All lamps that are now sold on the market can be roughly divided into three groups
1 Standard halogen bulbs

2 Lamps with increased luminous efficiency (PHILPS Vision Plus + 50% PHILIPS + 100%, Osram Night breaker+ 90%, etc.

3 xenon lamps (MTF SHO-ME and others) their hallmark is a blue glass lamp

In the first case, everything is clear: these are standard lamps with standard light output. there are no tricks in these lamps. these lamps are equipped with cars coming off the assembly line. The color temperature of these lamps is in the order of 2600-2800 Kelvin.

In the second case, special technologies and materials are used to increase the light output of the lamp. The color temperature, like the light output of such lamps, is higher and is about 3000-3200K? that is, such a lamp shines brighter and whiter light!

And with the third type of lamps, everything is much more interesting, let's dwell on it in more detail.
Lamps "for xenon" have an increased color temperature of about 3600-3800K and shine even whiter than the previous ones, but in terms of light output they are significantly inferior to the first and second lamps. Why it happens? let's figure it out.

So imagine a tungsten coil of a lamp through which an electric current is passed, making it glow. If, with the help of a glass prism, we decompose the light emitted by this spiral into its components, then we will see that this looks White light, consists of many colors (remember the rainbow). All these colors add up to give us white light.

If, in the case of the first and second types of lamps, the light freely passes through the transparent glass and goes to the reflector, and then is reflected on the road, then for the third type of lamps everything is different.
Due to the fact that the glass of the lamp is blue, only light rays can overcome this barrier
Green
Blue
Blue
Purple
and for Red, Orange, and Yellow, blue glass is an insurmountable obstacle (therefore, our eye sees that it is blue)

As a result of such a filter, a good half of the radiation does not come out of the lamp, which leads to a significant deterioration in the illumination of the road, in addition, the most powerful part of the spectrum is red and yellow rays (remember the yellow fog lights) Therefore, in difficult road conditions such as rain and fog, it is extremely dangerous to use such lamps due to their complete inefficiency.
Therefore, you should not believe the Xenon 4300K ​​inscriptions, etc.

Outcome

If you are interested in the MAXIMUM BRIGHT light of your headlights and are ready to put up with a slightly shorter service life of such lamps, as well as a higher cost, then your choice is the lamps of the second category. You can distinguish them by the inscriptions + 50% + 80% + 100% and by the CLEAR glass of the lamp. The presence of a small colored strip on such lamps does not lead to a deterioration in the light characteristics. The area of ​​glass opposite the spiral will always be uncolored

If you want your headlights to have a color similar to the color of xenon lamps, then your choice is a category 3 lamp, but know that you will lose up to 70% in road illumination (depending on the degree of glass coloration). They will shine weaker than the standard "Yellow"

Of course, the headlight of the lamps in the headlights must be of high quality so that you can drive along the highway with a calm mind, in bad weather, get a maximum view of the road. But functionality is not everything, every owner of the fourteenth or any other car agrees that the headlights should shine beautifully, because this is a kind of mirror of the soul of your car.

In order for the lighting to be of high quality and look beautiful, you need to focus not only on the characteristics of the h4 lamp - these are halogens that are placed on the fourteenth, but also on the headlight unit itself. If the unit has an average reflector and diffuser, your brightest lamp is worth a penny. And they put such blocks from manufacturers of two brands: BOSCH and Kirzhach. For objective reasons, the first wins the second:

• The reflector from Kirzhach is narrow and elongated, contains internal partition, it has no top wall.
• On the contrary, the BOSCH company has a wide reflector and cuts, with full-fledged walls on all sides.

Headlight adjustment

The diffuser is the diffuser, design features does not have; but if we appeal to the characteristics of the reflector, then the Boshevsky block clearly wins: the design makes the lamp beam brighter and more saturated.

By the way, the headlight will shine much more efficiently if you adjust the direction of the illuminating element. It's never too late to learn, especially since the scheme is simple.

In general, the light can be adjusted in the service, the price will be tolerable, or special devices if you know how to use them and know what they are called. But it's better to look at the next steps and do it yourself:

1. Reduce all the suspension settings so that you can with peace of mind equalize the angle of the direction of the headlight beam: see how the suspension springs feel, whether the pressure in the tires is working and whether there is a big difference in their sizes.
2. There should be a little benzene in the tank - a half full tank is perfect option- plus, there should be no uneven loading.
3. It is necessary to adjust both the low and high beam at once, there are h4 halogen lamps with joint light parameters and separate ones. See what you have and adjust what you need.
4. Checking the adjustment and adjusting it at the same time is shown here in this figure:

Just drive up to a flat wall on a flat area in front of it, tape the adjustment lines with tape and see if everything converges.

Now let's talk about what the h4 lamp is. This is the one that is placed on the fourteenth headlights. It is believed that in comparison with the nine, the lighting on the fourteenth failed (dim, the adjustment is always lost). Although, if you know enough about this issue, or you have adjusted the regulation in the service, and you have a block from BOSCH, the opinion is unlikely to be true.

H4 halogen lamps are bulbs with a pair of filaments (one filament is responsible for the low beam, and the other for the high beam). Naturally, the assortment of features and differences of lamps of this type cannot be remembered at all: the characteristics of the light, gas composition, spirals, the bulb itself, power and so on.

The power of the low beam lamp on the VAZ 2114 is standardly 55-60 W, but there are even more powerful lamps- up to 130 W. There is trouble with them in terms of heating: the high heating temperature of the bulb can melt the reflector and its own wiring, but their light is so bright and beautiful that it is often not a waste of money for a new reflector and galagenka.

What are halogens?

The review of h4 lamps represents only those devices that have passed the test (by the way, the h4 lamp test is a bright sight, you can watch the video).

• Standard (factory assembled).
• More wear-resistant (it happened that such lamps could be ordered as part of the main assembly at the factory).
• The quality of the enhanced light flux.
• Increased performance of the perception of light from the headlamp in the oncoming lane.
• Universal lamps for all weather conditions.
• Those that have more power compared to the factory assembly.

To figure out which h4 lamps are better, let's look at comparative characteristics in the process of testing. But the main brands of halogens that can stand on the fourteenth: OSRAM h4 standard, OSRAM h4 lightday, GENERAL ELECTRIC h4 standard, PHILIPS h4 long life, NARVA h4 standard.

The brightest halogen lamps

And the first test for the brightest h4 halogen lamps: two diagrams at once, telling how far the distance of light is possible in meters.

Let's see the result:

1. By parameter high beam the lamp of the company Light Day h4 is in the lead, despite the fact that the series included species with the same factory amplifier luminous flux... A good indicator is given by a lamp from General Electric.
2. In terms of the low beam parameter, the leader of the previous characteristic is inferior to its competitors - Harva h4 standard and Osram h4 standard - but this concession is completely insignificant.

On both diagrams, it can be seen that the bulbs from the Gerenral Electric brand are very weak. And the palm can be safely given to lamps of the Osram h4 type.

The second test will be on the best h4 halogen lamps in terms of beam amplification. And as before, there are two pictures that represent the results for low and high beams.

In principle, despite the fact that intensified luminous lamps can blind all oncoming drivers, they are indispensable for people with low vision. It is easy to recognize such devices - they always have a mark with a plus of possible lighting in percentage (+ 30%, for example). Here are the brands and their models that took part in the test: OSRAM h4 silverstar (+ 50%), GENERAL ELECTRIC h4 megalight plus (+ 60%), PHILIPS h4 premium (+ 30%), PHILIPS h4 visionplus (+ 50%), NARVA h4 range rover, HELLA h4 light power (+ 50%), IPF Super Low Beam.

According to the criterion of low beam, the winner was the IPF brand, a lamp with a power of 80 watts. In fact, it is not the light that is amplified here, special technologies are not applied, but the power is simply increased, and it can damage the headlight unit!

By the criterion of high beam, everything has changed dramatically: now the winner is Philips h4 premium with a plus of 30%, leaving the previous leader in low beam far behind.

In order not to miscalculate, you can compare two parameters by the average - low and high beam - and remember which lamp costs how much in the car market. Then it turns out that the Harv H4 brand range rover will be the best option for both cases, despite the fact that his devices are relatively inexpensive compared to others.

All weather lamps

Another test is to overcome unfavorable weather conditions. Such lamps have a special coating on the main surface that transmits light, it colors the light in a yellowish tint, which allows the light to remain contrasting in bad weather conditions.

PHILIPS h4 weather vision, NARVA h4 azuro, GENERAL ELECTRIC h4 olday, IPF h4 superbeam are those manufacturers that have been tested.

The first parameter (high beam), Philips and Gerenar Electric devices are almost equally good.

In the low beam test, Phillips outpaces its neighbor in the high beam category to become the sole winner.

Comfort lamps

Completes the rating halogen lamps test for the best visual perception... What is it all about - we all know about lamps with beautiful white, very bright lighting. They do not hurt the eyes of the oncoming driver, and on the track you get less tired under their influence. Although the light is bright, it is very close in its property to normal daylight... Newbies might think it is xenon. There is also a small inconvenience: the light of these devices is good in normal weather, it is worth walking in the rain, and its drops will reflect the direction of the luminous beam, thereby blinding you.

Here are the firms that tested this parameter in the low and high beam versions:

PHILIPS h4 Blue Vision, NARVA h4 Range Power Blue, OSRAM h4 cool blue, XENOBRITE h4 super white, GENERAL ELECTRIC h4 superblu, IPF Gran Bluez Bulb, IPF White Max Neo Bulb.

Osram proved to be the best in conditions of high beam, in conditions of near - Narva. But if we again compare by the average and the price category, we will get the following winners: NARVA h4 range power blue, OSRAM h4 cool blue, GENERAL ELECTRIC h4 superblu.

The lamp test for increasing the power stands apart, because, in fact, this is a kind of tuning, at the factory most often you will be offered a standard set of 60 watts. By the way, in theory, very powerful lamps are generally not intended for installation on ordinary handicaps (with a standard block), but they are relatively cheap, give out a lot of light, which attracts car owners. They are usually compared with the standard ones, plus, the fact of a possible breakdown of the headlight unit is taken into account.

The most common companies producing multipower lamps are Zeno Power Gold, Zeno Plasma. It may not be bitter to say it, but they both showed a failure in the test of high and low beam at the same time. On the other hand, this can only please the preservation of the integrity of the headlamp unit.

It depends on the correctness of their choice whether you will be able to discern a dangerous obstacle in time and whether you will not lose control of the car from being blinded by the headlights of an oncoming car. At the same time, unlike a number of other components, the choice of which is left to the mercy of servicemen by most car owners, car lamps are a product that many drivers buy on their own. It is not easy to choose from the variety of lamps presented on the shelves those that are optimal in their characteristics.

Most of the leading manufacturers have a complete range of lamps for various purposes in their assortment. These are standard lamps, lamps for improved visual comfort, all-weather, increased power and lamps with increased light output. In order to understand which of them will cope with their task and which will not, it is necessary to fully test the lamps for a number of key indicators: luminous intensity, geometry and, accordingly, illumination at certain points, and color temperature. If this is not possible, it remains to trust our own experience or trust the statements of manufacturers.

We decided to present to your attention lamps with the most common H4 base, and from the entire line to choose two types - standard and lamps of increased visual comfort. The essence of the first follows from the name: these lamps are ordinary halogen incandescent lamps and are similar to those supplied to conveyors. The so-called white light of the second type of lamp is more comfortable for the eyes than the standard one. But when choosing such lamps, it is important to remember that in rainy weather, visibility is worse with them, since white light glares more strongly from wet surfaces and even from individual raindrops.

Manufacturer / Country: IPF Corporation / Japan Type: Standard

Specifications: H4, halogen, 12 V, 60/80 W

Advantages: most of the gas in the bulb is xenon, which makes the filament thinner and longer; thanks to xenon, more high pressure in the bulb and, as a consequence, an increase in brightness and luminous flux at a load permissible for the on-board network; the new 3D flask design has a stabilizing rod to extend the life in extreme conditions; the color of the light is whiter than that of a standard lamp.

Manufacturer / Country: IPF Corporation / Japan

Specifications: H4, halogen, 12 V, 60/80 W, 460 ° K

Advantages: a unique high-pressure xenon mixture is used in the bulb, which makes the filament thinner and longer; thanks to xenon, a higher pressure is created in the bulb and, as a consequence, an increase in brightness and luminous flux at a load permissible for the on-board network; the color of the light is distributed from white in the center of the headlamp to a deep white in the middle and a slightly blue tint towards the edge of the light beam; imitation of xenon light is achieved.

Type: with increased light output

Benefits: Made from patented quartz glass Philips Quartz Glass with a UV filter, which prevents the lamps from exploding if moisture gets on them, and the plastic of the headlights remains transparent throughout the life; such glass withstands a much higher pressure of the gas mixture inside the flask, which gives a longer service life; Thinner and more transparent glass reduces the loss of luminous flux; All Philips halogen lamps contain xenon in the gas mixture.

Manufacturer / country: Philips Automotive Lighting / Germany

Type: improved visual comfort lamps

Benefits: give 50% more light; white light reflects better off road signs and markings; lamps are made of patented quartz glass Philips Quartz Glass with a UV filter, due to which the lamps do not explode, and the plastic of the headlights remains transparent throughout the life; such glass can withstand a higher pressure of a mixture of gases, a long service life;

Manufacturer / Country: China National Electronics Imp & Exp. East China Company / China

Type: standard

Specifications: H4, halogen, 12 V, 60/55 W

Advantages: one of the most inexpensive lamps in its category; illumination at the central point - 0.84 (norm no more than 0.84), illumination at the point of blinding in the rear-view mirror - 0.28 (norm no more than 0.4), illumination at the point of illumination of the upper right region of the light spot - 16, 2 (the norm is not less than 12), the illumination at the point of illumination of the lower right area is 33.3 (the norm is not less than 12), the illumination at the central point (high beam) is 75.2 (the norm is not less than 48).

Manufacturer / country: China National Electronics Imp &

Exp. East China Company / China

Type: improved visual comfort lamps

Specifications: H4, halogen, 12 V, 60/55 W

Advantages: produced with limited UV radiation and 30% increased light output;

illumination at the central point - 0.84 (norm no more than 0.84), illumination at the point of blinding in the rear-view mirror - 0.29 (norm no more than 0.4), illumination at the point of illumination of the upper right region of the light spot - 36 ( the norm is not less than 12), the illumination at the point of illumination of the lower right area is 40 (the norm is not less than 12), the main beam is 90 (the norm is not less than 48).

Type: standard

Specifications: H4, halogen, 12 V, 60/55 W

Benefits: Third generation halogen lamps, designed with the aim of increasing their lifespan; does not harm optical elements;

Manufactured to the highest standards in compliance with all regulations, each lamp undergoes special tests.

Manufacturer / country: Hella KGaA Hueck & Co./Germany

Type: improved visual comfort lamps

Specifications: H4, halogen, 12 V, 60/55 W

Advantages: gives a 90% increased luminous flux, while maintaining the regulated power standards due to an increase in the length of the filament, additional turns of the spiral and a special composition of the gas in the flask (a significant proportion of xenon has been added); Colour temperature shifted to the white light sector, instead of a yellowish tint; Ideal for MOT and ideal for both lenticular optics and conventional FF reflectors.

Type: standard

Specifications: H4, halogen, 12 V, 60/55 W

Advantages: the lamps are distinguished by the quality of the "original"

spare part tested in new cars of well-known car manufacturers; combine high brightness with a long service life; luminous power does not decrease over time, but is within the permissible range from the very beginning of use until the end of its service life.

Manufacturer / country: OSRAM GmbH / Germany

Type: improved visual comfort lamps

Specifications: H4, halogen, 12 V, 60/55 W, 4000 ° K

Advantages: give a high-contrast, close to natural bluish-white light with a color temperature of up to 4000 ° K; have a brightness increased by 20%;

have especially attractive design since for transparent glass the silver dome of the lamp optically merges with the reflector, resulting in an overall homogeneous composition.

Type: standard

Specifications: H4, halogen, 12 V, 60/55 W

Advantages: made of hard glass;

Manufacturer / country: Narva Speziallampen GmbH / Germany (owned by Philips Automotive Lighting)

Type: improved visual comfort lamps

Specifications: H4, halogen, 12 V, 60/55 W

Advantages: provide a luminous flux increased by 50%;

color temperature 4000 ° K;

made of hard glass;

are distinguished by a good combination of quality and price.

Unlike the single-filament H7 models, the H4 type headlights are built on two incandescent spirals, that is, one is responsible for supplying the low beam, and the other for the high beam. Today it is one of the most popular lighting accessories for cars, because constructive solution This type allows you to abandon the usual "halogen", replacing them with a monoxenon or even a bi-xenon version.

Let's figure out which are the best, what you should pay attention to in the first place, and what advantages certain types of lighting accessories have. The opinions of experts in this field and reviews of car owners will be taken into account.

In order to define and designate more clearly, we present all respondents in the form of a rating. It was entered as classic options, and more advanced versions with an increased resource and some kind of effects.

The best H4 bulbs

Classic models:

1. Philips Vision.
2. MTF-LIGHT LongLife "Standard" plus 30%.
3. OSRAM "Original" Line.

With increased light beam:

1. Philips X-Treme Vision plus 130%.
2. MTF-LIGHT Argentum plus 80%.
3. OSRAM Night Breaker Unlimited.

With visual effects:

1. MTF-LIGHT Titanium.
2. Philips White Vision.
3. KOITO White Beam Series III.

Bi-xenon lamps:

1. MTF-LIGHT.
2. MAXLUX.
3. SHO-ME.

All of the above models of lamps have repeatedly been to specific exhibitions and received some awards. In addition, they all have a very good base of positive reviews from motorists and have a well-balanced price / quality ratio. Let's consider each participant in more detail.

So, H4 lamps are an overview of the best and most successful models.

Classic halogen options

All ordinary H4 class autolamps operate at standard powers of 55-60 watts. The accessory is mounted in standard optics without any serious restrictions and is characterized by typical luminous intensity. One of the main features of such lamps is stability in operation and a fairly long time of operation.

They also have a completely democratic price tag and about these accessories we can say that this is a regular or standard H4 low beam lamp. Which one is better is up to you, but any model from the list below will adequately serve for a long time.

PHILIPS Vision H4

The model can be found in almost any, both online and offline autoshop. The best low-beam H4 lamps of the Vision series from Philips have more than adequate cost and distinguished themselves by their reliability, which is far from the last argument for a domestic buyer and with our roads.

Car owners are extremely positive about the series. Users are quite satisfied with not only the price tag for the accessory, but also the brightness of the models (5000 K), along with a long operating time. Some complain about the abundance of fakes, which are sold for 50-100 rubles. apiece, but here it is important to understand that the best H4 (classics) to buy for less than two hundred rubles will not work.

Estimated cost - about 220 rubles.

MTF-LIGHT LongLife Standart + 30% H4

The LongLife Standart series was distinguished by its perfectly balanced cost, where the price / quality ratio was fully observed, and not all H4 lamps can boast of this. What kind better model suitable for your car, of course, it's up to you to decide, but a good part of users prefer this particular brand and series.

LONGLIFE has a significantly increased service life in comparison with the previous respondent, and is also protected from minor mechanical damage. In addition, the STANDART + 30% models were distinguished by an attractive color temperature of 2900 K.

The approximate price is about 250 rubles.

OSRAM Original Line H4

When you are asked to list offhand best lamps H4, then OSRAM brand models probably come to mind, which is not surprising. The company has been producing and developing such accessories for a very long time and, as they say, the dog ate on this matter.

The Original Line series received an excellent color temperature of 3200 K, as well as a reinforced body that is not afraid of domestic roads. There are more than enough positive reviews about the company's products, but it has one drawback - a lot of fakes, and sometimes quite high-quality ones. In this case, it is also worth remembering that the best H4 lamps from OSRAM cannot cost $ 100.

Estimated cost - about 350 rubles.

High brightness lamps

Having the same power as the classics - 55/60 W, lamps with increased brightness are able to increase the range of the light beam and have higher color temperature indicators.

In most cases, the packaging with an accessory reflects the percentage increase in the light output to the classic indicators (+ 40%, + 60%, etc.).

Vision + 130% H4

The X-Treme Vision Series are the best high-brightness H4 lamps at a more than affordable price point. The models distinguished themselves by a luminous flux increased by 130 meters and an increased beam intensity, up to 130%. Field tests have shown that the latter parameter slightly differs from the declared one, but not by much - by 5-10 percent down.

The Kelvin indicator fluctuates within 3700 units, so the glow temperature will be more than comfortable for the owner even in the darkest night (which cannot be said about drivers in oncoming cars).

MTF-LIGHT Argentum + 80% H4

The Argentum series was distinguished by an 80% increased brightness, a good increase in the luminous flux - just over 15 m, and a pleasant shade of light in a silvery-white scale. Oddly enough, the last point became a decisive factor for many car owners during the purchase.

In addition, Argentum lamps received a good service life, a relatively durable body, and a very nice and practical stand box included.

Estimated cost - about 1,000 rubles.

OSRAM Night Breaker Unlimited H4

OSRAM's Night Breaker series are the best H4 lamps for wet pavement. Thanks to the almost crystal white light, a wet road is well illuminated at night, both in the near and in the long-range mode of operation of the optics.

The Unlimited model has a 110% increase in brightness and a beam range of 30-35 meters. Naturally, for the owner of the lamps, the road is visible at a glance, but almost every second oncoming car will blink at you about switching to low beam, although you are already driving it.

Estimated price - about 1,100 rubles.

Visual effect lamps

It is known that white-bluish light is most familiar to human eyes, because it is much closer to daylight, which means it is the least tiring. Moreover, this gamma illuminates much better. road surface and some small details.

Many manufacturers of such accessories strive to create lamps with xenon capabilities, but with low power, that is, a kind of premium "bogus". One of the critical drawbacks of such optics is mediocre vision in poor weather.

MTF-LIGHT Titanium H4

The Titanium series has a pleasant yellow-white glow and a brightness of 450 lumens. The color temperature fluctuates around 4400 K, so the road is clearly visible.

Inexperienced car owners very often confuse the glow of the Titanium series with real xenon, but unlike the latter, visibility in rain and fog is noticeably worse.

Estimated cost - about 900 rubles.

PHILIPS White Vision H4

The glow temperature of the White Vision series is within the standard xenon range - 4300 K. The lamps illuminate the road very well and have a 60% increased brightness. In addition, the series featured a patented 3rd generation optics coating technology.

Pleasant color scheme does not strain the eyes, and the drivers of oncoming cars are not so indignant high temperature glow and increased brightness. The series is in enviable demand among domestic consumers and has, for the most part, positive reviews.

The approximate price is about 1,000 rubles.

KOITO H4 White Beam III

The KOITO brand is the famous Japanese quality for your car. The third series of White Beam operates with a classic temperature for xenon - 4200 K. With its seemingly modest power of 55 W, visually the lamps give out a flux almost similar to 100-watt optics.

A pleasant bluish tide illuminates the road well and does not blind the drivers of oncoming cars so much, so judging by the reviews, there should be no problems in the dark. Naturally, on wet asphalt, visibility is significantly impaired.

Estimated cost - about 1,300 rubles.

Bi-xenon lamps

Taking into account the structural differences between conventional "halogen" and H4, when replacing, many motorists prefer bi-xenon optics. Her main feature is that the low beam is on on a permanent basis, and the high beam is optional.

In addition, bi-xenon the lineup significantly differs in price from the above types of lamps in a larger direction due to a more complex and technologically advanced design.

MTF-LIGHT H4

The model provides the driver with the opportunity to choose the temperature of the glow, depending on the environment. The time during which the arc is formed does not exceed 0.3 seconds, which is very good for optics of this kind.

For complete stabilization of the luminous flux, it takes about 15 seconds, after which the lamp starts operating normally. Based on user feedback, there were no problems with operation, vision and light saturation. The model fully justifies the funds invested in it on the principle - set and forget.

Estimated price - about 2,000 rubles.

MAXLUX H4

Another very interesting and more than acceptable option for replacing standard halogen lamps. The model has very good protection against moisture and dirt for its class, so you don't have to worry about the condition of the base and connectors.

In addition, the line is distinguished by relatively low power consumption and stable operation in all weather conditions, be it pouring rain with fog or extensive snowfall.

Separately, it is worth mentioning the production branches. Judging by the reviews of car owners, lamps made in factories South Korea, much better quality, unlike their Chinese counterparts, so it will not be superfluous to pay special attention to this moment before buying.

Estimated cost - about 2,000-3,000 rubles (4300 K-5000 K).

SHO-ME H4

This is one of the most budgetary Chinese versions of the bixenon. She, of course, has its drawbacks, which are mainly reflected in the duration of operation, but the SHO-ME lamp performs its function quite tolerably.

Among the main advantages, one can note, first of all, an extremely democratic price tag, a magnetic design, as well as the ability to choose color temperatures. The optical life is designed for about 2000 hours, but you shouldn't expect more from a budget model.

The bi-xenon model range from SHO-ME is perfect both for cars of our car industry and for models of foreign production of the middle and budget segment. Our compatriots fell in love with the "Chinese" for its very low cost and for a more or less high-quality light beam, which, unlike similar devices from the Middle Kingdom, can be adjusted in temperature.

Estimated price - about 500 rubles.

› Choosing and testing H4 lamps

HOW WE WERE MEASURED
To measure the illumination, the lamp was placed in a circularly symmetric reflector (headlamp without an output optical lens). The desired parameter was measured in the center of the light spot created by the resulting optical device. The measurements were carried out for two modes of connecting the lamp power: low and high beam.
Illumination was measured using a TKA-LUX light meter. All measurements were carried out at a certain (fixed) distance from the lamp, large enough to consider the light beam as formed. Based on the results obtained, the axial luminous intensity was calculated lighting fixture... The unit of measurement is kilocandel (kKd).
Under the same conditions, the color temperature of the emission of the lamps under study was measured using a colorimeter "LMT - C2200". The unit of measurement of color temperature is Kelvin (K).
All data obtained for each instrument can be found in the tables accompanying the description of the test results.
As the test results of H4 lamps manufactured by OSRAM, GENERAL ELECTRIC, PHILIPS, NARVA, HELLA, IPF, ZENON show, the lighting characteristics of these devices differ quite significantly.

STANDARD LAMPS
All car lamp manufacturers produce standard types head light lamps.
H4 is a double-strand lamp. Depending on which of the filaments emits light, the lamp operates in either high beam or low beam mode.
All H4 bulbs designed for installation in normal car headlights have a power of 60/55 watts. More powerful lamps cannot be used. Firstly, they blind the drivers of other cars, and secondly, they overload the car's wiring and contribute to overheating of the headlight and its accelerated aging. H4 bulbs, for example 130/100 W, are designed for off-road driving and are installed in special headlights.
Thanks to modern technologies In the production of lamps, all branded standard lamps have a long service life and are characterized by stable performance throughout the entire period of operation.
However, in the group of standard lamps today, a separate category of devices can be distinguished. These are standard bulbs with extended life. The appearance of such models on the market is not just another move of large manufacturers, aimed only at increasing sales. The fact is that in order to reduce the number of accidents by 20%, many countries of the European Community have made it mandatory to include dipped headlights in daytime... Therefore, the resource of conventional lamps is developed faster and, in order not to force drivers to change lamps more often, the largest companies began to produce special lamps for round-the-clock use, which work much longer than conventional ones.

STANDARD LAMP TEST RESULTS
Of all the lamps that took part in the test, the following models belong to the category of standard: OSRAM H4 Standard, OSRAM H4 [email protected](lamp for 24-hour use), GENERAL ELECTRIC H4 Standard, PHILIPS H4 Long Life (lamp for 24-hour use), NARVA H4 Standard.
In high beam mode, the best performance was demonstrated by the novelty of this season - the lamp for round-the-clock use OSRAM H4 [email protected] According to this indicator, it surpasses not only lamps in its "weight category", but even some models with enhanced luminous flux. The GENERAL ELECTRIC H4 Standard lamp also has a good result in high beam mode.
When switching to low beam OSRAM H4 [email protected] remains among the leaders, but this time it is inferior to two other models. But the GENERAL ELECTRIC H4 Standard gives way to all competitors. As a result, in this mode of operation, which is relevant for urban conditions, best performance were standard lamps OSRAM and NARVA. They passed the test with the same luminous flux values.
Especially here I would like to highlight the NARVA H4 Standard lamp - being one of the leaders, it has the most democratic price relative to its competitors. The OSRAM H4 Standard also deserves special attention since she showed the most stable results. This device is the leader in the low beam mode, and in the high beam it showed, although not the best, but still a decent result.
When measuring the light temperature, the OSRAM H4 lamp again showed the highest result in both operating modes. [email protected] This means that this lamp will glow slightly whiter than the rest of the test participants in the standard lamp category. And the most yellow light will be on the GENERAL ELECTRIC H4 Standard and PHILIPS H4 Long Life models.

AMPLIFIED LUMINOUS LIGHTS
This family includes lamps capable of emitting 30%, 50% or even 60% more light than standard fixtures. This result is achieved thanks to the improved internal geometry of the lamp. However, it should be noted that the lamp will not work out the declared increase in the luminous flux in all situations. How effectively such a device will work depends largely on the design of the headlight itself. Usually an inscription like "+ 50%" means that an increase in luminous flux can occur up to 50%. With some outdated headlamp designs, the efficiency may be slightly less.
In any case, the most important thing is that the amplified lamps have the same wattage as standard samples(60/55 W). Therefore, they do not overheat the headlight itself. You just need to remember that devices of this type require precise headlight adjustment, as otherwise they can blind other road users.
The disadvantage of these lamps can be attributed to a shorter service life compared to even standard models.
This line of car lamps will be especially relevant for motorists with impaired vision and for elderly drivers. According to studies, in order to see a road well at 60 years old, it takes 5 times more light than at 30 years.

AMPLIFIED FLUX LAMP TEST RESULTS
In this category the following lamps were compared: OSRAM H4 Silverstar (+ 50%); GENERAL ELECTRIC H4 Megalight Plus (+ 60%); PHILIPS H4 Premium (+ 30%); PHILIPS H4 Visionplus (+ 50%); NARVA H4 Range Power; HELLA H4 Light Power (+ 50%); IPF Super Low Beam.
After switching to low beam, the IPF Super Low Beam has a very powerful luminous flux. However, such a victory cannot be called fair. The fact is that the low-beam filament of this lamp has an increased power of 80 W (while the power of the high-beam filament is standard 60 W). Be careful with a lamp with this feature. Firstly, its incorrect adjustment will lead to blindness of other road users, and secondly, the increased power can cause overheating of the wiring and headlights.

Among the devices with standard power in this part of the test, lamps manufactured by PHILIPS were quite interestingly distributed: one of the models - PHILIPS H4 Premium (+ 30%) - turned out to be the strongest in high beam mode, and the other - PHILIPS H4 VisionPlus (+ 50%) - is in the lead after switching to the close one (here, of course, competitors that have obviously high power are not taken into account). In this case, preference should probably be given to PHILIPS H4 VisionPlus (+ 50%). Firstly, the low beam mode is used much more often than the high beam, and secondly, this lamp, being the leader in the low beam mode, demonstrates very good indicator and when switching to distant. Its only drawback is its rather high price compared to many competitors. However, by all appearances, she is acquitted. high quality product.
In both operating modes, the GENERAL ELECTRIC H4 Megalight Plus lamp (+ 60%) has a very good result. The stability of this lamp made a very good impression. It is important that at the same time its price is not too high in comparison with many competitors.
The most inexpensive lamp in this category is the NARVA H4 Range Power. At the same time, the quality of its work in both modes is highly commendable. As a result, this device demonstrates a very good combination price quality.
GENERAL ELECTRIC H4 Megalight Plus (+ 60%) has the highest color temperature of all lamps in this category in both modes. This suggests that its glow is whiter than all other lamp samples with an enhanced luminous flux. NARVA H4 Range Power has the lowest color temperature at low beam.
In conclusion, we note that any lamp in this category has a significantly higher luminous flux than that of standard lamps.

ALL-WEATHER LAMPS
The name "all-weather" such lamps were not given by chance. Their bulb is coated with a special interference coating that gives the light a yellowish tint. This light improves the contrast on the illuminated part of the road when driving in poor weather conditions. If ordinary light during rain or fog is intensely reflected from the smallest droplets of moisture in the air and blinds the driver, then the yellow light of all-weather lamps is reflected much less and does not interfere with the driver. In addition, a car equipped with all-weather lamps is much more visible on the road in bad weather conditions, which also reduces the risk of accidents.

ALL-WEATHER LAMP TEST RESULTS
Of all the test lamps, the following models belong to the all-weather group: PHILIPS H4 Weather Vision; NARVA H4 Azzurro; GENERAL ELECTRIC H4 AllDay; IPF H4 Superbeam.
In the high beam mode, the PHILIPS H4 Weather Vision and GENERAL ELECTRIC H4 AllDay lamps showed the best results. At the same time, PHILIPS H4 Weather Vision also has a considerable luminous flux when switching to low beam mode. Whereas GENERAL ELECTRIC H4 AllDay in this mode has the most modest indicator of all lamps in its category.
The highest for its category luminous flux at low beam has japanese lamp IPF H4 Superbeam. But when switching to high beam, this device for some reason shows a more than modest result.
For all-weather lamps, color temperature is an important parameter. These lamps should shine yellow light, which means that the color temperature should be relatively low. The yellowest of the whole test is the GENERAL ELECTRIC H4 AllDay. But the IPF H4 Superbeam's light is even whiter than that of standard bulbs.

LAMPS FOR IMPROVED VISUAL COMFORT
These lamps are designed for those drivers who prefer bright light. white... The headlights with these bulbs are similar to the headlights with xenon lamps... This light is as close as possible to daylight and less fatiguing for the eyes. At the same time, it helps to concentrate the driver's attention, which is especially important during long night trips. In addition, the light of such lamps differs from the light of most traffic cars and thus makes your car more visible.
The blue-white light of the lamps of this group is achieved not by applying a bluish coating to the bulb (as happens with the cheapest samples), but by using special technologies differing for different manufacturers... The glow of such lamps is not inferior in brightness to standard models.
The only drawback of this type of device is that their increased color temperature may not be very comfortable when driving in bad weather. The fact is that bright white light in this case is reflected from drops of rain or fog and blinds the driver of the car.
But thanks to bright light emitted by lamps of improved visual comfort, very easily recognizable while driving road signs... The fact is that the light of such lamps is better than in other cases, reflected from the surface of the signs.

IMPROVED VISUAL COMFORT LAMP TEST RESULTS
Of all the lamps presented in the test, the following lamps belong to this category: PHILIPS H4 Blue Vision; NARVA H4 Range Power Blue; OSRAM H4 Cool Blue; XENOBRITE H4 Superwhite; GENERAL ELECTRIC H4 Superblue; IPF Gran Bluez Bulb; IPF White Max Neo Bulb.
The OSRAM H4 Cool Blue lamp showed the highest luminous flux in driving mode. And a record low illumination in the same mode was shown by the XENOBRITE H4 Superwhite lamp. Here, however, it should be noted that this is also one of the cheapest lamps in this category. Probably, such a manufacturer's pricing policy and such a low value of the luminous flux are interconnected.

GENERAL ELECTRIC H4 Superblue and NARVA H4 Range Power Blue lamps showed good results in this operating mode. They are followed by the PHILIPS H4 Blue Vision.
Among lamps with standard power in low beam mode best value showed NARVA H4 Range Power Blue. It is followed with approximately the same result by OSRAM H4 Cool Blue and GENERAL ELECTRIC H4 Superblue. The fact that OSRAM showed the best value in high beam also characterizes this lamp very well.
The record low value of the luminous flux in the dipped beam again belongs to the XENOBRITE H4 Superwhite, which is, we recall, the cheapest lamp in this category.

IPF Gran Bluez Bulb has the highest color temperature. No wonder the manufacturer claims that the color of the light emitted by it is completely similar to the color xenon headlights... Another IPF lamp has a very high color temperature. The White Max Neo Bulb from this company will also shine with white light. Interestingly, at the same time, the manufacturing company announces that such a lamp is suitable for all-weather use, although usually white light, for example, in rainy weather, is inconvenient for the driver.
OSRAM H4 Cool Blue has a slightly lower, but still very high color temperature.

HIGH POWER LAMPS
In addition to H4 headlights standard power 60/55 W models with increased power are presented on store shelves. Moreover, such lamps often have a low price. As a result, some car enthusiasts use these devices to get "more light" at the lowest cost.

Even without touching upon the issue of the quality of these products, it can be argued that such a practice will not lead to positive results... Firstly, all high-power lamps are designed for off-road use, as they always blind other road users. This is due primarily to other geometric dimensions of the lamp spirals. Due to inconsistent lamp geometry and headlamp design, the entire optical system does not work properly. Secondly, the consequence of the use of such lamps is overheating of the car's electrical wiring and accelerated aging of the headlight.
And yet, we wondered: do these lamps really give more light, and is it possible to buy a cheap high-power lamp and, as a result, get lighting increased brightness.

HIGH POWER LAMP TEST RESULTS
Two samples of ZENON Power Gold, ZENON Plasma were selected for testing.
In high beam mode, both lamps showed very low luminous flux. The result of ZENON Plasma was especially depressing. Moreover, this lamp showed a record low value when switching to low beam. Thus, for this parameter, the device does not stand up to any criticism at all.
On the other hand, the luminous flux of the ZENON Power Gold lamp in the dipped beam mode turned out to be excessively high. Interestingly, this value was not too different from the luminous intensity in the high beam mode of the same lamp. This feature only indicates the low quality of the product. Because of too of great importance the intensity of light when the dipped beam is turned on, such a lamp will be simply dangerous.
In the diagram and in the table, we have deliberately placed these two lamps next to a standard Osram lamp. After such a comparison, it becomes clear that even a standard lamp loses insignificantly, or even outperforms lamps with increased power. At the same time, Osram H4 Standard is completely "legal", that is, it will not blind other road users, harm the headlight elements and overload the car's wiring.
In conclusion, we note once again that all eminent companies produce high-power lamps. These lamps are often capable of producing a lot more light. But such devices are designed only for use during off-road driving and cannot be used on a normal track.