Here's my experience with the different H4 replacement lamps on the market: There are standard halogen h4 bulbs with standard and higher wattages. There are improved gas mixture halogen h4 bulbs that appear standard but that use a higher percentage of xenon gas under a higher pressure, making the light output seem just a little more blue-ish. These are currently only available in standard wattage, which is 55/60, low and high respectively. Next are the sales and marketing traps, telling you what you are seeing. Some of these are a combination of higher pressure/content xenon gas combined with a blue coating on the glass surface to make the light bluer, and are available in standard and higher wattages. The big lie is that blue coatings make the light brighter than the standard halogen. If you can find a blue dyed bulb in at least 90/140 watts, you might do okay, and this is true watts, not the hype that 60w = 110w, it just ain't so. Not when I've compared them back to back. I think that the PIAA 80/80watt (true watts, not the "is = to" watts) "SuperXenonPlasmaHyperWhatever" is the best of the blue dyed lamps...highest wattage, lightest tint, and properly focused filaments within the lamp. Trouble is the $35 price tag. My personal experience is that 80/100watt h4 bulbs (and made by Philips or Candlepower) wired thru a relay put out the most visible light...If this isn't good enough, you need to (A)go to the (currently) mediocre HID conversions that are starting to hit the market. Prepare to at least $400. for true HID lamps. Or (B) switch to a european code headlight housing...like Cibie or Hella. Blue dyed bulbs, even in higher wattages do no equal HID light sources, not even close! I personally have both HID (high intensity discharge) lighting as well as halogen h4 to compare back to back. It is like comparing apple to oranges...two completely different light sources. HID is NOT blue, but true WHITE, like the light coming from an arc welder. No blue dyed halogen bulb can copy this, but marketers claim that their bulbs are "blue" looking like the true HID lamps. Without getting into the UV emitted by arc lighting (HID), suffice it to say that physically, halogen h4's can't duplicate this...regardless of blue coatings. This is why HID is so desireable, but still outrageous priced. Give it a few years. And last, it is a fact that the color blue absorbs the most light from incandescant/halogen light sources...this was a problem for emergency vehicle lighting manufacturers when they introduced blue warning lights in the '70's...they were not as visible as the clear or amber colored lights. Yellow absorbs the lowest, red next and blue the most. There are reams of documents and test results on blue colored warning lights as tested by manufacterers and states highway patrols. To end this long winded story, if you just like the bulbs for the "cool color" factor (which does increase visibilty because they stand out, but not due to brightness), go get 'em! Also, beware of poorly focused bulbs due to cheap manufacturing...(most Asian, other than PIAA or IPF brands) But if you really want visibly better output, wire a standard high wattage or clear xenon h4 (made by Candlepower or Philips, and some Hella) thru a relay. Just my personal experience, avoid the hype and the false equations. Your mileage may vary. Michael >----- Original Message ----- >Subject: Bright Bulbs > > > > It is very white, very bright, but very pricey. > > H4 RS-W High Output Bulb 12V > > US$ 43.00 > > 60/55Watts = 130/125Watts Super Blue White Light > >Ken, > >I can't seem to find much information on the web regarding this bulb. >However, there is lots of interesting information about various types of >bulbs at: > >http://lighting.mbz.org/tech/info/superwhites/ > >Sort of makes you wonder if this bulb this bulb isn't close kinfolks to the >"Superwhite" and "Blue" bulbs. In other words, it gives the illusion of >more light output. One of the key statements on the site is: "The laws of >physics are the laws of physics. They don't bend even for PIAA's >advertising >department. There is no way to get "85 watts of light for 55 watts of >electricity". > >Did you notice a marked increase in light output when you installed it? > >Henry > > >............................................. >To unsubscribe go to http://www.sayegh.org/unsubscribe.htm >............................................. ________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com ............................................. To unsubscribe go to http://www.sayegh.org/unsubscribe.htm .............................................
