9007 headlight upgrade w/ out burning socket?
Post Fiend
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 10,007
Likes: 4
From: Central Florida
Right on ripple, but the relays do help reduce the other 2/3s of our common problems. It should be a capacitor, capacitor-voltage smoothing, inductor-amperage smoothing. At least as far we were concerned in school. Just for giggles, anyone know how to spec a capacitor? Each bulb pulls about 5.5amps at 12v. I have no clue on how a farad relates, but just as a filter I wouldn't imagine it would need to be very big.
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Senior User
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 102
Likes: 0
Are all relays the same or are some better than others and where is a good place to buy them online? I found a company who sells high heat resistant plugs with 14 gauge wiring (comes with both ends so I can just put it in then cut that rather than cutting the stock wiring) DFUSER sells a plug and play harness which has an option to use high and low beams when the high beams are activated which seems like that would cause issues, would be very bright though
Post Fiend
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 10,007
Likes: 4
From: Central Florida
for the part yes. There were two manufactures who my instructor liked, one was tyco and I think the other was broomfield. SPDT is the most common type, but you can use SPST for this. Then some relays are 20amp and some are 30amp.
Elder User
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 547
Likes: 2
From: Darien
I did need to buy head lights since I was running on my spare mismatched bulbs being my GE Nighthawks took a dive. And my only choices at the local Wal-Mart were basic GE replacements, Sylvania XtraVisions ~3200k and Sylvania Silverstars ~4000K. The XtraVisions according to the chart have more life, but the total illumination wasn't that of the Silverstars. They had no Ultra Silverstars ~4100K the next step up. Against my better judgement based of the experiance my nighbor had, I bought them Silverstars. Hey I took them out for a drive tonight and I'll say they blew away them Nighthawks I had. If they last for any amount of time I'll have to eat my words. Initial impressions of them are favorable. Total performance is there. crisp white light, good range, excellent ditch to ditch illumination and high beams don't distort/defuse.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 6,757
Likes: 5
From: Corvallis, OR
The Silverstars and Ultras have more illumination at the filiment, but outside the bulb the illumination is actually the same or less due to the blue filtering. Sylvania has an asterisk on their comparison chart noting that.
Elder User
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 547
Likes: 2
From: Darien
Nothing is said about blue filtering. What is said word for word is:
*Headlights dim over time by 20% and timely replacement results in increased lighting performance. Claims based on measured comparisons between SilverStar product family at 100% light output and standard halogen bulbs at 80% light output. Actual performance may vary by product type, vehicle model and usage
+ Brightness comparison based on coil illuminance measurements
*Headlights dim over time by 20% and timely replacement results in increased lighting performance. Claims based on measured comparisons between SilverStar product family at 100% light output and standard halogen bulbs at 80% light output. Actual performance may vary by product type, vehicle model and usage
+ Brightness comparison based on coil illuminance measurements
Elder User
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 547
Likes: 2
From: Darien
With the stock 01 head lights units these SilverStars do a nice job. I'm pleased with what I see so far. Better than the Ge Nighthawks did for me and way better than the silverstars did in the nieghbor's Audi.
My eye sight isn't so young anymore and good lights are a must. I'm confidently not going to miss seeing an animal or any other road hazzard with plenty of time to react with these lights on dim or brights. Bottomline that is all I really care about.
My eye sight isn't so young anymore and good lights are a must. I'm confidently not going to miss seeing an animal or any other road hazzard with plenty of time to react with these lights on dim or brights. Bottomline that is all I really care about.
5th Wheeling
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 48
Likes: 0
From: Maine
OP FWIW lights that are less stressful on aging or eyes that need glasses might be beneficial to everyone else.
Just my $0.02
J
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Senior User
Joined: Nov 2008
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I did need to buy head lights since I was running on my spare mismatched bulbs being my GE Nighthawks took a dive. And my only choices at the local Wal-Mart were basic GE replacements, Sylvania XtraVisions ~3200k and Sylvania Silverstars ~4000K. The XtraVisions according to the chart have more life, but the total illumination wasn't that of the Silverstars. They had no Ultra Silverstars ~4100K the next step up. Against my better judgement based of the experiance my nighbor had, I bought them Silverstars. Hey I took them out for a drive tonight and I'll say they blew away them Nighthawks I had. If they last for any amount of time I'll have to eat my words. Initial impressions of them are favorable. Total performance is there. crisp white light, good range, excellent ditch to ditch illumination and high beams don't distort/defuse.
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 185
Likes: 0
From: Jacksonville, IL
I had silverstars on a 98 Chevy Tahoe, high and low beams, (seperate bulbs, 9005&9006), they illuminated the signs well, but the light seemed to get absorbed into the pavement or something, didn't seem like the light went anywhere. The low beams burnt out in less than 1 year, I had daytime running lamps though, but it seems like for that price they should have lasted longer. I was not impressed. JMO...BTW I drove 30 min each way to work every day, with no problem with the sockets getting hot.
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 7,191
Likes: 4
From: Blairsville,Ga
I am looking at possibly the Silverstars they are half the price of the PIAA's, if you do any long night driving (around 30min +) let me know if you have any issues with the plug. I probably won't be upgrading my headlights until the first of the year or so.
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,949
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From: Near DC
I installed the upgraded harness from Summit. They no longer sell it (hmm, wonder why..).
I went through 2 sets of Silverstars averaging 10 months each. I then went with the Ultras, they lasted maybe 6 months. I am now using the Cool Blue, they have been in there about a year. Each product sees about 2 hours of usage each day.
The Silverstar and Ultra seemed to me to be about the same in brightness. Mind you, it was FAR superior to the stock bulbs.
The Cool Blues seem to be dimmer, not worth it to me. As soon as the Blues burn out I will go back to the Silverstar (not Ultra). Ya just need to keep an extra bulb or two in the truck with you, easy enough to change in a parking lot.
Now, the 9005 in the fogs, they have lasted about 3 years!
I went through 2 sets of Silverstars averaging 10 months each. I then went with the Ultras, they lasted maybe 6 months. I am now using the Cool Blue, they have been in there about a year. Each product sees about 2 hours of usage each day.
The Silverstar and Ultra seemed to me to be about the same in brightness. Mind you, it was FAR superior to the stock bulbs.
The Cool Blues seem to be dimmer, not worth it to me. As soon as the Blues burn out I will go back to the Silverstar (not Ultra). Ya just need to keep an extra bulb or two in the truck with you, easy enough to change in a parking lot.
Now, the 9005 in the fogs, they have lasted about 3 years!
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 185
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From: Jacksonville, IL