HID kits for auxiliary driving lights? (Not dipped beam....)
Discussion
I've noticed that HID kits have come down in price significantly.
I'm considering a set of for use with a set of main-beam activated driving lights (not for dipped or standard main beam)
What would be a good kit? Are the cheap Ebay ones significantly different to/less robust than the more expensive ones?
I'm thinking 4300K beam (to be close to Halogen) 35W or 55W.
I'm considering a set of for use with a set of main-beam activated driving lights (not for dipped or standard main beam)
What would be a good kit? Are the cheap Ebay ones significantly different to/less robust than the more expensive ones?
I'm thinking 4300K beam (to be close to Halogen) 35W or 55W.
A friend replaced his main beams with HIDs last year (C5 Audi RS6). Initially they need to warm up so the first time you use them they only produce a reasonable amount of light, after that they're pretty much ready for use and respond quickly and brightly even to flashes. Not sure exactly how long they'll last though.
Caulkhead said:
They don't work well as HID's don't like repeatedly being turned on and off and take a few seconds to warm up so driving a A road at night where you are constantly dipping for oncoming traffic would kill them fairly quickly and drive you mad.
I'm aware of that. I was wondering whether any were available that had worked around the heating problem. Pre-heating when dipped beam is enabled or such-like.
The price of the cheap sets is similar to 2 No. branded halogen bulbs anyway.
What's the typical warm-up time for a 4300K HID?
Edited by MC Bodge on Wednesday 5th December 16:25
Denis O said:
An H4 HID does both dip and main in the same bulb and I seem to remember that SWMBO's Range Rover, fitted with such bulbs, responded very quickly to main beam flash.
My car has separate main and dipped bulbs. I wasn't thinking about fitting them in the standard headlights, just the supplementary lights.
Denis O said:
An H4 HID does both dip and main in the same bulb and I seem to remember that SWMBO's Range Rover, fitted with such bulbs, responded very quickly to main beam flash.
Don't these use something like a motorised shield which uncovers more of the bulb when you activate main beam, so the light is already on and bright.MC Bodge said:
My car has separate main and dipped bulbs.
I wasn't thinking about fitting them in the standard headlights, just the supplementary lights.
Just try it, they will work, they just might not last as long as a normal HID. If you're keeping your normal main beams anyway you'll still be able to flash people etc.I wasn't thinking about fitting them in the standard headlights, just the supplementary lights.
Yes, it's a solenoid that moves a shield over part of the bulb. That's fine when going from dip to main as you rightly say, the bulb is lit. When flashing main during the day when the headlamps are not on was what I meant and it didn't seem inordinately slow.
Of course, H4's would not be used in driving lamps so excuse my initial muppetry.
Of course, H4's would not be used in driving lamps so excuse my initial muppetry.
MC Bodge said:
Caulkhead said:
They don't work well as HID's don't like repeatedly being turned on and off and take a few seconds to warm up so driving a A road at night where you are constantly dipping for oncoming traffic would kill them fairly quickly and drive you mad.
I'm aware of that. I was wondering whether any were available that had worked around the heating problem. Pre-heating when dipped beam is enabled or such-like.
The price of the cheap sets is similar to 2 No. branded halogen bulbs anyway.
What's the typical warm-up time for a 4300K HID?
Edited by MC Bodge on Wednesday 5th December 16:25
As for warm up, well a few seconds to be useful, but 30-90 seconds to really start performing.
Personally I think you'd be better off custom building some LED spot lamps. A multi XM-L setup running a buck driver would offer instant light.
I've had them in both (i.e dip and main) on the bike for the past five years. No failures, despite main beam being constantly on-and-off and used for flashing. 4300k, 50w as you suggested - daylight.
Couple of seconds warm-up time on first use, then pretty much instant light thereafter.
If I could find a set of auxiliary lights to put on the car without making it look chavvy, I'd have a go at this too, OP. Small would be good, almost hidden would be better.
S'pose I'll need my tin-foil hat having confessed all of that.
Couple of seconds warm-up time on first use, then pretty much instant light thereafter.
If I could find a set of auxiliary lights to put on the car without making it look chavvy, I'd have a go at this too, OP. Small would be good, almost hidden would be better.
S'pose I'll need my tin-foil hat having confessed all of that.
littleredrooster said:
I've had them in both (i.e dip and main) on the bike for the past five years. No failures, despite main beam being constantly on-and-off and used for flashing. 4300k, 50w as you suggested - daylight.
Couple of seconds warm-up time on first use, then pretty much instant light thereafter.
If I could find a set of auxiliary lights to put on the car without making it look chavvy, I'd have a go at this too, OP. Small would be good, almost hidden would be better.
S'pose I'll need my tin-foil hat having confessed all of that.
I think I'll give it a whirl.Couple of seconds warm-up time on first use, then pretty much instant light thereafter.
If I could find a set of auxiliary lights to put on the car without making it look chavvy, I'd have a go at this too, OP. Small would be good, almost hidden would be better.
S'pose I'll need my tin-foil hat having confessed all of that.
Modern cars are a bit awkward for bolting lamps to. I've fitted a pair of fairly neat Hella FF50s in front of the radiator (they'll be recessed into the grille when I've re-fitted it). Not chavvy to my eyes, but quite small.
If I lived out in the sticks, I'd have a set of full-sized lamps.
The HIDs are fitted and producing a lot of (very white) light in a good beam. The halogen headlight main beams are completely obliterated by them. (Nb. The dipped beam remain a socially acceptable Halogen only)
I've aimed the driving lamps against a wall, but I do need to do a proper distance aiming session -it was foggy when I attempted it the other night.
They're currently pointing straight ahead, but I'm considering crossing the beams to give a bit more spread for cornering, without losing all of the distance. Anybody have experience of doing this?
Warm-up time is fairly quick. Once warmed-up they appear remain so for a while.
I probably should fit a switch to disable them from the main beam for normal use though.
I've aimed the driving lamps against a wall, but I do need to do a proper distance aiming session -it was foggy when I attempted it the other night.
They're currently pointing straight ahead, but I'm considering crossing the beams to give a bit more spread for cornering, without losing all of the distance. Anybody have experience of doing this?
Warm-up time is fairly quick. Once warmed-up they appear remain so for a while.
I probably should fit a switch to disable them from the main beam for normal use though.
Edited by MC Bodge on Saturday 15th December 00:12
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