Historically, the only way to increase the light output of a bulb was to increase the wattage. This creates more light but generates more heat which risks melting/dis-colouring the vehicle’s headlight lens and also potentially melting the wiring. In addition, high wattage lamps have much a shorter longevity than standard wattage lamps. Finally, high wattage lamps are not legal for road use. As you can see, there are lots of reasons not to use high wattage bulbs anymore and this has been confirmed even more with the latest generation of upgrade bulbs such as Philips X-Treme Power and OSRAM Night Breaker. These deliver up to 90% more light than standard and are not higher wattage. The increase in light output is achieved through using a xenon/halogen gas mix and a refined design of the filament. This delivers the light increase benefits of high wattage bulbs without all the problems.

Image courtesy of spacebarpark (Flickr)

The seller says that the HID kit will pass an MOT test
The kit may pass the test, but this doesn’t mean the kit is road legal.

The seller says they are legal
HID is only legal if the headlight unit is correctly ‘E’ marked. Halogen headlight units and Xenon HID units have different ‘E’ marks. The only way for an HID kit to be road legal is if the whole headlight unit is replaced with one specifically designed for HID or the existing headlight unit is reassessed for compliance and assigned a new ‘E’ mark. As you can imagine, this is vastly inconvenient and expensive. In short, unless you take steps to do all of this then your vehicle will not be road legal.

In the Department’s view it is not legal to sell or use after market HID lighting kits, for converting conventional Halogen headlamps to HID Xenon. If a customer wants to convert his vehicle to Xenon HID he must purchase completely new Xenon HID headlamps. The reason for this is that the existing lens and reflector are designed around a Halogen filament bulb, working to very precise tolerances. If one places a HID “burner” (bulb) in the headlamp, the beam pattern will not be correct, there will be glare in some places and not enough light in other places within the beam pattern. – Department for Transport (2006)

If you have the time, read the full view of the Department for Transport.

Does it matter if it’s not legal?
That depends. It’s down to the driver whether this is a concern. However, adding an HID kit may void your insurance and any warranty you have on the vehicle. You could also pose a safety risk to the emergency services should you be involved in a road traffic accident (factory fitted systems have safety measures built in to automatically shut the system down in the event of a collision).

What about quality?
Where has the kit been made? How well has it been tested? Is it to the same quality as your vehicle manufacturer would insist on? How long will it last? Will it lead to problems on your vehicle?

I still need more light on the road. What are my options?
New technology means you can obtain significantly more light on the road simply by changing the existing halogen bulbs in your vehicle. You can upgrade your car bulbs to a product such as Philips X-Treme Power which delivers 80% more light than standard. It’s won ‘Auto Express Best Buy’ for the last three years, an independent accreditation of its performance. You don’t need to modify anything, just change the bulb. In addition, Philips (and OSRAM) are original equipment quality manufacturers; they manufacture bulbs for car manufacturers in their own factories, so you can be assured that you are installing a part that your vehicle manufacturer would recommend and trust.

Image courtesy of seanmcgrath

It assists drivers in being able to be seen, thus improving safety as well as vehicle styling. In line with European Regulation 48, this type of lighting system will become mandatory on all new vehicles from 2011. Studies suggest that the adoption of DRL could save between 1,500 and 2,000 lives per annum across Europe.

It’s not just safety that makes DRL an attractive option. More and more vehicles are using DRL as a styling addition; it’s now featured on cars such as the Audi R8, Audi A4, Mercedes E Class, Audi Q5, Opel/Vauxhall Insignia, Porsche 911 and many more.

It’s easy to use and easy to fit.

• The kit can be installed on the vast majority of today’s vehicles. Using the best LEDs in the world, the high powered LUXEON LEDs give a bright white light (6000k), use a low amount of energy and last the lifetime of the vehicle.
• The slim design and clip on system ensures that the kit will fit most cars with a minimal installation time.
• It is fully road legal for use in Europe, complying with European Regulations (ECE R87).
• The easy electrical connection means there is no risk for the user or vehicle and the automatic on/off switch means it’s simple to use.

Find out more and buy securely online today

Paul at Licence to Drive -  a Wakefield Driving Instructor – has a few tips to make the process easier.

The first recommendation of course would be to use an approved driving instructor who can offer professional and patient tuition. They keep up to date with the latest legislation and can advise on much more than just passing the test itself but equip students with knowledge to be safer drivers for life.

Accident prevention is also a priority. Following the Highway Code is an obvious essential but drivers should also take steps to make their vehicles as safe as possible. Many accidents occur at night so upgrading your car bulbs is one way in which you can make night time driving safer, giving you more light ahead and thus more ‘thinking distance’. This is vital in the first few years of driving.

With the number of cars on the road certain to increase significantly over the next decade it is vital that best practice is adopted by all new and existing drivers to keep accident levels low.

About this post
This post was contributed to by Licence to Drive – an approved driving instructor offering Driving Lessons in Wakefield.

As you can imagine, this system is quite technologically advanced. The lamps used in the system are mainly either the D2S or D2R fitting and generally last around five years. When it comes to replacing these many drivers initially look to their vehicle main dealer. On average the cost of a replacement from the dealer would be in excess of £115 each – a substantial sum of money.

Power Bulbs can provide the same high quality Philips components for a fraction of the main dealer price, delivered direct to your door with free worldwide delivery. You continue to have the assurance of using an original equipment quality part, of the exact specification that your manufacturer would supply, but benefit from a substantial cost saving.

Take a look at our range of Xenon HID Bulbs. If you require any specific information then don’t hesitate to contact our helpful customer service team.

365 Drivers

OSRAM Truckstar delivers up to 100% more light on the road for increased comfort and safety whilst driving. The new technology also allows the bulb to last up to twice as long, therefore reducing overall service costs.

The advantages are clear:

• Up to 100% more brightness in the 50 – 100 m range: more and better quality light on the highway = reduced driving fatigue, improved accident prevention
• Up to 100% longer service life: significant economic advantages from longer replacement intervals

Brighter lights improve driver reaction time!
Thanks to special technology and the new breakthrough coil construction, OSRAM Truckstar lamps produce up to 100% more light than conventional 24-volt lamps. This is a major advantage since headlight brightness is an important safety factor, especially on long drives. A brighter field of vision in front of the truck allows the driver to recognise and react earlier to hazardous situations.

Upgrade today with OSRAM Truckstar and Power Bulbs for improved performance and service life.

Check the lights

• Regularly check that all lights work. While someone observes the lights around the car, switch on each light one-by-one: headlights, sidelights, fog lights, indicators, brake lights, reverse lights, hazard warning lights and number plate lights
• If alone, park by a reflective surface such as a garage door, illuminate all lights in sequence and look for the reflections

Use the lights

• When away from street lighting, visibility is limited to the range of the head lights.This varies greatly between dipped and full-beam; slow down when driving on dipped head light.
• Lights give motorists an early warning of each other’s presence. Look for approaching lights when driving around corners, adjust the position of the vehicle accordingly and dip your own headlights to avoid dazzling other motorists.
• If oncoming drivers forget to dip their lights, slow down and give your eyes time to adjust to avoid blindness. Never stay on full-beam to retaliate.
• It is difficult to judge approaching speed in the dark so take extra care when making a manoeuvre and always allow traffic to pass when waiting to pull out at a junction
• The weather will also dictate when to use headlights and fog lights. Use fog lights sparingly; switch them on only when visibility is below 100 metres. Leaving them on after fog has disappeared is an offence and a danger to other motorists
• A general good rule of thumb is to switch on dipped headlights during heavy rain and poor light
• Never use lights to dazzle or cause discomfort to other road users – this is against the law

For more information and other informative articles, take a look at the Institute of Advanced Motorists web site.

Driving on the continent is different to driving at home though. You need to be aware of local laws and regulations to ensure that you’re driving safely and legally. Clearly one important thing to remember is to drive on the right instead of the left!

One key requirement that most European countries insist on is the carrying of a spare bulb kit. Whilst it’s a legal requirement, it’s also a really good idea as bulbs can fail at the most inconvenient of times.

Make sure you get your spare bulb kit before you travel.  We have a wide range of European spare bulb kits that cost less than £10 with free delivery.

They said:

Dutch bulb maker Philips created the ultra-high-performance sector of the market, and the company continues to dominate it. X-treme Power may claim ‘only’ 80 per cent more light 75 metres up the road, but in the light tunnel it clearly outshone those who boast of more. Currently this has to be the ultimate road-legal halogen headlamp bulb. Simply brilliant!

What’s more, to celebrate this excellent achievement, Power Bulbs is offering Philips Extreme Power at an amazing price of just £19.99 per pair in both H7 and H4 fittings. You’ll also benefit from our standard free shipping and a free pair of Philips Blue Vision W5W upgrade sidelight bulbs.

This offer is whilst stocks last and for a limited time so make sure you don’t miss out!

Courtesy of Flickr (Pieter Musterd)

Just when we thought that summer was upon us the British weather deals another predictable blow and covers the country in rain.

Barbecues have been replaced with brollies and the outlook for the next few days doesn’t appear to be much better. The local area around the PowerBulbs office has seen heavy amount of rainfall with deep puddles causing traffic to slow down as motorists proceed with extra caution.

In these driving conditions it’s all too easy for accidents to occur so take extra care on the roads. It’s advisable to use your dipped beam headlight bulbs in heavy rain to make it easier for other road users and pedestrians to see you.

Let’s hope that the sun comes back out soon!