brighter Low Beam bulbs (h11) available??
#1
12-08-2008, 06:44 AM
brighter Low Beam bulbs (h11) available??
OK I searched and wasn't able to find a clear answer -
the low beams really suck on my 07 TCH - is there a OEM replacement bulb (like the Sylvania SilverStar) that I can just replace the original low beams with? I don't want to get into the HID stuff, just want a brighter low beam nulb. I think it is the H11 bulb.
Thanks in advance.
the low beams really suck on my 07 TCH - is there a OEM replacement bulb (like the Sylvania SilverStar) that I can just replace the original low beams with? I don't want to get into the HID stuff, just want a brighter low beam nulb. I think it is the H11 bulb.
Thanks in advance.
#2
12-08-2008, 08:13 AM
Re: brighter Low Beam bulbs (h11) available??
sadeen,
I modified an H9 bulb (65watt, 2100 lumens) to replace the H11 bulb (55watt, 1350 lumens). It's an easy way to get 50% more light from the low beams and not blind someone. The bulbs do not last as long as the H11 bulbs however so there are some drawbacks to using them.
The additional 10 watts required should not be a problem. Each bulb is fused separately with a 15 amp fuse (180+ watts) and I doubt the little additional load these bulbs pull will give us any problem. Mine have been running for 6 months now and I drive in the dark for 30 to 45 minutes twice a day.
The bulbs are easy to modify with a dremel to cut the tab and a sharp utility knife to cut the inner plastic tab. A link for this can be found here:
http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=119161
I modified an H9 bulb (65watt, 2100 lumens) to replace the H11 bulb (55watt, 1350 lumens). It's an easy way to get 50% more light from the low beams and not blind someone. The bulbs do not last as long as the H11 bulbs however so there are some drawbacks to using them.
The additional 10 watts required should not be a problem. Each bulb is fused separately with a 15 amp fuse (180+ watts) and I doubt the little additional load these bulbs pull will give us any problem. Mine have been running for 6 months now and I drive in the dark for 30 to 45 minutes twice a day.
The bulbs are easy to modify with a dremel to cut the tab and a sharp utility knife to cut the inner plastic tab. A link for this can be found here:
http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=119161
#3
12-08-2008, 09:35 AM
Ridiculously Active Enthusiast
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Beautiful Pacific NW
Posts: 1,678
Re: brighter Low Beam bulbs (h11) available??
If the filament position in the H9 bulb is not in the exact, EXACT, same position when installed vs the H11 then the headlight beam pattern from reflector assembly will be off, perhaps dramatically so.
#4
12-08-2008, 10:21 AM
Re: brighter Low Beam bulbs (h11) available??
wwest,
The position is the same. The only difference is in the light output and the fact that the light is a little "whiter" from the H9 bulbs. If you look at photo one on the linked site above, you can see the filament location is the same.
The position is the same. The only difference is in the light output and the fact that the light is a little "whiter" from the H9 bulbs. If you look at photo one on the linked site above, you can see the filament location is the same.
#5
12-08-2008, 11:00 AM
Re: brighter Low Beam bulbs (h11) available??
Another thing to note. These should ONLY be used in the projector housing for your low beams. Using this bright of a bulb in a reflector housing (fog lights) WILL blind people. The cutoffs in the projector housings will limit the light that would be intrusive to other drivers.
#6
12-08-2008, 01:42 PM
Re: brighter Low Beam bulbs (h11) available??
I got a pair of OSRAM Night Breaker H11 a few months ago. They are definitely an improvement. No fussing on the intall. Less than ten minutes. No problems observed.
I don't know how they compare to other products but an improvement over the anemic originals.
http://stores.ebay.com/Aftermarket-Bulbs-Shop
I don't know how they compare to other products but an improvement over the anemic originals.
http://stores.ebay.com/Aftermarket-Bulbs-Shop
#7
12-08-2008, 03:13 PM
Ridiculously Active Enthusiast
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Beautiful Pacific NW
Posts: 1,678
Re: brighter Low Beam bulbs (h11) available??
From the photos the filament position isn't really definitive but what is obvious is that one of the two does not, will not, emit light at/from the tip due to the coating. That can make a BIG difference in the light pattern.
#8
12-08-2008, 03:18 PM
Ridiculously Active Enthusiast
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Beautiful Pacific NW
Posts: 1,678
Re: brighter Low Beam bulbs (h11) available??
Another thing to note. These should ONLY be used in the projector housing for your low beams. Using this bright of a bulb in a reflector housing (fog lights) WILL blind people. The cutoffs in the projector housings will limit the light that would be intrusive to other drivers.
I sincerely regret having to disagee, but...
Fog light assemblies, reflectors, etc, are specifically designed to keep the beam pattern low and wide. So unless someone has managed to tilt them upward inordinately then they will be much more of a detriment to the owner's (as driver) night time distance vision vs oncoming drivers.
#9
12-08-2008, 08:20 PM
Re: brighter Low Beam bulbs (h11) available??
Willard,
This might be one area where we will agree to disagree. I have H9 bulbs in my low beams and know the pattern that they throw. The lights will not blind anyone coming towards me any more than the factory H11 bulbs. Every HID kit that I have seen unless fitted with HID projectors in a retrofit will glare.
As for the reflector housing "fog lights", most of the people I see running them use the lights more as a "driving light" than as a "fog" light. They are aimed too high for use as fogs and they produce a glare into the eyes of oncoming drivers. Even used as a fog light, the additional light produced by the H9 bulbs will produce a glare to oncoming traffic.
This might be one area where we will agree to disagree. I have H9 bulbs in my low beams and know the pattern that they throw. The lights will not blind anyone coming towards me any more than the factory H11 bulbs. Every HID kit that I have seen unless fitted with HID projectors in a retrofit will glare.
As for the reflector housing "fog lights", most of the people I see running them use the lights more as a "driving light" than as a "fog" light. They are aimed too high for use as fogs and they produce a glare into the eyes of oncoming drivers. Even used as a fog light, the additional light produced by the H9 bulbs will produce a glare to oncoming traffic.
#10
12-08-2008, 10:29 PM
Ridiculously Active Enthusiast
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Beautiful Pacific NW
Posts: 1,678
Re: brighter Low Beam bulbs (h11) available??
Willard,
This might be one area where we will agree to disagree. I have H9 bulbs in my low beams and know the pattern that they throw. The lights will not blind anyone coming towards me any more than the factory H11 bulbs.
Except for filament position with regards the entire assembly, reflector focal point, masking, the bulb, halogen bulb, in use has very little to do with the forward beam pattern and whether or not it interferes with oncoming driver's eyes/vision.
HID, on the other hand, has enough additional brightness and beam coherence over any compatible halogen that the upper masking typical to low beam assemblies is not effective enough.
Every HID kit that I have seen unless fitted with HID projectors in a retrofit will glare.
Projector optics or lens are not the point. If you look inside a low beam projector light you will find a masking/shading element that provides a rather sharp upper level beam cutoff for the forward beam pattern. In a bi-xenon projector system there is an electric solenoid that drops the mask away in the high beam position.
In point of fact my '01 Mustang has a low beam projector HID (separate high beam halogen) behind a shading mask that quite sharply, very effectively, cuts off the upper HID beam level.
As for the reflector housing "fog lights", most of the people I see running them use the lights more as a "driving light" than as a "fog" light. They are aimed too high for use as fogs and they produce a glare into the eyes of oncoming drivers. Even used as a fog light, the additional light produced by the H9 bulbs will produce a glare to oncoming traffic.
This might be one area where we will agree to disagree. I have H9 bulbs in my low beams and know the pattern that they throw. The lights will not blind anyone coming towards me any more than the factory H11 bulbs.
Except for filament position with regards the entire assembly, reflector focal point, masking, the bulb, halogen bulb, in use has very little to do with the forward beam pattern and whether or not it interferes with oncoming driver's eyes/vision.
HID, on the other hand, has enough additional brightness and beam coherence over any compatible halogen that the upper masking typical to low beam assemblies is not effective enough.
Every HID kit that I have seen unless fitted with HID projectors in a retrofit will glare.
Projector optics or lens are not the point. If you look inside a low beam projector light you will find a masking/shading element that provides a rather sharp upper level beam cutoff for the forward beam pattern. In a bi-xenon projector system there is an electric solenoid that drops the mask away in the high beam position.
In point of fact my '01 Mustang has a low beam projector HID (separate high beam halogen) behind a shading mask that quite sharply, very effectively, cuts off the upper HID beam level.
As for the reflector housing "fog lights", most of the people I see running them use the lights more as a "driving light" than as a "fog" light. They are aimed too high for use as fogs and they produce a glare into the eyes of oncoming drivers. Even used as a fog light, the additional light produced by the H9 bulbs will produce a glare to oncoming traffic.
I regret that I must agree with you wholly on this.
I think the law should be amended to prevent operation of fog lights in combination with either high or low beams. The use of fog lights is ONLY appropriate in foggy daytime conditions and are an actual detriment to night time forward vision when the law REQUIRES that either high or low beams MUST be used.
