Headlights with high wattage bulbs
 

Ok, I'm going to put the comments I heard from Catman years ago about 100w bulbs can be run on stock wiring just fine and ask, who here is running higher than stock wattage bulbs? How long and any problems? I've seen both sides of the argument. Some say you will have wiring problems, and some say they will be fine. I bought some 85/80w Osram Hyper bulbs and 85/80w Hella Yellow Star bulbs for the MicroDE fogs/driving lights. 15 year old car... Do you foresee any wiring issues in my future? I don't like HID's, and e-codes with higher wattage bulbs will outperform nearly any HID setup out there. I already think my lighting is better than most newer cars with factory HID (as driving side by side on the interstate) and is both brighter and lights more of the road, but I always want more!

I think my E-codes have been installed a little more than 2 years now. 55 low, 100 high. No issues at all. If I had to do it again, I would do 80 watt lows. The lowbeams have a better pattern but the brightness isn't necessarily any better than stock; the 100w highbeams will blow you away.

I've never really seen higher than stock wattage bulbs on anything but off-road driving lights, so I have no idea what to expect with 80w low beams. From seeing a set of 25 year old technology driving lights with 100w bulbs, I would imagine 80w in a modern housing with good reflector design will be something good. I'm nearly as excited to see the MicroDE's with the 80w bulbs, though I just now realised while I was under the influence when I ordered them, I got H4's in the yellow too, and they are H3's... Oh well, whats $15. I can save them for my ricer backup bulbs.

n/m, just checked the order. Though I don't recall looking for anything but H4, I did get the H3's for the DE's, apparently I have more sense when half asleep than I thought.

I use the Hella 80/100 "premium xenon" bulbs and they've been working just great on my 90 in ecode housings. Being able to tell when your lights are on is awesome.

yeah i have 55/65 H4 bulbs in my e-codes, I'll probably pick up a 80/100 set one of these days.

I've come to the conclusion that all my cars need 80watt bulbs.

I've been running 80/100w bulbs in my e-codes for at least 3 years, maybe 4. I also have some 80(ish)w driving lights and I'm on the stock wiring. Works well though I wouldn't be surprised if I could get a little more light with better wiring. The high beams, with the 100W e-codes and the driving lights is like daylight. It's amazing. I actually almost never feel like I need more light.

I'm kind of upset with the results. I was expecting a pretty large jump between the stock wattage Silver Stars and the 80/85W Osram's, but it wasn't much. Even the Yellow Stars in the fogs barely changed in brightness. Though I guess my old bulbs were already about the brightest thing on the road, so its no wonder its hard to see a change. I have to say the yellow bulbs in the fogs look bad ass because they aren't MAD TYTE JDM yellow, just a light yellow color. Amazing they can get them that yellow, and still keep the brightness. Overall, I would say I possibly see a 10% increase in light on the road, but it could be more or less. I need to adjust my lights too though, they are a bit lower than they were, and are not reaching out as far as they should. Its all going on the road up to about 50ft out, then nothing past that. Before I had them about 5* below horizontal, pretty much pointing at the horizon.

Im now not so much worried about wiring, but the housings, since my fog light housings or lenses are smoking. I'm hoping its just finger prints burning off the lenses. the Osrams have a 200*C warning on them, so they get hot. The fogs are hot enough that the light beam ~1ft away is almost uncomfortable on your skin after a few seconds. They are mostly metal, glass and rubber though, so maybe they wont fail.