harvey

iTrader: (48)

I am interested to hear from people with direct experience of aftermarket HID kits such as Ultra.
I have no doubt that thay give a brighter, whiter light and use less power but do they improve the range of vision?
I have experience of uprated bulbs and while some of them produced brighter light, the focus was such that there was no improvement and in some cases a reduction in vision range.
Also, does the HID opeate on dipped and main beam.

Chelspeed

You can buy loads of different kits wih loads of options. If you choose right then from my experience you can improve range as well as brightness.

They come in various different colour temperatures, 4000K to 12,000K. 4000K are the whitest and according to the experts put out the most light. 12,000K are almost blue, maximum bling, minimum vision, you pays your money and takes your choice as is normal for most things.

Whether it does dip, main or both depends on your car. If you have a car with separate bulbs on each side for dip and main, like the new age cars with H1 dip and 9005 mains, then you can convert either one or both if you pay for two kits. If you have a car with single H4 bulbs on each side that do both dip and main, like the classics, then you need an HID conversion that replaces the H4 and does both. More expensive than a single kit but cheaper than two kits, often called the bi-xenon kit.

One thing to be aware of is that the cheaper H4 conversions use an HID for the dip beam and have a tacky glued on H1 conventional bulb for the main beam. The HID dip is OK but the main beam is dreadful because the H1 is not in the right place within the reflector to get the right light pattern. The bi-xenon type physically move the HID from the dip position to the main beam position. I was sceptical of this but pictures posted by happy punters from the recent group buy shows both dip and main beam patterns are OK. Check out the HID thread in group buys, 20 odd pages to trawl through but some good pictures of successful conversions.

I've gone for 4200K on dip and main beam on my 04 car and I'm well happy with the light intensity and range on both dip and main. Mine came from the autolamps-on-line group buy about 3 years ago and has been excellent (but was 3 times the price they'e going for nowadays).

harvey

iTrader: (48)

Hi Chelspeed : Thank you very much for your very comprehensive, detailed response. Since my original post I have done some research and realise I need to go for bi-xenon.
Thanks for directing me to the Group Buy. My interest is in getting good long range full beam and improved dip so blue does not enter the equation.
Thanks again. If all replies to enquiries on the BBS were as well handled this would be a fantasic place

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Have you thought of a set of HID driving lights mounted where the fogs go? it's what I've done, and the main beam needs to be seen to be believed........

It's so good, I've never bothered with HID headlights, I have Morettes on my classic, with GE Megalight bulbs in the outer, (main/dip) lights and standard H2's in the inners.

Alcazar

harvey

iTrader: (48)

I run PIAA 130W driving lights on one car and spotlights on the other, both Classics, both on General Electric +60%
I was looking to upgrade the headlights so the dip and full beam was improved without the need to rely on spots.
From the feed back I have had, I am sure there is a whiter, brighter light but it is interesting that with the exception of Chelspeed above, nobody is making claims for signifigantly improve range of vision with the Bi-Xenon HID from the G.B. which are relatively cheap.

Where from/what make are your HID spots?

wayno

iTrader: (3)

a friend of mine has just imported first new breed hid's with duel hid bulbs and twin ballasts, pm if you are interested and i can give his number

ill have a set fitted next week to replace dipped only hid's so can let you know what they're like after although difference even on dipped only is amazing, as to range, easily double what i had before which was crystal facelift headlamps and higher wattage h4's 90/100's

i still can't believe how far away i light up road signs

harvey

iTrader: (48)

Is that a double bulb set up or a single bulb bi-xenon?

Chelspeed

> with the exception of Chelspeed above, nobody is making claims for
> signifigantly improve range of vision with the Bi-Xenon HID from the G.B.
> which are relatively cheap

Hold your horses there, I think you're reading more from my comments than I meant to say.

From experieince I claim better range of vision on an autolamps on line HID conversion on a new age car with separate dip and main bulbs (this was a 3 years old group buy at £350 a pair).

My only comment about the bi-xenon was that I was initially sceptical about the beam patterns being OK on both dip and main with a bi-xenon (which mechanically moves the arc from dip to main positions). But that I have since been convinced by photos on the group buy thread that they could get the beam pattern right on both.

I can't comment on the range of vision on these bi-xenons as I've only seen the beam pattern photos and it's hard to say if there's more range from photos.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

I'll be interested in your observations, the price, ease of fitting etc etc. Looking forward to it

Alcazar

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Mine are Hella 1000FF lights, which casme from the now defunct "Scoobysport", and are mounted on their brackets.

If you're handy, (and I believe you are), you'd be able to knock up a set of brackets for some Hellas. Only the HID version will fit my brackets, however, they DO NOT rely on single point fitting. The OE pedastal fitting from the lamps is removed.

Let me know if you want the dimensions of the brackets. Mine are mild steel, but 5-6mm alloy would be ideal.

Alcazar

harvey

iTrader: (48)

Alcazar/Chelspeed and others : Thanks for the input. I am interested in any more information but in the meantime I have replaced the OE H4 bulbs on the blue STi 3 Wagon for GE Plus 60% which have given exceptionally good results in the past. The other two Wagon also have a set of PIAA 130 watt spot and driving lights which are very good. Both have GE Plus 60% H4s for headlights.
I am now considering HID spots. I suspect the focus on bi-xenon in OE headlights may not be optimum hence my reservations.
Again, thanks for the information to date.

LongTimeLurker

Harvey i went for the 6k h4 kit on my classic and couldn't be happier with the results. I had 'Xenon' blubs fitted prior to the HID kit and the difference is remarkable. Granted the old bulbs were hardly brilliant but the new HID kit coupled with crystal lens actually gave me the ability to see past the end of the bonnet . Beam pattern is very good (confirm at mot test garage peering into the light boxes), the spread on the road is top notch tho, really can see where i'm going now so i imagine the 4300k kit will be even better.

Hope it helps m8

ps. Seeing Steve @ TEG one day next week, he's ended up in Cyprus mapping a car so have delayed things by a couple of days til he's back. And cheers again for the headers / uppipe, spot on and looking forward to getting my td05 on the end of them .

harvey

iTrader: (48)

Thanks for the feed back.
Let me know how the mapping goes.
Steve is back at work next Thursday.

LongTimeLurker

Bugger! He said Tue in his last e-mail.

harvey

iTrader: (48)

Might be Wednesday.

LongTimeLurker

Yeah, confirmed for Thu morning mapping session