Any Suggestions for Headlight Bulb Upgrades From Stocks?

[nozferatu]

Since HID's don't seem to be either readily available or recommended upgrades to our Spark EVs, can anyone suggest or recommend an upgraded headlight bulb? I'm not a fan of the bluish type bulbs...rather I'd like to get brighter white bulbs....or at the very least brighter bulbs that project more light. I'll assume the suggestions are simple plug and play?

Cheers.

 

[markcmann]

Please excuse my ignorance but what are HID's?

 

[emv]

Save your money http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2013/01/halogen-headlight-bulbs/index.htm. Their summary is available without subscription.

And from my past experience; the fancy bulbs promise much, cost a lot, deliver little (although the placebo effect is in play), and burn out much quicker too. If you like the light a little more bluish-white they will deliver that.

 

[emv]

Please excuse my ignorance but what are HID's?

High Intensity Discharge lamps. You've seen them on expensive cars for some time. They came on a lot of Priuses, including mine. The bulb is actually an encapsulated arc lamp. They tend to produce bluer light (in some cases distinctly violet) and can produce more light while using less current. In a line of cars coming towards you, they stand out as they are bluish rather than yellowish white. While well designed lights can work quite well, they tend to cause more problems with glare than other headlights, due to the fact the humans do not process blue light as well as other colors. They are supposed to last longer (but don't tell that to a friend of mine who goes thru a set a year), but cost more to replace.

As their rated color temperature goes up their usable light actually goes down. Those 9000 degree purple one just don't produce good light to drive by.

Replacing halogen bulbs with aftermarket "drop in" conversion bulbs often results in horrible results. The reflectors and lenses are not designed for the different shape and location of the light source and cause serious and dangerous problems with light distribution. The driver is left with blind spots while the oncoming traffic is blinded.

Of course, I'm an old curmudgeon who thinks the French had a great idea with their old selective yellow headlights.