How often do you change headlamp bulbs?

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

It's crazy how much disassembly you have to go through on some of these newer cars!

[NomisR]

You have to take off the bumper to replace a headlight?  At least with my Elise, you only have to pull off the wheel and open the wheel well to get to the headlights...  what kills it is the DLR requirement means the headlights are on ALL THE TIME!

[JWC]

On my daughter's 07 Focus, the easiest way to replace a HL bulb is to remove the headlamp. Two bolts, unplug it, and you're done.

I ordered some cheap Phillips H7 bulbs from Amazon. I'm going to see if there is any improvement and proceed from there.

I do miss the days of $2 headlamps held in place with a retaining ring. (I also miss the days when a $19.99, 36-month battery was all you needed to keep your car cranking for five years.)

[Speed_Racer]

You have to take off the bumper to replace a headlight?  At least with my Elise, you only have to pull off the wheel and open the wheel well to get to the headlights...  what kills it is the DLR requirement means the headlights are on ALL THE TIME!

Unfortunately unless I had the hands of a three year old, you have to remove the HL assembly which because of how its bolted in requires you remove the bumper and some plastic engine bay cladding. It probably took 2 hours total to replace both sides.

[Rupert]

You don't know any three year olds?

[Rupert]

The problem with putting any brighter-than-stock bulb in any stock lamp is the glare it creates for other drivers. IME, most stock lamps have too much dispersed light/aren't sharply aimed/have vague beam cutoffs, and bright bulbs end up largely in the eyes of oncoming drivers. Applies to halogens as well as HIDs.

As for color temp of an HID bulb, IMO, halogens kind of have it nailed. A little yellow is good. "White" temps are often pretty blue, and as mentioned, blue is bad (on a neon "Open" sign from across the street, the red is sharp and the blue is kind of blurry-- same effect).

I have big 100W Hella halogen auxiliary lamps on my Explorer, which are great and also wired so that they go off and on with the brights. Explorer also has some Hella projector fogs, which I think are 55W, and are marginally effective. The 944 has Hella e-code lamps as a replacement for the stock sealed beams. These lamps have a very good sharp low beam cutoff, and are mounted super low relative to practically every other car on the road, so I have 90/100W halogen bulbs in them. Very effective, much like. Fog lamps on the 944 are decorative. 

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

The problem with putting any brighter-than-stock bulb in any stock lamp is the glare it creates for other drivers. IME, most stock lamps have too much dispersed light/aren't sharply aimed/have vague beam cutoffs, and bright bulbs end up largely in the eyes of oncoming drivers. Applies to halogens as well as HIDs.

Unless you car has Projectors like mine.........

[Rupert]

Projectors do tend to have better light control, yes.

Assuming the lamps are good for bright bulbs, what is the advantage of an HID vs., say, a 100 W halogen? HIDs seem pretty complicated and expensive.

[hotrodalex]

As for color temp of an HID bulb, IMO, halogens kind of have it nailed. A little yellow is good. "White" temps are often pretty blue, and as mentioned, blue is bad (on a neon "Open" sign from across the street, the red is sharp and the blue is kind of blurry-- same effect).

I agree. A little bit of yellow seems more natural and easier on the eyes.

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

Projectors do tend to have better light control, yes.

Assuming the lamps are good for bright bulbs, what is the advantage of an HID vs., say, a 100 W halogen? HIDs seem pretty complicated and expensive.

The differance is night and day! And the kits i use are around 60 bucks and they're plug and play.....

[Rupert]

But what is the actual difference?

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

The HIDs provide more usable light!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K79J61ftHmk

[Rupert]

Is that the lamp or the bulb? It seems like a light source is just a light source and it's the lamp that puts the light in the right place.

BTW, that vid was stock halogens vs. HIDs, not something like a 100W halogen. Not to mention that video and photos are bad ways to compare headlamps.

One advantage I can see is that for a 100W halogen, you want a decently beefy wiring harness, whereas HIDs that put out similar lumens seem to be more like 35W.

[JWC]

Dammit...now I have to replace a bulb in the 2007 Focus. Rain=pours

[Soup DeVille]

Is that the lamp or the bulb? It seems like a light source is just a light source and it's the lamp that puts the light in the right place.

BTW, that vid was stock halogens vs. HIDs, not something like a 100W halogen. Not to mention that video and photos are bad ways to compare headlamps.

One advantage I can see is that for a 100W halogen, you want a decently beefy wiring harness, whereas HIDs that put out similar lumens seem to be more like 35W.

100W halogens on a 12V system would still require only about a 16 gauge wire- maybe slightly larger than many stock headlamp wires, but by no means overly large.

[hotrodalex]

100W halogens on a 12V system would still require only about a 16 gauge wire- maybe slightly larger than many stock headlamp wires, but by no means overly large.

Helps a lot if you can shorten the wiring harness.

[NomisR]

Unfortunately unless I had the hands of a three year old, you have to remove the HL assembly which because of how its bolted in requires you remove the bumper and some plastic engine bay cladding. It probably took 2 hours total to replace both sides.

Sounds like the newer Hondas, although I just end up with scrapes on my hand trying to jam it into little alcoves using your fingers to get stuff in place.  That's why I never used bright bulbs with my RSX because of the bulb life.

[Rupert]

100W halogens on a 12V system would still require only about a 16 gauge wire- maybe slightly larger than many stock headlamp wires, but by no means overly large.

Right, larger than stock, i.e., you're doing some wiring if you're doing it right.

[Soup DeVille]

Helps a lot if you can shorten the wiring harness.

If you're running so close to the melt point of a wire that voltage drop from length is a problem: shortenening the wire isnt going to solve anything.

We're not talking 200 foot runs here.

[12,000 RPM]

Projectors do tend to have better light control, yes.

Assuming the lamps are good for bright bulbs, what is the advantage of an HID vs., say, a 100 W halogen? HIDs seem pretty complicated and expensive.

Def the amp draw..... 200W is kind of a lot

Bulb life is also better with HID I think though on a $/time basis it might be a wash.

I agree that lower color temps are better. I like 3500-4100K.

[Rupert]

Makes sense if you already have good projectors or it's an easy mod, your car is fairly low, and you don't want to replace the wiring harness (because it sucks, ask me how I know), IMO.

[12,000 RPM]

U can do a relay if the harness sucks. Actually u probably SHOULD do a relay if the harness sucks. Even on HID, there is a high inrush current before things stabilize.

Either way though lighting is important.

[hotrodalex]

Do new cars not have a relay already? I put one on my car, but I figured after 40 years it would become standard equipment.

[MexicoCityM3]

I don't think I have ever preventively replaced a headlamp. Only when they fail.

[Rupert]

Do new cars not have a relay already? I put one on my car, but I figured after 40 years it would become standard equipment.

I think so... I think the Explorer has a relay, though the wires are pretty small. I added relays to the 944 and used pretty big wire.

[Soup DeVille]

I don't think I have ever preventively replaced a headlamp. Only when they fail.

I always replace both of the when one fails. So, I guess I do it about 50% of the time.

[CJ]

Changing a headlight on a V70 is ridiculously easy.