xenon lights

cantdecide

http://stores.ebay.ie/hids-direct_H1-HID-Xenon-Conversion-kits_W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQfsubZ8664430QQftidZ2QQtZkm

I've been thinking of picking up a HID/ xenon conversion kit for my '98 A6. The car is pretty speccy anyway so I think it would be a nice touch.

I've been looking for a suitable kit and i've found one that has xenon heads and dips. They tell me I need a H1 kit- Is this a trade term? I then thought that my dad's lex has these but they're on the dips only. I then remembered seeing an older A6 with blinding "XENON TO THE MAX" headlamps and that looked mucky, too.

They claim they won't make my OBC wig out. Is this true of these kits?

What would Audi themselves do?- not too bright, dips only???

_Kaiser_

Anyone done/recommend something similar for a Passat? (2002 model). I do a lot of driving "down the country" and really think I'd like more light in the dark.

What about installation? Presumably it'd have to be brought somewhere seeing as changing the bulbs can be awkward enough as it is.

Anan1

I fitted a conversion kit on an Alfa 156 recently, the standard set-up was marginally better than two candles. I got the kit from www.hids4u.co.uk. It was fairly easy to fit, good quality, and dramatically improved lighting output without dazzling other road users. Do be aware, though, that even the 5000k bulbs are perilously close in colour to the kind of sh1t you see on Glanzas. Higher colour temperatures are strictly for the baseball cap & spoiler brigade. Enter 'aamcg' in the "discount code" box for 10% off.

OKenora

Go for the lower colour temperatures, beleive it or not they are brighter, 4800k is a good one or 6000k which is what I have fitted, definitely no higher.

Fit them only to the dipped beams, on the mains they are good but fitting on the dips only makes a huge improvement. Manafacturers will usually only fit them to dips anyway as HID's do not like being turned on/off lots like a main beam bulb is and at £60-80 a pop for replacement bulbs......fit yourself some osram silver stars in the mains if you have seperate main and dipped bulbs.

The H1 you need is the type of bulb the car uses, some popular types are...

H7 - single beam bulb, usually used in dipped beams
H1 - single beam bulb usually used in main beams, spotlights and fog lights
H4 - dual beam bulb that does both main and dipped beam in a single bulb

dcGT

These kits are a great idea and are relatively cheap now but of course xenon bulbs are extremely powerful and depnding the car they're fitted to, can generate a lot of glare that can be dazzling to oncoming traffic (especially on very dark roads). The headlamp housings for xenons are different to those for halogens in most cases (projector and reflector units) to deal with optics of the more powerful bulb. When factory fitted, manufacturers are legally required to ensure the car has an auto-leveling system and washer system for xenons. I don't believe such a law exists for aftermarket installations but that could change. You may have to get your headlamps adjusted after you've fitted the the kit. There's a good video clip on youtube where Autoexpress in the UK examine HID retro-fitting. By the way, has anyone tried getting through the NCT with one of these kits? Just curious.

Also, I believe a colour temperature of 4300K is the brightest (and used by BMW/Audi etc.). 6000k is not as bright (less lumens) but gives off a slightly bluish tinge. 8000K is less bright again, and is distinctly blue. As you go higher (10,000K, 12,000K), brightness is further reduced and colour turns more purple. There's a good graph here: -

http://www.mediacollege.com/lighting/colour/images/colour-temperature.gif


Cheers,

DC.

MrPudding

dcGT wrote:

These kits are a great idea and are relatively cheap now but of course xenon bulbs are extremely powerful and depnding the car they're fitted to, can generate a lot of glare that can be dazzling to oncoming traffic (especially on very dark roads). The headlamp housings for xenons are different to those for halogens in most cases (projector and reflector units) to deal with optics of the more powerful bulb. When factory fitted, manufacturers are legally required to ensure the car has an auto-leveling system and washer system for xenons. I don't believe such a law exists for aftermarket installations but that could change. You may have to get your headlamps adjusted after you've fitted the the kit. There's a good video clip on youtube where Autoexpress in the UK examine HID retro-fitting. By the way, has anyone tried getting through the NCT with one of these kits? Just curious.

Also, I believe a colour temperature of 4300K is the brightest (and used by BMW/Audi etc.). 6000k is not as bright (less lumens) but gives off a slightly bluish tinge. 8000K is less bright again, and is distinctly blue. As you go higher (10,000K, 12,000K), brightness is further reduced and colour turns more purple. There's a good graph here: -

http://www.mediacollege.com/lighting/colour/images/colour-temperature.gif


Cheers,

DC.

I have them fitted on my bike, one for dip and one for main beam. TBH I don't really notice the main beam that much.

I think there are a number of reasons for this. First of all, it takes about 20 hours or so to "run" the light in to get it to full strength. I don't think I have had the main beam on for 20 hours yet.

Secondly, the dip is so good. When I put the full beam on you can see a difference, but it is slight. Mostly noticeable with sign getting lit up further down the road.

If anyone is thinking about getting this done I would say go ahead. They rock. Should be easier in a car as well as the ballasts will be easier to hide.

MrP

cantdecide

Anan1 wrote:

....two candles. I got the kit from www.hids4u.co.uk. It was fairly ea.....

Why is the equivalent kit at this link so expensive compared to the ones I found on ebay? I didn't seek out the cheapest ones I could find but the ebay ones promise all kinds of things that the "cheaper" kits don't have and don't do and also comment on the build quality of other systems, so why such a price difference?

Ice_Box

How about these Phillips H7 bulbs. Not xenon but they are 80% brighter than standard bulbs. About €50 a pair and legal.

http://www.powerbulbs.co.uk/default.asp?product.asp?numRecordPosition=5&P_ID=207&strPageHistory=&strKeywords=&SearchFor=&PT_ID=92

Anan1

cantdecide wrote:

Why is the equivalent kit at this link so expensive compared to the ones I found on ebay? I didn't seek out the cheapest ones I could find but the ebay ones promise all kinds of things that the "cheaper" kits don't have and don't do and also comment on the build quality of other systems, so why such a price difference?

I suppose that's an impossible one to answer without buying and testing every kit out there.:) I just didn't need any hassle, and had read good reviews of their kit.

JHMEG

Has anyone who has done a HID conversion put their car thru the NCT? I'm more curious about the beam pattern than anything else, especially for a H4 bulb (hi/lo in one bulb).

C_Breeze

JHMEG wrote:

Has anyone who has done a HID conversion put their car thru the NCT? I'm more curious about the beam pattern than anything else, especially for a H4 bulb (hi/lo in one bulb).

Yes , i have ... and it passed. - Whats more they were 10,000k bulbs fitted by myself.

JHMEG

Anyone else have any NCT experience?

Anan1

C_Breeze wrote:

Yes , i have ... and it passed. - Whats more they were 10,000k bulbs fitted by myself.

I'd say they look dead classy.;)

Anan1

JHMEG wrote:

Anyone else have any NCT experience?

I'm curious about this myself. I fitted mine shortly after the NCT.

C_Breeze

Anan1 wrote:

I'd say they look dead classy.;)

Firtsly, no need for the sarcasm your royality

The 10000k are Not as blue (or maybe skangery accroding to you) as they'll have you believe and as you would think... I have seen many an E-class merc with bulbs that have a more bluey/purple hue.

heres a pic ..

JHMEG

@C_Breeze: apparently there are 2 types of H4: one with 2 "bulbs" and 2 ballasts, and the other with a mechanical arrangement that moves the bulb (or a reflector) for the hi/lo beams. Which type have you (that passed the NCT)?

C_Breeze

The 10000k ones i had on my 323 were H3 low beams only , and they passed NCT.

The ones I have on my VTIS are 8000k H4 biXenon (mechanical) I have not put these through the NCT (yet)

Jhmeg , there is also a 3rd type of H4 with 2 bulbs ..where the low beam is HID and the high beam is a blue halogen immitation bulb .. ebay stylee