Crystal Vision Bulbs- Life Expectancy

[Fairlane]

Well i was just wondering what life you guys have gotten out of Philips Crystal Vision bulbs in your Au's ?

Im mainly asking because the rotten RHF Lowbeam fillment has died in my AU after only 5 months, so im not really happy. They look cool and I figured they wouldnt last as long as regular bulbs, but jeez, for the money id would have expected a bit more than like 40/50 hours of running time.

[LG]

Mine lasted close to 8 months. Blue Vision ones lasted closer to 18 months. I'm gonna go back up to a set of Blue Vision, when I can be bothered to go down to Autobahn, lol.

Cheers

[Orbit]

usually you will get at BEST 150hours out of a normal halogen headlight globe better long life ones can see out 250 hours.
Have you given it a decent shake ie rough or courugated roads while it's been on? esp high beam? as vibrations will dramatically shorten the life of the blub.
from crystal vision the very best i have seen is 75hours.

[janek]

Originally Posted by Orbit

usually you will get at BEST 150hours out of a normal halogen headlight globe better long life ones can see out 250 hours.
Have you given it a decent shake ie rough or courugated roads while it's been on? esp high beam? as vibrations will dramatically shorten the life of the blub.
from crystal vision the very best i have seen is 75hours.

Sorry mate, but i have proven that wrong.

My old ebay el cheapo lights lasted me for AT LEAST about 150 hours (5 return trips to/from brissie), and heaps of city driving. i have my headlights on most of the time.

The ones i have in there now 90/120W halogens have been in for at least 200 hours (Probably more) and going strong. Its been 10 trips up and down the coast, and 25,000km normal driving (i installed them at approx 70,000, and am not at 112,000... been in for well over a year)

If you make sure you dont touch the globes themselves, there is no issue... Mind you, i have had a set of blue globes that lasted maybe 20 hours. Have a chat to the supplier if youre getting less than 100 hrs, thats just not on.

[LG]

Well that explains, why my globes don't ********* last, lol.

[JoesAu]

the higher KELVIN they have (COLOUR TEMPERATURE) the less they last. They get that hot they basically burn themselves out, those Phillips ones the price is a joke they dont even last, 4300k is prob the highest u'd wanna go and they still have a blue tinge.

[Fairlane]

Well by the sounds of it, it looks like i got about the regular run out it. I might just ditch the whole white light thing and just put the Narva +50's ive got here as spares.

Bit of a pain, the crystals look cool, but at that cost and with that kind of life expectacy i cant really keep throwing money at it. I havent really driven deliberately over rough roads, but if anyone knows the state of regional NSW roads, its impossible not to hit the odd nasty pothole.

[Hords]

Can't help with Crystals, but the Blue Visions are still going strong after nearly 24 months. I replaced the high beam globes with Phillips too. Can't remember what they were called. Maybe clear vision??? Fnose! Anyway, they're still going too.

[Orbit]

the best guide would be not to spend more then 30-40 per globe and no less then 20. don't get anything with a blue glass envolope and adjust your beam pattern every time you replace a blub

[Orbit]

thats great to hear janek.
I should have qualifed my statements as general.
By having your lights on all the time you have a consistant filament tempreature which will increase you bulb life, also the roads you mentioned are "pretty smooth" so there no vibration issues.
If you take your ordinary everyday driver who turns the lights on at night or evening only, drives to the shops parks the car turns them off then does the reverse to go home (yes yes it is a simple case but it is applicable) the "constant" heating and cooling dramatically shortens the bulb life, hence my number of 150hours as a typical value for bulb life. I too get in excess of 200 hours of of my bulbs (mine are on everytime i'm in the car) depending what tracks i'm driving.
Bulb life is largely dependant on the number of expansion and contraction events the filament is able to cope with.
The thinner the filament (as seen in most "high performance" bulbs) "burn" whiter but don't cope as well thermally, also asthe filament is hotter it is more likely to be damaged by physical shock.
also "cheaper" lights will either have thicker filaments giving them better thermal properties...basically theywon't get as hot...or thinner filaments basically 20hours life as the bulbs is effectivly over driven, also the cheaper bubls have differnt filament composition that tends to make themlast long but produce "less" light....ok i think i'll stop here.

does that get me out ot my hole, that i inadvertanly dug for my self?

[james22]

Originally Posted by Orbit

thats great to hear janek.
I should have qualifed my statements as general.
By having your lights on all the time you have a consistant filament tempreature which will increase you bulb life, also the roads you mentioned are "pretty smooth" so there no vibration issues.
If you take your ordinary everyday driver who turns the lights on at night or evening only, drives to the shops parks the car turns them off then does the reverse to go home (yes yes it is a simple case but it is applicable) the "constant" heating and cooling dramatically shortens the bulb life, hence my number of 150hours as a typical value for bulb life. I too get in excess of 200 hours of of my bulbs (mine are on everytime i'm in the car) depending what tracks i'm driving.
Bulb life is largely dependant on the number of expansion and contraction events the filament is able to cope with.
The thinner the filament (as seen in most "high performance" bulbs) "burn" whiter but don't cope as well thermally, also asthe filament is hotter it is more likely to be damaged by physical shock.
also "cheaper" lights will either have thicker filaments giving them better thermal properties...basically theywon't get as hot...or thinner filaments basically 20hours life as the bulbs is effectivly over driven, also the cheaper bubls have differnt filament composition that tends to make themlast long but produce "less" light....ok i think i'll stop here.

does that get me out ot my hole, that i inadvertanly dug for my self?

And if someone would know it would be you lol... After seeing those spotties at the AFD I felt like a bunny on the road lol

[Orbit]

did you come up and say g'day? i don't remember talking to you.

I've just reread what i've said..and there are still quite a few large gaps in my arguement/statement so if anyone is intrested just ask away and i'll answer what i can.