H4 Bulbs

[davidsl500]

Anyone tried any of these bulbs - I'm looking at the 85/80W to improve on the candles presently lighting my SL500.

http://www.impossible-performance.cwc.net/r-bulbs.htm

 

[stwat]

Did i read that right???? They want £450. for a conversion kit so you can fit the bulbs???????????????

If thats right, its a complete and utter con cos you buy xenon filled bulbs for around £20 to £30 that fit the exsiting bulb holders from any accesory shop, or from ebay.

Stu.

Edit. I just noticed that they also sell the bulbs i mentioned for around the price i stated.

 

[turnipsock]

You want to look on the lower shelves, that is where the bargains are, the best I have ever had.

 

[davidsl500]

I have read previous threads regarding the 100 Watt Kits and the debates about cooking wiring and holders as a result of fitting them. I have also read that the 30% brighter bulbs dont actually make alot of difference - which I can agree with from previous experience.

I thought that maybe the 85/80W would be a good compromise without having to worry too much about smoking wiring ! So has anyone had any experiences of them - they are not a lot of money so maybe i should just buy some and review !

 

[OlafMaxwell]

You can get higher ratings, I used to use 130/110 and found them great but you have to watch for overload on the wiring and on the switches [burn out if overloaded, expensive to replace]. I had 5 Fiats and used them in these without a problem, but in the earlier ones I had to fit a relay wired from the battery. If you already have a relay fitted then there should not be a major problem but still check the rating. A decent auto factor shouldbe able to help. I used them for a lot of long night time drives so the wiring issue was important. There is no way that the bulbs, wiring and relays would come to anywhere like £450.00, it's a simple job and a good diy job.

 

[davidsl500]

Thanks for the comments guys,

Just to clarify...Top of the page of the web link shows the pukka HID Conversion kit at £450.00.

Further down the page there are various alternatives listed and the ones I was looking at were the H4 HID Lookalike at £22.0 per pair for 85/80 Watt.

My SL500 has 4 x 8 Amp fuses for the front headlamps - left dip,left main,right dip,right main. Mr Ohm and his law states I (current) = P (watts) / V (volts).

So the standard 55/60W bulbs would consume 5 Amps on Mains.

The 80/85W would consume 7 Amps on Mains

But the 80/100W should blow a fuse at 8.33 Amps on mains and the 130Watts mentioned should be frying tonight !!

Okay I accept that the 12 Volts I have assumed for the calculation is only nominal and more likely the real voltage is probably nearer 13 so the current draw would be slightly lower but the 130W would still be pulling 10 Amps. I think I will try the 85/80W as the compromise as this is still within the standard fuse rating.

There is probably a built in safety factor of 50% on the wiring (above the fuse rating) so it may be that the wiring is good for 12 amps - but when wrapped in a harness with other wiring then heat dissapation is restricted and hence the potential buring smells......

 

[Arnie]

These bulbs are unlikely to be legal and in any case, apart from risking wiring damage, the "50% brighter" will not be that obvious as the eye is sensitive to logarithmic changes in brigtness (it would need to be 10x brighter for the eye to see it as 2x brighter).

True HID makes a difference and the light is of a different quality, but xenon-filled, fillament bulbs are just a marketing gimmick for the normal hallogen-filled variety. You can even see that they have to fit a blue-filter around the outside to mimick the slight blueness of true HID. This blue filter cuts light from the rest of the bulb's spectrum and actually reduces efficiency and overall brightness.

 

[OlafMaxwell]

If you use relays you dont overload the fuses or the wiring, the only power that goes through the fuse is the power that activates the relay which is just an electrical switch. The wires from the battery to the relay and from the relay to the headlamp carry the current for the bulbs and would have to be rated for the 2 x 130W [260W/22amp- probably rated 30amp] if you were using the higher wattage bulbs. I used to use one for main and one for dip beam. We used them on motor cycles too.

But....they are not legal and an MOT test unit will detectt hem and fail on lights. you may need to change bulbs for the MOT.

 

[190]

If you use relays you dont overload the fuses or the wiring, the only power that goes through the fuse is the power that activates the relay which is just an electrical switch. The wires from the battery to the relay and from the relay to the headlamp carry the current for the bulbs and would have to be rated for the 2 x 130W [260W/22amp- probably rated 30amp] if you were using the higher wattage bulbs. I used to use one for main and one for dip beam. We used them on motor cycles too.

But....they are not legal and an MOT test unit will detectt hem and fail on lights. you may need to change bulbs for the MOT.

I know they are not legal but Just a small correction they will pass an MOT as long as the height and beam pattern is OK I have 100w cool blue in my 190 with no relays and no fuse upgrade or nothing it?s been fine for the past eight years. As I say they only check height and beam pattern not the brightness.

 

[landover]

You can fit 100w xenon bulbs with no problems .I use them all the time.I have never had any problem with mot. the mot is a test for aim and alingment not to see how bright your bulbs are.

 

[turnipsock]

Where can you buy the 80/85 Watt bulbs. I tried contacting the link on the site but never got a reply?

 

[190]

Where can you buy the 80/85 Watt bulbs. I tried contacting the link on the site but never got a reply?

Put 100watters in they won?t do any harm
p.s did you get your sockets yet. :lol: