what to replace my factory head light bulb???
- Thread starter mikelea4ever
- Start date
imported_Denzil
New member
The lack of cutoff is what blinds people.
HIR bulbs are the best way to go before going to a proper retrofit. Using HID's in stock halogen housings still blinds people no matter how you look at it. Just because you aren't flashed doesn't mean you're still not blinding people. :furious:
HIR bulbs are the best way to go before going to a proper retrofit. Using HID's in stock halogen housings still blinds people no matter how you look at it. Just because you aren't flashed doesn't mean you're still not blinding people. :furious:
PedroDaGr8
New member
NCZ13 said:i have a Apexcone HID kit in my stock halogen housings. I realize im blinding people, but the OEM halogens have terrible light output, and there is no way im dropping 50 in bulbs every couple months. Ive read way to much about my car eating silverstars that i refuse to buy them.
I realize they are blinding to people. Ive only been flashed once, But they seem no blinding to me than the HIDs on my moms rdx, minus the cutoff of course.
Damn that is GARBAGE!!!! A retrofit in that type of car isn't too hard and you are HURTING PEOPLES EYES and on top of that being very selfish.
imported_Yal
New member
^ I have to agree it is selfish. Saying this doesn't bother you is like saying I'm doing 100mph in traffic but I feel safe so screw everybody else. Those HID's are horrible. The cut off is the key!
PedroDaGr8
New member
Thanks Yal. Nice analogy.
EDIT: I want to expand a bit more on what I said before. Your comment of I know I am blinding people but I don't care is very selfish and very immature. It wouldn't take you that much more work or money to do a retrofit. It is about doing it right. Not doing it quickly or cheaply. I don't think we would be on this forum if we did things to our cars half-assed, yet that is what you are doing with your kit. Doing stuff half-assed and being a safety hazard.
Do a retrofit.
For those who are wondering what a retrofit is. You take the projector out of a car that has OEM xenon headlights and install it in your own headlights. This way the optics which are designed for HID's are in your headlight and you don't glare people.
It takes some time to do right but it is the ONLY way that works. It is all physics and DOES NOT change no matter what lies the kit companies say. So many talk about their million dollar R&D budget, yet somehow ALL of the kits come off of the same factory lines in China (yes even the ones that say Japanese parts, how does the circuit board look exactly the same as the ones in the chinese ballasts?)
Also, while many say hella or bosch or philip technology, this simply means thye use a chip on the circuit board made by that company. This says NOTHING for the quality of the design. That being said, bad ballasts are NOT nearly as bad as they were a few years ago.
Bulbs on the other hand, kit bulbs are garbage. You know how to tell. Compare the amount of salt in a kit bulb v. a real philips/osram/GE bulb. In a kit bulb the arc chamber is COMPLETELY clear or you may see one tiny spec of yellow (this may be more orangish-reddish-brown for higher temp bulbs as Indium(III) Iodide (generates the bluish color) is a reddish brown or it may have tinges of gray to it if the bulb has been used). In philips bulbs, the arc chamber is easily 1/4 to 1/2 covered with salt.
There is a reason for this, the more salt the better the quality of light, the less heat, the longer the bulb will live. The problem is the salt is expensive so the kit company scrimp on it.
If anyone has question on doing a retrofit, feel free to PM me with basic ones or checkout HID Retrofit Parts Projectors Ballasts D2S Bulbs. This is where I learned from. THeir university section has some really good threads (i.e. for installation check out JnCs rotational mounting method thread in the University).
If there is enough demand I will go through and outline some of the basic terms you will encounter in HIDs (sort of like people coming here would have no idea what a PC/7424 is without reading).
EDIT: I want to expand a bit more on what I said before. Your comment of I know I am blinding people but I don't care is very selfish and very immature. It wouldn't take you that much more work or money to do a retrofit. It is about doing it right. Not doing it quickly or cheaply. I don't think we would be on this forum if we did things to our cars half-assed, yet that is what you are doing with your kit. Doing stuff half-assed and being a safety hazard.
Do a retrofit.
For those who are wondering what a retrofit is. You take the projector out of a car that has OEM xenon headlights and install it in your own headlights. This way the optics which are designed for HID's are in your headlight and you don't glare people.
It takes some time to do right but it is the ONLY way that works. It is all physics and DOES NOT change no matter what lies the kit companies say. So many talk about their million dollar R&D budget, yet somehow ALL of the kits come off of the same factory lines in China (yes even the ones that say Japanese parts, how does the circuit board look exactly the same as the ones in the chinese ballasts?)
Also, while many say hella or bosch or philip technology, this simply means thye use a chip on the circuit board made by that company. This says NOTHING for the quality of the design. That being said, bad ballasts are NOT nearly as bad as they were a few years ago.
Bulbs on the other hand, kit bulbs are garbage. You know how to tell. Compare the amount of salt in a kit bulb v. a real philips/osram/GE bulb. In a kit bulb the arc chamber is COMPLETELY clear or you may see one tiny spec of yellow (this may be more orangish-reddish-brown for higher temp bulbs as Indium(III) Iodide (generates the bluish color) is a reddish brown or it may have tinges of gray to it if the bulb has been used). In philips bulbs, the arc chamber is easily 1/4 to 1/2 covered with salt.
There is a reason for this, the more salt the better the quality of light, the less heat, the longer the bulb will live. The problem is the salt is expensive so the kit company scrimp on it.
If anyone has question on doing a retrofit, feel free to PM me with basic ones or checkout HID Retrofit Parts Projectors Ballasts D2S Bulbs. This is where I learned from. THeir university section has some really good threads (i.e. for installation check out JnCs rotational mounting method thread in the University).
If there is enough demand I will go through and outline some of the basic terms you will encounter in HIDs (sort of like people coming here would have no idea what a PC/7424 is without reading).
that actually isnt a very good analogy at all. Going a hundred in traffic is a little (alot) bit different than being a nuisance on the road. Ive had the pleasure of being in front of my lights, and they really are bright, although i have since adjusted them to aim lower, but they still glare.
A projector retrofit would be pretty costly on my end. First getting the projectors on top of buying a new set of lights so theres no downtime during fab work. There have only been a handful of people in the protege community that have had succesful retrofits. All costing upwards of 5-600 dollars. One of the original guys to attempt it spent 800 in parts alone.
edit: also reread my post, so not really sure where your getting the whole I dont care thing from... unless your not referring to me.
A projector retrofit would be pretty costly on my end. First getting the projectors on top of buying a new set of lights so theres no downtime during fab work. There have only been a handful of people in the protege community that have had succesful retrofits. All costing upwards of 5-600 dollars. One of the original guys to attempt it spent 800 in parts alone.
edit: also reread my post, so not really sure where your getting the whole I dont care thing from... unless your not referring to me.
NCZ13 said:
Sure it's a good analogy, you're creating a distracting, and potentially blinding situation that could cause another driver to hit something/someone because "you don't care". You are putting someone else's life at risk because you are too cheap to spend a little extra to do something right.
Hoen high performance halogen
I know the original poster is probably no longer interested in this information (since it was posted in JUNE OF 08) or any other in depth discussion about HID conversions (which he or she stated was something not interested in) BUT Hoen makes the best bulbs HANDS DOWN! They perfectly match OEM Xenons and put out dense white light. They last and are worth all of the cash out for them.
I know the original poster is probably no longer interested in this information (since it was posted in JUNE OF 08) or any other in depth discussion about HID conversions (which he or she stated was something not interested in) BUT Hoen makes the best bulbs HANDS DOWN! They perfectly match OEM Xenons and put out dense white light. They last and are worth all of the cash out for them.
gbackus said:
Not really sure where your getting this IDC thing. How many times have you seen bright lights on the opposite side of the road and ripped the steering wheel to the left or right? None? thats what i thought.
Theres a big difference in a 90$ Apexcone kit, and a 700dollar custom projector setup.
So being to cheap to spend a little extra doesnt really apply.
onelazydawg
New member
Daniel Stern Lighting Consultancy and Supply
I still believe all kits and retropackages to be illegal technically is that correct?
I still believe all kits and retropackages to be illegal technically is that correct?
BigJimZ28 said:
I didnt say i did not care, your implying I dont care. I acknowledge Im blinding people, but i enjoy the fact i can actually see whats in front of me, instead of with the candles that I had before.
and yes, to reply to the post above, HID kits are illegal and i could get a fix it ticket for it. I also have no front plate, my exhaust is certainly over 95db, as well as not carb legal.
I have been pulled over and not been hasseled, and been behind cops and not been hassled.
Im not really bother by what any of you think of my car btw. Ive done things the way I like it, and when i finally get pulled over for my mods, ill pay for them. Simple as that.
edit: im not bragging im blinding people, it was an observation.
Now if i said Holy ****, you should see how many people i blind on a daily basis, id understand where your coming from.
And i did do something about it, I adjusted my beams to aim lower. However they still glare. I accept that, but if bright light is causing people to fly off the roads, then they shouldnt be driving...
Think about it. Someone with bright lights is driving on the opposite side of the road. What do you do? Curse to yourself, squint a little, and by then the car has passed. And than you forget all about it by the time you get home.
edit: im not bragging im blinding people, it was an observation.
Now if i said Holy ****, you should see how many people i blind on a daily basis, id understand where your coming from.
And i did do something about it, I adjusted my beams to aim lower. However they still glare. I accept that, but if bright light is causing people to fly off the roads, then they shouldnt be driving...
Think about it. Someone with bright lights is driving on the opposite side of the road. What do you do? Curse to yourself, squint a little, and by then the car has passed. And than you forget all about it by the time you get home.
BIOLINK
Icon Detailing
I have ordered from powerbulbs.com. Great service, many options.
As a final note, it actually is illegal to replace halogen with HID for the simple reason it is tough to do correctly. :bolt
As a final note, it actually is illegal to replace halogen with HID for the simple reason it is tough to do correctly. :bolt
MrCLRider
loves rubbing paint
search for Polarg bulbs, I have been very happy in the past with them.
I don't think the OP said which bulbs he has, so....
Daniel Stern sells great H7 bulbs that are 65 watts and throw a lot of light - 1/3rd more than any stock 55 watt bulb (including the "HIR" linked previously). If used in a projector housing they are quite safe also, plus they last as long as a good stock bulb. I've had them for over a year now and they're great.
To the guy throwing light in peoples eyes with the improperly fitted HID's.... No offense but if a kid runs across the street after you pass and the car going the other way is blinded by your scattered light there could be one dead kid left in your wake.
Please man up and do it right. K?
Daniel Stern sells great H7 bulbs that are 65 watts and throw a lot of light - 1/3rd more than any stock 55 watt bulb (including the "HIR" linked previously). If used in a projector housing they are quite safe also, plus they last as long as a good stock bulb. I've had them for over a year now and they're great.
To the guy throwing light in peoples eyes with the improperly fitted HID's.... No offense but if a kid runs across the street after you pass and the car going the other way is blinded by your scattered light there could be one dead kid left in your wake.
Please man up and do it right. K?