Cibies vs IPF Headlamp

One Cibie W/55/60W Osram bulb one Sealed beam, you tell me which is which. I did upgrade my 5 mains via 5-90, which made a notable difference in the brightness of my sealed beams.

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One Cibie W/55/60W Osram bulb one Sealed beam, you tell me which is which. I did upgrade my 5 mains via 5-90, which made a notable difference in the brightness of my sealed beams.

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No doubt it's the passenger side... Ha j/j. The difference is night and day (as they say).

I'm still waiting on my Cibie lights to get into country and then on to me via DS lighting.
 
My buddy just ordered some Cibies from DS, backordered for 2 more weeks. I'm anxious to see how they perform in person.

On the bulb subject, I tend to replace my bulb every ~2 years just for grins. It's a gas-filled filament bulb, they dim with time and use.

On my last xj I had Autopal ECE's, harness, and some ebay 140/100 bulbs, and they honestly lasted about 3 months. I bought 2 pairs and all 4 bulbs had burned out within the year.
 
I ordered some Hella 130/90W bulbs that were installed w/my IPF's and one of them lasted a whole 3 weeks before going out and the other one is very yellow already. I have a set of Narva 100/90W bulbs coming to go in the Cibie's when I get them...

I'd rather have a good 65/55W bulb that lasts for a few years w/out getting amber/dim then something that burns hot and bright for a few weeks and then goes out... but that's me personally.
 
Just a followup and word of caution... I just received a set of "H4" Narva bulbs w/an ebay seller. This is confusing and deceiving... as these are list as H4 bulbs, but the base is wrong and won't fit in the housings we all use for our conversions.

You'll notice the Osram H4 bulb on the left and Narva H4 on the right... w/a different 'base'

H4bulbcomparison.jpg


H4bulbcomparison2.jpg


Of course the Narva bulbs look good, but I can't use them (unless someone knows how??) in my IPF or incoming Cibie housings. The ebay seller told me I was out of luck... so now looks like I'll have to figure something else out. This headlight project is getting darn expensive!!!
 
You got the wrong part#. You wanted Narva 100/90w bulbs, Part# 48901
 
On average I have gotten 120 hours on each of the OSRAM Bilux H4, Off-Road, 12 volt bulbs, part number 64205, in 70/65 watts. They'd go out about a week, or two apart in each pair installed. Am now on the third pair--which works out to requiring a pair each quarter of a year as per my direct experience of driving only during dark times, about 50 miles nightly.

D.S.'s directive to correctly aim the CIBIES is very important, but I have found in my location I could tweak their display a bit 'mo-'betta on a lonely straight-a-way. I'd carry the proper screw driver, having memorized various short comings, each way. Stopped safely in that straight spot, and took my conveniently stored piece of cardboard in which to cover whatever opposite hot headlight I was not working on at the moment in order to concentrate on tweaking each beam(s) best for my requirements. The cut-offs are way good for on coming vehicles, and yet I can see both side ditches, etc., way better than any OEM units I've ever had. I think if I used greater wattages, my eyes/mind would be dazzled, and I am concerned about how long they'd last.

However; I'd like to know how the correct fitting Narvas work out for longevity in hours, and the direct wattage comparisons, etc., against the 70/65 w OSRAMS.
 
However; I'd like to know how the correct fitting Narvas work out for longevity in hours, and the direct wattage comparisons, etc., against the 70/65 w OSRAMS.


According to Daniel Stern, "The Narva 100/90w produces more light flux (lumens) with somewhat lower filament luminance. Overall performance in the beam is more or less equivalent.” He also said that they will last significantly longer than the Osrams. I think somebody on this forum said that their Narvas bulbs has lasted for years. If I were you, i would change to the Narvas and save yourself a lot of money.
 
I did. Mine lasted forever. The only reason they blew out is the high beam relay stuck on while my wife was driving it. She dimmed the lights and it turned both high and low beams on together. They lasted about 45 seconds and blew up at the same time. Put a new set in when that happened and they have been going strong for two years.
 
Thought about cibies but they were a little out of my budget so I went ipf housings with osram bulbs. Don't remember the wattage. They are so much better than the stock sealed beams and much sharper cutoff

Camera phone pic. Stock light on left, covering up the new ipf/osram
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New ipf/osram, covering the stock light. Much sharper cutoff.
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In fact it has a much broader throw. At first I didn't realize how much better the pattern looked with one new and one old, because the new one was overlapping the old stock light so much (also hadn't driven then jeep at night for about 2 weeks so I kinda forgot how bad they were). It wasn't until I did a cover/uncover test that I realized just how much better. Then I added the DS light and it really amazed me.
 
And here are the brights

Old on DS
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(the tree in foreground on the right is actually being lit up by the new headlamp)

New light on PS
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Biggest difference I've noticed is with an upgraded harness.

I built my own and it isn't so hard - I'd definitely buy the kit from Daniel Stern, though. I pieced mine together and couldn't find 10awg connectors. Made mine with 12 awg, which is plenty thick enough for 90w bulbs. 10AWG is way overkill.

Also, note that for $50 DS will send you everything you need to do it in 10awg and you don't have to hunt around with 4 different suppliers. Go with DS.

Call it $15 for bulbs (amazon.com Hella 100 / 90), $55 for hardware & wire (I shoulda gone with DS) and $40 for Autopals, I've got just north of $100 in my headlights and am pretty darned happy with them.

I'd have a hard time spending $150 on a pair of housings, $45 in bulbs & $139 on a premade harness, though. Why? Because the TruckLite LED headlights are coming down in price. Used to be north of $500 to get a pair of them. Just a short while later, you can find them for $400. Give it six months and I bet you can get them for $350. At that point, the LED upgrade will give you more light for the same price AND won't mess with your DRL / fog light setup. As it is, if you want to go high-end with halogens, you are spending ~$339. Why not spend the $60 extra at that point and get LEDs?

Man, what a nice Saturday morning soapbox session... now time for breakfast
 
I'd have a hard time spending $150 on a pair of housings, $45 in bulbs & $139 on a premade harness, though. Why? Because the TruckLite LED headlights are coming down in price. Used to be north of $500 to get a pair of them. Just a short while later, you can find them for $400. Give it six months and I bet you can get them for $350. At that point, the LED upgrade will give you more light for the same price AND won't mess with your DRL / fog light setup. As it is, if you want to go high-end with halogens, you are spending ~$339. Why not spend the $60 extra at that point and get LEDs?

I started this thread and came to the same conclusion that you mentioned above.
 
Those prices are for EACH TruckLite LED headlamp
 
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