All are 65/55 wattage.
Other than increasing costs, are there any noticeable differences between the standard 9008 H-13 bulb and Cool Blue and ExtraVision?
We do a lot of driving in falling snow in the middle of the night.
Would bluisheadlights, which I have seen on other vehicles, be moreffective?
Recommendations welcome.
Thank you.
We do a lot of driving in falling snow in the middle of the night.
Would bluisheadlights, which I have seen on other vehicles, be moreffective?
Not because of the color anyway. The best color for use is a continuous spectrum source. The sun and standard tungsten lamps are good in that area. The “blue” expensive lamps, like the orange freeway lamps do not have a full color spectrum so you will not see anything the color the lamp is not producing.
When you are talking about problems seeing in fog or snow, that is not a question of color, but rather direction. Light tends to bounce off snow or fog back towards the light source, so you see a lot of light bouncing back off the snow or fog. So much so that you can’t see what is behind the fog or snow.
Light coming from a the side, does not bounce back and while the drops are illuminated, they don’t dazzle you. That is why properly positioned fog lamps are not in the line of sight they are usually mounted low well below the line of sight.
I remember my Miata with pop up headlamps. Except for fog or snow it was great, light illuminating where I was going without the reflection off the snow or fog. I eventually rigged up a control so I could turn on the fogs without the headlamps. really a life saver.
Skip the bluish lamps. BTW they are only blue because of the source of the light. Blue was not by design any more than orange was designed for those highway lamps.
Many of the "blue lamps you see today are simply colored lamps, like Christmas tree lamps.
Lots of claims, but I see little to no difference. I turn down my dash lamps as far as possible to aid in night vision. When your eyes have adapted to low light then standard headlights do the job.
Auxiliary driving lights and fogs lights can be helpful if mounted properly. Low for fog light and higher for driving lights.
My experience with the blue tinted bulbs is that visibility in rain and snow were worse than with standard bulbs. I tried them and removed them. Your experience may be different.
I like, and use, the Sylvania Xtra-vision bulbs. I have them in both of my cars, and I think they provide increased visibility over the standard bulbs, regardless of the weather conditions.
I’ve also tried some illegal, higher wattage bulbs. They throw lots of light, but they don’t last very long. Not worth the trouble, in my opinion.
Until something better comes along I’m sticking with the XtraVision bulbs.
For lots of interesting information about headlights and headlight bulbs, check out http://www.DanielSternLighting.com
As Joseph suggested, there is a difference between HID lighting and the tinted blue bulbs the high school kids put in their cars. You cannot put HID bulbs in a non-HID-equipped car (at least not without getting an expensive conversion kit). If you need better lighting, your best bet is to go with a set of auxiliary lamps. Most states say you can have 1 pair of aux headlights up to 55w, but check your local laws before you buy. I put PIAA 1100X’s on my MR2 because I find myself driving it at night in deer country on the way to and from car club events. I’m very pleased with them. They illuminate everything, from the tops of the trees to deer eyes a couple hundred yards down the road. I recommend wiring them into your high-beam switch so that they turn off when you dim your headlights, otherwise oncoming drivers will be blinded.
Another factor in headlamp color, better or worse, is YOUR personal preference.
I’ve tried some of the others and have returned to the OE halogens.
My wife has only one eye and light color is VERY important. Again, the OE halogen is best for her.
Deer, elk, or stray horses is my greatest concern.
Rushing blood to a hospital I am constantly scouring for them at night.
After such deliveries, my eyes are tired from searching.
I return MUCH slower to save fuel and to lowerisk of hitting animals.
Thanks, MC. I’ll try XtraVision.
Robert, I Read This Question Thinking It Was About Headlight Capsules, But Apparently The Question Is About Bulbs. FYI, A Capsule Usually Is Considered The Housing That Contains The Bulb.
CSA
Oh. I thoughthey were called lamps or headlight bulbs.
Hopefully the 9008 H-13 clarifies.
Thanks.
For your particular situation, Ford’s terminology seems to be:
Headlamp assembly : the housing + bulb(s) + front cover (lens) + ballast (if HID)
Headlamp bulb : the actual light bulb
If you decide to go with the aux lamps, maybe mount a set to the top of your Explorer instead of in the front grille. Or, if you have a push bar(or whatever it’s called) on the front of your car, then you could mount them on it.
After reading all the responses again, I, too, suggest you consider auxiliary lighting for your blood-mobile.
There are auxiliary lights out there that will light up the night for you, and ease the strain on your eyes.
Don’t limit yourself to the factory headlights.