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[Dave DND]

With such a dramatic difference from those who like them and those who think they are rubbish, I have two questions

Are the nightbreaker bulbs used here the same wattage / colour?

Are the nightbreaker bulbs used here genuine sourced or internet China copies?

I suspect the answers to the above may show why there are such dramatic results. Myself, I have given up with sourcing cheap lamps via the internet and only now pay the extortionate sums requested by my local motor factors, but the upside is that his bulbs are excellent and I can see in the dark.

 :-?

[TheBoy]

As my car is a '95 it had the 'orrible lights without the projectors. I changed these for Depo clones and these weren't much better. Then bought some genuine projectors. Not much better. Fitted genuine Osram Nightbreakers. Not much better. Went the whole hog and fitted pucker HID lamps. Guess what? Not much better! My old Monza has two lamps per headlamp, one is a dipped/main beam and the other is main beam only so you have four bulbs on with main beam. I fitted 100w bulbs (yes I know they're technically illegal...) using the standard wiring and standard fuses (everything in a Monza is over engineered) and they knock spots of the HID lamps in the Omega. One step forward, two steps back. If only I could bastardize a pair of Monza lamps onto my Omega

Humpy

PS Oh yeah, and the adjusters don't break. Ever!

Like all modern cars, Omega has a dipped bulb and a main beam bulb.

As per most modern HID based cars, only dipped is HID, main beam is halogen.

[pedroMV6]

Pedro, what I'm trying to say is, that in my experience, the Omega lights are not that good! I now have genuine Vauxhall HID lamps on my car with I presume (they came with the lamps) genuine D2S bulbs and although better than I had, they're still not as good as I would expect.
Do HID bulbs get tired? Perhaps that's the problem? They do start up every time though and together so I presume the bulbs are ok!

Humpy

Good question - as I think so and yes, standard burners are D2S.
Can't put my finger on why (except the burners may need replacing), but our Elite has better - not much, but noticeable - than my MV6.

Have to say, after owning Astra 3's, Calibras and Carltons, I thought the Elite's headlghts were amazing!
Compared to my mate's 04 Vectra, I still do - but then he doesn't have HID's. He does have good main beams though, but still, the mains on the Elite are really good......perhaps that's why I'm disappointed in the Nightbreakers, as they don't show anything like the light the Elite bulbs (unknown make of age) do.

[pedroMV6]

With such a dramatic difference from those who like them and those who think they are rubbish, I have two questions

Are the nightbreaker bulbs used here the same wattage / colour?

Are the nightbreaker bulbs used here genuine sourced or internet China copies?

I suspect the answers to the above may show why there are such dramatic results. Myself, I have given up with sourcing cheap lamps via the internet and only now pay the extortionate sums requested by my local motor factors, but the upside is that his bulbs are excellent and I can see in the dark.

 :-?

55W, blue coloured bulbs.

Chinese? Hmmmm - good point!!!

[Humpy]

Like all modern cars, Omega has a dipped bulb and a main beam bulb. As per most modern HID based cars, only dipped is HID, main beam is halogen.

I don't like to keep harping on but... the Monza lamps were adjustable individually, now that was handy! I think I'll ask for a new set of D2S bulbs for my birthday and see how we get on with that.

Humpy

[Dave DND]

Like all modern cars, Omega has a dipped bulb and a main beam bulb. As per most modern HID based cars, only dipped is HID, main beam is halogen.

I don't like to keep harping on but... the Monza lamps were adjustable individually, now that was handy! I think I'll ask for a new set of D2S bulbs for my birthday and see how we get on with that.

Humpy

Subaru Forester lights are probably the best I have ever driven on, whilst the tea light candles in the Ferrari 430 are probably the worst.

However, doesn`t really help those with the Omega though ?

Who has found a solution that works well for the Omega? It would help if we knew What year of car, what type of headlights, what make and model of bulbs - including wattage, K rating, Colour and more importantly where they were sourced - as could rule out a few copied ones making their way over

 :-?

[cruisetopoland]

See earlier thread:

http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1256833621/new

Cheers 

[cruisetopoland]

Bulbs I have used (best first)

Phillips Xtreme +90% THE BEST
Halfords Extreme Brilliance (patchy batch quality, slight blue tinge  )
Osram Nightbreakers (several faulty bulbs, poor life  )

Halfords Super Brilliance (different suppliers, same packaging, lucky dip quality, dark spots in pattern)

The Phillips bulbs are expensive, but worth it, good light pattern, no dark spots, last for years 

[cruisetopoland]

Bulbs I have used (best first)

Phillips Xtreme +90% THE BEST
Halfords Extreme Brilliance (patchy batch quality, slight blue tinge  )
Osram Nightbreakers (several faulty bulbs, poor life  )

Halfords Super Brilliance (different suppliers, same packaging, lucky dip quality, dark spots in pattern)

The Phillips bulbs are expensive, but worth it, good light pattern, no dark spots, last for years 

After all the issue with the lights, mine are now reasonable with the Phillips Xtreme H7s and Osram Nightbraker H1s set in my properly aligned and cleaned Hella lights.  Not fabulous, but at least I can drive on dark side roads without eye strain now 

[Bionic]

Bit puzzled over this.
My Elite has HID bulb fittings on the Dip beams only, the Main beam has the normal Halogens. I am told by the dealer and by the manual that this is the standard for the car. All lights aqre bright white!
I have read of some who have done a conversion to fit the HID lights to the Main lamps but as they are not governed by the automatic self levelling system I am unsure whether they would be legal for the mot.  My tester tells me they would fail!
Another problem I think would be the bulb holders because they are vastly different.
Maybe the HID units are on there way out because they do work by the current discharge method. The HID bulbs also deteriorate over time.
Enlighten me someone please........

[Humpy]

Surely the as the whole lamp moves up and down together then they would be ok? It's more likely that there's a legal or technical reason why you can't have an HID bulb for main beam. I know they take a while to come on is that why?

Humpy

[Jimbob]

HIDS slow to startup, so useless for flashing etc

also on off wears them out quickly, so not really suitable for full beam application.

[Lazydocker]

And incidentally... Main beam only has to work for the MOT, pattern isn't tested

[pedroMV6]

Surely the as the whole lamp moves up and down together then they would be ok? It's more likely that there's a legal or technical reason why you can't have an HID bulb for main beam. I know they take a while to come on is that why?

Humpy

As I understand it, retro-fitting HID's is not EXACTLY illegal. Grey area and recommendations from the Dot yes, but here's why I say this:

1) - My Carlton has had HID's fitted (no washers, no level sensors) for 5 years. 5 MOT passes because they pattern is legal and not too bright according to my MOT tester dude.

2) -The HID burners are covered, so they CANNOT flash oncoming drivers, or (as some people have said on other forums) give anyone arc-eye........which is impossible as there is no naked arc, it is behind glass!

3) - I don't recall there being a LAW passed or amended or even MOT rules amended or modified, that states retro-fitted HID lights are in fact to be deemed illegal WITHOUT washers and levelling system fitted also.

OK, I might have not seen anything, but that doesn't mean there isn't anything to say I have to remove the HID's from my Carlton, so until Plod tells me and produces evidence, or the MOT tester fails it, they stay.

I have HID's as 'Hi-Lo beam' ( usually just low beam in a Carlton) plus the "driving" or "spot" light is HID. The Hi-Lo side if things is fine - the spot lights are pretty awful, as the beam pattern is all over the place.

Back to subject - Osram Night Breaker bulbs..............

I may have been a little harsh when I first said they were rubbish, but I still feel they're not as good as whatever are fitted to the now defunct Elite of ours, so I shall swap out the headlight units...........

[Entwood]

Surely the as the whole lamp moves up and down together then they would be ok? It's more likely that there's a legal or technical reason why you can't have an HID bulb for main beam. I know they take a while to come on is that why?

Humpy

Some vehicles ... high end mercs are one .. DO have HIDs for main beam .. but they use a "shutter" system .. the lamp is always "ON" but the light is hidden by the shutter on dip, then the shutter moves for "main"... this gets around both the slow start and "start cycle burnout" problems ...