This is copied from a forum I peruse often. It has good info. Just ignore the Integra-specific info and check the info for your own car as far as wattage/etc. The bottom of the article mentions the Silverstar debacle.
By default, the 3rd generation Integra uses the 55w 9006 headlamp bulb for the low beams. However, there are many aftermarket over-wattage bulbs available in 85w and 100w outputs. I highly discourage you from buying these bulbs. In addition to being shoddy-quality, they draw more current than the standard 9006 bulb. While this MAY result in more light being thrown onto the road (more on that later), you risk damaging many things.
The first thing you risk damaging is the expensive headlamp reflector assembly. The extra heat generated by the bulbs can melt the housing or damage the reflective coatings. In severe cases, I have seen the housing begin to smoke. Since the high beams and low beams are all part of one assembly, you're stuck paying $500+ on a new headlamp assembly. Is it really worth the risk? (for that price you could've bought HIDs)
Another thing you risk damaging is the headlamp wiring harness. The bulbs must draw more current in order to produce more light. This again generates more heat and can melt the wires and insulation. The headlamp wiring harness is listed at roughly $100 and is very difficult to install.
Finally, you risk damaging the alternator. Since you are drawing an extra 30 or more watts per bulb, the alternator is forced to work harder to supply the current. The alternator can only produce so much current. If it cannot produce the current, it may be forced to draw power from your battery (also bad). Over time, the alternator will wear itself out at a rate much faster than normal. A new alternator runs you roughly $300.
So it should be fairly obvious that running over-wattage bulbs is a bad idea. You could potentially be nearly $1000 in the hole in parts alone, all because you wanted headlamp bulbs that promised more light output.
Blue bulbs
A hot item is the ?HID look-a-like? bulb. They are very easy to spot on the street ? they throw off a characteristic blue or purple light. (I am now seeing green as well) In auto parts stores, they are easy to spot as well ? the bulb has blue or purple glass. These are an enormous waste of money for numerous reasons.
The first, and most important, is how they do NOT throw much useable light on the road. Basic physics (and common sense) dictates that anything you place between the light source (filament) and the illuminated surface (the road) will cut down on the amount the light transmitted, which we call lumens. Think about it: when you put on sunglasses, less light gets to your eyes. Apply this concept to the blue bulbs. The bulbs have a blue coating on the glass. Hence, you are not transmitting 100% of the light. Would you drive at night with sunglasses on?
Your night vision will be terrible. In conditions such as fog, snow, and rain, where your vision is already lessened, these bulbs will only make things worse.
"HID look-a-like" bulbs are usually very low quality. They are usually manufactured in Korea and low-quality components are used. You can expect a significantly shorter bulb life. I have also seen the bulbs explode, which ruins your headlamp assembly.
But my ____ bulbs look like those HID bulbs in those luxury cars; they must be as good.
While your lights may have the same characteristic blue or purple glow common to HID assemblies, there is no comparison. HID stands for high intensity discharge and is based upon an entirely different principle. Standard halogen headlamp bulbs use filaments whereas HID systems use an arc inside a chamber of xenon gas. HID lights are much more efficient than a standard halogen bulb, but are also much more complicated and therefore more costly. Lifespan of HID systems is well over 2500 hours.
HID lights throw out roughly THREE times as many lumens as even the brightest headlamp bulbs. Even the best halogen bulbs put out nearly 1200 lumens. The average HID assembly puts out over 3200 lumens. More lumens = more illumination.Remember: LUMENS IS KING.
Another benefit HID lights offer is a whiter light. The color of light is rated in terms of Kelvins (no relation to the temperature unit Kelvin). The higher the Kelvin rating, the more towards sunlight the color is. Common HID color temperatures are 3800K and 4100K. The theory behind using whiter light is that it more closely simulates sunlight.But again, remember that LUMENS determine how much you see, not color temperature.
Many of the "HID look-a-like" bulbs advertise color temperatures of 4300, 5000, even 6000K and up. The problem lies in that as your color temperature increases, less useable light is put out. Anything over 3800 is (for the most part) useless. The eyes are the most sensitive to yellows and greens and the least sensitive to blues and purples. If the bulb you are considering uses statements like "4500K!" or "SIMULATES HID!", stay away. You are throwing your money away. I have a lot of experience in this ? I have thrown away hundreds of dollars on crappy headlamp bulbs.
Many people swear that their fake-HID bulbs illuminate the road better. This is false. The bulb manufacturer has deceived you into thinking that they work better. Unplug your fake-HID bulb and replace it with the basic halogen bulbs that you had in before. I guarantee you that the inexpensive halogen bulbs will illuminate the ground better.
Update: info on the CATZ Zeta system
I have recently learned about the new CATZ Zeta system that promises to be "poor-man's HID". I did some research and found that this is really just junk.
The Zeta system uses special high-wattage bulbs hooked up to an electronic system that provides more than the standard current to these new bulbs. In theory, this should work better than a standard headlamp setup. However, like I've said before, these higher-wattage bulbs produce much more heat than the 9006 bulbs. More heat will lead to a melted headlamp assembly.
The bulbs it uses are also the typical cheap blue or purple glass that mimics the color of HID. As I've stated above, the blue color does not light up the road any better than a standard halogen bulb (it in fact is less effective).
In short, the CATZ Zeta system is an enormous ripoff. You're giving them a substantial sum of money to melt your headlamp housings. Stay away from this.
Update: info on 'quartz bulbs'
I have started to see these so-called 'quartz' bulbs on eBay. The sellers claim they burn hotter and brighter in a smaller size because quartz glass is used. They may indeed burn brighter, I am not sure (they are a deep-blue color, much like other cheap headlamp bulbs).
Stay away from these! As I stated above, if it is burning hotter, you risk damage to the headlamp assembly and/or the wiring harnesses.
Although the sellers claim that the smaller size (30% smaller) is better, this is indeed not true. A car's headlamp assembly, particularly a complicated one like the Integra's projector headlamps, is designed for the filament to be at one particular location for optimum light focusing and spread. By moving the filament, you actually decrease the efficiency of the headlamps and cause light to be thrown in places it should not be -- such as an oncoming driver's eyes.
Again, these quartz bulbs are nothing but trouble. Stick with a standard bulb.
Just remember this: white light does not equal better illumination.
Also, do not pay any attention to things like ?DOT APPROVED?. The Department of Transportation does not regulate headlamp bulbs, the SAE does. In fact, most of these bulbs are illegal.
Some brands to avoid are PIAA, Nokya, Matrix, Eurolite, StreetGlow, and Hiper.
A quick bit of info on PIAA bulbs (and for that matter, other cheap ?blue bulbs?). PIAA likes to print ?55w = 85w? on their packages. Sorry folks, but their bulb cannot take 55w of energy and convert it to 85w. The 55w bulb puts out 55w of light. PIAAs are severely overrated and overpriced.
What about ion crystal bulbs (yellow glow)?
These are a hot item in Europe. Like I stated earlier, the eyes are more sensitive to yellows and greens. It would therefore make sense to have a light that puts out a bright yellow light.
Studies have shown that these bulbs offer no advantage over a standard halogen bulb. Some companies claimed that since yellow light is more energetic (due to the wavelength), it can penetrate fog and rain better. This is false. The yellow color does not affect how it penetrates fog.
These bulbs are usually called ion crystal. PIAA manufactures bulbs like these. Sylvania used to manufacture them under the name WeatherVision, but they have been discontinued.
In short, these are not worth the money.
Choosing the right bulbs
Through personal experience, I have assembled a list of good bulbs. These bulbs should offer excellent illumination and long life.
Sylvania XtraVision ($12)
-Found in a black and purple package. A basic halogen bulb. These run a few dollars more than the basic halogen bulb that Sylvania makes but they are much more effective. It claims to have an optimized filament that throws 20% more light on the road. I can?t confirm that it is 20% more light, but they certainly do illuminate better than the basic halogen bulb. Color temperature of about 3200K. Philips has a bulb that is very similar called VisionPlus that is also an excellent choice.
THE XTRAVISION IS YOUR BEST CHOICE. IT PUTS OUT THE MOST USABLE LIGHT.
Sylvania CoolBlue ($15)
-Found in a light blue package. Earlier, I stated that bulbs with blue coatings are a thing to avoid. However, the CoolBlues have a very faint blue coloring that does not limit light output significantly. They are still considered to have legal light output. These put out a light that is slightly whiter than a standard halogen bulb. Color temperature of about 3500K. Philips has a similar bulb called BlueVision.
Sylvania Silverstar ($25)
-Found in a medium blue package. Rather pricey at $25/bulb or $40/pair. Sylvania claims to use a redesigned filament and glass that results in a higher light transmittance. I can vouch for their claim. The light is definitely more white and usable than most other bulbs on the market. The benefit the Silverstars offer is that they throw out a lot of usable light for a halogen bulb. Color temperature of about 4000K.
Update: Osram Silverstar vs Sylvania Silverstar
It has been brought to my attention that the Sylvania Silverstars sold in the United States are not true Silverstars. The real Silverstar headlamp bulbs are sold by Sylvania's parent company Osram. They are a different design that is far more efficient. Unfortunately, the Osram Silverstar is only available in H1, H4, and H7 sizes.
The reason the Sylvania (US-market) Silverstars throw out so much light is because they use an overdriven filament. Many complain about the short lifespan of these bulbs...this is precisely why.
Special thanks to Kelly for discovering this!
HID retrofitting
Please read my HID Lighting 101 article.
Conclusion
To conclude with, not all headlamp bulbs are created equal. A poor choice in headlamp bulbs can result in damage to your car and reduced vision. You will also waste a lot of money on finding good bulbs that do not wear out in a month.
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