H4 Bulb - Any thoughts?

[salty_monk]

My headlamp is pretty dim for a halogen H4, I thought it was a sealed beam unit till I looked. I haven't had it out but do they go dim with age or anything or could it be down to a bad earth?

It works fine.

Anyone used any of the super white or similar bulbs or got any particular one to recommend? I looked on Dennis Kirk & they want 40 odd bucks, too much for a bulb in my opinion!!

Dan

 

[redtires]

Pretty sure that JC Whitney sells 'em for a lot less and they have a variety of wattages available.

 

[Steve]

First of all, check your ground connections. If your ground is not good, the low beam will ground through the high beam, possibly turning them both on, but not full brightness.

Once you have a well-grounded system, take a good look at your lens and reflector. The lens should be clean and the reflector should be mirror-smooth and shiny. It is possible for moisture to get in there and cloud up the reflector, which REALLY reduces its output.

If you need a new reflector, and you have a 7-inch light, you can order a replacement from JC Whitney. There are several there, but I would not get the cheapest one. The one by Hella is a good one, but is only available in pairs. If you don't have a 7-inch light...rotsa ruck.

Check your bulb. Make sure it is clean, but be sure to get it REALLY clean. Windex and a paper towel is not enough, you need to use alcohol (rubbing, not drinking 8-[ ) and a paper towel to get fingerprints off, too. Considering the somewhat marginal charging systems on our bikes, I would not chance a higher-powered bulb, but they are available. Stock bulbs have 55-watt low beams, 60-watt highs. You can get 55/100 bulbs, 80/100 bulbs and 90/130 bulbs. Surprisingly, if you keep the bright spot on the road, where it belongs, nobody will notice that you have brighter lights, but you will enjoy them. I would definitely stay away from any that are advertised (hyped) as Plasma White or Super Daylight, or whatever. Most of them have a blue tint to the glass that SIMULATES daylight coloring, but does NOT make it as BRIGHT as daylight.

I tried a set of 80/100 Plasma Whites in my van. I usually use 80/100s in my cages, and one had burned out, so I got the Plasma Whites. Went out for a short drive down a dark road, came home and put in two 55/60 bulbs because I could see better.

Sylvania SilverStars are a decent bulb, with just the slightest hint of a tint to them. Even better are the Osram SilverStars that are sold in Europe. You can find them on eBay for about the same price that you can get the Sylvanias over here (including shipping).


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[rphillips]

I like the 80/100's, but are they street legal?? Wouldn't want to get "Al Gore" excited. You know, global warming & stuff.

 

[Steve]

No, anything higher than a 55/60 is NOT street legal. But, as I mentioned before, keep the bright part of the beam on the road where it belongs, and NOBODY but you is going to know.

I have run 80/100s in my vans and trucks for about 15 years now, and nobody has ever noticed. I had a friend follow me on a road trip over a weekend, and I commented on the sharp cut-off of his headlights and asked if they were European-spec lights. He assured me that they were, then added that he was also running 90/130s in them. I would have never guessed, and I was running stronger bulbs myself, so I should have noticed. 8-[


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[Guest]

The Osram Silverstar +50's seemed to be one of the best choices for the GS, putting out upto 50% more light than a conventional H4, while maintaining the stock 55/60 wattage...I picked one of these up on Ebay, but have yet to try it (note that the Sylvania Silverstar bulbs sold in N. America are supposedly not as good as the Osram product in terms of light output).
It seems now Philips has taken it to a new level with the latest +80's....fully street-legal while retaining the stock wattage.....have'nt come across any info re. the longevity of these bulbs....wonder if they have a significantly shorter lifespan due to burning way hotter than a regular halogen.

http://www.autolamps-online.com/halogen/xtremecentre.htm

Tony.

 

[distraction628]

I have some H-4's from here in my bikes and cars, they seem to be very good and a nice price...I like the yellow out in the NW weather...

http://superlumination.com/headlights.htm

 

[jimcor]

I used a hi watt bulb, think it was an 80/100, for awhile and the connector melted on the wiring harness. If you decide to go with a high watt bulb NAPA sells a high heat connector. Sorry, I don't have a part number, but most NAPA guys are pretty good if you tell 'em what you want they know where to find it. Couple 3 or 4 bucks worth of good insurance.

 

[Steve]

Oh, forgot to mention...

JC Whitney is having a sale on bulbs right now. Buy 2 bulbs at 25% off and get a third bulb FREE. \\/

JC Whitney bulbs


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[Guest]

I put a Sylvania Silverstar on my 1150.... HUGE difference over the OEM H4. My buddy on his FJ1100 rides behind me at night so he can see!:-D

 

[SqDancerLynn1]

Stick with the Syl brand. The new Syl Ultra Star is a very good bulb

 

[Poot]

i put in a different relay so I can change the wattage of the headlight to put in a silverstar. you'll have to do the same If you want a higher wattage, or risk screwing your electricals for mucho $$$.

an easy relay kit for lights (and horns!) available at:

www.easternbeaver.com

A snap to install, and a good safety add-on.


POOT

 

[bwringer]

Advance Auto stocks the Silverstar H4 for motorcycles. $19.95.

The 9003 car bulb will fit and work pretty well, but they're not as resistant to vibration and supposedly the lighting pattern is different or something.

 

[focus frenzy]

Sylvania SilverStars are a decent bulb, with just the slightest hint of a tint to them. Even better are the Osram SilverStars that are sold in Europe. You can find them on eBay for about the same price that you can get the Sylvanias over here (including shipping).

news flash! what it says on package is not necessarily whats in the package!!
picked up set of sylvania 9003 (same as H-4) and right there on the metal base of the bulbs is marked OSRAM made in Germany!!!

 

[Guest]

SilverStar is same wattage (55/60) as regular halogen bulb, no relay required, I got them in the van...worth doing. I have a 55/100 in the bike , thats kind of legal.

 

[focus frenzy]

SilverStar is same wattage (55/60) as regular halogen bulb, no relay required, I got them in the van...worth doing. I have a 55/100 in the bike , thats kind of legal.

it is common to have a less than desirable voltage loss in the wiring of a GS and the relay mod eliminates this and done correctly can provide a fail safe if the contacts fail in the light switch (be there done that, not fun in deer country) I have done the relay mod and the dimmer switchonly controls the relay switching between low and high beam, it eliminated a 1.5 volt drop between battery voltage and voltage at the light.

 

[Boondocks]

news flash! what it says on package is not necessarily whats in the package!!
picked up set of sylvania 9003 (same as H-4) and right there on the metal base of the bulbs is marked OSRAM made in Germany!!!

Osram owns Sylvania. Your bulb is a standard Osram H4 bulb. It's a very good bulb, but not as bright or the same as an Osram Silverstar H4.

 

[Planecrazy]

Been running a 9003 Silverstar (same as H-4 - even SAYS H-4 on the bulb) for three seasons now with no failure, so I think the hype about the motorcycle version being more resilient is probably just that ... hype to sell the exact same product at a premium price. You can often buy two packs of 9003's on sale, so you get a great price on a pair and can then keep a spare on board your bike, "just in case..."

The Silverstar, by the way, is AWESOME! Like night and day difference over a standard H-4 Halogen, and doesn't require a wiring upgrade because it runs at the exact same wattages as standard.

Regards,

 

[Nessism]

I used a hi watt bulb, think it was an 80/100, for awhile and the connector melted on the wiring harness. If you decide to go with a high watt bulb NAPA sells a high heat connector. Sorry, I don't have a part number, but most NAPA guys are pretty good if you tell 'em what you want they know where to find it. Couple 3 or 4 bucks worth of good insurance.

This is a VERY real concern that not only occurs on high wattage bulbs but can also occur depending on the bulbs construction. Some (all?) Phillips bulbs for example use stainless steel electrical contacts which transfer heat from the bulb and into the connector which can cause it to melt. Other bulbs, like Sylvania?s, use nickel covered brass contacts which do not get as hot. It pays to pay attention to this detail, particularly if going up in power.

 

[salty_monk]

I'm going to get myself a Silverstar (& possibly a spare), I'm not that bothered for now as I don't really ride much at night but I'm thinking ahead to the Yosemite trip...

I'll also check the wiring for voltage drop. If it does need a relay there are much cheaper ways to install one than 50 bucks for a kit but of course that's the easy way!

Cheers,

Dan

They have them on Amazon for 19 bucks.

http://www.amazon.com/Sylvania-H4ST-BP-Performance-Headlight/dp/B000AM8BN6