Hilux 4x4 Forum

The contenders: The control: The test equipment:

The test parameters:
-Vehicle headlight 1m away from wall against which the light meter was held.
-Marks made on wall for both low beam and high beam on the spots where the light seems to be the brightest
-The light meter was place in the exact same spot for each of the "fixed" tests
-The light meter was moved around in the whole lit area where to get the highest reading for each of the "best" tests
-Engine at operating temperature and at idle
-Headlight not part of the test, disconnected
-The left hand side headlight was used for testing
-Almost all other light sources eliminated. The one that remained stayed exactly the same during the whole test
-Globes all secured in light socket and fastened with the restraints
-Voltage measure at battery terminals just before each test
-Globes handled with latex gloves and none of the glass bulbs were touched before or during the test
-All bulbs brand new (except for the control Phillips bulbs)

Lux - The lux (symbol: lx) is the SI unit of illuminance and luminous emittance, measuring luminous flux per unit area. It is used in photometry as a measure of the intensity, as perceived by the human eye, of light that hits or passes through a surface. It is analogous to the radiometric unit watts per square metre, but with the power at each wavelength weighted according to the luminosity function, a standardized model of human visual brightness perception. In English, "lux" is used in both singular and plural
Illuminance is a measure of how much luminous flux is spread over a given area. One can think of luminous flux (measured in lumens) as a measure of the total "amount" of visible light present, and the illuminance as a measure of the intensity of illumination on a surface. A given amount of light will illuminate a surface more dimly if it is spread over a larger area, so illuminance is inversely proportional to area.
One lux is equal to one lumen per square metre:

1 lx = 1 lm/m² = 1 cd·sr·m^–2.

A flux of 1,000 lumens, concentrated into an area of one square metre, lights up that square metre with an illuminance of 1,000 lux. However, the same 1,000 lumens, spread out over ten square metres, produces a dimmer illuminance of only 100 lux.
Achieving an illuminance of 500 lux might be possible in a home kitchen with a single fluorescent light fixture with an output of 12,000 lumens. To light a factory floor with dozens of times the area of the kitchen would require dozens of such fixtures. Thus, lighting a larger area to the same level of lux requires a greater number of lumens.
[lighttest][/lighttest]

The following pictures were taken with my Nokia N8 with automatic settings selected and the flash off: (the first picture indicates the surface onto which the light was shone) OSRAM Nightbreaker Plus Low Beam HELLA Daymaker Low Beam OSRAM Nightbreaker Plus High Beam HELLA Daymaker High Beam
The conclusion:
The two "after market" globes are better than the original spec. And according to the test results each have there strong point. On low beam the clear winner is the OSRAM Nightbreaker Plus. On high beam the HELLA Daymaker is the winner but with a much smaller margin. So on average the OSRAM Nightbreaker seems to be the better performer but at R38 more than the HELLA Daymaker.

200V setting on the meter might be a bit high!

Cassie, are you planning to measure voltage drop between the battery and the headlight pins, as well as current consumption? That meter's highest reading is 5A, but should just about make it for one headlight only.

Looking forward to the results! Please try take pics of the beams as well if at all possible.


-F_D

Waar doen jy inkopies? Ek het nou die dag R178 betaal vir Night breaker plus, na afslag!

Thabogrobler wrote:Waar doen jy inkopies? Ek het nou die dag R178 betaal vir Night breaker plus, na afslag!

Thabo, I think AutoZone's shelf price was somewhere around R168 ..... I got a set from them locally at R80 +vat (personal favour, but it goes to show what their mark up is :roll: ).

I'm tuned in..........

Family_Dog wrote:200V setting on the meter might be a bit high!

Cassie, are you planning to measure voltage drop between the battery and the headlight pins, as well as current consumption? That meter's highest reading is 5A, but should just about make it for one headlight only.

Looking forward to the results! Please try take pics of the beams as well if at all possible.


-F_D

Didn't get round to do the test last night but will somewhere over the weekend.

The multimeter will be to test the battery voltage that the time of each test to show that all conditions are the same except for the bulbs changing

Unfortunately I drove over my descent multimeter a while back. So this el cheepo is the only one I have, but for the purpose of comparing voltages will work just fine

Thabogrobler wrote:Waar doen jy inkopies? Ek het nou die dag R178 betaal vir Night breaker plus, na afslag!

Midas

Ons wag in ( hoog of lae ) spanning..................

Game on

Eishhh......Sê net gou vir ons..... Was jy KWAAD voor jy oor die multimeter gery het of na jy oor hom gery het?

Blaps wrote: Eishhh......Sê net gou vir ons..... Was jy KWAAD voor jy oor die multimeter gery het of na jy oor hom gery het?

Ek was gatvol toe ek die heeldag met iets gesukkel het en toe ek op pak toe wil ek net "gou" die bakkie vorentoe trek onder die carport in... voel toe ek ry oor iets kleins en sien toe na die tyd wat ek gedoen het. Ek dink ek was te moeg om kwaad te wees maar as ek nou my geld daarop moet sit... was ek kwaad na die tyd.

Ek stuur my Blackberry. Kan jy oor hom ook ry, asb ?

Cool dan aanvaar ons jy het vir n klein oomblikkie fokus verloor en dit was maar n oooops....dit gebeur met ons almal een of ander tyd
Ek sien uit na jou verslag, ek oorweeg ook die daybreakers

Ek het die daymaker op my SFA gehad. daar was 'n verskil, maar was die ekstaties soos 'n laaitjie met kersdag nie.

KOBUSL wrote:Ek stuur my Blackberry. Kan jy oor hom ook ry, asb ?

+1, maar sal seker weer een van hulle kry

KOBUSL wrote:Ek stuur my Blackberry. Kan jy oor hom ook ry, asb ?

one of the few, if any, honest blackberry users

Donkey wrote:

KOBUSL wrote:Ek stuur my Blackberry. Kan jy oor hom ook ry, asb ?

one of the few, if any, honest blackberry users

Sien uit na die toets

Donkey wrote:

KOBUSL wrote:Ek stuur my Blackberry. Kan jy oor hom ook ry, asb ?

one of the few, if any, honest blackberry users

You had to go below the belt with the blackberry ,

Results imminent

We're waiting... We're waiting!!!





-F_D

And I'm done.

Please see the first post viewtopic.php?p=291210#p291210" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Excellent and very well-written report, Cassie! So the Osram NB+ would be the better option all round. It would have been interesting to see how the Osram Silver Star (NB predecessor) would have fared, I guess somewhere between the Philips and the NB bulbs.


-F_D

I would differ in opinion. Firstly, the pics cannot give a true perception if any automatic settings were used since the camera will make compensations IRO white balance, aperture and shutter speed. The results point to the Hella being the clear winner on brights with marginal shortfall on dips, but on dips you don't want to be blinding oncoming traffic and furthermore these are used mostly in urban areas where the streets are already lit anyway. The better brights is what makes it a superior lamp IMO, since out on the open road or rural areas is where you would be using brights and need the better lighting. M2CW.

Thanks Cassie, this helps allot in decision making,......Nightbreaker Plus it is then!

If I'm not mistaken it looks like the Osram High Beam falls into the "Cool White" range and the Hella in the "Warm White" range.

Johannes van die See wrote:Thanks Cassie, this helps allot in decision making,......Nightbreaker Plus it is then!

If I'm not mistaken it looks like the Osram High Beam falls into the "Cool White" range and the Hella in the "Warm White" range.

I can't recall seeing such a difference in the light temperature between the OSRAM and HELLA. The Nightbreaker did seem to have a whiter light than then Daymaker but not too such an extend as the pictures show.

Also what I forgot to mention is that the colour of the wall is yellow. The same as in this pic (I circled the area on which the light shone in the pics above):

Mud Dog wrote:I would differ in opinion. Firstly, the pics cannot give a true perception if any automatic settings were used since the camera will make compensations IRO white balance, aperture and shutter speed. The results point to the Hella being the clear winner on brights with marginal shortfall on dips, but on dips you don't want to be blinding oncoming traffic and furthermore these are used mostly in urban areas where the streets are already lit anyway. The better brights is what makes it a superior lamp IMO, since out on the open road or rural areas is where you would be using brights and need the better lighting. M2CW.

I would say yes and no. Keep in mind that the beam patterns are designed not to blind the oncomming traffic and seeing that you are going to drive mostly on low beam due to oncomming traffic, it might be a better bet to have the brighter light on dims.

What I also forgot to mention is that I did the tests on the left hand side headlight which of course have a different light pattern to the right hand sight headlight.

Maye if budget allows you can buy a set of each and install one globe of each. For instance the brighter of the two for dims on the left hand side and the brighter one for high beam on the right hand side. Then you have the best of both worlds where you could easier see pedestrians on the side of the road on low beams and see further on high beam. m2cw

I fitted a set of the Osram Night Breakers last week, just before this thread started, due to a blown left side globe.. i have to say, reading Cassie's report here now, that i totally agree with his results regarding the Nightbreakers. I had Osram Bilux in before, and the difference is "day n night" between the two, even when when travelling home in rain at 12 night, on Saturday, i could for a change actually SEE where i was going.......

Dankie Cassie Night Breaker Plus it is

Another big up to the forum

I installed a pair of Night Breaker Plus before traveling down to Frankfort this past weekend....

WOW what a difference. Excellent recommendation! Dankie Cassie!

Only problem is now my fogs are yellow, but I received my new LED fogs from Mr Pretorius so gonna install them over the weekend

Also ordered dome lights, park lights so whole front end is gonna be new!

Thanks gentlemen

Ben

Interesting post thanks. Since the original bulbs went, I have been replacing with Osram. First the silver stars and then the night breakers. I don't know if it is a trait of my lux but it seems to eat bulbs for breakfast. (Only the headlights). My bakkie is 6 years old and I am on my fourth set. (including the originals) I do'nt drive a lot at night but do leave early for work when it is still dark. I moaned with a guy at the parts shop and he said that one should not expect a long lifespan as they are taking so much more performance out of the globes. Next time I will try the Hella globes to see if they last longer.

What I can add is that since using the Osrams I have had more people flashing me to ask if I am on bright. (and then getting my reply. ) I don't want to adjust the lights any lower as the low beam spot is already close to the vehicle and the measurements agains the wall shows that it is in spec. This seems to provide some support for Mud Dog's question about blinding oncoming traffic on dim.

I fitted the hella's to my jeep. The result is more light but the focus points moved so much that I could not compensate with the headlight adjustment and had to revert to the oem bulbs. Money in the drain for me unfortunately.

vastrap wrote: ↑Sat Jun 24, 2017 2:51 pm I fitted the hella's to my jeep. The result is more light but the focus points moved so much that I could not compensate with the headlight adjustment and had to revert to the oem bulbs. Money in the drain for me unfortunately.

That doesn't sound right. I know this is a silly question but you did make sure that they seated correctly in the cradle?

Cassie, to add another dimension, why don't you add the LED replacements to your report aswell? That maybe of interest to some too.

Dingo wrote: ↑Mon Jun 26, 2017 4:24 pm Cassie, to add another dimension, why don't you add the LED replacements to your report aswell? That maybe of interest to some too.

That is a good idea. The problem is the difference in the price and the budget for the test

Yes Cassie it was seated correctly. When viewing the two globes side by side the elements are not in the same position. The difference is so big that it can be seen with the naked eye. Therefore the shift in focus point.