What bulbs are people running?

FoxL · Post by **FoxL** » Sun Nov 22, 2015 5:15 pm

Looking at getting some new H7's and HB4's.

Was wondering if there is any bulbs recommended? Looking for something less yellow so they don't look too out of place next to my led side lights.

Wadeya001 · Post by **Wadeya001** » Sun Nov 22, 2015 6:53 pm

Totally personal preference. I'm running a HID kit on my main headlights, then the cheapest blue tinted bulbs money can buy for the fogs and main beam (i brought expensive Osram ones and they were still yellow?)

Here is my thread which shows most of them.

http://www.sciroccocentral.co.uk/forum/ ... ey#p175937" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

My fogs or main beams apparently haven't got photos up but they are exactly the same colour (I'll get some photos up soon).

I've now done every bulb interior and exterior, with the exception of brake bulbs which I'm unsure whether I want to change to canbus crew bulbs or keep the same (safety first obviously).

roc82 · Post by **roc82** » Mon Nov 23, 2015 5:55 am

I am very satisfied with my recent bulbs: Narva h7 Range Power Blue+.
They have a white light and miles better than standard ones.

CleanDiesel · Post by **CleanDiesel** » Mon Nov 23, 2015 10:51 am

This is one of the first things I want to do with mine when it arrives. I was under the misconception that they came with Xenon's anyway, and wasn't that bothered about them cornering, so left the bi-xenons off and didn't find out til it was too late.

Are the headlights easy to get to? As I know from experience changing a headlight bulb can mean dismantling half the front end!

Paddy_R · Post by **Paddy_R** » Mon Nov 23, 2015 3:56 pm

HIDs in reflector headlight units, which all Sciroccos without xenons have, are illegal. They don't give a defined beam pattern and are dangerous to other road users. Please don't put HIDs into your normal headlight units.

In the past I have tried many different bulbs and from experience the best were Osram Nightbreaker Unlimited or Philips Xtream Vision. The worst I tried was Mtec bulbs.

I'll state now I don't care about the colour or the light or if it has a slightly yellow tinge, I prefer light on the road so I can see where I am going but the two above (Osram and Phillips) were both pretty white in my eyes at least.

easyrider · Post by **easyrider** » Sun Nov 29, 2015 5:40 pm

i tested a few h7 bulbs in my old gt. osram nightbreakers and phillips bluvisions are indeed less yellow than oems, but still have a noticeable yellow tinge, especially next to white leds (often used in the drls). about 4,300k is legal limit for whiteness and the closest available as far as i know are xtec h7s which are 4200k; just under. tradeoff is the bluer you go the less far the light is thrown - blue light has a shorter wavelength than yellow. so it's either a yellower bulb and light further down the road or a bluer / whiter light that's more suited to town driving. xtec do drl bulbs too which match. just my two pennethworth [emoji1]

Roy_01 · Post by **Roy_01** » Sun Nov 29, 2015 6:24 pm

D1S 4300k oem, i prefer it above 5000k and higher. Especially with dark wet roads, you see a lot more and further then with the 5000k and higher bulbs. And my eyes gets less tired during night driving.

FoxL · Post by **FoxL** » Sun Nov 29, 2015 7:14 pm

I've currently got Philips vision plus bulbs but I'm not happy with the range or vision, my drive to work is a 40 mile round trip on unlit A roads and working shifts mean I'm going at least one way in the dark and although I know the roads very well I would like better vision particularly at this time of year. A yellow bulb isn't a problem, its a shame that a whiter light means a compromise on vision, which I won't be taking. I'm still undecided on what to go for, was contemplating the bosch gigalight. I guess its just gonna be a trial and error situation.

Paradox1 · Post by **Paradox1** » Mon Nov 30, 2015 10:41 am

I bought so festoon lED bulbs on Ebay for the sidelights and some h7 ultra power bulbs for the dipped lights. havent fitted them yet but I will update this when ive fitted them

AlanH · Post by **AlanH** » Mon Nov 30, 2015 12:35 pm

I've just ordered some Philips Crystal vision. They supposedly offer 4300k colour temp. Although it says they're not road legal, I can't see it being too much of an issue with the colur temp they promise. I'll post up the results once I've fitted them

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M7R · Post by **M7R** » Tue Dec 01, 2015 12:38 pm

Ring Ultima, they are what I run in all my cars that dont have OEM HIDs, you will not get a better bulb! (any that have blue filters applied massively cut down the light output, 50% drop is not un-common! the human eye perceives them to be brighter though due to the colour, but they aren't. Ultima have a tiny blue ring just below the cap to give the edge of the beam a tint and thats it, the main area is left clear).

Either order via ebay, or go to TPS and get them on trade from their as the 120% extra light out bulb they sell for £11 + vat are the same bulbs (confirmed by the fact the approval number and part number marked on the bulb are the same, even though they are in a different brand box.. the joys of working on Type Approval).

Then set your lights up correctly, park on the flat 10m away from a nice straight flat wall. Measure the height from the floor to the middle of the bulb, then take off 10%, so if they are 600mm from the floor, mark a line on the wall at 540mm, this is the line where the flat of the headlight beam needs to be aligned with. adjust them up and down using a screw driver and the correct adjusting screw and job done. Most cars I have checked have been too low, (some cars are lower than 1% dip which is how this method sets them, but the rocco is 1% down) even new cars can be set too low. you should not fail the MOT either as you are allowed 0.5% over the cars initial aim - which is always marked on the headlamp or slam panel, so for a rocco you can have a dip of 0.5% and still pass the MOT.

Dont go too high over the 1% dip, as the higher you go the further down the road you can see, but the brightness of the light on the floor reflected back at you reduces due to the angle that the light hits the floor at, 1% or just over is a nice compromise. good bulbs will offet some of this loss in reflected light as there is more light overall meaning more is reflected back, and you can still set them a smidge higher.

Avoid LED bulbs, as again they "look" bright but they aren't, and lamps are VERY sensitive to where the light source is! the beam pattern is all worked out from the light being produced by a small thin filament in a very tightly controlled location relative to the base plate of the bulb, if the light is not coming from that exact location it will be reflecting off the wrong bits of the reflector and mess up the beam pattern. This is why after market HIDs do not work in normal reflector lamps (glass projector lamps are a bit different and slightly more tolerant to the light coming from a slightly different location and therefore changing the focal length).

Also avoid higher wattage bulbs, as 1 they aren't legal, and 2 they will draw more current and you risk damaging the lamp and reflector with excessive heat, plus there is a strong risk of the wiring being over heated and catching fire.

AlanH · Post by **AlanH** » Thu Dec 03, 2015 2:41 pm

My Philips crystal have arrived today, will fit them when I get back and post up the results

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AlanH · Post by **AlanH** » Fri Dec 04, 2015 5:14 pm

I haven't managed the pics yet, but there is a noticeable difference in the colour temp of the Philips Crystal bulbs. It's a much closer match to white LEDs

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FoxL · Post by **FoxL** » Fri Dec 04, 2015 7:19 pm

Oh relay? Have you had a chance to see what they're like at night at all, range and how good the beam is?

AlanH · Post by **AlanH** » Sat Dec 05, 2015 12:15 am

Most of my driving is in town, so the streets are well lit. The beam pattern is good, with a good cut off (as you'd expect from a quality bulb)
Light does suffer a little closer to the car, but then light does seem to be thrown out well further out in front of the vehicle.
I have a journey to do on Sunday which will hopefully give me a mixture of roads and lighting to give an more informed opinion on their performance. And I will try to get some decent pictures to post up

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C00kie · Post by **C00kie** » Mon Jul 11, 2016 2:55 pm

I changed my dipped headlight bulbs to Bosch Gigalight Plus 120. Much better range and much whiter than the original bulbs, although obviously not as white/blue as HIDs. They were priced £33 each in Halfords but were on BOGOF which made them worth the buy. Now I'm after LED sidelight bulbs to match but unsure what would be the closest colour rating?

Once I find a decent sidelight bulb, I'll order the same for the number plate bulbs. Back on stock bulbs as the SMD LED ones I had died within 18 months (don't waste your money on these).

KarmaSumatra · Post by **KarmaSumatra** » Wed Jul 13, 2016 5:45 pm

I use Philips White Vision H7s for the dipped beam. They're noticeably whiter than your average H7s.

http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/p/car-a ... &0&cc5_847" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

kieran_67 · Post by **kieran_67** » Sun Jul 24, 2016 7:51 pm

I use osram night breakers. Very good, but I think I'm gunna go for Phillips 5000k next so they're white/blue.

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