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Osram low beam bulb replacement
Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 8:25 am
by brewskie
Good Evening,
Can't seem to find any Osram in Winnipeg at the moment. Found bulbs made by German company Flosser H3's 55w. Anyone familiar with with these.
Cheers
Re: Osram low beam bulb replacement
Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 11:49 pm
by john clem
Just changed my h4 bulbs. Stock was 55w but lordco had 100w. Same type of bulb that fits my Hella driving lights.
Re: Osram low beam bulb replacement
Posted: Mon Apr 26, 2010 9:21 am
by thelazybrownfox
guys
I've been using the h3 100 watt bulbs for 6 months but burned out a few before I found the solution.
L300 Delica headlight modules can't handle the heat produced by 100 watts and will fry your bulb. There is no easy way to dissipate the heat except to remove the screw on cover. In warm weather a 100 watt bulb lasted 2 weeks (before cover removal).
Headlight switches will burn out too unless you relay the lo beams straight off the battery. See tardis deli's (Jay) relay wiring diagram.
The tiny size of the L300 headlight restricts light output so badly with a 55 watt bulb that larger wattage bulbs seemed the best (cheapest) solution. L300 100 watt output still pales in comparison with new HID headlights.
I wouldn't recommend 100 watt bulbs on the L400.
thanks
TLBF
Re: Osram low beam bulb replacement
Posted: Mon Apr 26, 2010 9:50 am
by Green1
be advised that 100w watt bulbs suffer from many problems, the first of which is that they are illegal for on-road use. beyond that, the wiring in the vehicle isn't designed to support them, the switch isn't designed to support them, and as the last poster pointed out, the headlight housing itself isn't designed to handle the extra heat.
keep it legal, keep it at 55watts. if you want "brighter" (and considering the already excellent optics of the L400 I'm not sure why you'd need it) you can try the silverstar bulbs, still 55watts, but they do tend to be brighter (though they tend not to have the same endurance as regular bulbs)
Re: Osram low beam bulb replacement
Posted: Mon Apr 26, 2010 8:41 pm
by thelazybrownfox
Green
Obviously I don't care about illegal or not. HID headlights are far brighter, more blinding for the oncoming vehicle and much more expensive, compare $8.00 and tax at Lordco for a H3 100 w bulb.
My headlight module was never damaged, the bulb burnt out first. I removed the cover and have had no problems with 100w bulbs since.
The cost of wiring, relay and 100 w bulb etc is under $50. vs approx $200 for HID. Silverstar bulbs are poor quality and not recommended(as you said). Instal time is same with both HID and 100 watt relay and wiring.
Do you really think you'll be pulled over and asked what headlight bulb you're using??? Maybe if you live in Alberta! I don't have to buy an L400 just to improve my headlights, just change headlight bulbs.
TLBF
Re: Osram low beam bulb replacement
Posted: Mon Apr 26, 2010 9:23 pm
by Green1
thelazybrownfox wrote:Green
Obviously I don't care about illegal or not. HID headlights are far brighter, more blinding for the oncoming vehicle and much more expensive, compare $8.00 and tax at Lordco for a H3 100 w bulb.
My headlight module was never damaged, the bulb burnt out first. I removed the cover and have had no problems with 100w bulbs since.
The cost of wiring, relay and 100 w bulb etc is under $50. vs approx $200 for HID. Silverstar bulbs are poor quality and not recommended(as you said). Instal time is same with both HID and 100 watt relay and wiring.
Do you really think you'll be pulled over and asked what headlight bulb you're using??? Maybe if you live in Alberta! I don't have to buy an L400 just to improve my headlights, just change headlight bulbs.
TLBF
Retrofitting HIDs are also illegal.
These vehicles are targets for enforcement officers who have a grudge against RHD... they will make up an excuse, and it doesn't take much to figure out that your bulbs are DOUBLE the legal brightness.
Re: Osram low beam bulb replacement
Posted: Mon Apr 26, 2010 10:33 pm
by Golf Cart
Green1 wrote:thelazybrownfox wrote:Green
Obviously I don't care about illegal or not. HID headlights are far brighter, more blinding for the oncoming vehicle and much more expensive, compare $8.00 and tax at Lordco for a H3 100 w bulb.
My headlight module was never damaged, the bulb burnt out first. I removed the cover and have had no problems with 100w bulbs since.
The cost of wiring, relay and 100 w bulb etc is under $50. vs approx $200 for HID. Silverstar bulbs are poor quality and not recommended(as you said). Instal time is same with both HID and 100 watt relay and wiring.
Do you really think you'll be pulled over and asked what headlight bulb you're using??? Maybe if you live in Alberta! I don't have to buy an L400 just to improve my headlights, just change headlight bulbs.
TLBF
Retrofitting HIDs are also illegal.
These vehicles are targets for enforcement officers who have a grudge against RHD... they will make up an excuse, and it doesn't take much to figure out that your bulbs are DOUBLE the legal brightness.
Targets for LE ? Maybe in Alberta where they can see you coming for a day and a half. In B.C they are more concerned with grow-ops and Asian Massage Parlors, two things of which I know nothing about.

Re: Osram low beam bulb replacement
Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 11:02 am
by Green1
Golf Cart wrote: Targets for LE ? Maybe in Alberta where they can see you coming for a day and a half. In B.C they are more concerned with grow-ops and Asian Massage Parlors, two things of which I know nothing about.
So far the majority of baseless harassment complaints have come from BC and not Alberta (though I have heard of incidents in both provinces)
Re: Osram low beam bulb replacement
Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 7:41 pm
by Firesong
Blah Blah BLah illegal blah
I think the question here was how, what and hmm
not 'wow is this illegal'
If it isn't stock it's..
Heat issues are a pain, finding a solution is always
cool. I use the silverstars since I have a sealed beam
unit (1990) might alter a set to see what I can come up with
FS
Re: Osram low beam bulb replacement
Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 7:44 pm
by Green1
it was not until he stated that he didn't care about illegal that I knew that. Many people don't know what the legalities are, and informing them is a good thing.
Re: Osram low beam bulb replacement
Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 9:49 pm
by Golf Cart
Always good to be informed !!!!
As far as replacement bulbs go, I tried the Silverstars, but wasnt too impressed with them ( they didnt seem to be much better than what I changed out ). Then I went to Lordco and found a set of DOT approved 55 watt H3 & H1. They were about 35 Pesos a set, but I can't find the bill for the part numbers.
As some of you know , I had one helluva time cooking control switches until Jay came to the rescue. he ended up relaying every system. 1 relay for the running lights , 1 for low and 1 for high beams, and used a 10 amp fuse for each. I tried the 100 watt Hella's that Silverbrowndog or quelle ever his handle is and kept popping the fuse, so I went back to the 55 watt.
Now I have no heating issues in the control switch thanks to the relays, but I did break one of the new 55 watters from Lordco, so I put the Silverstars back in til I can get up to Lordco and get a replacement. I'll post the make and part numbers of the bulb once I get them. I was impressed with them as I could actually see the road.
Light em up !!!!!