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What is the final word on 55w vs 80w vs 100w?!

28K views 14 replies 5 participants last post by  CynicalWry 
#1 ·
I have a huge dilemma.

After a full night browsing these forums I am getting very mixed messages when it comes to replacement bulbs for the high-beams (H7) and fog-lights (9006 HB4).

I have basically narrowed it down to two types. The Predator Xenix 100w bulbs and the SPP Superwhite 55w (or 80w) bulbs.

What bothers me about this process is some owners claim having 100w bulbs will fry electrical wiring, melt housings, and even start a freaking engine fire??! Yet despite this, I have seen members with older Bimmers (1999's and 2000's) claim they never had a problem with 80w or 100w bulbs... they never mentioned that they put in better wiring either to replace the factory ones.

My car is a 2001 330i Premium with xenon low-beams. I live in Montreal, Canada, where the majority of the year is rather cold (that should ease things with 100w bulbs a bit). I have found out that installing 100w H7s in the High-Beams only run at 55w when the DRL's are active, and 100w when the high-beams are activated.

The fog-lights are a different story. I'd like to put them on during the night continuously while driving (for a little bling factor and it gets humid/foggy around here too)... so I'm more worried about that than the H7's.


What are your experiences with 100w, 55w, and 80w bulbs? I would hate to go ahead with the 100w purchase and then have to pay an arm and a leg to get it repaired if something goes wrong... but 55w for xenon-colored lights seems like low light output.

Thanks!

(BTW I'm about to buy chromiums, and the Xenix bulbs from JleviSW but need these answered first!) :read:
 
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#4 ·
Meaning... the high-beams are on high-beam mode for 10 minutes at a time, right?

What about the 100w fogs? These Xenix lights are Umnitza manufactured if I'm not mistaken (even though JLeviSW carries them). Have you had customers burn out their fogs and wiring in the past on 2001 330i's or older?

Why don't you boys carry 55w or 80w like the competitors? From what I can tell most E46s come with 55w stock and clearly state in the manual it should be replaced with 55w.
 
#5 ·
We usually do, but most of our customers request more output from their xenix bulbs, and we give our customers what they want.

At this time, the only thing we support is the actual product. We have no experience with any product installations leading to failures of OE wiring.
 
#6 ·
What I'm really trying to accomplish here is to make a huge purchase at the same time without having to go anywhere else. I am deadset on the Chromiums, and to purchase the H7 and 9006 bulbs as part of a package is what I want to do. Shipping costs to Canada can get annoyingly pricey (looks like NAFTA was just a lie), and purchasing 100w bulbs at Umnitza or JLeviSW, the only real carriers of Predator Chromiums, is risky.

Some say do it, there are no problems. Others say don't do it, you'll destroy your car.

I'm trying to figure out which side is ultimately going to give me the desired results.
 
#7 ·
i would NOT suggest using anything other than a 55w bulb. If you seriously want to upgrade your light output, buy xenons.

Putting in a higher wattage bulb could cause your wiring to short circuit or even start an electrical fire in your engine compartment...

It would be far more expensive to repair damages done from higher wattage bulbs than it would be to upgrade to xenons...

Bottom line: spend the extra money needed and buy xenon fogs :hi:
 
#8 ·
I first read this particular post in '04 and have prescribed by it ever since:

I know that there's several folks that run the bulbs from SPP and are happy with them. I don't have any first-hand knowledge, as I am a yellow fog light kinda guy. As far as the wattage, the car is wired for 55W bulbs. If you insert 80W bulbs you are drawing more current through the lines than the car was designed for, one of the by-products of drawing more current is: heat! That's right, higher wattage bulbs = hot ass wires = can/will melt the wiring in your car. :eek: Now if you only use your fog lights for a little bit at a time then you might be okay as the lines will not have sufficient time to heat up to the point of melting... Hope I was able to help you out some, and remember, yellow works better in the fog. ;)
;) :stupid:
 
#9 ·
Alright I have given-in to buying the SPP Superwhites 55watt H7's and 9006's. Someone just pmed me a horror story and I wasn't willing to go ahead with the Xenix 100watt bulbs after reading that.

I did however place an order at JLeviSW for the Chromiums.
 
#15 ·
I have 100W bulbs from Umnitza as my high beams. I notice that most of my driving doesn't require high beams with projector headlights and HID fog lights, so I never have my high beams on for more than 5 minutes anyways. but, when the time comes to actually use the high beams I am happy that extra wattage is there :)
 
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