The Smell of Molten Projects in the Morning

Ed Nisley's Blog: Shop notes, electronics, firmware, machinery, 3D printing, laser cuttery, and curiosities. Contents: 100% human thinking, 0% AI slop.

The New Hotness

  • Subaru Forest High Beam Bulbs: Thermal Damage

    Although these passed the annual New York State safety inspection, I thought they needed replacing:

    HB3 9005 Bulbs - bulged glass
    HB3 9005 Bulbs – bulged glass

    A closer look:

    HB3 9005 Bulbs - bulged glass - detail
    HB3 9005 Bulbs – bulged glass – detail

    The bulge was upward, of course.

    The Forester’s manual says they’re HB3 bulbs, but the rest of the world knows them as 9005 bulbs. At full power they draw 60 W = 5 A each, although we rarely drive at night and then rarely have the opportunity for much high-beam use. I assume the blackening comes from nine years of running at half-ish power as the Forester’s daytime running lights.

    The low beam headlights seem to be in fine shape.

    These two went into the tray under the floor of the rear cargo area, because the crappy bulb you have is better than the one that just burned out on the road.