Which H.I.D's to get?
12 December 2010, 10:23 PM
#1
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Which H.I.D's to get?
Im after some HID's for my classic sti. What are your reccommendations for everyday use and also good quality.
Im thinking 8000k but if any one has these and think thay are too bright then i can consider 6000k too.
Seen some on ebay for around £60.
What are your reviews, are they worth the money and best ones oberall.
Thanks.
Im thinking 8000k but if any one has these and think thay are too bright then i can consider 6000k too.
Seen some on ebay for around £60.
What are your reviews, are they worth the money and best ones oberall.
Thanks.
13 December 2010, 12:58 PM
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OEM lights are designed to work with bulbs... HID globes are usually physically bigger and have different light dispersion characteristics, leading to excessive scatter !
There another one to delete...
dunx
P.S. Projector units do a reasonable job with HID's, mine has two sets for main and dipped beam. Plus a set for my Hellas too !
There another one to delete...
dunx
P.S. Projector units do a reasonable job with HID's, mine has two sets for main and dipped beam. Plus a set for my Hellas too !
13 December 2010, 01:21 PM
#6
Short of taking your headlamps apart and fitting HID projectors, a decent HID kit is the best thing you can do.
Works well, easy to fit, passes MOTs and no glare to oncoming drivers.
8000k won't be brighter than 6000k. We recommend either 4300k or 6000k.
Had SuperHIDs fitted to my classic headlamps for years and they are one of the best things I ever did to the car (and many other customers echo the same view).
Worth a look: https://www.scoobynet.com/group-buys...idelights.html
The most popular HID kit on ScoobyNet: http://www.superhids.co.uk/superhids...4-fitment.html
Works well, easy to fit, passes MOTs and no glare to oncoming drivers.
8000k won't be brighter than 6000k. We recommend either 4300k or 6000k.
Had SuperHIDs fitted to my classic headlamps for years and they are one of the best things I ever did to the car (and many other customers echo the same view).
Worth a look: https://www.scoobynet.com/group-buys...idelights.html
The most popular HID kit on ScoobyNet: http://www.superhids.co.uk/superhids...4-fitment.html
Last edited by Aztec Performance Ltd; 13 December 2010 at 01:23 PM.
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19 December 2010, 02:33 PM
#8
The problem with the H4 HIDs is that it is a twin filament for dip and full beam. Quality H4 kits usually give improved dip beam performance with sharp cut off but the full beam performance is compromised by scatter and lack of focus which means the light does not have good long range penetration. Cracking this problem in production has not so far been achieved.
On H7 single filament used as a dipped beam the focus and cut off is a big improvement over the O/E conventional headlight.
The ratings, 4300k, 5000k, 6000k 8000k or 10,000k refer to the colour of the light spectrum produced with 4300k being clear and 10,000 being very blue to the point that the police may stop you.
On H7 single filament used as a dipped beam the focus and cut off is a big improvement over the O/E conventional headlight.
The ratings, 4300k, 5000k, 6000k 8000k or 10,000k refer to the colour of the light spectrum produced with 4300k being clear and 10,000 being very blue to the point that the police may stop you.
19 December 2010, 04:49 PM
#9
If it is any interest I fitted a set of 50w, 6000k H7 HIDs on Thursday. What a difference. I note that a lot of the HIDs are now rated at 50w as opposed to the previous 35w. These came from www.hids-direct.co.uk Delivered at £64.99 next day.
19 December 2010, 06:32 PM
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Sticky i read on another forum....
Aftermarket HID headlamps
In the Department's view it is not legal to sell or use after market HID lighting kits, for converting conventional Halogen headlamps to HID Xenon. If a customer wants to convert his vehicle to Xenon HID he must purchase completely new Xenon HID headlamps. The reason for this is that the existing lens and reflector are designed around a Halogen filament bulb, working to very precise tolerances. If one places a HID "burner" (bulb) in the headlamp, the beam pattern will not be correct, there will be glare in some places and not enough light in other places within the beam pattern.
The following is the legal rationale:
The Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations 1989 regulate the situation in the UK.
Under these Regulations, HID/Gas Discharge/Xenon headlamps are not mentioned and therefore they are not permitted according to the strict letter of the law.
However new vehicles have HID headlamps. This is because they comply to European type approval Regulations. The UK cannot refuse to register a vehicle with a European type approval. These are to ECE Regulation 98 (for the HID headlamps which are tested on a rig in a laboratory) and ECE Regulation 48 (Lighting Installation on the vehicle).
For the after market, a Used Vehicle Cannot obtain type approval because it is only applicable for new vehicles. However we feel that saying "HID is banned in the after market" would not be reasonable. Instead we should make analogies with new vehicles. It would be reasonable to require HID in the after market to meet the same safety standards as on new vehicles. The same level of safety should apply.[/color]
Therefore a HID headlamp unit sold in the after market should:
1. be type approved to ECE Regulation 98 as a component.
2. when fitted to the vehicle should enable ECE Regulation 48 to be complied with (although no government inspection will take place).
3. Comply with RVLR as far as "use" is concerned.
In practice this means:
1. The headlamp unit (outer lens, reflector, bulb) shall be type approved to ECE 98 and be "e-marked" to demonstrate this. That can only be done by the headlamp supplier - Hella, Valeo etc. who must test the headlamp in an independent laboratory.
2. Once fitted to the vehicle it must have headlamp cleaning and self-levelling (which can be for the headlamp or can be in the vehicle suspension- some expensive estate cars have "self-levelling suspension" and that is adequate). Also the dipped beam must stay on with the main beam. [/color]
3. The headlamp must be maintained in good working order, kept clean, and aligned/adjusted correctly like any other headlamp.
Under the Road Traffic Act 1988 it is an offence to supply, fit or use vehicle parts which are not legal.
In summary it is not permitted to convert an existing halogen headlamp unit for use with HID bulbs. The entire headlamp unit must be replaced with one designed and approved for use with HID bulbs and it must be installed in accordance with the rules stated above.
If you require any further information regarding the regulations covered by this fact sheet, please contact the DfT at the address below:
Transport Technology and Standards 6
Department for Transport
Zone 2/04
Great Minster House
76 Marsham Street Telephone: 020 7944 2078
London Fax: 020 7944 2196
SW1P 4DR Email: TTS.enquiries@dft.gsi.gov.uk
__________________
In the Department's view it is not legal to sell or use after market HID lighting kits, for converting conventional Halogen headlamps to HID Xenon. If a customer wants to convert his vehicle to Xenon HID he must purchase completely new Xenon HID headlamps. The reason for this is that the existing lens and reflector are designed around a Halogen filament bulb, working to very precise tolerances. If one places a HID "burner" (bulb) in the headlamp, the beam pattern will not be correct, there will be glare in some places and not enough light in other places within the beam pattern.
The following is the legal rationale:
The Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations 1989 regulate the situation in the UK.
Under these Regulations, HID/Gas Discharge/Xenon headlamps are not mentioned and therefore they are not permitted according to the strict letter of the law.
However new vehicles have HID headlamps. This is because they comply to European type approval Regulations. The UK cannot refuse to register a vehicle with a European type approval. These are to ECE Regulation 98 (for the HID headlamps which are tested on a rig in a laboratory) and ECE Regulation 48 (Lighting Installation on the vehicle).
For the after market, a Used Vehicle Cannot obtain type approval because it is only applicable for new vehicles. However we feel that saying "HID is banned in the after market" would not be reasonable. Instead we should make analogies with new vehicles. It would be reasonable to require HID in the after market to meet the same safety standards as on new vehicles. The same level of safety should apply.[/color]
Therefore a HID headlamp unit sold in the after market should:
1. be type approved to ECE Regulation 98 as a component.
2. when fitted to the vehicle should enable ECE Regulation 48 to be complied with (although no government inspection will take place).
3. Comply with RVLR as far as "use" is concerned.
In practice this means:
1. The headlamp unit (outer lens, reflector, bulb) shall be type approved to ECE 98 and be "e-marked" to demonstrate this. That can only be done by the headlamp supplier - Hella, Valeo etc. who must test the headlamp in an independent laboratory.
2. Once fitted to the vehicle it must have headlamp cleaning and self-levelling (which can be for the headlamp or can be in the vehicle suspension- some expensive estate cars have "self-levelling suspension" and that is adequate). Also the dipped beam must stay on with the main beam. [/color]
3. The headlamp must be maintained in good working order, kept clean, and aligned/adjusted correctly like any other headlamp.
Under the Road Traffic Act 1988 it is an offence to supply, fit or use vehicle parts which are not legal.
In summary it is not permitted to convert an existing halogen headlamp unit for use with HID bulbs. The entire headlamp unit must be replaced with one designed and approved for use with HID bulbs and it must be installed in accordance with the rules stated above.
If you require any further information regarding the regulations covered by this fact sheet, please contact the DfT at the address below:
Transport Technology and Standards 6
Department for Transport
Zone 2/04
Great Minster House
76 Marsham Street Telephone: 020 7944 2078
London Fax: 020 7944 2196
SW1P 4DR Email: TTS.enquiries@dft.gsi.gov.uk
__________________
19 December 2010, 06:35 PM
#12
Cue: loads of people to come on and say, it's DafT's ASDVICE/VIEW, NOT the law, and that we change other things so why not lights, yadda yadda yadda.
Not going to comment, it cost me a ban last time I tried to take on a trader over this, on here
Not going to comment, it cost me a ban last time I tried to take on a trader over this, on here
19 December 2010, 06:36 PM
#13
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My Jap user manual shows my car (as far as I can tell as my Japanese is non-existant) as being fitted with D2R 35W HID for low beam and 60W HB3 halogen for the high beam. So this kit :-
http://www.hids-direct.co.uk/hid-con...its-p-283.html
would be a direct replacement for my low beam?
Was it an easy kit to fit? Is this the best way to go for more light or can I just fit a more powerful bulb?
http://www.hids-direct.co.uk/hid-con...its-p-283.html
would be a direct replacement for my low beam?
Was it an easy kit to fit? Is this the best way to go for more light or can I just fit a more powerful bulb?
19 December 2010, 08:24 PM
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I'm not after the kit necessarily just a brighter set of dipped beam lights like Harvey's. My 35W HIDS are ok but the extra wattage would probably make quite a difference.
19 December 2010, 09:08 PM
#16
I think you need to be vary careful here: I have done quite a lot of research into HIDs over the years, ever since their inception, and was one of the first people in the UK to suggest fitting HID's in place of halogen bulbs. This because I have always been interested in vehicle lighting and I was ALSO one of the first people in the UK to modify existing tungsten bulb units to use halogen, way back in 1971, with a pair of Lucas "Flamethrowers", the LR700.
So far, in my research, I have come across the so-called 50W HID.
BUT: ONLY the BALLST seems to be rated at 50W, whereas the bulbs, burners etc are ALL rated at 35W. I have yet to see a 50W BURNER advertised.
Since it's the burners that produce the light, ie, change energy from electrical into light at a rate of 35W, which is 35 J/s, how can a higher rated BALLAST have any effect on the brightness?
I have tried many times to get those SELLING the higher rated units to explain, but they either can't, or won't do so.
If I were you, I'd keep my money in my pocket.
So far, in my research, I have come across the so-called 50W HID.
BUT: ONLY the BALLST seems to be rated at 50W, whereas the bulbs, burners etc are ALL rated at 35W. I have yet to see a 50W BURNER advertised.
Since it's the burners that produce the light, ie, change energy from electrical into light at a rate of 35W, which is 35 J/s, how can a higher rated BALLAST have any effect on the brightness?
I have tried many times to get those SELLING the higher rated units to explain, but they either can't, or won't do so.
If I were you, I'd keep my money in my pocket.
19 December 2010, 11:14 PM
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I must admit I'm also struggling to find any D2R bulbs at a wattage higher than 35W other than on Ebay from some dodgy looking seller.
Thanks for the advice, will put up with what I've got and go spend my money on some of those new blue stuff pads me thinks.
Thanks for the advice, will put up with what I've got and go spend my money on some of those new blue stuff pads me thinks.
20 December 2010, 07:44 PM
#18
Hi Jeff : I don't know the answer to your question but I will look at the ballast and bulb along with the technical data sent and see if I can get an answer for you but it may take a day or two because of weather considerations.
I obviously drive a number of different vehicles and have come across lots of HIDs, 35w, good and bad. There are serious limitations on all H4 sets I have experience of when used on full beam but some of them are pretty good on dip only. Some are also pretty poor.
It was only after seeing a set of H7 50w of the type I bought that I was interested in changing the already uprated dipped beam and I would say it is the best £64 spent on this particular car since we got it. All that said, I have absolutely no interest in wasting any more time testing H4s. Most of my driving is cross country and out of town.
I obviously drive a number of different vehicles and have come across lots of HIDs, 35w, good and bad. There are serious limitations on all H4 sets I have experience of when used on full beam but some of them are pretty good on dip only. Some are also pretty poor.
It was only after seeing a set of H7 50w of the type I bought that I was interested in changing the already uprated dipped beam and I would say it is the best £64 spent on this particular car since we got it. All that said, I have absolutely no interest in wasting any more time testing H4s. Most of my driving is cross country and out of town.
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