FAQ on lighting, by Cary:
d) You can upgrade to HIR bulbs, which are best described by the God of Lighting, Daniel Stern as:
The new bulbs are not some tinted or overwattage version of 9005 and 9006,
but rather employ a relatively new technology called HIR, Halogen
Infrared. The mechanical dimensions of the bulb are all virtually
identical to the 9005 and 9006 bulbs, but the bulb glass is spherical
instead of tubular, with the sphere centered around the filament. There is
a "Durable IR Reflective" coating on the spherical glass. Infrared = heat,
so the coating causes heat to be reflected back to the filament at the
center of the sphere. This causes the filament to become much hotter
(producing more light) than it can by passing electricity through it,
*without* the shorter life or greater heat production that comes with
overwattage bulbs (to say nothing of overwattage bulbs' incompatibility
with stock wiring.)
Here's the comparison:
Low beam stock: 9006, 12.8V, 55W, 1000 lumens
Low beam new: HIR2, 12.8V, 55W, 1875 lumens
High beam stock: 9005, 12.8V, 65W, 1700 lumens
High beam new: HIR1, 12.8V, 65W, 2530 lumens
So you're looking at nearly 88 percent more light from the low beams and a
grand total of 137% more light (49% of which from the high beam units, 88%
of which from the low beams, which may be wired to remain on with the high
beams) on high beam. The beam pattern will not change, but there will be
considerably more light within the beam pattern.
Now, it's not a problem to use HIR1 in any high beam that takes 9005. High
beams are by definition difficult to make too intense. If there's anyone
in front of you to object to glare, you should be using LOW beams. There
is a low-beam HIR bulb, but it must be used with discretion. The HIR2 (low
beam bulb) produces 1875 lumens. That's about 88 percent more light than a
9006, so it must only be used in low beams that have, as part of their
design, excellent control of upward stray light. If the low beam pattern
doesn't have a sharp horizontal cutoff at the top of the beam, if there's
appreciable upward stray light above horizontal, you will produce
excessive glare and get excessive backdazzle with HIR2s.
These bulbs are spendy - $39/ea - but their cost is worth considering in
context: Any number of companies will charge you more than this for a
tarted-up 9005 or 9006 with blue colored glass (PIAA comes to mind) that
doesn't produce more light and has a very short lifespan.
The HIR bulbs have a double-wide top ear on the plastic bulb base, this is
to comply with the law requiring different bulbs to have different bases.
The extra-wide plastic top ear is easily trimmed or filed to make the bulb
fit your headlamp's bulb receptacle. Once that's done, they go directly
into the headlamp, and the existing sockets snap on.
It should also be noted that HIR bulbs have a much longer life expectancy than hi watt bulbs, in fact they are equivalent to stock wattage bulbs with the 55 watt HIR having a 1000 hour expectancy and the 65 watt bulb having a 275 hour life expectancy.
More information on the HIR bulbs can be found at:
www.gelighting.com/na/litlib/h...techsheet1.html
There are three places that HIR bulbs can be obtained (at least that we have been able to find). They are:
a. You local John Deere Dealer. They are available under part # is AH162232 and the price each was $28.55. Note that these are only low beam replacements, no high beam is available and you will have to trim the tab as described above.
b. Order them from
www.danielsternlighting.com for $39 each. He stocks both the low and high beam bulb. These bulbs also required tab trimming.
c. Order the IPF version from
www.sleeoffroad.com for $55 each. They stock both the low and high beam and require not tab trimming.
e) You could seek out an convert to the factory E-code lamps for approximately $550 and have the ability to run quality hi-watt bulbs. I have no more information than this on the E-code lamps for a Landcruiser.
Cheers,
Mot
