HID kit information
11-21-2009, 07:15 PM
#1
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HID kit information I am seeing a lot of threads about HID kits and I would really like to make you all aware of some very important facts.
F-body headlights are old halogen reflectors. There's a light bulb and a curved reflector behind it that just sends the light out at any angle. This, however, doesn't work for HIDs. Why? Because HIDs are so bright and there are other cars on the road. The brighter the light, and with all HIDs (even standard 35w setups), the more this is necessary. There are reflector-based HIDs but they still have provisions inside of them to not blind other drivers.
Most HIDs are projectors. The light shines forward through a lens, and there is a piece of metal that limits the angle that the light leaves the lens. This creates a cutoff at which no light should shine through. This is VERY important because it keeps the light on the road and not in the eyes of other drivers.
Why should you care about this if it's not blinding YOU? There are a few reasons. First of all, if you blind other drivers, they're liable to hit YOU when they can't see where they're going. Second, the projectors will actually be MUCH more efficient in putting the light where you need it. A good projector setup with a 35w bulb will kick the crap out of the 50/55w combinations in an improper headlight. Third, the kits are illegal and while not enough cops care, I like to think that more are becoming aware. (Why do I want cops to care? Because I've been blinded by plenty of cars running these crappy HID kits.)
Another note - on color temperatures. Some people think that 8000K, 10000K, 12000K lights look cool. Aside from the fact that these people are wrong, note that the higher the color temperature (starting around 3500K), the lower the light output. 8000K bulbs typically only half HALF the light output of 4300K bulbs. Not only that, but the higher the color temperature, the more illegal they are due to being bluer. Cops are more likely to care. Besides, not only will there be more light at lower color temperatures, but it will also be better light because it will produce better contrast against asphalt. I do not recommend going higher than 5000K and I recommend 4300K overall.
There is only one way to properly do HIDs and that is to retrofit a projector setup from a car that comes with HIDs. This involves spending generally around $200-400 on parts, opening your headlights and fitting the projector in. It is more expensive and more work, but it will be more efficient, brighter, safer, and far less likely to get you pulled over. And you will get a lot more attention from car people that see that you've taken the time and done it the right way, if attention is part of the reason why you're doing it. Good projector setups are the FX-R with clear lens, Honda S2000, Lexus SC430, etc.
Edit to add: Aftermarket HID kits have some additional drawbacks that I forgot to mention. First, they rebase their bulbs with their own connectors which are often not meant to carry the high voltages of HID. The ballasts are set up with their proprietary connectors as well. The ballasts provided are always junk and will not be as reliable as OEM ballasts from quality brands like Matsushita and Denso. Sometimes they will even do you the favor of messing with other electronics in the car by injecting noise into the car's power system. If you need to replace them, you will have a hard time if you want to go with quality components because of the proprietary crap used for the kits. You may be saving yourself money up front, but you're getting extremely poor light output quality, the danger of blinding other drivers, AND the lowest quality materials a company can come up with.
Lots more information from people far more knowledgeable than myself at www.hidplanet.com
F-body headlights are old halogen reflectors. There's a light bulb and a curved reflector behind it that just sends the light out at any angle. This, however, doesn't work for HIDs. Why? Because HIDs are so bright and there are other cars on the road. The brighter the light, and with all HIDs (even standard 35w setups), the more this is necessary. There are reflector-based HIDs but they still have provisions inside of them to not blind other drivers.
Most HIDs are projectors. The light shines forward through a lens, and there is a piece of metal that limits the angle that the light leaves the lens. This creates a cutoff at which no light should shine through. This is VERY important because it keeps the light on the road and not in the eyes of other drivers.
Why should you care about this if it's not blinding YOU? There are a few reasons. First of all, if you blind other drivers, they're liable to hit YOU when they can't see where they're going. Second, the projectors will actually be MUCH more efficient in putting the light where you need it. A good projector setup with a 35w bulb will kick the crap out of the 50/55w combinations in an improper headlight. Third, the kits are illegal and while not enough cops care, I like to think that more are becoming aware. (Why do I want cops to care? Because I've been blinded by plenty of cars running these crappy HID kits.)
Another note - on color temperatures. Some people think that 8000K, 10000K, 12000K lights look cool. Aside from the fact that these people are wrong, note that the higher the color temperature (starting around 3500K), the lower the light output. 8000K bulbs typically only half HALF the light output of 4300K bulbs. Not only that, but the higher the color temperature, the more illegal they are due to being bluer. Cops are more likely to care. Besides, not only will there be more light at lower color temperatures, but it will also be better light because it will produce better contrast against asphalt. I do not recommend going higher than 5000K and I recommend 4300K overall.
There is only one way to properly do HIDs and that is to retrofit a projector setup from a car that comes with HIDs. This involves spending generally around $200-400 on parts, opening your headlights and fitting the projector in. It is more expensive and more work, but it will be more efficient, brighter, safer, and far less likely to get you pulled over. And you will get a lot more attention from car people that see that you've taken the time and done it the right way, if attention is part of the reason why you're doing it. Good projector setups are the FX-R with clear lens, Honda S2000, Lexus SC430, etc.
Edit to add: Aftermarket HID kits have some additional drawbacks that I forgot to mention. First, they rebase their bulbs with their own connectors which are often not meant to carry the high voltages of HID. The ballasts are set up with their proprietary connectors as well. The ballasts provided are always junk and will not be as reliable as OEM ballasts from quality brands like Matsushita and Denso. Sometimes they will even do you the favor of messing with other electronics in the car by injecting noise into the car's power system. If you need to replace them, you will have a hard time if you want to go with quality components because of the proprietary crap used for the kits. You may be saving yourself money up front, but you're getting extremely poor light output quality, the danger of blinding other drivers, AND the lowest quality materials a company can come up with.
Lots more information from people far more knowledgeable than myself at www.hidplanet.com
Last edited by dragonrage; 11-24-2009 at 01:22 PM.
11-22-2009, 09:40 AM
#2
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Another reason to care: One day you'll meet someone like me on the road who thinks your lights are so bright that you have your high beams on. I'll probably be in my Toyota 4runner and I might just flip on my 4 high powered off road lights as we pass each other to let you know you're blinding me.
11-22-2009, 09:58 AM
#4
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11-22-2009, 03:17 PM
#6
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Lots more information from people far more knowledgeable than myself at www.hidplanet.com
I'm on there with the same screen name too.
If you do your shopping right, you can get your setup done for less than $300 (I've seen some in the $200 range), but plan on spending close to $400 to do it right and to account for anything else you may need to buy or make to complete the project and make it look nice.
There are plenty of threads on there showing off people's work. Many of the setups there look completely stock. You can't tell that the car didn't come from the factory with their HID Projector setup.
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11-22-2009, 04:58 PM
#8
I think it's a bit easier to aim the headlights lower as to not blind other drivers. I know for a fact that my headlight's (not too sure about others) aren't nearly as blinding as an oncoming driver with his high beams on.
But you are correct in the sense that projectors are the proper housings for HID's and really should be necessary. If I had 2-300$ to fab up a set of projector housings I probably would, but if people were to actually sell a projector housing kit for the car in question (W-body regal) then I would be more motivated to buy such a thing.
The next car I get will either have projectors from the factory or will be installed BEFORE I install HID's
But you are correct in the sense that projectors are the proper housings for HID's and really should be necessary. If I had 2-300$ to fab up a set of projector housings I probably would, but if people were to actually sell a projector housing kit for the car in question (W-body regal) then I would be more motivated to buy such a thing.
The next car I get will either have projectors from the factory or will be installed BEFORE I install HID's
11-22-2009, 06:32 PM
#9
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Well, back on topic, what does your current truck have for headlights?
11-23-2009, 09:23 AM
#10
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If you aim them low enough to not blind people then you're losing all of the visibility improvements that HID lighting brings. And, again, even if you don't aim them down, and you do blind other drivers, they will still be nowhere NEAR as good as proper HID projectors.
11-23-2009, 10:39 AM
#11
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If you aim them low enough to not blind people then you're losing all of the visibility improvements that HID lighting brings. And, again, even if you don't aim them down, and you do blind other drivers, they will still be nowhere NEAR as good as proper HID projectors.
11-23-2009, 03:52 PM
#13
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Bite the bullet and retrofit some projectors. You will be neither safe nor happy with anything else. Also, high vehicles like trucks are MUCH more dangerous when it comes to HIDs. Really, HIDs in a truck should have a self-leveling mechanism, too, which is less important in a lower vehicle like an F-body.
11-24-2009, 12:30 PM
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Another reason to care: One day you'll meet someone like me on the road who thinks your lights are so bright that you have your high beams on. I'll probably be in my Toyota 4runner and I might just flip on my 4 high powered off road lights as we pass each other to let you know you're blinding me.
If you proplerly adjust the head lights you will not blind on coming traffic and get flashed. I have been installing and properly adjusting these lights for over 3 years now and out of all the ones I install no one gets flashed by on coming traffic. Just my .02
11-24-2009, 12:37 PM
#17
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Of course they won't. Even if you can aim them low enough to not have glare (which I HIGHLY doubt), again, you'd still end up with headlights aimed really low that would kill any sort of distance lighting.
11-24-2009, 03:33 PM
#18
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Join the Forums at HID Planet and do plenty of reading. You'll find plenty of threads on retrofits. There is also a university section with plenty of general information. I'm on there with the same screen name.
11-24-2009, 11:12 PM
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If it's something you can fix by adjustment then OEMs wouldn't have bothered changing the designs of their headlights. I don't believe you at all, but please do post some pictures of cutoffs. After all, you've been properly adjusting them, right? They DO have cutoffs, right?
Of course they won't. Even if you can aim them low enough to not have glare (which I HIGHLY doubt), again, you'd still end up with headlights aimed really low that would kill any sort of distance lighting.
Of course they won't. Even if you can aim them low enough to not have glare (which I HIGHLY doubt), again, you'd still end up with headlights aimed really low that would kill any sort of distance lighting.