GTOSE

iTrader: (1)

What is the difference between halogen projector's and HID projector's?

WhiteBird00

iTrader: (4)

Sorry, I have to call BS on this one. HIDs and filament bulbs like halogens have completely different lighting characteristics and can't use the same housings. I don't have Lexus or Nissan parts listings but the Cadillac has different headlight housing part numbers listed for HID versus halogen. They may look the same and they certainly fit the same way but there are subtle differences in the internal configuration.

Halogen bulbs use a filament that produces a cylindrical light source. HIDs use an electrical arc between two electrodes which results in a crescent shaped light source. Never mind that many halogen bulbs have their filaments on a different axis than an HID arc (longitudinal vs. transverse), just the different shape and characteristics of the light source require different optics.

You may think that because a certain car model is available with either type of lamp and the housings look the same that there is no difference but you're wrong - there's a big difference in the optics (lens/reflector).

VIP1

Wrong. Those were HID Reflectors. They were Reflector housings tuned to work with HID. They focus and spread the light differently than Halogen Reflectors. HID Reflectors are not common but do exist.

Also, the same model car may have had Halogen or HID as an option. Although the Reflector Housings may look similar, they are in fact physically different and have different part numbers.

Yes there are many Haolgen Projectors out there. As I've said before, some work well with HID some don't. Typically they are the ones that use a newer higher output bulb (H7 & H9 for example) and the Halogen Filament is positioned in pretty much the same place and orientation as the HID Arc. But that is no guarantee that it will work. Its hit-or-miss.

Also, cut-off doesn't refer to just the shield producing a sharp line. Cut-off refers having a well defined beam with light on the bottom none on the top (or at least very little since some housing designs allow some bleed through for improved sign lighting).

There are basically 6 types of projectors
* Halogen
* HID (xenon)
* bi-halogen (hi/lo halogen)
* bi-xenon (hi/lo HID)
* Halogen Fog
* HID Fog

Halogen and HID projectors are different. They focus and spread the light differently because Halogen produces less light than HID. A Halogen projector has a narrower beam focusing more light in the center. A HID projector has a wider beam with a more even spread of light.

That being said, some newer Halogen projectors handle HID quite well. Some don't.

Bi-Halogen & Bi-xenon hi/low projectors are built very similar to their low-beam-only counterparts. The only difference is that the cut-off shield is movable. During low-beam operation, the shield is in the up position blocking some light producing the cut-off line of the low beam pattern. During high-beam operation a solenoid lowers the cut-off shield to allow more light to exit higher through the lens to produce a high beam pattern.

A bi-halogen & Bi-Xenon projector still only uses a single-filament bulb. The bulb does not move. The cut-off shield does.

Low beam halogen bulbs usually have a black or gray painted cap. In the case of projectors, that painted cap is not necessary due to the cut-off shield. If you have a projector that came from the factory with a low-beam bulb with the black cap, you can swap it out for the equivalent high-beam version without the black cap. Two examples that come to mind are 9006 projectors and H11 projectors. You can fit a 9005 bulb into the 9006 projector and a H9 bulb into the H11 projector and get brighter output but the beam will still be well defined with no change/increase in glare, only an increase in usable light below the cut-off. The only change required to make these bulbs fit is to cut off or trim a small plastic alignment peg on the bulb base between the metal pins. I don't know why some manufacturers bothered using 9006 & H11 in projectors. They should have gone with the 9005 & H9 instead from the start.


What kind of bulb does the G8 use? H7, H9, 9005? If so, give it a try you might be pleasantly surprised.

If they use a H11 or 9006 bulb, you can swap out the H11 for H9 or swap out the 9006 for 9005 bulb easily and get more light but still have a well defined beam.

dragonrage

H11 and H9. I want HID, though, because I don't see very well with low light. (Actually, to be more accurate, my eyes don't quickly adjust to low light situations, so if cars are coming the other way and my eyes get used to all the light, then it takes a while to adjust to lack of that...)

VIP1

I just looked on Sylvania's website. It says that the low beam is H11. You say they are projectors right? Swap out the H11 for the H9. Boom nice improvement.

H11 is a low beam bulb with a black painted cap intended for Halogen Reflector housings that don't have their own built in cap. Since this is a projector with a cut-off shield, that black painted cap is not needed. In fact most projectors use the high beam equivalent bulbs without that black painted cap.

The H11 and H9 are pretty much physically the same The overall shape and filamant position are identical. There are only three differences.
* Small plastic tab between the bulb's pins that needs to be trimmed to allow them to fit the H11 plug
* H9 doesn't have black painted cap
* H9 is brighter than H11
2000 lumen vs 1250 lumen, that is significant
(For comparison, OEM HID is 3200 lumen)

Please only do this bulb swap on projectors. Otherwise, if you have reflectors you will introduce glare.

dragonrage

The HID capsules I ordered are the Philips 85122+ which are rated at 3400 lumens. That's mighty tempting, still. And, you know, already ordered.

VIP1

Are you are going to fit 85122+ into the stock projectors or are you swapping out the stock projectors?

dragonrage

FX-R projectors, Matsushita ballasts. I did my research at HIDPlanet before I decided on anything. My high beams will be the H9 AND the high beam mode of the HIDs (since they're bi-xenon).

VIP1

Nice. Good choices on projectors/ballasts/bulbs.

Where are you getting the parts? The Retrofit Source has a complete package with shrouds for $370, but you can call them up and swap out the shrouds if you don't want/need them.

dragonrage

That's exactly where I'm getting it. I had them do a custom package deal for me.

GTOSE

iTrader: (1)

Are the Phillips kit's higher quality than the normal brand?

southpaw0314

iTrader: (5)

i have had HID's for a while it doesn't seem to bother anyone because i have never been flashed. im saving up for the new housings just to be safe.

dragonrage

I don't flash people, and most people won't. But I guarantee you that it does bother (some) people. Your argument is like saying "Bob doesn't dislike me because he hasn't punched me in the face."

Black C5 Z06

You sound like a person that is on a soapbox just because you think your way is right and you have projectors, so everyone else should.

I've had HIDs in my Z06 since the first day I bought it, and I've never bothered ANYONE. And I also had a C6 before this and they have factory projector HIDs and my Z06 puts more light on the road and I have a 35 watt 6000K setup.

The stock, "correctly" aimed lights in modern day 4x4s blind the hell out of me (not jacked up, not aimed improperly, low beams) and I have had people drive by me in my car just to make sure it's not blinding. It's absolutely no different than any other car with OEM HIDs.

So please, get off your high horse and let people do what they want. There are much worse things you can do, like the off-roading retards running around town with 6 spotlights, 4 foglights, and improperly aimed headlights.

dragonrage

All of those people are in the wrong and they should all get tickets. If your HID kit is lighting better than OEM HIDs, or even anywhere near it, then there was something wrong with the OEM HID setup. The lamps lose a lot of light over time so maybe they were just old and not working as well as they should.

How do you know that you've never bothered anyone? How many people will actually do anything to you about it? I mean, occasionally I let people know that they're number ..1., for it but most likely they almost never see it since it's at night anyway. I don't flash people, and most people won't.

You're right about truck lighting and off-road lighting. Even people who run their fog lights when there's no fog are d-bags, though not as bad as HID kit d-bags. Unless they are both.

I sound like I'm on a soapbox because I think I'm right? Well, I don't know about the soapbox bit but I AM right. I see these kits around all the time and they're almost always blinding, especially when morons put in the really high color temperature lamps.

Why not look at the people who are telling you it's wrong and the people who agree with you? All the electronics gurus on this board are telling you that it's wrong and all the newbies are defending it.

WhiteBird00

iTrader: (4)

dragonrage, I agree with you except about the use of fog lights. Certainly fog lights are not intended for full time use but the ones on f-bodies are just decoration. They only produce 27 watts (which is basically the same as our brake lights and DRLs at 26.88 watts) so they really can't be considered blinding (or even bright). In fact, the 880 and 881 bulbs are cataloged as "Auto, toy fog".

But even people with real fog lights shouldn't bother you because they are mounted low to the ground and have a wide light pattern that is cut off at the top to keep reflections to a minimum. I think what you might find annoying are lights such as the new Mustangs have in the grille - they're actually driving lights rather than fogs and they are mounted high enough to be annoying to other drivers when used improperly.

dragonrage

Some do bother me and some do not. You're supposed to use them for fog either way. I'm not singling out F-bodies at all here.

offroadfury6

iTrader: (8)

my dad has a 09 G8 GT with factory HID's. custom dealership sunroof. I noticed the HIDS last night when he crunk it up and I watched the trees get brighter and brighters

WhiteBird00

iTrader: (4)

Not according to Pontiac... the G8 in 2009 came with halogen headlights (H11 low beams and H9 high beams). HID lights were not available on the G8 as a factory option although there were plenty of aftermarket kits around.

Is crunk supposed to be the past tense of crank? I hope that was just a typo because there is no such word.

offroadfury6

iTrader: (8)

All I know is when he was buying the car, he wanted them to do more price drop. and the dealer said, I can't go any lower but we will install HID's.

They are DEFENTLY HID's no doubt about it, what kind? no idea. they look like 6000k though

and excuse my country ignorance vocabulary.