Life expectancy for Halogen headlight bulbs

Hello All,

I was having a yarn with a friend of mine the other day who was an owner/mechanic/driver of a rally car in the 1990s. The discussion was about what he would replace his old set of Super Cibie Oscars that were fitted to his old rally car with if he were racing a newer car now. This opened up discussions about Stedi lighting systems. Hence my knowledge of the current price of their H4 lights. Then my Commodore blew its passenger side headlights. There hangs a tale. Plus the opening of the current thread.

Kind regards
Lionel

I've recently ordered 'Philips' H7 globes from Ali Express at a fraction of the local price.
As yet untested but in the wife's Territory I'm changing one per year, next one fitted will be from Ali Express and I'll see how it lasts.

Be careful with the pricing, a lot of low prices on Ali Express are 'New Shopper' deals.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000...origin_prod%3A

I'm guessing the globes we buy here are made in the same factory but they can't sell them at Australian prices in China.

People have suggested they are knock offs but it would cost a huge amount of money to set up a facility for making globes.


Colin

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gromit

I've recently ordered 'Philips' H7 globes from Ali Express at a fraction of the local price.
As yet untested but in the wife's Territory I'm changing one per year, next one fitted will be from Ali Express and I'll see how it lasts.

Be careful with the pricing, a lot of low prices on Ali Express are 'New Shopper' deals.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000...origin_prod%3A

I'm guessing the globes we buy here are made in the same factory but they can't sell them at Australian prices in China.

People have suggested they are knock offs but it would cost a huge amount of money to set up a facility for making globes.


Colin

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Hello Colin,

So a similar time frame on changing bulbs on the Territory to my Commodore. How old is the Ford, Colin?

Kind regards
Lionel

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lionelgee

Hello Colin,

So a similar time frame on changing bulbs on the Territory to my Commodore. How old is the Ford, Colin?

Kind regards
Lionel

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9 years old.
Can't remember changing a headlamp globe for the first 5 years, maybe OEM's get a different quality.
Although it could be that SWMBO drives with the lights on.
I don't think I ever turned the spotlights on in the 5 years I had it from new, now I'm replacing spotlight globes (H11's).


Colin

My Wife's '15 Prado has lights on all the time, and was blowing a H7 about 12-16 months, very annoying to say the least, early last year I changed over to an LED direct fit (can't remember the brand) from Repco, seem to work well, cut off is pretty good. The only issue is on the box in tiny writing is the fact it states not ADR compliant..... but I figure if they are adjusted correctly they will be fine as most of the newer cars have LED's and some are very badly adjusted..

Cheers
Redd

When I have no alternator issues on the County, bulbs last around a decade, but they are not on all the time, only when I am on a highway. On the other hand, my son has had thre Hyundai I30s, runs them always on, and usually changes bulbs several times a year on all three.

One point about increased wattage bulbs I did not mention - Landrovers without headlight relays will certainly have switch problems. In fact, this is likely even without higher wattage bulbs. Before fitting relays to my 110 (I never had higher wattage bulbs, but I suspect the previous owner may have) I had to replace both the headlight switch and the "multifunction switch" (blinker/high/low/horn) due to the contacts overheating and melting the plastic the contacts were mounted on. Both switches are ridiculously expensive, and the multifunction one is a real pain to replace.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Reddirt204

My Wife's '15 Prado has lights on all the time, and was blowing a H7 about 12-16 months, very annoying to say the least, early last year I changed over to an LED direct fit (can't remember the brand) from Repco, seem to work well, cut off is pretty good. The only issue is on the box in tiny writing is the fact it states not ADR compliant..... but I figure if they are adjusted correctly they will be fine as most of the newer cars have LED's and some are very badly adjusted..

Cheers
Redd

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A friend in the UK used to work for an automotive lighting manufacturer and explained.....
The reflector must be designed for an LED globe. An LED shouldn't be used in a headlamp designed for an incandescent globe, they are different.
Modern vehicles have reflectors designed to be used with LED globes.

The small print is a cop out for when you get knocked back on a roady.


Colin

Hi, the LED cob is a different shape to the halogen filament. Thus the beam column will not be the same as the legislated shape.
Cheers

Shock and vibration are the biggest killers of filamented globes.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gromit

A friend in the UK used to work for an automotive lighting manufacturer and explained.....
The reflector must be designed for an LED globe. An LED shouldn't be used in a headlamp designed for an incandescent globe, they are different.

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Indeed.

Even when "adjusted properly" a LED in an incandescent fitting is highly likely to spew glare at oncoming motorists. All well and good adjusting what you see as the cutoff but without expensive test gear you'll be unable to measure and assess the scattered glare (which is part of the ADR process oddly enough). Frankly most of them aren't adjusted correctly anyway and most cars with incandescent don't have self-leveling lamps, so as soon as you put some load in the back your "adjustment" goes out the window in any case.

Every time I see a car that has retrofitted low beams coming towards me or from behind me I want to get out and smash the headlights. ****ing selfish idiots with zero clue.

The small print is there to highlight they are illegal for a reason.