world of advertising and marketing is full of straight-out lies and half-truths. I should know, I've worked professionally in advertising for over 15 years and have told my share of lies to help clients sell more products.

It's very easy to to claim "brighter" and "80/100w". All the "lab" has to do is supply the bulbs with more juice. Unless you up-rate your entire electrical system, you will not see the same result produced in controlled laboratory situations.

The information and science is there. Take it or leave it. It's your money.

The only conventional (somewhat) halogen bulb that has been proven to work is HIR technology. In this case, metallic particles are embedded into the glass globe to reflect some light back to superheat the filament to produce more light. The resulting color temp is in the range of 3800k, where as true HID is around 4500k. HIR technology was originally produced by Toshiba, as a lower cost OEM alternative to HID systems which requires a higher cost to manufacturers (additional wiring, investments in headlight designs to accommodate projectors, more components like ballasts and more packaging considerations). It was used in the Dodge Vipers.

The one thing you are correct on is yellow light does provide better contrast in short distances, that's why fog lights are best with yellow bulbs. Same reason I shake my head when I see kids dropping good money on blue or HID bulbs into fog lamps.

White light does give you better contrast at distance, before it dissipates. And this is an important point, because light in that spectrum scatters more readily, which brings optics into play and the exact reason why HIDs need optics that are specifically designed for it to provide focus and maximum distance possible.

It isn't just how your eyes work per se, it's how the human eye works... and quantum physics.

 

[chesterspot]

I did my own testing and my stock lights pulled 4.67amps(56w) and the new ones are 6.4amps(77w) which is a 27% increase and minus say, a generous 10% and I'm still left with a 17% increase in light. And that's just the math. You are right about some of the spectrum being left out. No debate there, but the white reaches further and the yellow fogs will make up for it in the shorter distance.

Here's a msg from a Honda Goldwing Owner whom I highly respect. He and I have been toying with lights for our vehicles for 6 months:

I'm Chesterspot's mentioned friend with the 2500K lights on my bike... I did a LOT of research about lights and color before making the upgrade, far more than Googling and reading one or two websites. I had lengthy discussions about the options with experts in lighting, motorcycle specific lighting and my optometrist. I'm no expert by any means, but I did learn quite a bit by talking to the experts.

First, I'd like to address the comment about tinted bulbs being "less bright" than clear. You're right. The amount of light leaving the bulb is decreased by the color tinting.

My bike has four headlights, two low beam and two high beam. The standard lights are plain 50 or 55W H7s. My low beams are 70W 2500K Nokyas and my highs are 100W 4350K MTecs. Both are "tinted" one the very slightest blue, the other a deep, rich, butter yellow. Even with the tinting, the amount of light leaving the bulbs is tremendously higher due to more efficient bulb and filament design and (primarily) higher wattage.

The 2500K lights were chosen for a couple reasons.

1) The yellow light is far more conspicuous in traffic. This isn't something you cagers have to worry about too much, but you folks don't see motorcycles and the yellow lights have demonstrated a significant improvement in visibility on bikes through plenty of non-scientific research.

2) In rain and fog, the yellow light penetrates much better through mist with much less glare back.

3) The yellow lights illuminate changes in pavement much better than whites do. Again, this is more motorcycle related than cage.

4) The yellow light gives a MUCH higher contrast between wildlife and the surroundings than the white lights do. Again, hitting deer is far more dangerous for motorcyclists than drivers, but I suspect ya'll don't care for hitting deer too much.

5) These bulbs are 70W for two reasons. The yellow appears to make them run hotter than a clear bulb does and I don't want to torch the front of my $20,000 motorcycle. Also, since they're ALWAYS on, I don't want to blind other drivers with excessively bright lights.

6) According to my optometrist, some folks with lighter colored eyes benefit greatly from amber or yellow light when it comes to color distinguishing. I'm, apparently, one of those. I usually wear amber glasses while target shooting because they highlight the contrasts on the target better than clear lenses. (Incidentally, the color combination with the greatest contrast is yellow and black)

The 4350K lights are as close to "daylight" as I could get. The bike's wiring and charging system can handle about 120W per bulb, but 100W is the highest wattage I can find from reputable brands. These lights cast light far and away better and further than the Element headlights. The reflectors on this bike are just about some of the best reflectors for halogen lighting you'll find on any vehicle with 2 or 4 wheels.

Anyways, I've taken enough of your time. This is simply my experience and opinion. I'm not even smart enough to buy a minivan like you folks did and call it an "Mini-SUV" *grin* Ya'll stay safe and enjoy whatever lights ya'll decide on. Just remember to aim them correctly.