Upgrading to HID's on a 3...

[S26VE P]

Anyone else done this. found a slimline kit for around £100 that im thinking of giving a go.

[Nicksy]

Just bought my kit yesterday for £125, it doesn’t seem all that complicated (famous last words) its just getting the box of bits mounted in the right place. I will probably fit in a few weeks time when we have some bad weather and the car is tucked up in the garage.

Nicksy

[S26VE P]

what rating did you get? i was thinking of either the 4300k or the 6000k

[Ranger 6]

Don't know much about Nobles, do they have headlight washers? are they e-marked? would they be exempt from this?
http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roadsafety/drs/hidheadla...

[peterguk V6 KWK]

I'm totally fed up with the glare produced by ebay kits. My previous post here:

http://pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&t...

I've sourced all the OEM parts required: Hella dedicated 90mm HID dip beam units, Phillps ballasts and Phillips 3200K D2S bulbs. Cost - about £350. Quality - priceless.

3200K = OEM
4000K = OEM colourshifted after 100 hours of use
6000K = chav and not a lot of useful light output. Often found on Corsas.

Unfortunately, no known OEM quality conversion available for 5" units.

Edited by peterguk V6 KWK on Thursday 18th September 09:55

[RobP]

S26VE P said:

Anyone else done this. found a slimline kit for around £100 that im thinking of giving a go.

Check out this thread. As Peter intimated it is critical to get them adjusted properly so that you do not blind on-coming traffic. Had mine nearly a year and have not been flashed once - also been through an MoT (successfully).
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[S26VE P]

This is a quick run down of what i found.

Choosing the colour

4300k = Brilliant white - this gives the most visible light,

6000k = Strong white with a hint of blue - the most popular choice

8000k = Strong blue tint - this gives the least amount of visible light of the three choices

[ThatPhilBrettGuy]

4300k = Ok, just...

6000k = Chav

8000k = Stupid Chav (Chav squared?)

[S26VE P]

Not saying it was correct just what i found. maybe a chav actually wrote it.

Will most likely go with the 4300k and make sure (altho the car rarely goes much further than 3 miles in the dark) i have the lights re-aligned.

[peterguk V6 KWK]

A copy of a previous post of mine:

Having done loads of research, posting on various specialist forums, i'm in the middle of upgrading my lights using a replacement front clam.

My criteria for the project is quite simple - high quality light output. Not interested in blue, purple, pink or green light, not interested in blinding oncoming cars, not interested in glare due to incorrect focal point, just the best i can achieve in illumination.

I'm more than willing to post all my gathered info. if peeps are interested, but as a starter, a few facts:

Light colour is measured in Kelvin
Light output is measured in Lumens (lu)

Colour v Light Output: (figures vary slightly from different sources, these taken from Hella DE)

3000K = 2900lu - yellow
4300K = 3200lu - white with a tint of yellow MAX LIGHT OUTPUT
5000K = 3100lu - white
6000K = 2800lu - white with blue
8000K = 2450lu - blue (chav)
10000K = 2200lu - blue/purple (very chav)
12000K = 1800lu - purple (extremely chav)

As can be seen, 4300K gives the highest light output, which is why OEM (i.e. manufacturers) only use bulbs in the 4100-4300K range.

As the light becomes bluer, light output reduces, and although cool looking to some, becomes useless to see with.

HID bulbs "burn in" over a period of time, and 4300K bulbs will approach 4600-4800K within a year or so.

Here's a pic comparing different HID bulbs. On the left, Philips D2S 4300K, on the right Chinese 6000K bulb. Notice the totally ineffective light output from the 6000K bulb compared to the OEM.



I have sourced a reliable supplier of OEM parts: Hella/Philips ballasts, Philips/Osram bulbs. All made in Germany. Kit cost around £220.

I am currently producing 1 kit for myself, and another for another forum member.

In my case, i'm ripping out the single M12 headlamp, and fabricating new panels to take 4 x Hella 90mm units. The dip beam units are imported ECE spec. units, which have a different mirror specifically designed for the Philips D2S HID bulbs, as opposed to the H7 halogen units. Cost about £75 each.

I've chosen these simply becasue the H7 mirror is not optomised for D2S HID bulbs, and there is often undesirable glare at the cut off points if D2S bulbs are used in H7 units. This will blind drivers waiting to turn out of left-hand side roads.

As i said, got lots more info, with lots of pics.... I don't want to offend or appear superior, so i'll keep quiet if you prefer.

[S26VE P]

nope all info is good, everyone has a version, just need to piece them all together.

[Ranger 6]

peterguk V6 KWK said:

I've chosen these simply becasue the H7 mirror is not optomised for D2S HID bulbs, and there is often undesirable glare at the cut off points if D2S bulbs are used in H7 units. This will blind drivers waiting to turn out of left-hand side roads.

Very interesting - which bulbs are the best for use if you can't change the H7 mirrors (different car)?

[peterguk V6 KWK]

Ranger 6 said:

peterguk V6 KWK said:

I've chosen these simply becasue the H7 mirror is not optomised for D2S HID bulbs, and there is often undesirable glare at the cut off points if D2S bulbs are used in H7 units. This will blind drivers waiting to turn out of left-hand side roads.

Very interesting - which bulbs are the best for use if you can't change the H7 mirrors (different car)?

H7 bulbs have their filament orientated differently to the gas bulb in D2S HID bulbs. Also, the mirrors in the light units are optomised for each type of bulb. Rebased HID bulbs end up with the light source the incorrect distance from the mirror, causing glare to oncoming drivers.

Take a look at this short video. It's a Honda Integra. Two identical dip beam projectors (except each specifically designed for H7 and D2S), with one rebased bulb, and one genuine D2S. Notice the massive glare from one light. That's what oncoming drivers see. That's what i don't want!

http://www.sbits.net/noble/ebay_v_oem.avi

Genuine Phillips D2S HID bulbs have only a D2S base. All others, whether H1, H7 etc. as found on ebay are rebased, normally in China.

[Ranger 6]

So if you have an H7 to HID conversion, then OEM D2S are your recommendation?

[peterguk V6 KWK]

Ranger 6 said:

So if you have an H7 to HID conversion, then OEM D2S are your recommendation?

If you want OEM spec HID lighting, then yes.







I either have the parts in stock or can source for you.

[Ranger 6]

Many thanks - what I meant was, I already have an H7 to HID conversion that was done by the previous owner, I just want to find out which bulb is best to use (It's not a Noble BTW).

[peterguk V6 KWK]

Ranger 6 said:

Many thanks - what I meant was, I already have an H7 to HID conversion that was done by the previous owner, I just want to find out which bulb is best to use (It's not a Noble BTW).

Oh, OK. Not quite sure what conversion you have, but if you have retained your H7 lamp units, and are using an HID bulb with an H7 base, then they are all Indo-Chinese-Phillipino rebased bulbs, so all are as good/bad as each other.

If you have HID specific D2S lamp units, then Phillips 85122 bulb is what you need. Phillips also market a slightly whiter bulb rated at 5800K called the Ultinon, but once it has been in use will colourshift upwards, and will never output the same level of useable light as the 85122s. Make sure you get genuine versions...

[Ranger 6]

Brilliant! Thanks for the help with my muppet questions! I take it when you mean an H7 base it's the same pin size/configuration as an H7 bulb?

[peterguk V6 KWK]

Ranger 6 said:

Brilliant! Thanks for the help with my muppet questions! I take it when you mean an H7 base it's the same pin size/configuration as an H7 bulb?

Correct