HIR2/9012 Lights

[JasonA]

Just thought I'd drop a note to check back in. Things are going great, Cadillac is running super.

I wanted to tell you about the set of headlights I just installed in the '01 STS. I feel that the 98-04 Seville headlights are about the worst I've used, in terms of usable light and beam pattern. The lights are bright when you look at them from the front, but when you're in the car, they're just not all that useful. The lenses are reasonably clean. I used to have GE Nighthawk HB4/9006 bulbs in it, but just installed a pair of HIR2/9012 bulbs and they made a very nice difference.

HIR bulbs are halogen bulbs with a reflective coating applied to the inner surface of the glass bulb. This reflects infrared energy back onto the filament, causing it to burn hotter and brighter. The claim is that the bulb surface runs at the same temperature, and the bulbs draw the same 51/55W as the standard HB4/9006 bulbs. But the light output is significantly higher, at about 1870 lumens vs. a nominal 1000 lumens for the standard HB4/9006 bulb. They burn about as bright as the HB3/9005 (what is used in the bright lights), but use the standard wattage.

The projector housings DO have a nice upper cutoff, so you can aim them pretty precisely so as to not bother other drivers (important with such an output). The field of vision has improved nicely. Where the old lights (even the GE Nighthawks) didn't have a lot of side light, and seemed to concentrate the light DOWN the road, the additional light from the HIR bulbs as seemed to fill in the field of vision pretty completely. I can also see further, and the upper cutoff is also sharper on other objects (like road signs and buildings).

This should be the very first upgrade to your car, in my humble opinion, even if you don't drive often at night. This bulbs totally blow away ANY HB4/9006 bulb (GE Nighthawk, Silvania SilverStar, OSRAM Silverstar, Narva RangePower, etc) in terms of light output. The brand I bought was Toshiba. There's simply not a brighter halogen bulb that fits the stock housings. You can install them anywhere an HB4/9006 bulb would go (most of our low beams). Unfortunately, there's not a high/low HIR bulb (like the HB1/9004 or HB5/9007 like the older DeVilles use). I guess they haven't yet figured out how to do that technology with the switchable filament design.

[bigjayzway]

Hey Jason.

Where did you get these?

I use Catz bulbs and they too are extremely bright, but I am a sucker for bright lights.

I also found out that you can use an HIR1/9011 for the high beam, which gives you a 2500 luminaire.

candlepower

Jay

[JasonA]

I got them from Finemotoring.com/eBay. $50/pair. Yes, the HIR1/9011 fits the high beam. I didn't elect those at the moment because I almost never need to use them (especially now). I paid $55 total including shipping via eBay.

You used to be able to get the HIR2/9012 bulbs from John Deere, as they are used in one of their larger tractors, and they were only about $12/bulb, but JD figured that out and now they're about $30/bulb. So eBay is still the cheapest (and really only) place to get them. You CAN order them straight from a dealer (some Nissans use them and the Dodge Viper uses them), but they're on the order of $80-120.

What are Catz bulbs? Are they HIR, or are they HB4?

[Bill K]

A couple of years ago, before I could find the HIR bulbs, I put 100Watt bulbs in the projector low beam. For about a week or so they were great. Then the additional heat for the high wattage burned the projectors reflector and I had less light then before I changed bulbs and ruined the projector housing. I then bit the bullet and changed to HID.

As far as anything I have read about the HIR it seems that the bulb doesnt produce any more heat than the regular halogen 9006 So its a really good upgrade, because as you mentioned the headlights suck in the normal OEM configuration.

I found that it helped to put 50 watt bulbs in the fog lights instead of the 37 watt standard bulbs. Every little bit helps....

[JasonA]

I've found the HIR2 bulbs to be a great upgrade so far. The lights still aren't as good as those in our new Town & Country (which uses H13 bulbs), but I'm fiddling with aim still on the STS.

If I'm not mistaken, our STSes take #880s in the fog lights, which are 27W. There are some fog light bulbs that draw a nominal 37.5W (#893 would be the equivalent), but our stock ones are 27W. Putting in 50W is almost twice the draw. I would be afraid of wiring/housing damage, no? Which fog light bulbs did you use? Did you use the #885s?

[JimD]

....If I'm not mistaken, our STSes take #880s in the fog lights, which are 27W. There are some fog light bulbs that draw a nominal 37.5W (#893 would be the equivalent), but our stock ones are 27W. Putting in 50W is almost twice the draw. I would be afraid of wiring/housing damage, no?....

The OEM fog lamp bulb for a a '98 Seville is a #880 (27 Watt). Later year Sevilles could/should use the same bulb.

Do not be concerned about wiring/housing damage if you feel like experimenting with higher wattage fog bulbs.

I modified my '98 Seville wiring to use the fog lamps as DRL in February of 2005 and have not seen any wiring/housing damage to date. And, I use #885 bulbs (50 Watt) in the fog lamps!!

[bigjayzway]

I got them from Finemotoring.com/eBay. $50/pair. Yes, the HIR1/9011 fits the high beam. I didn't elect those at the moment because I almost never need to use them (especially now). I paid $55 total including shipping via eBay.

You used to be able to get the HIR2/9012 bulbs from John Deere, as they are used in one of their larger tractors, and they were only about $12/bulb, but JD figured that out and now they're about $30/bulb. So eBay is still the cheapest (and really only) place to get them. You CAN order them straight from a dealer (some Nissans use them and the Dodge Viper uses them), but they're on the order of $80-120.

What are Catz bulbs? Are they HIR, or are they HB4?

Jason.

Type in Catz in Ebay and you will see what they are.

I can tell you they are 9005 and 9006 compatible, and I have the same ones in my lows and highs.

I always get people asking me if they are H.I.D. lights. I have actually had to open the hood a few times to prove they are not.

They are an outstanding light bulb, and I have had the same ones in for almost 2 years now, and they are still going strong. Of course now that I said that.........LOL

Jay

[JasonA]

I modified my '98 Seville wiring to use the fog lamps as DRL in February of 2005 and have not seen any wiring/housing damage to date. And, I use #885 bulbs (50 Watt) in the fog lamps!!

Jim, you modified the circuitry, but you used the stock wiring itself (gauge)? I wonder if they use the same gauge wiring as the headlights (for 55W/65W), but use really low-output bulbs in there? It looks like the #885 would be the best output for this style bulb.

[JasonA]

Jay, it looks like those Catz bulbs are blue-coated HB3/HB4 bulbs. If you like those, you'd love the HIRs. If you're running HB3s in your low beams now, you could run HIR1s in your low beams and get about 50% MORE light. The HIR1s put out about 2500 lumens. The standard HB3 is about 1800 lumens -- but subtract some for blue-coated versions.

[Caddynut]

I replaced the fog light bulbs in my 01 STS with 55 watt bulbs about 10 months ago and haven't had a problem with them (knock on wood). The wiring does handle the higher wattage.

[JasonA]

Thanks guys, maybe I'll put the #885s in there. I don't use them much anyway.

[JimD]

Jim, you modified the circuitry, but you used the stock wiring itself (gauge)?....

Correct.

[JasonA]

I put a pair of #885s in the fog lights today. Noticed a HUGE difference in subjective light output, just looking at the front of the car. Haven't driven it at night yet; plan to soon.

[JasonA]

I've only had them in there for a month, but one of my #885 fog lights is already out. I'll check it out this weekend. Hopefully it's nothing more than a coincidence that it burned out so early. Is there a 50W fog light WITH the black shield on the tip, as the 27W #880s had? The #885 bulb is naked on the tip, which makes for a real bright spot in the fog light housing when viewed head-on. I may try the #893s instead...those are 37W, with the black shield...if I can't find a shielded 50W bulb (and assuming my wiring didn't melt on the light that's out).