Whats the right bulb?

[prglewis]

I have the cornering light problem on my 2005 Cayenne S, I'm going to change the bulb myself. Couple of questions...

The manual lists an H3 bulb, is there any difference between the H3's available online? For example, Osram has two, the nightbreaker plus family or the truckstar family, weblinks are:

http://www.osram.com/osram_com/Consumer/Automotive_Lighting/Products/Headlights/NIGHT_BREAKER_PLUS/NIGHT_BREAKER_PLUS_family/index.html

http://www.osram.com/osram_com/Professionals/Automotive_Lighting/Products/TRUCKSTAR/The_TRUCKSTAR_family/index.html

Also, there is a big difference between prices online. For example, bulbtronics.com and bulbamerica.com have them for about $1.60-1.80 each, amazon has them at about $25, servicelighting.com at about $10. They all have slightly different ID numbers as well. Here are the weblinks:

http://www.bulbtronics.com/Search-The-Warehouse/ProductDetail.aspx?sid=0000846&pid=OS64151&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

http://www.bulbamerica.com/osram-sylvania-64151-h3-55w-12v-w-male-connector-bulb.html

http://www.amazon.com/Osram-64451-Terminal-Single-Halogen/dp/B0018S5WO2

http://www.servicelighting.com/General-64153-OSRAM-12V-100W-H3-T3-5-Miniature-Incandescent-Light-Bulb

Which should I get?

Also, any ideas for cool other types of bulbs to put in there instead? I saw some posts about people replacing their bulbs for aftermarket bulbs...

Thanks!

Paul

[wvicary]

The bulb is an H3 which is a standard sizing and pay whatever price you're comfortable with. I personally wouldn't install a higher consumption bulb in this place.

[prglewis]

Ok but whats the difference between the bulbs? Are the price increases from $2 to $10 to $25 actually indicative of product improvements or are they just different retailers charging different amounts for the same thing? I don't mind paying a bit more if its really a better bulb...

[bigbuzuki]

Use Osram/sylvania brand if you want OEM German quality.

Price difference usually is indicative if the lamp is incandescent (cheaper) or halogen (expensive).

The standard fit to the Cayenne cornering light is the 64151 incandescent bulb.

You can use the following:

The 64151 is normal OEM incandescent type, yellowish light.

Or you can upgrade to:

The 64151NBP (night breaker plus) are halogen type with brightest light output of the bunch.

Or

The 64151CB (cool blue) variety are halogen and have a colour temp of 4000k to match the colour of the xenon lights if you have them. I use these and am happy with them.

These are all 12 volt 55 watt rated. The difference in brightness being through design and colour temp.

The amazon light you listed is a 24 volt lamp and wrong part number.

Edited July 25, 2011 by bigbuzuki

[hahnmgh63]

Exactly as BigSuzuki said, their all about the same and I wouldn't go to any fancy rice looking colored bulbs or higher wattage bulbs for this application. Just the standard Phillips, Osram, Hella, Sylvania bulbs. As he mentioned also, the Amazon bulb is a special 24Volt version for either light aircraft or heavy equipment which uses a 24V electrical system.

[deilenberger]

Actually - I'd suggest avoiding the Sylvania brand stuff. Even though they are owned by Osram - the stuff they peddle in the US isn't the same as the Europen bulbs (even with the same names - like "Nightbreaker") The best source for non-available bulbs I've found is www.powerbulbs.com in the UK. Despite them being in the UK, delivery is free and FAST (typically less then 1 week after ordering them.) They even have a US dollar version of their website to make it easy for us.

Any of the Osram higher output bulbs DO put out more light - usually very close to the claimed 50% or so.. (I did some articles for the BMW Car Club of America Roundel on alternative bulbs - and did a lot of in depth testing of different bulbs.) They do draw the standard current - so there are no wiring problems. Unfortunately - there is no free lunch - the way they make more light is they run hotter, and that causes shorter lifetimes. They aren't awful, but they will be shorter lived.

FWIW - any bulb with a colored coating on them is putting out reduced light - the color is a filter that absorbs light, and allows only the desired color through. This isn't a good thing as you move toward the blue end of the spectrum since the actual output is less then a clear bulb, and your eye has problems with contrast as you head toward blue so its harder to discern what you're looking at, and scattering from blue (why the sky appears blue BTW..) also causes your eye's iris to close down.. all of these make "blue bulbs" a bad choice unless you're just going for the bling. There is a reason fog lights (and in France - normal headlights) all used to be yellow (think of "blue-blocker" sunglasses - and the increased contrast they provide by reducing scattering.)

About the best tutorials on lighting you can find are by Daniel Stern, a recognized expert in automotive lighting. http://www.danielsternlighting.com/ - a good article by him on light color is: http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/lights/light_color/light_color.html

Best, (and yes - I used to do this sort of research at Bell Labs many moons ago..)

[prglewis]

Thanks guys, that's a big help.

I think I'll take your recommendation and go for the Euro version, probably the NBP but maybe the CB (as its only a cornering light I'm not too concerned about loss of light / diffraction, most cars don't even have this light at all).

Powerbulbs.com looks like a good website, thanks for the tip. Does anyone have experience with SVETILA.com? Despite being in Slovenia it does seem to be a legit website, and they have both the NBP and CB whereas Powerbulbs only has the NBP. Svetila is also a bit cheaper even with US delivery. I couldn't find any stores here in the US stocking the NBP or CB!

[bigbuzuki]

I buy from Svetila.com.

They package the bulbs securely and deliver promptly. Highly recommended.

Edited July 26, 2011 by bigbuzuki

[prglewis]

Thanks guys, this has been a great thread.

I bought both the NBP and CB (2 of each) from Svetila.com for a total of EUR 32 including US delivery. Now I'm stocked and can test the bulbs out on the car to see what I like best.

Cheers!

Paul