Lights on eBay

#1 03-02-2002, 01:52 PM

We've probably all clicked ""SVX" on eBay and been pleasantly surprised to see 132 listings, only to find out that 120 of them are headlamp bulbs.

I'm sure this has been covered before but not on my watch...

Are these things illegal? They are not bragging about DOT certification in the ads. Just want to hear it someone who knows - my expertise is in SVX tinkering, electronics, and obviously - oil.

It's been 8 years, I've not had to replace any bulb on the car, but it'll probably happen.

#2 03-02-2002, 01:55 PM

I used to have 'hyperwhite' bulbs in my low beams. They were the good, expensive kind, and because of the "elipsoid projectors" they really looked close to HID's. I loved them. Good clean light too. One of them burnt out, and I went back to the stock yellow ones just because of money.

-Mike

Aredubjay · #3 03-02-2002, 03:56 PM

From what I understand, it's the wattage that is DOT approved, not the "type" of light. If your lows are rated at 55 Watts and your Highs are rated at 65 Watts, you're DOT approved. It's when you start putting 80's in your lows and 100's in your highs that you're supposed to be "off road only." So, in short, to be "legal" you simply have to have 55W lows and 65W highs.

#4 03-02-2002, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Aredubjay
From what I understand, it's the wattage that is DOT approved, not the "type" of light. If your lows are rated at 55 Watts and your Highs are rated at 65 Watts, you're DOT approved. It's when you start putting 80's in your lows and 100's in your highs that you're supposed to be "off road only." So, in short, to be "legal" you simply have to have 55W lows and 65W highs.

In PA you can get pulled over simply for having "Blue" lights. A friend of mine has a AMG Mercedes SUV. He got pulled over for having "Blue" lights (stock real HID.) The officer tried to issue a "fix-it-ticket." My friend used the little mercedes on board emergancy thing (like onstar) to get a MB operator who confirmed that they were stock and dot approved while the officer was there. Just an interesting story...

-Mike

#5 03-02-2002, 04:48 PM

i got a pair for another car on e-bay last year. within 2 months both burned out. obviously the bulb was not the only thing to get burned.

mohrds · #6 03-02-2002, 04:55 PM

Some of the HID wannabe bulbs are flat out dangerous. A low technology filiment bulb surrounded by Xenon gas outputs the most light in the yellow range and very little in the blue range. But, the bulbs are coated with a filter that only passes the blue range so the bulbs appear like the expensive HID lights. The end result is that very little usable light is output onto the road.

I lost the bookmark, but a test was done on several bulbs and the average Xenon Blue bulbs does consume 100 watts of electricity but, actualy threw the same lumens onto the road as a non filtered 35 watt halogen.

So you are tricked into thinking that the 100 watt bulbs will be a great improvement, but you end up with less, but cool looking, light.

The Hyper whites and other quality lights have a whiter light, not a bluer light. The bulbs are using filiment and complex gas technology to create a whiter light, not using a filter. They are pushing the highest spectrum of light that a filiment can.

An easy test is the back of the package will say for off road use only (in really tiny print) on anything that puts out less (or excessivly more) light than stock.

Another option is to actually replace your lighting system with true HID capsules. They have no filiment, just gases, and make light by passing several thousand volts through it. The light spectrum output from second generation HID's is within a few percent of sunlight's visible range. But converting will cost over $1,000 for low and high beams.

Doug

Beav · #7 03-02-2002, 10:25 PM

I've been watching lately and the prices are beginning to fall but you have to look hard and know what you're looking for. True HID bulbs and ballasts can be had around $400. I did see one site @ $300, but the parts were of questionable quality.

I don't know about you folks but I'm having a really hard time believing that any OEM would ever spend that kind of money on on single system in a vehicle, let alone a couple of light bulbs. Keep waiting, the prices will fall even farther.

Beav

#8 03-03-2002, 07:15 AM

One of the first things I did when I got the car was to replace the existing low beam bulbs. I wanted the road lit up in front of me. I installed a pair called, as best I can remember, HyperWhite. These were aquired at the local Pep Boys shop. They worked great! From the drivers seat I could probably read my own drivers liscence on the gorund in front of me and no-one, not one driver ever flashed their brights at me.

The only problem was within two weeks one burnt out. That same night I went to leave and saw what looked like a camera flash when I started the car. Yup, the other was gone now.

I can only speculate as to the cause. Heat within the projection beam enclosure gets too high for this type of bulb is what I suspect. I have to say though that I really miss light output of those bulbs. B-T-W, I was able to return them for a full refund, twice. $40+.

I now have the standard bulbs installed until I can figure something else out.

Randy (Checking into night blindness) ii

wasions · #9 03-03-2002, 09:19 PM

Just before leaving for Colorado last month, I replaced the lows with Sylvania Silverstar H3's (?). (One was burned out.) Never been flashed, and they very obviously put out more, and whiter, light. About $25 a piece at Auto Zone. I'm hoping to replace the brights as soon as I can talk the little woman out of a couple more bucks.

Stevebsy · #10 03-04-2002, 07:21 AM

80w low beams from Summit that are blueish. I wish they would burn out so I could replace them, but two years later and they are still working

Never been flashed because they aren't really that bright.

High Beams I have 100w white ones, and they are very bright. Also I have lamps mounted in the lower grill opening that are relayed in with the high beam circuit.

This was all done by the previous owner and seems to work pretty well. I've never pulled the bulbs out to verify what brand they actually are.

I would like to get some PIAA superwhite low beams as soon as the blue ones die.

One extra note - I just did the alternator wiring upgrade and the lights seem to be brighter, but it's hard to tell when they are covered in salt and crap most of the winter though...

Aredubjay · #11 03-04-2002, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by wasions
Just before leaving for Colorado last month, I replaced the lows with Sylvania Silverstar H3's (?). (One was burned out.) Never been flashed, and they very obviously put out more, and whiter, light. About $25 a piece at Auto Zone. I'm hoping to replace the brights as soon as I can talk the little woman out of a couple more bucks.

You wouldn't have replaced the lows with H3 -- that's the fog lights. The lows would be 9005's.

wasions · #12 03-04-2002, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Aredubjay

You wouldn't have replaced the lows with H3 -- that's the fog lights. The lows would be 9005's.

Oh. OK. You're right. I didn't remember, and too lazy to look it up. Thanks.

#13 03-04-2002, 10:12 AM

I thought they were 9006's. Thats what i put on my ride. I bought some piaa's that were hyperwhite and were great and never blew. I recommend those

Be careful about the ones you get off ebay. I bought some xenon bulbs off there for my prelude and they blew within 3 weeks.

Aredubjay · #14 03-04-2002, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by RRX
I thought they were 9006's. Thats what i put on my ride. I bought some piaa's that were hyperwhite and were great and never blew. I recommend those

Be careful about the ones you get off ebay. I bought some xenon bulbs off there for my prelude and they blew within 3 weeks.

Yes, you're right. 9006 for lows. Why they have the lows at a higher number than the highs, I'll never know. It makes things so confusing.

9006 LOWS
9005 HIGHS

I need to keep repeating that to myself. Sheesh!

Mr. Pockets · #15 03-04-2002, 10:53 AM

I fully endorse PIAA Platinum lamps. I bought some 'American Products Company' 'xenon' lamps and they burned out inside four months. The PIAAs have lasted me well over a year. They aren't totally bluish, but they are definitely bright.

By the way, APC seems to sell total ricer-poser garbage. Their product line runs from 'Altezza' corner lamps for Civics to shiny tailpipe covers. So why do I see the kiddies with APC logo banners in their windows? Doesn't that just SCREAM 'poser' to even the ricer crowd, themselves mostly posers?