Lighting 101: Halogen Lighting Technology Many automotive enthusiasts are quick to spend money on products labelled as an "upgrade" without spending the time to research the technology before finalizing their purchase. Halogen lighting may not be the newest lighting technology, but its low cost and simplicity still has good potential. There are still many high quality halogen bulbs worth using. Selective-Yellow Bulbs: Old-school WORKS. These bulbs emit slightly less light than a standard un-coated bulb. However, their warmer color spectrum does a fantastic job of piercing through mist, fog and rain. These bulbs are ideal for cars subjected to poor weather conditions and offer a significant increase in visibility and safety. These bulbs are especially ideal for foglamp assemblies. Halogen/Xenon High-Output Bulbs: Manufactured in Germany by reputable companies like Osram, Narva and Philips. These bulbs use a mixture of halogen and xenon gas, plus a high-efficiency filament winding to increase total light output. Bench tested and proven -- we love these bulbs and so do our customers. These bulbs do not have any fake coatings, they are just 100% high quality bulbs that perform. Competition Bulbs: More light output. More heat. Greater power consumption. Shorter lifespan. These bulbs offer serious light output and are only suitable for off-road track conditions. In order to sustain at these higher temperatures, headlamps must be constructed of metal and glass to avoid burning and premature deteriation. Heavy-duty wiring/relay harness is mandatory. Blue-Coated Junk Bulbs: These bulbs are typically made in Taiwan/China/Korea with the intent to mimic the appearance and color-temperature (kelvin) of real HID. Users will notice a blurred cutoff pattern and a significant reduction in overall lighting performance. These bulbs greatly effect the optical qualities of the headlamp and how the light is distributed on the road, hence the reason we call them: JUNK. Check out these great features! - Incorrectly marked packaging. Misleading claims like 55w=110w, 100% more light output, xenon super white, etc. Foreign writing and fancy packaging sets the trap. - Incorrect wattage specifications on bulb base. We have seen bulbs marked, rated and advertised at 55w that actually consume 85w in order to achieve greater light output. This is not only misleading for the consumer, but can also cause damage to your headlamp, wiring harness, or even catch fire. - Low quality glass that is not tempered and bubbles or explodes when over-heated. - Inferior blue coating techniques that peel or smoke. Smoke fills headlamp assembly and adheres to interior of headlamp lens. Headlamp must either be replaced or disassembled and repolished.   Halogen Infrared Reflecting (HIR) High-Output Bulbs: HIR technology is patented and proven. While a standard halogen bulb emits a broad spectrum of light (including infrared light), HIR bulbs use a special reflective coating to selectively reflect and transmit the light it creates. The special coating takes the infrared light/energy and reflects it back onto the filament. This design reduces the amount of power needed to keep the filament hot thereby, increasing light output, life span and efficiency. The upper bulb, which is similar in appearance to a Xenon capsule, is actually the first generation HIR bulb developed and patented by G.E. One of the problems with GE's design is that the bulb is long and fragile, and would often crack and cause premature bulb failure. Lamp selection is also limited due to the bulb's long length. The G.E. patent was eventually licensed to Toshiba, who redesigned and improved the HIR bulb design. The second generation Toshiba bulb is not only super reliable, but also lasts longer and emits more light. HIR Knock Off Bulbs: These bulbs are advertised and marketed as H3 HIR bulbs, and priced at nearly $52.00 USD per bulb -- nearly double the cost of TWO authentic HIR bulbs! Bulbs are stamped with pride during production, stating their country of origin: China. A quick glance at our first picture will reveal that the filament is actually placed in the wrong direction in comparison to a standard H3 bulb. Manufacturing is far from precise, as the bulbs are crooked and look as if they were created quickly and carelessly. Test bench revealed that even though they were rated at 65 watts, these bulbs are stamped incorrectly and actually consume 85 watts. The second image is of some H4 bulbs. Yes, they are yellow. Apparently, the manufacturer thinks they can fool consumers by coating them yellow and marketing them as HIR bulbs. Our advice? Take your money and set it on fire before spending money on these bulbs. They are an ABSOLUTE RIPOFF. Check out these great features! - Incorrectly marked packaging. Misleading claims like 55w=110w, 100% more light output, HIR, hyper white, etc. Foreign writing and fancy packaging sets the trap. - Incorrect wattage specifications on bulb base. This is not only misleading for the consumer, but can also cause damage to your headlamp, wiring harness, or even catch fire. - Low quality glass that is not tempered and bubbles or explodes when over-heated. - Inferior blue coating techniques that peel or smoke. Smoke fills headlamp assembly and adheres to interior of headlamp lens. Headlamp must either be replaced or disassembled and repolished.