It is difficult to overestimate the importance of good light for the car. The point here is not only the brightness of the lighting: more important is the right light distribution and the color temperature that is comfortable for the eye. Why turn headlights into spotlights if they shine anywhere but the road? Do not make the wrong choice of lamps should help this article.
Content:
Lamps which company choose
Osram
Brand with more than a century of history and one of the world's leading manufacturers of lighting. Osram lamps are supplied to most automotive plants as original spare parts: for example, by purchasing original Renault lamps, you will find Osram markings on them.
Lamps are available as standard power, and with increased light output, but in any case, you can be sure to purchase a quality and durable product.
Philips
The Dutch concern is known to many, and to a large extent - for its work in the field of lighting, both halogen and gas discharge. Few people know, but the currently popular energy-saving lamps are developed by Philips.
In the automotive lighting industry, Philips is one of the main suppliers of lamps and optics to factory conveyors, and a huge range of halogen, xenon and LED lamps is produced for the secondary market.
Bosch
German giant, which produces a huge range of various automotive components - from engine control units to spark plugs. Not paid attention to its developers and automotive lighting.
Speaking of Bosch products, it is impossible to say something more briefly and succinctly than the Germans themselves: “Bosch ist Bosch” (“Bosch is Bosch”).
Narva
The youngest of the manufacturers mentioned by us, but this does not make the company's products of lower quality. The production of automotive halogen lamps started in 1969, and since then this brand has become one of the most popular due to its good price-quality ratio.
“Real German quality” is not just a turn of speech. The veracity of this phrase proves the popularity of Narva lamps, not falling over time.
Top H7 Bulbs Rating
First of all, we tried to take into account the real operational characteristics, and only then - user reviews (few people enthusiastically writing “Shines like an anti-aircraft spotlight!”) Think about what the drivers in the opposite lane are at the same time.
- Compliance with the distribution of standard headlamp standard;
- Light distribution (oncoming lane / road / verge);
- Light beam power (luminous flux);
- Real power consumption.
Top H7 bulbs
OSRAM Night Breaker
Advantages:
- Lamps with increased light output fully comply with light distribution standards: the headlight forms a clear “tick” in the curb zone and cuts the beam towards the oncoming lane exactly;
- The promised increase in luminous flux is observed most of all from the side of the curb - in the near zone Night Breaker produces illumination over 30,000 cd, in the far zone - a little more than 16,000 cd. (Is it a lot or a little? For comparison, let's say that the minimum standard requirement in the far zone is 10,100 cd);
- The luminous flux also exceeds the requirements of the standard - 1500 lumens versus 1100 in the standard;
- In addition to the powerful light beam, these lamps can boast of efficiency - the actual energy consumption is only 50 W, which is not much, considering that the stated 90% increase in illumination is actually present, and where it is safe for drivers on the opposite lane.
Disadvantages:
- High price;
- Relatively low resource, especially when shaken.
Most reviews of people who had experience with Night Breaker confirm the above: riding in the dark becomes much more comfortable, visibility increases compared to most common halogen lamps.
PHILIPS Vision Plus
Advantages:
- The eminent brand did not disappoint: the lamp forms a clear pattern that fully fits into all the requirements of the standard;
- The inscription “+ 60%” on the package is not a publicity stunt - the luminous flux of 1450 lm really exceeds the standard, as the curb illumination is more than 13,000 cd near and more than 27,000 cd at a distance. Of course, compared to the leader of the rating, this is not so much, but it is worth remembering that in order to increase the light output of incandescent lamps, it is necessary to raise the temperature of the filament, and therefore potentially reduce the life;
- The actual power consumption is 49 W (recall that the standard power of the H7 lamps is 55 W).
Disadvantages:
- High price;
- Sensitivity to high voltage (fast burnout in many French cars).
Most often, users of Vision Plus lamps indicate excellent lighting of the road, but you can add a good word about the resource: lamps withstand vibration and shaking, it is quite difficult to “shake off” the threads.
BOSCH Plus 90
Advantages:
- The luminous flux is 1,500 lumens, the curb lighting is only slightly lost by the Osram Night Breaker in the far zone (14,000 cd vs. 16,000 cd). Near the indicators are identical;
- A clear light distribution: the pattern is formed in full compliance with the requirements of standards, while the light is distributed more evenly than that of Osram;
- A certain decrease in illumination at a distance is compensated by the fact that the light beam diverges a greater distance, which is no less important than the illumination itself;
- Light - bright white, not tiring eyes and not concealing bumps, as more shades of blue to the shades;
- There are no claims to energy consumption: the power of 49.5 W fits into the requirements with a margin.
Disadvantages:
- High price, even in comparison with Osram.
Reviews of Bosch Plus 90 lamps indicate not only the power of light, but also a decent product life.
OSRAM Original
Those same lamps that can be seen in the dealerships of many brands, but not wrapped in original boxes, but in their own Osramovsky blister. From such lamps, a resource is required, first of all, and not record-breaking indicators - and Osram Original does an excellent job with these responsibilities.
Advantages:
- A clear light beam without any deviations, all indicators on the illumination clearly meet the standard, and in the near zone of the curb and exceed it;
- The efficiency of the lamp at the level of others presented in the rating: Osram Original consumes 6 watts less than indicated on the package.
Disadvantages:
- Sensitivity to overstress and shaking.
Most car owners who used these lamps use words like “shine no worse than regular ones”. Well, this is not surprising.
PHILIPS X-treme Vision
Advantages:
- Good lighting area directly in front of the car;
- Good ultraviolet filtering - less aging of modern polycarbonate headlamp diffusers.
Disadvantages:
- The luminous flux of 1400 lm is even less than that of the Philips Vision Plus lamps honestly fulfilling the claimed ones;
- The roadside illumination of them is even weaker by 2000 cd both in the near and in the far zone;
- The highest (54 W) power consumption compared to the other considered lamps.
Many people who have bought these lamps confirm the above with their reviews: for such a price it was expected to get a much better result.
KOITO Whitebeam III
Products of the Japanese company gained fame in Russia not so long ago. The most popular are her lamps with increased light output - but this is not the case when enthusiastic reviews do not conflict with the requirements of GOST and UNECE standards.
Advantages:
- Excellent lighting in front of the car - the light beam is focused mainly forward;
- Compliance energy consumption declared.
Disadvantages:
- The lighting in the zone of oncoming traffic exceeds the limits, and Whitebeam will obviously dazzle drivers on an "oncoming";
- Will get and going ahead cars of the same direction. Fighting this change in the angle of inclination of the headlights is not the best way out: the viewing range will drop significantly;
- Not the best characteristics of the real luminous flux and light distribution: 1150 lm of luminous flux and 20,000 candelas at the side of the road, both near and far away - hence the reputation of “powerful light”.
Testimonials that have had the experience of installing these lamps are polarly divided: someone praises the good lighting of the road in front of the car, someone reasonably reminds that this happens at the expense of the curb.
NARVA Long Life
Advantages:
- High lamp life;
- Full compliance with light distribution standards;
- Affordable price and prevalence;
- Good coverage on the right shoulder;
- Low power consumption: 49 watts.
Disadvantages:
- For the most part, the luminous flux is focused in the near zone, the "range" of the lamps is low.
Narva Long Life is a good choice for a city car, the constant burning of low beam which is dictated not by the dark time of day, but by the rules of the road. People using Narva Long Life lamps speak positively of their resource and affordable price.
HELLA H7 + 90%
Advantages:
- The illumination provided by this lamp is at the level of the leaders of the rating - “Hella” lost only to Osram Night Breaker and Bosch Plus 90;
- The luminous flux also covers the standards with a margin: 1400 lm;
- There are no complaints about the shape of the light beam, the illumination of the opposite lane, or the consumption of electricity;
- Affordable (including brand name) price.
Disadvantages:
- Low prevalence;
- Fragile cardboard packaging - taking such a lamp “in reserve” is worth being careful.
Many motorists in reviews are surprised that the products of such a well-known brand have an affordable price and at the same time shine at the level of expensive lamps.
What lamps with H7 socket to buy
There are many worthy representatives of their class in the market. Their difference is mainly in the nuances that should be considered when choosing:
1. If the car is operated mainly in the city, pay attention to the lamps with standard light output and high resource: Osram Original, Narva Long Life;
2. Frequent trips along the motorways make lamps with increased light output more preferable: Osram Night Breaker, Bosch Plus 90;
3. The budget option is Hella H7 + 90%: on the highway it will provide good lighting, and in the city a low price compensates for a relatively fast burnout.
It will be interesting to friends too
