H11 to H9 - if you did this let me know

[zoomzoom]

You just need to get rid of that metal above the thin red line in the photo. Careful dremel tool work will do it. Or a file. Or maybe more small nibbles with your side cutter, if it’s got a sharp precise point. You’ll get it. Just pretend you’re doing brain surgery!

Thank you again ElectroBoy for taking the time to help show I should be trimming more of the tab. I borrowed a Dremel today and carefully removed a little more metal from the tab. Now the bulb fits perfectly! H9 bulb installed and fits snug just like the original H11! Will test the new lights later tonight!

Also, I tried to use a hand-held thermometer (the type that uses a laser spot) to measure the temperature at the headlight lens with the H11 and H9 bulb (before/after). However, I wasn't able to get an accurate reading because I got an error code on the hand-held once the temperature reached 250C (250C is equal to 482F in US temperature scale) with the H11. So, the H11 temperature would have been more than 250C/482F. I didn't bother trying to measure the "after upgrade" temperature with the H9 bulb. Would you happen to have any information on temperature comparison between H9 and H11 bulb?

 

[ElectroBoy]

Thank you again ElectroBoy for taking the time to help show I should be trimming more of the tab. I borrowed a Dremel today and carefully removed a little more metal from the tab. Now the bulb fits perfectly! H9 bulb installed and fits snug just like the original H11! Will test the new lights later tonight!

Also, I tried to use a hand-held thermometer (the type that uses a laser spot) to measure the temperature at the headlight lens with the H11 and H9 bulb (before/after). However, I wasn't able to get an accurate reading because I got an error code on the hand-held once the temperature reached 250C (250C is equal to 482F in US temperature scale) with the H11. So, the H11 temperature would have been more than 250C/482F. I didn't bother trying to measure the "after upgrade" temperature with the H9 bulb. Would you happen to have any information on temperature comparison between H9 and H11 bulb?

Based on the temperature reading you got, over 250C, I’d say you were probably measuring head-on into the lens and reading the actual bulb filament. The lens material itself is most likely polycarbonate which has a glass transition temperature of 147C. At that temperature the lens gets rubbery and would start to slump, and that didn’t happen to your lens.
I remember reading a comparison of bulb temps, I don’t recall the numbers.

You could try reading the lens temperature at different angles. Maybe that reading would be more representative.

Update: I just tried this with my thermapen IR reader and when reading head-on into the center of the lens the meter got an overload reading. When reading the lens from an angle I got 50C after 5 minutes.

 

[ElectroBoy]

Here’s some interesting info on halogen bulb operation, courtesy of a Hella automotive lighting brochure.
https://www.hella.com/hella-za/assets/media_global/HASA_Bulbs_Catalogue_2012_LRes.pdf

See page 7.
Tungsten melts at 3422C.

 

[ElectroBoy]

One more thing...
This H9 bulb mod is not rocket science and it’s not new. If you poke around various car forums you’ll see people have been doing it for over 15 years in the US. Probably much longer in Australia.

Look at this forum, read post #5, especially the emails from Daniel Stern.
H9 conversion | ClubWRX Forum

 

[zoomzoom]

Based on the temperature reading you got, over 250C, I’d say you were probably measuring head-on into the lens and reading the actual bulb filament. The lens material itself is most likely polycarbonate which has a glass transition temperature of 147C. At that temperature the lens gets rubbery and would start to slump, and that didn’t happen to your lens.
I remember reading a comparison of bulb temps, I don’t recall the numbers.

You could try reading the lens temperature at different angles. Maybe that reading would be more representative.

Update: I just tried this with my thermapen IR reader and when reading head-on into the center of the lens the meter got an overload reading. When reading the lens from an angle I got 50C after 5 minutes.

Yes, you're correct - Yesterday, I had aimed the laser spot directly into the projector housing when it registered, "Error". Now that I've got the H9's installed, I tried measuring the temperature after they've been turned on for a few minutes and am seeing approximately the same temperature reading as you see when I take a few readings off the headlight lens at various spots.

Good to know about the 147C transition temperature! It gives us a usable reference-point in terms of an "extreme" temperature.

One more thing...
This H9 bulb mod is not rocket science and it’s not new. If you poke around various car forums you’ll see people have been doing it for over 15 years in the US. Probably much longer in Australia.

Look at this forum, read post #5, especially the emails from Daniel Stern.
H9 conversion | ClubWRX Forum

I went for a 30-minute drive last night with the H9s on a long stretch of rural highway where there are no street lamps. The H9s are WOW! They are significantly brighter than the H11s. For reference, I had driven the same section of highway a few days ago (with the H11s), and the difference between the H9 and H11s is night and day! During the 30 minute drive, I probably encountered 6 or so cars coming the other way - I did not get flashed. After returning home, I examined the headlight housing and everything seems fine.

Very happy upgrading to the H9s!