Comparison of 10 halogen lamps H4 Philips, Osram, PIAA, Koito, Bosch. The results are surprising.

Many of the car enthusiasts want to improve the low beam of your car. Most use the easiest way to install more powerful halogen bulbs. We will test 10 models, 7 of which are premium and promise an improvement up to 150%.

Initially, premium models indicated an improvement of 50% or 70%, to increase sales. Now this indicator has reached the maximum reasonable value of 150%. Sales are based on Chinese marketing; the one who deceives more will sell.

Price

The cost of premium halogen bulbs H4 dipped beam differs from standard bulbs Philips and Osram 4-6 times. Usually the price is within 1300-1700 rub. per set. Established H4 halogen, installed by the manufacturer, costs 150-200 rubles. a piece.

Bulbs without packaging, the order of arrangement as in the table.


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Lumen amount

Preheat the samples for 5 minutes to stabilize the light flux. To measure the light used photometric sphere. We use Osram Original H4 as a sample of a standard lamp, all the rest will be compared with it.

Leading the Japanese Fukurou F1 with the result of the near + 32%, distant + 23%. The rest maximum + 15% in the near, + 4% in the high beam. The luminous flux practically does not differ from the standard halogen bulbs, respectively, no + 150% can be.

Power

To measure the power consumption set the voltage on the lamp 13.2 volts.

Maximum power in the middle differs by + 10% from the standard. In the far only differs by + 2% Tests show that power is almost the same as the standard model. Some motorists are afraid that expensive models will heat the headlamp more strongly, the reflector of the reflector or the lens will become cloudy. There will be no consequences, the service life of the headlamp will remain the same.

Colour temperature

Expensive samples promise a color temperature closer to white light. The standard is 3200K, something like ordinary incandescent bulbs. To get white light, you need at least 4000 Kelvin. Koito Whitebeam III Premium has the whitest light, only 3900K instead of the declared 4500K. The rest practically does not differ from the regular halogen, is within 3400K - 3600K.

Description of measuring points

To compare different light sources, GOST is used, which regulates the main points of measurement of illumination according to a table placed on the wall. The number in the designation of a point is equal to its distance from the car. The letters L and R denote the location, left and right. The main measuring points according to GOST: 75R and 50R - illumination of the right shoulder at a distance of 75 and 50 meters; B50L - is responsible for the level of blinding oncoming car driver; far is measured at the center of the table and is located at the center of the lane; axial luminous intensity determines the level of illumination in front of the car.

Comparison of illumination according to GOST

Samples are installed in a new headlamp from the Volkswagen Polo with a base, then we measure the illumination of control points. The voltage of 13.2 volts on the lamp, not the power supply.
This compensates for the reduction in voltage in the supply wires.

The results are surprising, even Philips and Osram significantly overestimate the real characteristics or hide them behind advertising figures + 120%, + 150%.





Since the luminous flux is almost the same (except for Fukurou F1) with a standard halogen lamp, the illumination on the road can be changed in one way. The helix spiral is moved closer to the base, the illumination in the center increases, but the illumination in the near zone decreases.

Life time

The life span of most premium H4 bulbs is far below standard. Found only 4 specifications specified by manufacturers. Other brands do not provide such information.

The service life of the Japanese Fukurou F1 H4 is higher than the expensive Philips and Osram models by an average of 2-3 times in the near and far light. It is not clear to me why the service life of premium Philips and Osram is so low, the power hardly differs from the standard ones, the color temperature changes due to the blue filter. I assume that the service life is underestimated artificially, so that people buy more often.

Test results

The Japanese Fukurou F1 halogen bulbs became the leader in light and illumination testing on the road. Unfortunately, the world-famous brands of Philips, Osram, Koito, PIAA, Bosch, General Electric are deceiving their customers. They do not provide the promised improvement, the illumination can increase only by 34% for samples 3,4,5.

As a result, we obtain an improvement in illumination by a maximum of 25% -34%, and the cost is 400% higher -600%. Given the short service life, 2-3 times less than the standard, the cost of operation turns out to be a little expensive.

Some motorists hardly notice the difference in the coverage of regular and premium lamps. Some themselves inspire a significant improvement in road illumination. Usually depends on the age, visual acuity, the state of vision of the driver.

Author: Sergey Kazantsev