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Author Topic: Bulbs  (Read 10572 times)

Offline gossa

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Bulbs
« on: 04 July 2009, 23:30 »
The DRL's on the GTI are running off the main beam bulbs, I took a bulb out today and compared to a Philips Blue Vision and there's a lot more going on with the main beam bulbs than normal, dual filament perhaps? I don't know, not my area of expertise car electrics!

Can anyone have a look? I'm not really loving the DRL's but I'm wondering what will happen if I change the main beam bulbs to a regular Blue Vision. I fitted the Blue Visions to the dipped beam, looks nice, whiter than standard.

Also was struggling to remove the small sidelight bulbs, any tips? Do they just pull out of have you got to twist them?

Cheers chaps.
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Offline gossa

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Re: Bulbs
« Reply #1 on: 06 July 2009, 15:58 »
Right, seems like the bulb for main beam/DRL's is a H15, anyone heard of that one?  Also the sidelight bulbs seems to be very hard to access, you need hands a lot smaller than my meat clobbers.  Any tips? Twist gently with pliers?
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Offline gc76

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Re: Bulbs
« Reply #2 on: 06 July 2009, 20:33 »
Quote from: gossa on 06 July 2009, 15:58
Right, seems like the bulb for main beam/DRL's is a H15, anyone heard of that one?  Also the sidelight bulbs seems to be very hard to access, you need hands a lot smaller than my meat clobbers.  Any tips? Twist gently with pliers?

Try and get some plastic/rubber tubing that will fit snuggly over the top of the bulb.  This should get it out
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Tornado Red 5 door GTI, DSG, Monza Shadows, Lux Pack, RCD510, Park Assist & FT indicator

"Sounds just like a Golf"

Offline gossa

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Re: Bulbs
« Reply #3 on: 06 July 2009, 20:34 »
Quote from: gc76 on 06 July 2009, 20:33
Quote from: gossa on 06 July 2009, 15:58
Right, seems like the bulb for main beam/DRL's is a H15, anyone heard of that one?  Also the sidelight bulbs seems to be very hard to access, you need hands a lot smaller than my meat clobbers.  Any tips? Twist gently with pliers?

Try and get some plastic/rubber tubing that will fit snuggly over the top of the bulb.  This should get it out

Comes out from the back though doesn't it?
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Offline gc76

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Re: Bulbs
« Reply #4 on: 06 July 2009, 20:36 »
Quote from: gossa on 06 July 2009, 20:34
Quote from: gc76 on 06 July 2009, 20:33
Quote from: gossa on 06 July 2009, 15:58
Right, seems like the bulb for main beam/DRL's is a H15, anyone heard of that one?  Also the sidelight bulbs seems to be very hard to access, you need hands a lot smaller than my meat clobbers.  Any tips? Twist gently with pliers?

Try and get some plastic/rubber tubing that will fit snuggly over the top of the bulb.  This should get it out

Comes out from the back though doesn't it?
Oh well, didnt know, havent seen one.  Give your pliers ago
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Tornado Red 5 door GTI, DSG, Monza Shadows, Lux Pack, RCD510, Park Assist & FT indicator

"Sounds just like a Golf"

Offline gossa

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Re: Bulbs
« Reply #5 on: 06 July 2009, 20:38 »
Ta fella, i'll get me best long nosers out!
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Offline gossa

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Re: Bulbs
« Reply #6 on: 07 July 2009, 21:17 »
OK, sidelight bulbs fitted all OK but DRL's have a story.  According to VAG.COM if you switch the DRL's off they can't be reactivated so I'm leaving them on and driving round with sidelights on instead!
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Offline FroGTI

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Re: Bulbs
« Reply #7 on: 10 July 2009, 07:20 »
Quote from: gossa on 07 July 2009, 21:17
OK, sidelight bulbs fitted all OK but DRL's have a story.  According to VAG.COM if you switch the DRL's off they can't be reactivated so I'm leaving them on and driving round with sidelights on instead!

Could you elaborate on exactly what you've done? I would like to change my H15 DRLs, as the stock bulb is really yellow looking.

TIA :)
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Offline gossa

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Re: Bulbs
« Reply #8 on: 10 July 2009, 07:39 »
OK, I too found the stock bulbs too yellowy ( I guess they have to justify the Xenon price somehow!) so I've changed the dipped headlights (standard H7) to Philips Blue Vision which look a lot nicer white.

Now in the main beam cluster there is a lot going on as you have the small sidelight bulb and the main beam/daytime running light (DRL) bulb. This bulb is a H15 which seems to be completely new to the market and it does two jobs. With lights on auto the back part of the bulb lights up as a DRL's are on but very yellowy, when you hit main beam, the front part of the bulb comes into action and actually puts out a nice bluey white light.

I have changed the sidelight bulbs to Philips Blue Visions and am driving around with these on as when you switch to sidelights the DRL's go off.  You can switch of the DRL function but APPARENTLY, you can't reactivate them.
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Offline FroGTI

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Re: Bulbs
« Reply #9 on: 10 July 2009, 15:54 »
Thanks for that. I haven't been able to find much info about this mysterious H15 bulb, either. Apparently, there are two filaments inside: one 60W for the mainbeam and one 19W for the "grandpa's teeth yellow" DRL. Hopefully within a few months, manufacturers like Philips will start rolling out 'whiter' versions and then we can all change them on our Golfs :)
« Last Edit: 10 July 2009, 16:27 by FroGTI »
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