xenon lights cheap !!!!

[marks3drtaz]

I have had fitted a set of H1 xenon lights for a couple of weeks now. and i have to say this has to be one of the best saftey mods available!

Having had VW R32,s as company cars (xenon as standard) you quickly realise how poor griff lights are.

I know there are some people out there that will argue the negitives regarding law and insurance etc, But considering the higher levels of safety and being able to see where you are going i feel are more important, my insurance company has no problems with fitting upgraded lights.

They are cheap and are very easy to fit and here is the link:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/HID-XENON-CONVERSION-KIT-BUL...

Top quality bit of kit ordered thur and arrived mon!!!!

Thanks Mark

[TvrJohn]

WOW they seem a bargain

[spend]

I have a set of H7's for my dipped beam from the same people, £42 quid delivered (in 6 days!). The only thing you could nit pick is that you need to seal the connection between the old bulb connector and the spades to the Hid.. I've also been warned that some cars need a relay on one side to provide enough power to kickstart the Hid ala the Modwise brighter light mod (I already had relays on the drivers side anyway)

I think the H1's & H7's are a doddle to fit - not sure about the H4 versions tho? Biggest problem is they make the other lights look VERY yellow - so I now have to buy H1 Hids and some bluer main beam & side lights (never happy are we!)

Dave

[Thatch]

wont they just melt the plastic light pod covers?

[V8 GRF]

Thatch said:

wont they just melt the plastic light pod covers?

No they're not that hot and they're no were near the covers anyway, infact they use less power than the standard lights,
the ballasts get hot though.
Those are seriously cheap I bought a set for £60 inc postage and thought I'd done well....

[Uncle Fester]

Visiting the sellers ebay shop, they do several different kits.
Which ones are best and what do I need? I want to do both mains and dips for a 94 Griff 500. Which kit is for which?
Fester

[marks3drtaz]

The griff has H1 dipped in the pods and the main beam so you would need 2 sets.

I will try to post a pic of how good they are when i can get out in the dark (got family staying at the mo so usually had 2 bottles of wine by the time its dark)

I mounted the ballast over the wheel arch by reaching in to clean first with panel wipe and then sticking it down with 3m doublesided pad supplied with the kit.

Mark

[spend]

Hid takes a little while to warm up (and they kind of pop when first switched on) which is fine for dipped & driving lights, but I'm not so sure of using them for full beam (& flash).

Dave

[Uncle Fester]

Well, I took the plunge and bought a couple of sets to do both the dips and mains.

£87.70 with P&P all in. Lets see what happens.

Thanks for the tip about lighting up time Dave. I will fit the dips first to see how long the delay is. If its unacceptable for main beam use I will sell them, or keep as spares. My mains are good enough anyway. I just didn't want them to be less than the dips.

The forum search function seems to not be working at present. As best as I could find they are both H1 as stated so I went with that.

Dave you mention H7. Have you fitted some clever, trick light units that take a different bulb or what. Wouldn't supprise knowing you. Whats the difference between between H1 and H7?

Yeah 6, I know. Seriously though. I don't know much about car lights. Did some take H1 and others H7 or are these interchangable?

Fester

[Paul V]

The Tuscan has Xenon for main beam and flashers but normal bulbs for dipped beam so thinking of a set for the dipped. Flashing the lights is fine as said they sort of pop light which really suit the flasher unit actually.

[Uncle Fester]

One of my worries with getting HID for the dip is the old continental driving problem.

Standard lights just seemed to actually make the road darker. The usual advice that nobody would notice was ok.

With frequent trips to a French holiday home, I don't think ignoring the problem when I have HID lights will be an option.

Has anyone found a solution? What's been tried and failed? I don't want to repeat unworkable ideas.

The option of sticking something on the outside of the pod perspex, then trying to get it off without scratching the perspex is a problem. Especially if you do it every couple of weeks.

What I have in mind is a flap in the side of the pod. This would be hinged and moved by a worm gear. The drive would be in the front edge of the wheelarch next to the access hatch. Probably just an allan key head on show.

When the allan head is turned the flap covers the appropriate part of the lens.

Anyone tried this, or found another solution?

Fester

[spend]

I have twin lights ala speed12, which like the later cars have separate H7's in each light unit (they are easy to swap to LHD BTW 3 screws and twist ). My indicator holes now house driving lights which are H1's. My lighting circuits are also modded so that dips stay on when main beam is engaged. I do s lot of spirited night driving so it was worth it for me.

Dave

[Uncle Fester]

spend said:

I have twin lights ala speed12, which like the later cars have separate H7's in each light unit (they are easy to swap to LHD BTW 3 screws and twist ). My indicator holes now house driving lights which are H1's. My lighting circuits are also modded so that dips stay on when main beam is engaged. I do s lot of spirited night driving so it was worth it for me.

Dave

Thanks Dave

Your profile photo is out of date then.

The dip goes out when you put mains on? My dips are so dim that I never noticed when they were on, never mind off.

How do you wire up the dips to stay on whith the mains? That sounds essential if the delay is bad, I don't wan't to end up with no lights at all for a second.

I love the original Griff look. For me, the only improvement is the 7" LE. One day I will do that, probably when it needs a respray. Just for now to get HID all round for that price was too good to miss.

The practicality of what you have is great, but I assume you mean that you ajust to LHD setting from the front. I can't do that in a Griff.

I had heard before that this was possible. I wondered if a single rotating unit that replaces the original could be fitted. Something that looks like the original, but when rotated would do the same LHD trick as yours.

Then all I would need to do is arrange a remote drive system to rotate it. A few teeth around the outside and a worm drive was one idea, but I can see a few pitfalls to sort.

Thanks

Fester

[spend]

Uncle Fester said:

spend said:

I have twin lights ala speed12, which like the later cars have separate H7's in each light unit (they are easy to swap to LHD BTW 3 screws and twist ). My indicator holes now house driving lights which are H1's. My lighting circuits are also modded so that dips stay on when main beam is engaged. I do s lot of spirited night driving so it was worth it for me.

Dave

Thanks Dave

Your profile photo is out of date then.

The dip goes out when you put mains on? My dips are so dim that I never noticed when they were on, never mind off.

How do you wire up the dips to stay on whith the mains? That sounds essential if the delay is bad, I don't wan't to end up with no lights at all for a second.

I love the original Griff look. For me, the only improvement is the 7" LE. One day I will do that, probably when it needs a respray. Just for now to get HID all round for that price was too good to miss.

The practicality of what you have is great, but I assume you mean that you ajust to LHD setting from the front. I can't do that in a Griff.

I had heard before that this was possible. I wondered if a single rotating unit that replaces the original could be fitted. Something that looks like the original, but when rotated would do the same LHD trick as yours.

Then all I would need to do is arrange a remote drive system to rotate it. A few teeth around the outside and a worm drive was one idea, but I can see a few pitfalls to sort.

Thanks

Fester

Keeping profiles current would be a full time job, and I only confide everything to one person anyway

I think that is normal with H4 bulbs, separate relays are fitted for main & beam, use a twin make/break for main beam & then link the middle pin to the dipped beam switch in the fusebox. If you dont like it just stick a single make/break relay in..

The light fittings are Hellas & the projectors are just set tilted in the ceramic housing for LH / RH drive - as I said just unscrew re-set screw back, 10 min job when you have access. There are some pics in http://tvr3.dspen.com/hella/ which may illuminate you.

Dave

[Uncle Fester]

spend said:

I think that is normal with H4 bulbs, separate relays are fitted for main & beam, use a twin make/break for main beam & then link the middle pin to the dipped beam switch in the fusebox. If you dont like it just stick a single make/break relay in..

Dave

My knowledge of autoelectrickery isn't good. Following simple step by step instructions is about it.

I think you are saying that I can get the dips to stay on when the mains are on by simply swapping one relay (in the fusebox?) for a different type.

I don't know one relay from another. I know they have type numbers on them. Do you which number I need?

Thanks

Fester

[spend]

Uncle Fester said:

spend said:

I think that is normal with H4 bulbs, separate relays are fitted for main & beam, use a twin make/break for main beam & then link the middle pin to the dipped beam switch in the fusebox. If you dont like it just stick a single make/break relay in..

Dave

My knowledge of autoelectrickery isn't good. Following simple step by step instructions is about it.

I think you are saying that I can get the dips to stay on when the mains are on by simply swapping one relay (in the fusebox?) for a different type.

I don't know one relay from another. I know they have type numbers on them. Do you which number I need?

Thanks

Fester

If your competence is at that extent I suggest you leave well alone

Dave

[RichB]

Uncle Fester said:

spend said:

I think that is normal with H4 bulbs, separate relays are fitted for main & beam, use a twin make/break for main beam & then link the middle pin to the dipped beam switch in the fusebox. If you dont like it just stick a single make/break relay in..

Dave

I think you are saying that I can get the dips to stay on when the mains are on by simply swapping one relay (in the fusebox?) for a different type.
Fester

Surely when switched to full beam all 4 x lamps are illuminated on a Griffith?

[V8 GRF]

RichB said:

Surely when switched to full beam all 4 x lamps are illuminated on a Griffith?

I'm sure all four are lit.

[marks3drtaz]

When using high beam all 4 lights are lit, however they make very little difference to the amount of light cast. The spots just show two orange blobs compared to the very white xenon light, I have also considered using them as main beam but the warm up time is about 10 secs, (bright flash followed by very blue light building to very white). I also could do with some new dipped complete lights if anyone can give me an idea to cost and where to get them

Will order another set of xenons and put up another post with the out come.

Mark

[Uncle Fester]

Well I ordered them on the 26th from diane-shop in Hong Kong.

Today they arrived. Leaving aside the inevitable comedy translation of the fitting instructions and the distinct impression the advert gives that you will get German made transformers and bulbs its all Chinese made.

It looks easy to fit.

The worrying bits in the instruction is is a warning that after repeatred switcing on and off the bulb life will be shortened and an overload protection unit will shut them off to cool down for a while. This is no problem for dipped beams, but for main beams it may be an issue.

Has anyone else had problems or radio suppression issues?

I will post the results after fitting

Fester

Edited by Uncle Fester on Monday 3rd September 23:09