sorry if this has been covered before. I tried a search and didn't come up with much. I was wondering if any of u are running the 9005 and 9006 type of this bulb. it says in write up to not use low beam bulb unless the tip of bulb is covered with a shield and noticed my housing has no shield. just curious if I can run these without excessive glaring to others. thanx
hir bulbs?
- Thread starter pecko
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TxDrewski
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I'm running them. Sylvania Silverstars. No issues here.
The true HIR bulbs by Toshiba are all but gone ... the only ones you can buy now are the Philips, which have no infrared reflective coating. That said they are still the best halogen bulbs out there and worth the upgrade imo.
TxDrewski
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My bad lol
yes soulsea those are what i'm talking about. can they be run in my stock housings without the shield that the manufacturer says needs to be there to cover the tip of the low beam bulb as the tip has no black covering the tip?
---------- Post added at 09:31 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:29 PM ----------
np tx drewski. i should have asked question properly! lol!
---------- Post added at 09:31 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:29 PM ----------
np tx drewski. i should have asked question properly! lol!
The shield absolutely has to be there for the low beam, the only way around it is if the bulb itself is coated at the tip, which HIR bulbs aren't. High beam it's not an issue but you'll blind everyone without the cap ... even more so with higher lumen bulbs like the HIR.
And it's not even just a glare issue ... different halogen reflector housings are designed specifically with the bulb type in mind. For example the reflector in a housing with a bulb cap isn't the same reflector design as one that takes a coated tip bulb. The caps aren't only there to prevent glare but also to take the light that comes out of the top of the uncoated bulb, reflect it back into the housing, and then back out onto the road.
It's a little complicated, but tldr you need to have a bulb cap in the design of the reflector to run HIR bulbs in the low beams.
And it's not even just a glare issue ... different halogen reflector housings are designed specifically with the bulb type in mind. For example the reflector in a housing with a bulb cap isn't the same reflector design as one that takes a coated tip bulb. The caps aren't only there to prevent glare but also to take the light that comes out of the top of the uncoated bulb, reflect it back into the housing, and then back out onto the road.
It's a little complicated, but tldr you need to have a bulb cap in the design of the reflector to run HIR bulbs in the low beams.
thank u for ur response. ya i figured that wouldn't work that's why i waited to purchase.
so in ur opinion what r my best options for getting better light down the road without going hid route? i'm assuming my housings are stock and none of them have this shield on this year truck. is that correct?
so in ur opinion what r my best options for getting better light down the road without going hid route? i'm assuming my housings are stock and none of them have this shield on this year truck. is that correct?
I'm honestly not familiar with NBS housings ... I'm sure the NBS guys will have some ideas.
You can use Sylvestar bulbs and that will help a little, but not a lot. Your only solution is to go with either an HID retrofit (expensive), or to get a set of aftermarket DEPO projector housings and use an HID kit with them. Normally I wouldn't recommend the second option but it just so happens that the NBS DEPO projector housings take well to HID bulbs and the cutoff is acceptable. The NBS guys can tell you which specific housings they are.
You can use Sylvestar bulbs and that will help a little, but not a lot. Your only solution is to go with either an HID retrofit (expensive), or to get a set of aftermarket DEPO projector housings and use an HID kit with them. Normally I wouldn't recommend the second option but it just so happens that the NBS DEPO projector housings take well to HID bulbs and the cutoff is acceptable. The NBS guys can tell you which specific housings they are.
thanx for ur help, is appreciated. don't really want to go hid but if i have to i will. i'll wait and see if any nbs guys chime in.
---------- Post added at 11:30 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:27 PM ----------
btw sweet vette!
---------- Post added at 11:30 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:27 PM ----------
btw sweet vette!
TheAutumnWind
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HID in a halogen lens would be far worse IMHO than HIRs without the tip.
I have 9005's currently in my lows (Denali) and they have no coating on the tip. The cutoff is fine, and glare is not a problem. I never get flashed with them also.
I plan to move up to HIRs in the near future as well. I have done this in a previous vehicle and love them.
---------- Post added at 05:33 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:30 PM ----------
Silverstar ULTRA and any bulb with blue coating on the side of the glass is not the way to go. The blue filters out that spectrum of light and actually makes them put out less lumens than they would otherwise. GE Nighthawk Platinums or Philips XTP/XTV would be better if you want to stay with a 9006/9005 setup.
I have 9005's currently in my lows (Denali) and they have no coating on the tip. The cutoff is fine, and glare is not a problem. I never get flashed with them also.
I plan to move up to HIRs in the near future as well. I have done this in a previous vehicle and love them.
---------- Post added at 05:33 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:30 PM ----------
Silverstar ULTRA and any bulb with blue coating on the side of the glass is not the way to go. The blue filters out that spectrum of light and actually makes them put out less lumens than they would otherwise. GE Nighthawk Platinums or Philips XTP/XTV would be better if you want to stay with a 9006/9005 setup.
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That's why I didn't say 'ultra' ...
TheAutumnWind
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I know you didn't, I was just trying to clarify.
All silverstars that I am aware of that are advertised as being brighter and whiter go this route. I am not a fan.
---------- Post added at 09:40 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:39 AM ----------
That is a nice option that I was not aware of until this thread.
Ran HIRs retrofit into the lows in my 99 NBS for about 2 years until I sold it. Never got flashed and were probably 150-175% of the brightness of previous silverstars. I heard about the bulb shielding issue but took the "I'll fix the problem when it arises" approach. Never got flashed once so I never worried about it. Ran them in some clear euro lens replacement lights. I think they were spyder or depo. Don't remember exactly.
TheAutumnWind
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I am running them in my jeep commander. Big fan of them
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TheAutumnWind
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Ok here are some pictures of my quick 9011 (HIR) upgrade. Cost $24 @ rockauto. They sell them as "wagner 9011" but are Philips made in Germany.
Noticable improvement.
Keep in mind this is a Denali with halogen projectors. They run 9005's stock which is a 1700lm bulb @ 60w.
9011 is 2350lm @ 65w
Left is HIR1, Right is 9005 Sylvania. Notice the larger hotspot, and whiter output. Stock wiring.
I am in my driveway 10' from garage and not level. Pic taken with my HTC One M7
I plant to move these to my high's and run HID's at some point, but this is a nice stopgap.
Noticable improvement.
Keep in mind this is a Denali with halogen projectors. They run 9005's stock which is a 1700lm bulb @ 60w.
9011 is 2350lm @ 65w
Left is HIR1, Right is 9005 Sylvania. Notice the larger hotspot, and whiter output. Stock wiring.
I am in my driveway 10' from garage and not level. Pic taken with my HTC One M7
I plant to move these to my high's and run HID's at some point, but this is a nice stopgap.
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