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[Hemmi]

But Hemmi... with all our members we havent had negative feedback on the standard globes...

Maybe it's a problem with some cars imported to Iceland? I don't know, just find it kind of strange.

[Lorian]

This thread on "the other place" might be interesting, from someone in AU. Perhaps someone who has an account there can ask if there is an update. Maybe the OP is here too, I'm not sure:

http://www.hyundai-forums.com/t44526-i30-low-beam-failure.htm

[Shambles]

But Hemmi... with all our members we havent had negative feedback on the standard globes...

Yes, correct. I'm making a big assumption that the bulbs I obtained via heBay might have been in some way substandard, bearing in mind the price I paid for each set.

I'll fit the original bulbs back in at the weekend.

[Shambles]

I'll fit the original bulbs back in at the weekend.

Done, in record time

Offside (blown) replacement: 4 minutes from starting, to tightening the last bolt.

Nearside, 6 minutes (and a cut finger)

[Myowni30]

Perhaps a poll to see if there is a problem.

Say for standard bulbs and also legal upgrades etc.

[bumpkin]

I am still on my original bulbs after 1.5years with the switch left on AUTO all the time, so for Scotland that is approximately 4 months per annum with the lights on to come to work and go home.

[eye30]

Never changed a bulb since the day I picked up in 2.25 years

[SergeyZdravkov]

Changed today low beam bulb - first for almost 2 years. Bought "Hella Bulb H7, 12 V, 55 W PX 26 d" which is close to the standard bulb.

[Dazzler]

Hi Sergey Been a while since you posted..Your car still going well? 

[SergeyZdravkov]

Hi Sergey Been a while since you posted..Your car still going well? 

Hi Dazz. That's right i30 still goes well... and hope be the same way for a long time

[LuciferDarklord]

My passenger side low beam bulb blew 2 weeks ago, I drive with them switched on almost all the time (18 months 45k).  I replaced them with a HID Xenon 35W 6000k to match my high beams.  Illegal I know but I checked the alignment on my shed door where I had marked them previously, the new bulbs are slightly lower than before (about 10mm on the door at 3m distance) with no noticeable light bleed.  No-one has flashed me yet and I can say the lights are brilliant.  They cant be any worse than a lot of the thai built Hondas getting around that have HID - they are almost all adjusted way too high.

[IMCRZY]

I find the standard lights just fine will not upgrade untill 1 blows

[FixedR6]

How does replacing the bulbs effect your warranty?

The reason I ask is the girlfriend put the Philips BlueVision's in her Getz a while back, and they blew. It turns out they caused some problems with the wiring (drew more current perhaps?). She was lucky and got the repairs done under warranty, but only because she knew the guys at the shop pretty well.

After reading through the thread it sounds like the best thing to do is leave well enough alone?

[Lorian]

They are user serviceable part (just  ), but you don't want to be using uprated wattage without uprating the wiring, and probably using a relay. Here in the UK anything about the 55w is illegal anyway. A good propotion of the upgrades (excluding the HID users) you see on this site still draw the same current, just use different gas and filliments to burn brighter/whiter.

[Myowni30]

I am using the Philips Blue Vision bulbs (12v 55w) without any problems. I had them in my first i30 and took them out of that car to put into my latest i30. Still working fine.

[Dazzler]

I had to take both my lights out today as one of my Philips +80 H7 globes in the projector lights had blown after a bit over 12 months I'm guessing..

anyway I decided to keep things even by putting both the original H7 globes back in and then put her back together (I guess 20 minutes all up)

but.. Murphy's Law  now... one of my park light globes has decided to give up the ghost...

I specifically checked them when I noticed the drivers side upgrade had died and it was fine.. I have checked that I put the connector back on firmly.. so now I have to go get one of those..  (at least they are cheap)

[Pip]

They are user serviceable part (just  ), but you don't want to be using uprated wattage without uprating the wiring, and probably using a relay...

Sorry to visit this post so late but I would have expected the standard lights to be already using a relay (isn't this normal in this day and age?). If they are not then maybe that partially explains why they are so bloody dull and perhaps the running of a decent wire directly from the battery and adding relay control might be sufficient on its own to lift the brightness to something useful. No?

[Myowni30]

They are user serviceable part (just  ), but you don't want to be using uprated wattage without uprating the wiring, and probably using a relay...

Sorry to visit this post so late but I would have expected the standard lights to be already using a relay (isn't this normal in this day and age?). If they are not then maybe that partially explains why they are so bloody dull and perhaps the running of a decent wire directly from the battery and adding relay control might be sufficient on its own to lift the brightness to something useful. No?

The standard system does use relays for the headlights, and for most other necessary systems that require them. But Hyundai uses the least it can get away with in all it vehicles 

[Lorian]

When I said it would probably need a relay I meant a different one or extra one. I'm sure there there will be one already but I've not focused on it's rating, or it's corresponding fuse. If it's 20A or more I guess you might jusy get away with it, but it wouldn't be for me.

The lights are quite acceptable with four nightbreaker bulbs in.

[penak]

When I said it would probably need a relay I meant a different one or extra one. I'm sure there there will be one already but I've not focused on it's rating, or it's corresponding fuse. If it's 20A or more I guess you might jusy get away with it, but it wouldn't be for me.

The lights are quite acceptable with four nightbreaker bulbs in.

The H7 bulbs are 55W, so 20A rated fuze is far more than enough. At 12V, 55W means 4.6A per side, so less than 10 A total.

Our other car is a Fiat Stilo MW JTD, which has one of those really silly headlight designs, a bulb change is a mandatory garage job, no way of doing it by yourself as you need to jack the car up. I have learned to use Philips Long Life bulbs in it, they will last one year on constant use (we are here in Finland required by the law to keep lights on day and night all year round, which IS a great safety feature.).

Nightbreakers are nice, but will last only half of that...

Luckily the bulb change in i30 seems to be an easy job, the bulbs don't cost much anything anyway, whatever you use.

[Lorian]

Sure, but if you put a pair of 100w bulbs in there its starting to look marginal (~17A), and presumably why someone reported a wire melt.

I actually think the high beam is pretty good anyway, it was the low beam that I didn't like until I put the nightbreakers in. I know they don't last so long, but I carry the original H7's too, and the cost of them here in the uk is not significant.

[Dazzler]

I recently went back to the original H7 low beam globes after my Philips + 80's died (they are just too dull!!!)

I went to buy some more philips +80's or equiv and Autobarn wanted A$85 (paid A$70 last time I think)

Went to Repco next (because I think supercheap only has Calibre I think which from past experience aren't much better than the OEM)

Anyway, to cut a long story short they had Narva +80 on special from A$77 down to about A$49 I think (but had sold out) Got an even better deal on some Narva +50's normally A$75 a pair (for A$33   )
These were on clearance due to the packageing being a bit tatty...

Have found Repco to be pretty helpful lately but not sure how long these specials are on (they can order the +80's in at that A$49 price...)

EDIT: Narva (German Made globes) on special until 23/5/10 see catalogue link here...(Australia only I think)

http://www.lasoo.com.au/catalogue/repco-catalogue-champion-deals/4ia85ss7o.html

[accim]

Damn, after I've put the "OEM" bulbs out, I installed xenon kit. I had it for almost a year, than I replaced it with regular bulbs again, so I wouldn't have problems with police. After a while, I decided to get some "better" bulbs for more visibility, so I bought Osram Silverstar.. They lasted for a month or two and then one just died So I'm back on "stock" ones, that came with the car again.. I'll try to find some good ones from Philips. Hope they'll last longer.

[Lorian]

I had the same set of 4 silverstars (+30) in my Vectra for about 4 years and they didn't blow. In fact two of them have been in our 207 for 6 months too. So one of us is lucky/not lucky I guess. Subjectively the nightbreakers do seem brighter than the silverstars, and just a tiny bit colder in colour temp.

In the UK I have lots of luck sourcing bulbs on ebay at good prices.

[Dazzler]

Hi Lorian haven't heard of those over her in Aus..

An update on the Narva + 50's I bought (see recent posing in this thread) They are a definite improvement on the OEM. Highly recommended at the price I paid (which expires 23/5 at Repco)

[Lorian]

With regards to blulbs blowing, I did notice on "one of the other i30 forums" mentioned an issue relating to this where the battery earth (behind the battery) was suspect. There wasn't anything concrete to back this up though, but perhaps worth a look for anyone with issues.

[Dazzler]

Also best to play it safe by not having the lights on full (park lights o/k) when starting the car as apparently in some situations a slight surge can occur which can blow the globes .. This was what Autobarn diagnosed as a possible cause when they inspected my first set of Phillips +80's which only lasted a month or so (and were fortunately replaced free of charge)

[Pip]

Also best to play it safe by not having the lights on full (park lights o/k) when starting the car as apparently in some situations a slight surge can occur which can blow the globes .. This was what Autobarn diagnosed as a possible cause when they inspected my first set of Phillips +80's which only lasted a month or so (and were fortunately replaced free of charge)

I think a simpler explanation is that the filament simply fused (melted) at switch-on. Whether that happened when the ignition was turned on to start the engine or the light switch itself was turned at some other time is probably irrelevant except that the voltage will be higher when the engine is already running. Higher voltage implies higher current. Higher current means higher temperatures. A high temperature is obviously needed to melt the filament.

Brighter lights run a higher temperature filament so by definition brighter lights are running closer to the fuseable temperature all the time. This is not the direct cause though. The cause it that the filament resistance has a positive temperature coefficient, which means that when cold the resistance is low, much lower than when hot. So at switch on the instantaneous high current can heat the filament to melting point. Pop!

I guess we have all experienced a light that pops right when switched on. Goes off like a flash bulb - literally.
 
I'm talking about "normal" globes (bulbs) here.

To overcome this for very expensive lights such as used in film projectors there would be a "slow-start" circuit that works like an automatic light dimmer to warm the filament slowly (over several milliseconds).

That's my guess.

[Dazzler]

Sounds logical Pip .. thanks for your explanation 

[Shambles]

That's us telt