QUOTE
On Thu, 19 Oct 2006 f1anatic wrote:
> Hello there,
Hi there.
> I have a 2005 Subaru Legacy GT and after 23,000 miles one of my OEM low
> beam headlights just burnt out.
Yep. H7 is an inherently short-lived bulb, and Subaru rather unwisely chose to use the low beams as daytime running lamps, which further shortens the already short life of an H7. There are much better ways of implementing DRLs. If you wish to correct this error on Subaru's part (one of the only errors they made; those are well built and very capable cars),
it is neither difficult nor expensive to do -- just let me know; I carry the parts.
> I would like to replace them with something better. For me, if it > doesn't improve performance, it will not go on the car. I have read a bit about bulbs and I am a bit partial to the OSRAM (not Sylvania) Silverstars.
That is a Plus+50 bulb, equivalent to Philips VisionPlus, Narva
Rangepower+50 and Tungsram Megalicht+50. It'll improve beam performance slightly but at a cost of greatly reduced bulb life. You'd be much happier with Osram's Rallye+65 H7, which works beautifully in the well-designed lampset on your Subaru.
Standard H7: 55w, 1400 lumens, 500 hours
H7 ultra "Plus+50": 55w, 1550 lumens, 225 hours, $17.50/ea
H7 rallye+65: 65w, 2100 lumens, 500 hours, $26.40/ea <--Obvious choice!
The extra 10w is of no consequence as far as electrical power or heat. (those 80w to 100w bulbs are a different story!)
Can also materially improve the high beams with the 9011 bulbs in place of your present 9005s.
The new bulbs are not some tinted or overwattage version of 9005, but rather employ a relatively new technology called HIR, Halogen Infrared. The mechanical dimensions of the bulb are all virtually identical to the 9005, but the bulb glass is spherical instead of tubular, with the sphere centered around the filament. There is a "Durable IR Reflective" coating
on the spherical glass. Infrared = heat, so the coating causes heat to be reflected back to the filament at the center of the sphere. This causes the filament to become much hotter (producing more light) than it can by passing electricity through it, *without* the shorter life or greater heat production that comes with overwattage bulbs (to say nothing of overwattage bulbs' incompatibility with stock wiring.)
Here's the comparison:
stock: 9005, 12.8V, 65W, 1700 lumens, 320 hours
new: HIR1, 12.8V, 65W, 2530 lumens, 320 hours
These bulbs are spendy - $27/ea - but their cost is worth considering in context: Any number of companies will charge you more than this for a tarted-up 9005 with blue colored glass (PIAA and Sylvania Silverstar come to mind) that doesn't produce more light and has a very short lifespan.
The HIR bulbs have a double-wide top ear on the plastic bulb base, this is to comply with the law requiring different bulbs to have different bases. The extra-wide plastic top ear is easily trimmed or filed to make the bulb fit your headlamp's bulb receptacle. Once that's done, they go directly into the headlamp, and the existing sockets snap on.
> I do a considerable amount of night driving and bad weather visibility > is something I emphasize.
Put H3 Gold bulbs ($13.50/ea) in the fog lamps.
> Bulbs are a pain to replace in my GT so i would like something that will burn out in another 20,000 miles.
You're kind of doomed to short low beam life unless you rework those low-beam DRLs, either deactivating them entirely or moving the DRL function to the front turn signals (as is done on most current cadillacs, a couple of Lincolns, many Toyotas and Lexus, etc.). As I say, it's neither difficult nor expensive.
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I look forward to hearing from you.
Best Regards,
DS
> Hello there,
Hi there.
> I have a 2005 Subaru Legacy GT and after 23,000 miles one of my OEM low
> beam headlights just burnt out.
Yep. H7 is an inherently short-lived bulb, and Subaru rather unwisely chose to use the low beams as daytime running lamps, which further shortens the already short life of an H7. There are much better ways of implementing DRLs. If you wish to correct this error on Subaru's part (one of the only errors they made; those are well built and very capable cars),
it is neither difficult nor expensive to do -- just let me know; I carry the parts.
> I would like to replace them with something better. For me, if it > doesn't improve performance, it will not go on the car. I have read a bit about bulbs and I am a bit partial to the OSRAM (not Sylvania) Silverstars.
That is a Plus+50 bulb, equivalent to Philips VisionPlus, Narva
Rangepower+50 and Tungsram Megalicht+50. It'll improve beam performance slightly but at a cost of greatly reduced bulb life. You'd be much happier with Osram's Rallye+65 H7, which works beautifully in the well-designed lampset on your Subaru.
Standard H7: 55w, 1400 lumens, 500 hours
H7 ultra "Plus+50": 55w, 1550 lumens, 225 hours, $17.50/ea
H7 rallye+65: 65w, 2100 lumens, 500 hours, $26.40/ea <--Obvious choice!
The extra 10w is of no consequence as far as electrical power or heat. (those 80w to 100w bulbs are a different story!)
Can also materially improve the high beams with the 9011 bulbs in place of your present 9005s.
The new bulbs are not some tinted or overwattage version of 9005, but rather employ a relatively new technology called HIR, Halogen Infrared. The mechanical dimensions of the bulb are all virtually identical to the 9005, but the bulb glass is spherical instead of tubular, with the sphere centered around the filament. There is a "Durable IR Reflective" coating
on the spherical glass. Infrared = heat, so the coating causes heat to be reflected back to the filament at the center of the sphere. This causes the filament to become much hotter (producing more light) than it can by passing electricity through it, *without* the shorter life or greater heat production that comes with overwattage bulbs (to say nothing of overwattage bulbs' incompatibility with stock wiring.)
Here's the comparison:
stock: 9005, 12.8V, 65W, 1700 lumens, 320 hours
new: HIR1, 12.8V, 65W, 2530 lumens, 320 hours
These bulbs are spendy - $27/ea - but their cost is worth considering in context: Any number of companies will charge you more than this for a tarted-up 9005 with blue colored glass (PIAA and Sylvania Silverstar come to mind) that doesn't produce more light and has a very short lifespan.
The HIR bulbs have a double-wide top ear on the plastic bulb base, this is to comply with the law requiring different bulbs to have different bases. The extra-wide plastic top ear is easily trimmed or filed to make the bulb fit your headlamp's bulb receptacle. Once that's done, they go directly into the headlamp, and the existing sockets snap on.
> I do a considerable amount of night driving and bad weather visibility > is something I emphasize.
Put H3 Gold bulbs ($13.50/ea) in the fog lamps.
> Bulbs are a pain to replace in my GT so i would like something that will burn out in another 20,000 miles.
You're kind of doomed to short low beam life unless you rework those low-beam DRLs, either deactivating them entirely or moving the DRL function to the front turn signals (as is done on most current cadillacs, a couple of Lincolns, many Toyotas and Lexus, etc.). As I say, it's neither difficult nor expensive.
ORDERING INSTRUCTIONS
Please indicate:
The quantity of each item you wish
The type of shipping you wish
(UPS trackable ground shipping is standard; all UPS service levels are available)
The address to which you want the items shipped (if different from billing address)
Whether the UPS driver has permission to leave the parcel at your doorstep if you are not available to accept it in person.
You may voicemail or fax your order toll-free on XXXXX. Please note this is a recorded orderline only.
Orders may also be sent via e-mail to: XXXXXXXXX
We accept Visa and Mastercard. Orders are processed securely.
Whatever method you use, the following information is required in order to process a credit card order:
Card type
Card number
Expiry date
CVV code (last group of 3 or 4 digits on back of card)
Your name as it appears on the card
Billing address
Phone number
Please don't forget to include a note (such as a printout of our e-mail) stating exactly which items you are ordering, and where you wish them sent.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Best Regards,
DS
Sumar si exemplificare rpin Subaru Legacy GT
FAZA MICA
Standard H7: 55w, 1400 lumens, 500 hours
H7 ultra "Plus+50": 55w, 1550 lumens, 225 hours, $17.50/ea
H7 rallye+65: 65w, 2100 lumens, 500 hours, $26.40/ea <--Obvious choice!
FAZA MARE
stock: 9005, 12.8V, 65W, 1700 lumens, 320 hours
new: HIR1, 12.8V, 65W, 2530 lumens, 320 hours
Omul prefera OSRAM. Orice forum auto care se respecta in USA il va cita. Voi cumpara becurile. Oricum precizez ca la becurile stock (Faza Mica si Mare) se putea face plaja fara probleme. Cu astea noi...faci skin cancer sau te prajesti imediat. De retinut - astea nu sint becuri albastrui, cu alte prostii si filtre colorate. Iar costul...indica no-bullshit.
... Ideea care am inteles-o... sa caut becuri de 65W preferabil Osram... sincer nu am vazut in magazinele in care am fost becuri de 65 (erau doar de 55w si de 100w, nimic intermediar).
