HID bulbs?

[HSTONKA]

new member here....always trying to find the brightest lights possible without spending 1400 dollars for true HID. Has anyone ever used the HID conversion bulbs in the stock light housings? I found a site http://www.xtralights.com that sells them and just checking before purchasing...

[HSTONKA]

new member here....always trying to find the brightest lights possible without spending 1400 dollars for true HID. Has anyone ever used the HID conversion bulbs in the stock light housings? I found a site http://www.xtralights.com that sells them and just checking before purchasing...

[Dewi2005]

First I have ever seen of this type of HID light. The price does not seem extreme, but without any input from experienced users I would hesitate to purchase even at that price. It also seems that to get both low beam and high beam you need to spend an additional $80.00... that is stupid... who wouldn't want both beams when this is replacing a bulb that has both beams.

[HSTONKA]

it looks legit with the ballast and everything, but like you said, I wanna see them in action before throwing the cash out there......

[Beastmaster]

With HID's being so bright, you really don't need High Beams.

And a retrofit can be done. Despite that this writeup is for an H1, the same methods can apply to the H2.

http://www.azhog.org/headlights/McCu...D_retrofit.htm

I do highly recommend that you swap the headlight enclosure out. The stock headlight enclosure will throw too much glare out there.

In short, your options are:

- The writeup listed above, varied for H2's
- The Sylvania XE7 retrofit (true projectors)
- The Sylvania X6024 conversion (not as good as either of the other two).

The light kits mentioned on the first message are true HID. They use aftermarket kits with add on bases to make them fit H4, H7, etc.

-Steve

[HSTONKA]

I thought that if I did go with these bulbs that I would get the 4300k to get the "most light to the ground" effect...

So you think the stock housings are going to be less effective as a reflector with these HID bulbs....

Im still curious on anybody that has something similar, looks like it would be brighter than halogen bulbs?

[Beastmaster]

Here's an easy way to give you an example of what the stock headlamp reflectors will do.

Aim your truck's headlights against a wall. Be about 10 feet away, 30 feet, and 60 feet away. Take a digital picture using a SLR, with these settings:

1/125 shutter speed
Maximum f-stop.

Ensure that you have as close to pitch black as possible for lighting, to where your headlights are the only source.

Take the pictures, then do a digital enhancement of the photo for light and contrast balance.

The lighting pattern you see will be what you're projecting with a HID retrofit, but 3x as much. So, where ever you see light scatter, that's where light from a reflector retrofit will theoretically be.

If you use an European Code headlamp retrofit, you will end up with a line that goes from lower left (to avoid oncoming traffic) to upper right and lower right (to light up the sidewalk and signs).

If you use the stock DOT headlamp, you'll get some severe scatter upwards about midline from the headlight. This will have a tendency to dazzle people.

Either way - true HID will always be far better than the colored bulbs.

As for color temp - this page has a chart on the bottom that shows the actual output difference between various HID colors, from 4200k to 10,000k. You'll note that 10,000k has just slightly more useable light output than a 3200k halogen. An overwattage bulb (80w) will likely produce more light than a 10k HID.

Here's the page:
http://www.azhog.org/headlights/Hell...visionplus.htm


<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by HSTONKA:
I thought that if I did go with these bulbs that I would get the 4300k to get the "most light to the ground" effect...

So you think the stock housings are going to be less effective as a reflector with these HID bulbs....

Im still curious on anybody that has something similar, looks like it would be brighter than halogen bulbs? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

[kodiakz]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">So you think the stock housings are going to be less effective as a reflector with these HID bulbs </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Absolutely!! I have customers with both and the difference is quite noticable.

[Beastmaster]

Thanks! I've got 3 pages of stuff and I'm still expanding on it. I doubt that this AZHOG article set will really ever be finished.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by PhilD:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Beastmaster:
Here's the page:
[url=http://www.azhog.org/headlights/Hella_ecode_visionplus.htm]http://www.azhog.org/headlights/Hella_ecode_visi </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Nice article! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

[PARAGON]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Beastmaster:
In short, your options are:

- The writeup listed above, varied for H2's
- The Sylvania XE7 retrofit (true projectors)
- The Sylvania X6024 conversion (not as good as either of the other two).
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>There is a new Sylvania light out called the XE7r or something like that. It's has a traditional look to the headlamp than the eyeball looking XE7s.

[Beastmaster]

Agreed. I might be coming across as a purist, but E-Code reflectors that are H4 based are a minimum for a halfway decent HID retrofit.

The Headlight FAQ (faqlight.carpassion.info) has this wonderful guide on bulbs and their success rate based on HID conversions.

http://faqlight.carpassion.info/special-topics.htm

According to this, a 9007 retrofit will be far less successful. It will work, but not as well as an H4 retrofit.

This is why I personally recommend that IF anyone attempts an HID retrofit using any reflector based technology, they use E-Code H4 reflectors and HID bulbs based for H4's.

A good H4 HID retrofit bulb (should come with shielding), combined with an ECE reflector (shielded as well) will prevent stray light from hitting oncoming traffic.


<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by kodiakz:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">So you think the stock housings are going to be less effective as a reflector with these HID bulbs </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Absolutely!! I have customers with both and the difference is quite noticable. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

[Beastmaster]

http://www.xesighting.com/products_detail.asp?nav=NaN&cat=1&prod=93

This link shows probably the best view of an XE7R. I've yet to see one. The Harley guys here in town tend to be the first ones to mod to the XE7's. None of the Harley shops have gotten one in yet.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by PARAGON:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Beastmaster:
In short, your options are:

- The writeup listed above, varied for H2's
- The Sylvania XE7 retrofit (true projectors)
- The Sylvania X6024 conversion (not as good as either of the other two).
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>There is a new Sylvania light out called the XE7r or something like that. It's has a traditional look to the headlamp than the eyeball looking XE7s. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

[HSTONKA]

well I ventured out and decided to do it....ordered the 4300k high/low conversion.....should be here in 5-7 days....

[Dewi2005]

Cool... Please post pictures of the install process etc... Im interested in the final product and all the details. Thanks

[HSTONKA]

will do for sure....

[Sportsdude]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by HSTONKA:
will do for sure.... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Any updates? Thanks

[HSTONKA]

got'em yesterday and installed last night, real simple install and they are much much brighter than the PIAA halogen bulbs I had in there. I got the 4300K for the most useful light to the ground and very pleased.....havent had any mad flashers yet...I'll throw some pics up this weekend...