Sylvania EcoBright headlight bulbs?

[Weather Spotter]

Lumens is a measure of light output. often measured at 1 foot from the source. While the color temp of a bulb does not always = light output in the case of HIDs there is a correlation.

in order to achieve the different color temps different coatings and or materials must be used. each of these affect the total lumens produced. it is a trade off between brightness and frequency of the light waves (color temp).

technically using a reflector would only change the directing and focus of the light not its actual lumen output. it does add more light in the direction we want it but the total light being generated does not change, just where it goes.

[cfg83]

Weather Spotter -

Originally Posted by Weather Spotter

Lumens is a measure of light output. often measured at 1 foot from the source. While the color temp of a bulb does not always = light output in the case of HIDs there is a correlation.

in order to achieve the different color temps different coatings and or materials must be used. each of these affect the total lumens produced. it is a trade off between brightness and frequency of the light waves (color temp).

technically using a reflector would only change the directing and focus of the light not its actual lumen output. it does add more light in the direction we want it but the total light being generated does not change, just where it goes.

Ok. I see why the color temp would NOT be related to the energy used.

The following thread is for me and other Saturn S-Series owners :

01 sc2 projector lights - SaturnFans Forums

Someone (gold00sl) is retrofitting OEM head lights with HID projector housings that are made for an Acura TSX.

CarloSW2

[ceej]

There is a great deal of information on automotive lighting up at this site:

Daniel Stern Lighting Consultancy and Supply

In the tech section of the site, there is quite a write up on "Blue" replacement bulbs, and comments on HID's.
I run many of his products to good effect without blinding oncoming traffic.
He just directed me to another supplier for upgrades to my 9005 and 9006 bulbs. Same power, same bulb life as stock, more usable light. They are correct for the stock reflectors and lenses in my daily driver.
He also has upgrade schematics on the site for automotive lighting circuits.

CJ

[cfg83]

ceej -

I spent some time on the site and I feel like I was "scared straight" :

Daniel Stern Lighting - Thinking of converting to HID?

The only safe and legitimate HID retrofit is one that replaces the entire headlamp—that is lens, reflector, bulb...the whole system—with optics designed for HID usage. In the aftermarket, it is possible to get clever with the growing number of available products, such as Hella's modular projectors available in HID or halogen, and fabricate your own brackets and bezels, or to modify an original-equipment halogen headlamp housing to contain optical "guts" designed for HID usage (though it should be noted that "cooking" the lens off a composite headlamp, installing HID optics and re-sealing the lens creates major problems of its own, and does not result in a legal headlamp).

CarloSW2

[winkosmosis]

You aren't going to get more light with less wattage, no way no how. A normal halogen is 60W high beam, 55W low beam. You can buy bulbs with higher wattage, but only if your wiring can handle it.

Either way, it won't have a noticeable effect on gas mileage. It takes 745watts to make 1hp and a normal car is probably using 20-40hp at cruising speed.

[smokeyj]

Of corse you are!
HID is an entirely different technology from Halogen, and it is far more efficient at converting electrical energy to light.

As to efficiency bump. There should be some, 40W less electrical load give maybe 60W less mechanical load which is a little less than 1/10 hp.
If you are driving a smallish car cruise velocity is maybe 15hp so you are looking at about a 0.7% load drop. Or should see that much increase in FE.

[winkosmosis]

Originally Posted by smokeyj

Of corse you are!
HID is an entirely different technology from Halogen, and it is far more efficient at converting electrical energy to light.

As to efficiency bump. There should be some, 40W less electrical load give maybe 60W less mechanical load which is a little less than 1/10 hp.
If you are driving a smallish car cruise velocity is maybe 15hp so you are looking at about a 0.7% load drop. Or should see that much increase in FE.

I should have specified, I was only talking about the halogens.

[ceej]

I take it you were referring to me on the new bulb that makes more light with the same wattage.

The technology utilizes an infrared reflective coating. There is a modification that can be made to a 9011 irc bulb base that allows the bulb to be installed where a 9005 was originally. While current remains the same, a large percentage of heat energy is reflected back into the element. This is where the greater light output comes from.

Toshiba makes these bulbs. I'm not sure of any other manufacturers of this technology at this time.

CJ

[RobertSmalls]

Originally Posted by winkosmosis

You aren't going to get more light with less wattage, no way no how.

Actually, incorrect. The efficiency of any given halogen varies with voltage. At a higher voltage, you get more lumens per Watt. You also get higher temperatures and much shorter life. That's why Sylvania Silverstars burn out faster than conventional halogens. I bet the EcoBright use the same principle, resulting in a bulb with shorter life, hotter filament temperature, lower power draw, and just as much light as a regular halogen.


from 35W GU10 Halogen light spot | OliNo

And yes, I know these bulbs don't actually step up the voltage fed to them. But a shorter filament accomplishes pretty much the same thing, in terms of longevity and efficiency.

[tjts1]

Originally Posted by ceej

There is a great deal of information on automotive lighting up at this site:

Daniel Stern Lighting Consultancy and Supply
CJ

The information on his site is out of date. A lot of new cars today use exactly the same projector or reflector for both HID and halogen bulbs. Take a close look at a mazda3 or sonata or second gen prius. The parts are identical.