FYI: 40% brighter 65W Osram bulbs for headlights

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bootymac
Posts: 1602
Joined: Fri Jul 19, 2013 1:04 am

This thread is about the upgraded 65W Osram bulbs, better known as "Rallye" bulbs. This bulb utilizes a H9 burner with a longer filament on a H7 base, making it a popular upgrade across many vehicles. On paper, the 65W bulbs are 40% brighter than standard bulbs at the cost of a shorter lifespan. The increase in wattage should not pose any risks or issues, and many people have used these bulbs for years without problems. In fact, the 65W bulbs increase current by only 0.7A @ 13.2V.

Here are the specs and how they compare with other bulbs:

Philips 12972LL: "LongLife" (the Kizashi's stock bulb)
- Lumens: 1500lm @ ?V
- Color: ?
- Watts: 55W
- Lifespan (Tc): 1500hr @ ?V

Osram 64217: "Offroad Standard" (the upgrade)
- Lumens: 2100lm @ 13.2V
- Color: 3200K
- Watts: 65W
- Lifespan (Tc): 500hr @ 13.2V


Osram 64210: "Original Line" (standard H7 bulb)
- Lumens: 1500lm @ 13.2V
- Color: 3200K
- Watts: 55W
- Lifespan (Tc): 550hr @ 13.2V

Osram 64210SV2: "Silverstar 2.0"
- Lumens: 1500lm @ 13.2V
- Color: 3200K
- Watts: 55W
- Lifespan (Tc): 450hr @ 13.2V

Osram 64210NBU: "Night Breaker Unlimited"
- Lumens: 1500lm @ 13.2V
- Color: 3600K
- Watts: 55W
- Lifespan (Tc): 250hr @ 13.2V

I purchased a pack of 10 bulbs off eBay for $50 USD + shipping. As far as I can tell, these are authentic and made in Germany. The packaging matches the what is shown on Osram's website with all of the correct labels. The labels on the bulb itself are accurate and consistent with the markings on the standard Osram bulb that I have.
Bulb labels
Bulb labels
IMG_4114.JPG (151.53 KiB) Viewed 15361 times
Osram Offroad vs. Philips LongLife
Osram Offroad vs. Philips LongLife
IMG_4125.JPG (174.19 KiB) Viewed 15361 times
Osram Offroad vs. Osram Standard
Osram Offroad vs. Osram Standard
IMG_4121.JPG (173.63 KiB) Viewed 15361 times
bootymac
Posts: 1602
Joined: Fri Jul 19, 2013 1:04 am

Here are some comparison photos of the bulbs on my GTI. All pictures were taken with the same settings (1/15, F4.5, ISO100, 3200K white balance).
Phillips LongLife vs. Osram Offroad
Phillips LongLife vs. Osram Offroad
output_75931L.gif (65.55 KiB) Viewed 15301 times
Philips LongLife Osram Offroad.gif
Philips LongLife Osram Offroad.gif (82.08 KiB) Viewed 15360 times
Osram Standard Osram Offroad.gif
Osram Standard Osram Offroad.gif (79.29 KiB) Viewed 15360 times
And a comparison of the Philips LongLife and Osram standard bulbs, both of which are rated at 1500 lumens. The Philips bulbs appear to be brighter!
Philips LongLife Osram Standard.gif
Philips LongLife Osram Standard.gif (82.08 KiB) Viewed 15360 times
Last edited by bootymac on Sat May 31, 2014 7:32 am, edited 1 time in total.
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KuroNekko
Posts: 5170
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2012 5:08 pm
Location: California, USA

Very nice.

Have you noticed an improvement on the road? Taking photos on the road is hardest, but it's where it matters most. However, it's rather hard to show high beam performance in an urban area because of all the ambient light.
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
murcod
Posts: 2279
Joined: Fri Aug 03, 2012 12:03 pm
Location: Australia

I wonder what the lifespan specs would be at the voltages I measured the other day?

It's interesting the Philips long life has the glass bead part way up the filament support - I wonder if that is to reduce the effects of vibration?
David
bootymac
Posts: 1602
Joined: Fri Jul 19, 2013 1:04 am

I've updated my previous post with another comparison GIF. This time I compared two Philips LongLife bulbs to two Osram Offroad bulbs using the same camera settings as before. The new GIF better captures the improvement
bootymac
Posts: 1602
Joined: Fri Jul 19, 2013 1:04 am

KuroNekko wrote:Very nice.

Have you noticed an improvement on the road? Taking photos on the road is hardest, but it's where it matters most. However, it's rather hard to show high beam performance in an urban area because of all the ambient light.
I got a chance to try them out at night and they're a big improvement, even in the city. I wasn't expecting much but there's a lot more light on the road and no glare issues. I'm very happy with the results. I'll post back when the bulbs die
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KuroNekko
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Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2012 5:08 pm
Location: California, USA

Good to hear.
How do they look in DRL or do you still have those disabled?
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
bootymac
Posts: 1602
Joined: Fri Jul 19, 2013 1:04 am

KuroNekko wrote:Good to hear.
How do they look in DRL or do you still have those disabled?
Disabled on all of our cars to preserve bulb life.

I've noted that at least a third of the cars around here have no DRLs, including police cars :lol:
SamirD
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Location: HSV and SFO
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Awesome writeup! Love the animated pics! Best comparison shots ever!

I think this would be a very nice upgrade to the stock Sylvania Osram bulb I put in after both our Phillips died. Is heat the biggest culprit for the wiring harnesses? If so, maybe the offroad bulbs will just be a winter upgrade.
SamirD
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Location: HSV and SFO
Contact:

bootymac wrote:Update: The more I drive with these bulbs, the more I love them. They feel just as bright as the HIDs on the Kizashi, which are >3000 lumens.
IMG_20140605_222756.jpg
That does look quite nice. I'll have to try it in the winter since that will keep temperatures at bay and help keep the wiring harnesses from any damage. At least that's what I'm hoping.
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