Me and H4 don't get along....

[original2k]

i sware we hate each other, i've never touched the damn things, i've gone through 3 sets of them now and 2 different housings......they hate me i know they do, now i tried to avoid coming here cuz i know u guys hate dealing with petty stuff like this but can any1 tell me if they've had the same problem? the MOST i've done is wipe them with anti static tissue, there were know added ingredients in them or anything, also i know i'm not supposed to touch them...that's why i never did, but EVERY single time i put them in i look inside and find them warped, as if the bulbs themselves were melting, and 4 of them have blown up on me, i'm at a dead end now, i've tried 3 different brands and same result, are my wires too old to use them??? i've seen those sylvania blue sealed beams...should i just use them? also does any1 use them? any help is greatly appreciated as always guys, thx.

[Vanilla Sky]

don't touch them at all... period... try that

Derick

[loco87]

DONT BUY THE SYLVANIAS. THEY SUCK MAJOR ASS. BELIEVE ME. AS FAR AS THE H4'S GO. I NEVER HAD THAT KIND OF PROB OM MY 86'S BULBS, I HAD THE APC HOUSING WITH SOME APC H.I.D SIMULATED BULBS. THEY LOOKED PRETTY KOOL AT NIGHT.

[pmip]

I've heard that no matter what you do, blue tinted bulbs won't last as long as normal bulbs. If you pretty much want to stop getting bulbs all togather, there's always a real HID conversion.......

[original2k]

Originally posted by Vanilla Sky
don't touch them at all... period... try that

Derick

how about actually READING what i typed b4 posting, why don't u try that? i wasn't looking for smartass comments, just theories behind why i'm having the problem. don't bother replying to this cuz i don't want to read it. thx.

[PortugalHonda]

i had pilot housing and APC bright ultra plasma white bulbs.... 90/110w

[DBMaster]

I know this won't be a popular opinion, but don't go higher than 55/60W on th bulbs. When I tried 90/100's I smelled a burning wire smell and my dash clock kept resetting itself. Thr relays and fuses can handle the extra wattage, but apparently the wiring cannot. The factory sealed beam halogens were 35/55 so it's hardly surprising.

Do some reading. Light output is not proportional to wattage. a 90/100 bulb does not produce that much more light than a 55/60. Also, the higher wattage bulbs get hotter and burn out in less than half the time.

I find also that the blue tinted bulbs reduce light output. Since these are not real HID bulbs (capsules) any tint on the glass can only reduce light output.

Here is where a lot of you may disagree, and just remember that I had blue bulbs for a while. NONE of the blue bulbs look like HID. They all look like imitation something and therefore may be interpreted as ricey. I can ALWAYS tell the difference between HID and HID wannabe's. If they actually seem to improve visibility for you, that's great. The 55/60 Hella H4 bulbs I have now do a lot more for me than the Eaglite 90/100's that the housings came with.

[shepherd79]

i have 90/100 watt light bulbs in my headlights right now, and i don't have anyproblem with wires being melting or anything like that.
oh and replacement lights putt out 55/65 watt not 35/55watt

[DBMaster]

Yes RELPLACEMENT lights do that, but if you look in the Honda Service Manual the original equipment lights are listed as 35/55.

I actually used to have GE High Output Halogen sealed beams that were 55/65.

The wiring overheating may have been a function of the particular brand of bulbs I had. Maybe some 90/100's draw more amperage than others. I do know that it most assuredly was causing the overheating and the clock resetting on my car, though.

[cdscowboy]

I have the APC conversion with some PIAA Xtremes in there, and they work great. I had to replace one a while back but it was probably due to moisture getting into the light. Before I got the PIAA's, I had some blue Nokya's...damn they sucked. Anyways, my friend had the same setup in his jeep with the Nokyas, and he burnt out some relay or something...so it could just all depend on the brand. Sorry if that doesn't help at all!!!

[original2k]

well i guess i'll just try some more bulbs, walmart has these GE bulbs that have a very light blue tint to them, then again maybe i'll just wait until this season is over cuz it's been raining a lot too, a whatever thanks for the info guys

[carotman]

make sure you don't have water in your housings... I have this water leak problem with mine and it just sux

[Grant2k]

i have never heard of wiping them with anit-static tissue and i would consider that touching them.

[original2k]

ahh man it's not that, your supposed to wipe them with something for the initial use, i know some ppl use alcohol some ppl just use tissue, hell my first pair i didn't touch and u see what happened to those, then i talked to some ppl and they said to clean them first becuz if u don't it'll shorten their lifespan, i'm telling u guys it must be my wires, i have the black sheep of 3geez hahaha, damn and i loved that blue so much oh well!

[Project-LXi]

Sylvania "Cool Blue" headlights are not blue. There is nothing blue about them. I dont know why the hell they call them that, but if you are looking for blue headlights, dont be fooled!

[Grant2k]

go to the autoparts store and buy the new 2 headlight sealed beam socket. they come with like a foot of wire on them. go into your headlight and cut out your old shit and solder or connect the new ones in. the wires could be broken or ruined down there. 15 or so years of the headlights going up and down takes a tole on the wires in the spot where they pivot. one of my lights kept going out and i couldn't figure it out. i looked at the wires way down in the headlight opening and they were all broken from bending in one spot for 16 years. flip ups come at a cost.

[‹^› ‹(•¿•)› ‹^›]

TY Grant!! for the info!! My right headlight keeps dimming!! happens all the time!! Bright one second, dim the next!! looks nasty!! Ty!!

[DBMaster]

If you don't touch the glass on the bulb you shouldn't have to clean them with anything. If you do you can just use a paper towel with Windex, alcohol, or vinegar. No biggie.

[HondaBoy]

my mom works in lighting and she says that they have seen problems just like this. when i got some hyper white bulbs she said dont touch the glass with your bare hand. this is because of the oils in your hands absorb into the glass inter weakening them and totaly messing them up. i had that problem with colored bulbs and the time i put them in with a clean paper towel the didnt explode. hope this helps. HEY how about those GE blue bulbs for the H4 conversions. they are the 9003 ones. do they realy come out blue or are they bullshitting?