J-Spec Headlight Bulbs

Want to uprate my bulbs and was having a leaf through this site

http://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/home.php?cat=257

but after checking on here I gather that J-Spec bulbs are different to the normal UK ones?

I've read a couple of threads on it here and tbh none the wiser, can anyone explain exactly what bulbs I need for

1. Driving

2. Full Beam

3. Sidelight

Appreciate any help on this

Thanks

Todd, THIS POST will explain the bulbs for the J-spec high and low beams. Fogs are H3's, can't remember what the side lights are.

My search technique obviously leaves a lot to be desired

And Nic 10 out of 10 for not trying to sell me a HID kit

But do me a favour and PM me a price for the group buy thats on the go

But do me a favour and PM me a price for the group buy thats on the go

Me as well plz

And Nic 10 out of 10 for not trying to sell me a HID kit

What's wrong with me today, I must be losing it

in a minute.....

Todd,

i just bought those EXACT bulbs !

pair of the Extreme White 'cheaper' ones

and

pair of the Philips Blue Visions

i'm gonna compare the cheap/Philips.

Still gotta trim me 'double' bits off me Dip beam plugs yet though.....

I'll probably do at weekend, so, if you can wait till then i'll hopefully

post a couple of direct comparison pics STANDARD v Xtreme v Philips

I'll also take one of me High bulbs back OUT and put a Standard back in to

compare (have 100w Super White bulbs in High at present - but bit risky

putting HOTTER bulbs near the Dip glass)

Also bought 30% brighter 'Xenon' gas Fog bulbs (the H3's) and will do same

with them.

Fat-Anorak.

[ Side-Lights are 5w Capless '501's and have already got Blue Vision

Philips and YES they are a little 'Whiter' than standard - have been looking

for ANY stronger Capless, but, no luck so far ]

Brilliant, I'll hold off on ordering them (wife says NO to the HID ) and see what the official results look like

[ Side-Lights are 5w Capless '501's and have already got Blue Vision

Philips and YES they are a little 'Whiter' than standard - have been looking

for ANY stronger Capless, but, no luck so far ]

I can get multi LED replacement bulbs here, that will fit the side lights, not sure how they compare to standard bulbs though.

They are NOT any were NEAR HID in either 'brightness' or 'whiteness'

BUT, i can't afford HID as i want WHITE in all me bulbs so would need THREE

sets of the boogers ! !

I can vouch for me 100w Highs already

and just tried resting one of the Extreme ones in a Dip last week, and it is

a LOT whiter and a 'bit' brighter too.

Let you know / show as soon as.

Lazy-FatS

I can get multi LED replacement bulbs here, that will fit the side lights, not sure how they compare to standard bulbs though.

Yes Nic, i did toy with the idea of the new LED ones.

BIT pricey, but, depends on how good.

I'd LOVE to be able to actually use the sidelights to DRIVE on

(they're just too SMALL as they are - but might be OK if a LOT brighter ??)

FatS.

[ps, do the HIDs 'flicker' as i read elsewhere ?? is it like turning a Fluorescent

Tube on ? = Starter thingies ? is THAT why they are mainly used for DIPS ?

Just asking..... STILL can't afford 'em i'm afraid ]

[ps, do the HIDs 'flicker' as i read elsewhere ?? is it like turning a Fluorescent

Tube on ? = Starter thingies ? is THAT why they are mainly used for DIPS ?

Just asking..... STILL can't afford 'em i'm afraid ]

Yes when you first turn on the HID lights there is a flicker for a split second. They are not used for main beams, mainly because flashing them on and off all the time when driving, will reduce the life of the ballasts/bulbs.

Have just fitted the new bulbs...........

" * * * * DRUM-ROLE * * * * "

The "Osram 30% Brighter" Fogs (H3) are a LITTLE brighter, but still mostly YELLOW.

The 'cheaper' "Xenon" bulbs are a little brighter - bit like the Osrams, but mostly YELLOW.

The "Philips Blue Vision" bulbs are brighter still - and are now in the dips -

BUT are still not truly "White".... still mostly YELLOW i'm afraid.

NONE of 'em come close to the 100w/Blue/Xenon ones in the Highs.

THEY are WHITE and still put out more LIGHT than the Philips too.

Don't get me wrong, i'm glad i bought the Philips 'cos i'm STILL not sure

about using those 100w's in the reflector lens's

BUT, the 'cheaper' Xenons are NOT as good as the Philips......

yet again....in this instance......YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR (sort of)

[or rather I got what I paid for ]

I have a 'spare' set of plastic headlamps which i was going to practice

the "cleaning" routine on..... i may use THEM to try 100w's in instead.

AND i suppose the UK/Glass headlamps will always give just a TAD more

light than even REALLY clean Jap/Plaz lamps ?!?!?

Maybe.....ONE day.........

FatS

PICS > > > > > >

"LOW" view of :

OLD bulbs..........v.......NEW bulbs

(DRIVERS-side).........(PASS-side)

"HIGH" view of :

OLD bulbs..........v.......NEW bulbs

(DRIVERS-side).........(PASS-side)

and SUBJECTIVE view of ALL new bulbs from

above the roof..... against a brick wall, still fairly daytime and doesn't

quite do 'em justice (but i think you can tell by the way they light the

bricks up even in partial daylight ?!?)

I know it LOOKS like the highs are LESS bright than the dips (?)

but i think the camera seems to enhance the yellow light (OR subdue

the WHITE-er light ?????)

In real life they are slightly BRIGHTER and a LOT more white.

Nice write up, thanks for testing the water and letting us see the results.

Steve, I got a pair of the H3 fog light bulbs in the week from the same place, they assured me that they would be near to my dipped beam HID's in colour.

Well, tried one of them in today and well pissed off, they are worse than the stock, less light and just as yellow!!

'4500K xenon upgrade' it says on the box, what a load of bollox!

I've sent them a right crappy e-mail asking for a full refund, only about a tenner but not the point really as I mailed them and asked the question about colour prior to purchase and they lied.

I really think the only way to go is PIAA, have the 4500K Tera sidelight LED's and they are very bright and very white, perfect match for HID although silly money at about £40 (yes, for bloody sidelight bulbs)

Your mains look good though, what make?

Paul

Sorry to hear that Paul.

The H3's (the fogs - OUTermost ?) i got were from them BUT Osram 30%

NOT their Xenon-Blue ones.

The Xenon-Blues i got were 9005s same as the Philips Blue Visions.

The Philips are claimed 4000K and THEY claim THEIR Xenons as 4500K.

I'd say the Philips might be 4000-ish with a bit of optimism....

but THEIR Xenons are YELLOWER than the Philips so

not much less yellow than the normal Jap Dip bulb.

I'd rate THEIR Xenons as only the same as the Osrams ??

BUT then they only cost a little more than normal 9005s so at the

"end-of-the-day" (NAFF saying time !) no great disaster...just 2 spare

'normal' bulbs really.

The Philips are noticably better/brighter/less yellow, but NOT WHITE.

(and cost twice as much ! ! !)

The Highs i've got are only better because they are PROPER blue glass

(which gives the WHITE) and then 100w to get back (or more) the BRIGHTNESS.

I'm sure I've still got the plastic container they came in in the shed...

i'll look tomorrow mate. [They came from a performance place down in

Rochester-Kent about 2 years ago...they imported straight from Japan at

the time, and, at the time, the only info on the bulbs was from a Jap

web site ! ! !]

i'm not even sure what they cost now ?? guessing/remember about £40/pair

so almost TWICE the Philips !?!?!

(which,in turn are ~twice the own-brand ???)

SURE it begins with a K.... Kai...Kio.....Kae..... sumtin ????

let ya know.

FOUND the place......

http://www.impossibleperformance.co.uk/exterior_bulbs.php

and the bulbs were/are the NOKYA (well...close !) ones ~half way down page

9005...100w... i THINK the 4300K ones ?? check tmrw.

They do those other blue/plasma ones but AT THE TIME i remember HE told me

that they were more 'Blue-Boy-Racer' type and i told him i wanted BRIGHT-WHITE

so HE told ME the Nokya ones.

These guys are listing bulbs at around £40 - do you know if that's a pair or single? If it's single then I think I'll roll around laughing for a bit, then give it a miss!

They are ~£40 a pair.

STILL hyper expensive.....for BULBS !

BUT, i think they are DEFINITELY worth it IF you can't/won't go HID.

They are the ONLY bulbs i know (although i haven't tried the PIAA ones -

they are even DEARER ???) that come ANY WHERE NEAR HID 'whiteness'

It's because they are BLUE-GLASS and HIGH WATTAGE (AND the newer gas ?!)

None of the standard wattage bulbs get anywhere NEAR a 'white' light.

BUT, the Philips are not bad....for the price. Much better than normal, just

not really white i'm afraid (not even CLOSE)

Just depends 'WATT' you want (sorry :-) )

[ BTW, found the container... "Arctic White 7,000K"

i'm still umming and arring about trying 'em in the Projector lamps - Dip/Fog

"buck buck buck....buuuck buck buck" ]

FatS.

Problem I see is the higher wattage. OK, so this gives you the white light but surely increases in the wattage will cause damage to the cars electrics somehow?

Paul

POSSIBLE problems:-

1) any higher wattage = more drain on alternator/battery

[ at the mo' they're only on the HIGH beam so very short-term...

would be worse on Dip/Fog though ]

2) Possible overheating/melting of wires / fusing of relays / even just

more frequent blowing of fuses

3) the possibilty of cracking the glass lens due to more heat (not a prob

on the High... but poss' on dip/fog)

all i can say is i used to run 55/100's on me RSTurbo AND have 100's in the

Driving Lamps. I presently run 55/100's on me Sierra and, again 100's in the

Driving Lamps. The ONLY prob was on the RS if you FLASHed at idle the revs

would drop from ~900 down to ~600..... this DOESN'T happen on the

Sierra but then it has a much bigger Alternator.

[bUT, none of the lamps on the RS or Sierra were of the 'PROJECTOR' type,

so didn't have those close-proximity lens']

but... YES, you're right, there ARE worries.