H4 vs H5 headlight performance

Blue Goose · 01-05-2005, 10:13 AM

Has anyone used both the H5 headlamps with 80/100 bulb and the H4 headlamps with 80/100 bulbs? Any differences in beam spread, illumination or anything else?

Pete000 · 01-05-2005, 10:36 AM

I am concidering switching to the H4's from My H5's I hear they are far better with actual glass lense and brighter bulb availability.

Wil Ferch · 01-05-2005, 10:42 AM

Power is one thing.......beam pattern / spread is another , consisder the first as the "quantity" of light...and the second as "quality" of light.

A lot of power with H5's poor beam pattern and spread is not thought to be a good thing....

Wil

Quicksilver · 01-05-2005, 05:55 PM

I have been using 80/100s in my H5s for a few years. It definitly increases the quantity of light that the junky H5s put out. My Nissan pickup with 6"x8" 55/60 H4 halogens puts out WAY more light everywhere except in oncoming traffic's eyes.

How many ways can I say that H5s stink? (what were they thinking?) Oh, and the 1/8" wide blade connectors on the H5s tend to melt down too.

The H4s are in the garage and I just need to complete the clear coat on the trim rings and they will be in with 80/100s.

Wayne

magic930 · 01-05-2005, 07:14 PM

Anybody try these H5 bulbs?
Piaa 9004 Xtreme White 65/45w=120/95w
About $85 dollars for a twin pack

Blue Goose · 01-06-2005, 04:27 AM

Looks like I'll go with the H4's. I have the H4's in the garage and actually started to install one when I discovered that the adapter shipped with the headlights would require cutting one of the headlight wires, so I backed off. I think I have now discovered how to convert an existing H5 plug to use the adapter and keep the car stock. If anyone's interested in how I'll do all that, then send me an email address and I'' let you know how it works out...

KTL · 01-06-2005, 06:50 AM

Goose,

Do a search on this topic and you'll see it's been discussed quite a bit.

The H5 is a sturdier headlight assembly, but it's lighting performance is pretty poor. Plus, higher wattage bulbs ( = hotter operating temps) have been known to melt the H5's plastic parts.

The H4 Euro assembly is all metal construction and works great with higher wattage bulbs. The lighting performance is much improved. Nice sharp beam cutoff and the spread of light intensity is very uniform compared to the H5.

The H4 upgrade is a noticeable and worthwhile upgrade from the crappy H5 lights. Made a huge difference on my car. And my H5's were quite clean & clear. Didn't matter. They stunk.

Blue Goose · 01-08-2005, 04:48 AM

thanks to everyone for your help on this issue. The MAIN thing I learned was to "search" before posting a thread, Duh! There are hundreds of posts on this subject. I'm torn between my desire to keep the car stock and doing the job right.. (relays, wiring, h4's) plus opening that door to the "non-stock" engine/exhaust mods world. Decisions, decisions....

Quicksilver · 01-08-2005, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by magic930
Anybody try these H5 bulbs?
Piaa 9004 Xtreme White 65/45w=120/95w
About $85 dollars for a twin pack

I assume that the "65/45w=120/95w" refers to "it is a 65/45 that makes as much light as a 120/95". If so the claim is bull. If it really produced the quantity of light that they say then it wouldn't be DOT. They fudge the numbers by doing a variety of tricks. Things like measuring the light output in a narrow spectrum so they can say "I measured (blue) light out put and it produces twice as much!" but in reality across the full spectrum it is the same. Also they like to measure hot spots in the beam pattern.

There is a guy that has a wonderful website that has enough detailed information about automotive lighting that it will choke a horse. He has been mentioned here a number of times. I think it is Mike somebody... Anyone have the link?

BTW - Blue lights make you think they are brighter but they actually cause more glare. If you compare your ability to actually see things in different light you will find that a lower color temperature light actually lets you see better at night.

Wayne

RoninLB · 01-08-2005, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Quicksilver
There is a guy that has a wonderful website that has enough detailed information about automotive lighting that it will choke a horse. He has been mentioned here a number of times. I think it is Mike somebody... Anyone have the link?

Dan Stern Lighting

lighting.mbz.org is an old address, I think.

His site is Great. I bought some very big watt Oscar rally lights that most dealers don't even know about.

ps: http://www.danielsternlighting.com/

randywebb · 01-08-2005, 11:34 AM

Although, there "are hundreds of posts on this subject," there are few actual tests. The best thing to do is to try different lights on a dark, untraveled road which has a series of signs at various distances. Mark the area you park at carefully and do 2 or 3 tests with each light in BOTH housings to see which signs you can pick out.

Generally:
The H-4s are the cheapest upgrade from stock.
The H-1s are what most people like (including me) but are NLA. There are used ones around at high prices, including 3 that I have as a reserve.
The zenon ("Litronic") type bulbs are also avaialable. They add wt. to the front (transformer) and only the low beams are zenon based. They give a super sharp cutoff and a lot of light to the side. Judging by the ones on a Boxster I had, they are great for driving in traffic and still being able to see. But oncoming cars don't like them and will blink at you.

Wil Ferch · 01-08-2005, 01:15 PM

There were people on Rennlist that actually did tests but the "bull factor" for PIAA was true....

Wil

KTL · 01-08-2005, 01:31 PM

If we're talking about just the housings (and not the bulb tangent we're on right now), there's no question the Euro H4 assembly is FAR superior to the standard H5 unit. Anybody who says otherwise should not be driving a car because they may be deemed legally blind!

Even the pre-H5 housings with upgraded Hella or Cibie "sealed beam" looking headlights are far superior to the H5. Ron (RoninLB) can attest to this.

H1 units are a different animal altogether as they use separate bulbs for high/low beams and are becoming increasingly scarce. Which is a shame. The H1 is the best of the 911 frog eye headlamps.

When it comes to bulbs? Heck yeah there's alot of BS out there. Kinda like motor oil.............. For some good basic info. on the bulb BS, the link that Ron posted is a good read that is not overly technical.