What are the differences between H4 bulbs and 9005/9004/etc. I am looking at some PIAA bulbs for my girlfriends Accord, but apparently the Accords use the 9005/9006 series. Is it a matter of wattage?

 

9004 are low/high beams 45/65watts
9005 are high beams 60-65watts
9006 are low beams 55watts
9007 are low/high beam 55/60-65watts
9003 are low/high beam 55/60-65watts
H3 are 55watts

9006 have a higher lumens in low beam. 9005 have a higher lumins in high beam. 9003 have a higher lumens than 9007. 9004 have the lowest.

Lumens=light output. The higher lumens, the higher color temperature. It doesn't mean the bulb is brighter. Keep in mind that the blue bulbs that claim 80+watts from a standard 55/60-65watt bulbs aren't true. They just have the same color temperature and hotspot as an 80watt bulb, BUT they aren't any brighter. Remember, it still is a bulb that is consuming 55/60-65watts but giving out 12volts.

Keep in mind that these are factory bulbs. You can always upgrade with high wattage. The difference between these bulbs are the sockets. They all are different size and design. I have read about some Camry owners cutting and sizing their 9005 highbeams in the 9006 lowbeam sockets.

As with others on here, I have had good experience with PIAA SuperWhites. Others on here have tried Philips Blue Vision, Sylvania CoolBlues, GE Super Blue, Wagner Brite Lite and have had positive experience. If you really want the "HID" look, only a retro fit HID system can give you that exact look. HID bulbs consume 35watts, which means your housing and sockets will not melt. They do though, give out 25,000volts which makes them as bright as a 135watt halogen bulb.

 

Thanks for the info. I was trying to round up some PIAA plasma's for the accord, but apparently, they don't make the plasma's in the 9* series, only in the H* series. I got this information from the PIAA website. I could be wrong.

 

Actually, HB2 9003's are 45/65watts. HB2 9003 H4's are 55/60-65watts. I knew that 9003 has the same construction has H4, but you gotta let him figure some stuff out for himself

 

Maybe I was misunderstood. They do not offer low beam, 9005 in super plasma, the purplish hue. I understand "plasma" to be the H4's on my car. Perhaps the terminology on their site is throwing me off, but I see only super white or platinum, white is white and not purplish.