Brighter headlights?

[AlanS]

I know that this has been discussed in the past. But thought that there may be an update, as technology changes daily.
2006- XC70. I polished the foggy lenses...light output is yellow and barely helpful to these 70 year old eyes ! I've tried the 'upgrade bulbs'...Sorry, didn't see a difference.
I have seen conversion from H-11 to H-7, but don't know if it's worth trying.
What to do? Keeping the cost down....what suggestions do you have?

[SuperHerman]

Don't drive at night. I also am older and see your pain.

The reality of the headlights is output is constrained by government regulation, power, design and physics. Changing from one bulb to another could violate government regulation compliance which is there for BOTH your safety and the safety of others. Your seeing better may have the inverse effect on them. Additionally and related he system is constrained by 12 V of power. Additionally and related is design. There are numerous factors, but a critical one is the headlight assembly is designed for a certain amount of heat. Change the power requirements and the heat usually increases and the assembly could melt or even catch fire. Then there is simple physics - add up the prior encumbrances and only so much light is possible.

One change which may help, but look into applicable regulations, is to change the light temperature of your bulbs. Same basic parameters but the wave length produced is "colder" and some find this aids in there ability to see.

[matthew1]

Be careful going colder. It’s an easy route to more light given the constraints (same reason phones look so blue in photos — requires less power to produce cold wavelength), but it’s been proven to be worse than warmer light for eye fatigue*.

The answer to better output is to refinish the headlight reflectors, or buy replacement reflectors.

* driving at night eye fatigue, not just general

[matthew1]

P2 Reflector talk here