The oem Philips XenEcoStart bulbs in the mk7 factory optional HID lighting package are pretty poor compared to midrange Lexus, Mercedes, Acura HID output, and actually even earlier mk6 HID light output. Too much yellow and/or not bright enough. These factory Philips bulbs emit @ 4150K-4300K temperature. Has anyone tried upgrading them to something a bit hotter - say 4500-5000K and/or brighter (higher wattage) ?
Temperature of oem HID bulbs in lighting pkg
- Thread starter viking427
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Nuje
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- 2002 Golf 6MT; 2015 Sportwagen 6MT; 2018 A3 e-tron 6DSG
I used to think the same thing ("too yellow") with the 4300K bulbs. Then I put 5000K in my Mk4 FX-R projectors, and sure - they're great on a clear, crisp night. But in the rain...damn - it was almost scary. Road signs lit up like neon lights, but the road itself was really dark.
That's why I'll accept the yellowish tinge of the OEM bi-xenons in my 2015 GSW.
Maybe if I could find 4500K bulbs, I'd look at those, but at that point...I'm not sure there's enough of a difference to go through the hassle of pulling the headlights to swap out the bulbs.
That's why I'll accept the yellowish tinge of the OEM bi-xenons in my 2015 GSW.
Maybe if I could find 4500K bulbs, I'd look at those, but at that point...I'm not sure there's enough of a difference to go through the hassle of pulling the headlights to swap out the bulbs.
VeeDubTDI
Wanderluster, Traveler, TDIClub Enthusiast
A higher color temperature will perform more poorly in inclement weather due to the tendency of bluer light to scatter more (Rayleigh scattering). Anything much above 5,000K will actually be a downgrade from the factory 4,300K lamps.
20IndigoBlue02
Top Post Dawg
higher color temperature bulbs don't improve beam pattern. Modifying the actual projector assembly can improve the beam pattern
20IndigoBlue02
Top Post Dawg
Rayleigh scattering is a common myth
https://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/lights/light_color/light_color.html
And a particularly persistent myth holds that yellow light "penetrates fog better" because blue light scatters more, as evidenced by the sky being blue. The sky is indeed blue because of Rayleigh Scattering—short-wavelength light such as blue, indigo and violet does indeed scatter more—but only in droplets and particles equal or smaller than the wavelength of the light. That's much smaller than the particles and droplets that make up ground-level fog, rain, and snow; there is no Rayleigh Scattering happening to the light from a vehicle's front lamps, and whatever blue light those lamps might be producing does not get scattered by the fog, snow, or rain more than other colours of light
VeeDubTDI
Wanderluster, Traveler, TDIClub Enthusiast
Daniel Stern's website is not lighting gospel and references studies performed four or more decades ago (not to completely discount the work done in those studies). Furthermore, one of Stern's primary arguments is that filtering a halogen or incandescent light source to make it selective yellow reduces its intensity is valid and true. However, when discussing HID lamps, their color temperatures are a result of the chemical makeup within the arc tube and it's possible to have equal brightness across a range of color temperatures. For the purposes of this discussion, we are talking about variations within the "white" spectrum - cool white vs warm white - not selective yellow.
There are numerous studies on roadway lighting with the introduction of LED streetlights that make some very interesting conclusions on roadway lighting (both fixed street lights and car headlights). In general, cool white and daylight is not preferred for a variety of reasons ranging from light pollution (mostly irrelevant when talking about headlights) to glare to the differences in how the color of a light source affects a person's scotopic vs photopic vision. Stern addresses some of the issues in the link you provide. Rayleigh scattering or otherwise, bluer light performs more poorly in automotive lighting applications than warmer light (within the range of "white" light).
There are numerous studies on roadway lighting with the introduction of LED streetlights that make some very interesting conclusions on roadway lighting (both fixed street lights and car headlights). In general, cool white and daylight is not preferred for a variety of reasons ranging from light pollution (mostly irrelevant when talking about headlights) to glare to the differences in how the color of a light source affects a person's scotopic vs photopic vision. Stern addresses some of the issues in the link you provide. Rayleigh scattering or otherwise, bluer light performs more poorly in automotive lighting applications than warmer light (within the range of "white" light).
20IndigoBlue02
Top Post Dawg
Apparently you know something the automotive lighting manufacturers don't, as the LED headlights are spec'd in the higher color temperatures than HID's, in the 5500K range.
P.S. I had a 2017 Corolla as a rental during a business trip last week. With 5700K LED's, had no issues with visibility driving back to the airport at 5:45am, in the soaking flooding rain St. Louis has been experiencing.
On my Tiguan, I have 5500K D3S bulbs and don't have to use my fog lights (with Hella XY 9006 bulbs) when it's raining or dense fog.
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Thanks guys. I'm not talking about the punks with their cheap blue colored bulbs, just the higher end cars with pure white (no blue tint) HIDs. When they pull up next to you at a light with those nice pure white (oem) beams, they seem to blow out my two candles. 
Figured I'd look for something in the 4500-5000 range, but good to know the car mfrs are now creeping into the 5500k territory.
Figured I'd look for something in the 4500-5000 range, but good to know the car mfrs are now creeping into the 5500k territory.
20IndigoBlue02
Top Post Dawg
On the MK7 GTI, lots of people want to match the HID's to the fog light LED's, which are of higher color temperature.
In regards to other manufacturers, it's a matter of perspective, so when you look that others from your driver's view, they all are going to appear to be brighter, especially, when there is overlap from your own headlights.
I went to TRS Morimoto 5500K, because I liked the balance of color and lumen output.
https://www.hidplanet.com/forums/fo...rce-products/58316-the-ultimate-d2s-bulb-test
Their 4500K is equivalent to Osram's nightbreaker output, for a fraction of the price.
In regards to other manufacturers, it's a matter of perspective, so when you look that others from your driver's view, they all are going to appear to be brighter, especially, when there is overlap from your own headlights.
I went to TRS Morimoto 5500K, because I liked the balance of color and lumen output.
https://www.hidplanet.com/forums/fo...rce-products/58316-the-ultimate-d2s-bulb-test
Their 4500K is equivalent to Osram's nightbreaker output, for a fraction of the price.
I would imagine those new Corolla lights are nice to drive with, if for no other reason than that I find the on coming dazzle that comes off them highly irritating as the cutoff seems unusually high. I wish the DOT would get with the ECode program in this country....
20IndigoBlue02
Top Post Dawg
It's not the cutoff. The 2017 LED projectors have a more pronounced step in them compared to the previous projectors.
what makes them dazzle is the DOT requirement to have light above the cutoff to illuminate overhead road signs that do not have lighting.
I am fairly certain the ECode rules address the overhead sign lighting problem, and they even do it with the ability to cross the English Channel where they drive on th wrong side of the road? The DOT rules are not well prioritized. I think we would see fewer HIDs dropped into bad reflector housings if the DOT rules were better. Just a pet peeve of mine, sorry for hi jacking.