HID headlights legality

My car uses H13 bulbs and I want to go HID. I see dual ballastkits available for high/low.

I assume they use the same arc tube and run it at a higher wattage for hiugh beams, anyone seen this and know if it changes the color temp?
Also can someone link me to a quality kit? Thanks!

Hi FredM,

I don't like to dissapoint you, but in most countries its illegal to swap halogen for HID in a halogen-fixture ! And there is a good reason:

The reflector or lens-setup of the car-lights needs to be designed for HID, most important for low-beam ! The surface brightness of HID is about 4-5 times higher compared to halogen, that also means 4-5 times lightspill in directions where light is not wanted. You are definitely going to blind people, and I don't think that is what you want!

Beleve me, I've tried it myself: I have seperate fixtures for low and high-beam. About a year ago, I put HID into the low beam: WOW,, a sea of light was the result ! BUT, the reactions around me were not quite positive: Fellow drivers blinking their headlights, pedestrians looking away and pointing I should switch off my high beams !! So the joy didn't last long!

Instead I put the HID bulbs in my high-beams, a much better way to enjoy the power of HID, because I only use them when no people or drivers are around..

So.. My advice: DON'T !! At least not in low-beams..:duck:



Regards,

Ra.

For 100% legal standings, _ANY_ modification you do to your car after it has left the dealership is considered illegal. Its also illegal to walk ducks in the middle of New York City after 6 pm on Saturdays, but I don't think anyone is going to get arrested for it.

There are laws on the books that don't make any sense, the question should be: "if I upgrade to HID will I be pulled over by the first cop that sees my new headlights?" The answer so far has been 'no'. I have never heard of anyone with a 3000k-8000k colored headlight/foglight getting pulled over for it.

If you are driving a 16000k purple headlight you "asking" for attention and you will probably get it. Again I doubt you will be pulled over for that specifically but if you do, it may add to the fine.

I have had HID headlights/foglights (6000k) on my car for about 2 years, no problems. I know at least 2 cops that have upgraded their own cars and bikes with HID 8000k.

Hope that helps.

The choice is yours, FredM...


Regards,

Ra.

FredM,

All the Bi-Xenon kits I have seen have only a single arc and achieve the high / low by moving the position of that arc within the headlight housing.

The method that most manufacturers seem to be going for now is the whole lamp capsule is attached to a solenoid , which when activated (ie main beams on) pulls the entire lamp capsule further into the reflector to a position, roughly where the filament for your high beam would be in a standard lamp - for a high beam effect.

The operation of the arc remains constant and does not change throughout the transition from High to low.

These Bi-Xenons are a compromise and will never place the arc in the absolute correct place for your reflectors (because they are made to be retro-fitted into all headlamps rather than specifically for your cars headlights), so your beam profile will not be so accurate. As Ra states you will get a significant amount of light scatter which may bother other road users - depending on how far out the arc's position is from that of your stock lamps.

In the UK HID headlights have to be self levelling and have an auto wash feature to minimise the possibility of dazzle and light scatter.

Tim.

I can legally install HID headlights in my BMW, but only if I install the complete (and enormously expensive) OEM system, including self-leveling headlight mountings. Parts alone run about $3000-$5000!

They are also a high-risk theft item. The bad guys know how to take them without even opening the hood and setting off the alarm. No thanks.

I was always a fan of HID.

FredM, you have been given some good advice here. There are modders out there that will fit HID projectors in your headlamp fixtures and do a very nice job at it. You can buy the projectors, bulbs, and ballasts on Ebay. And you can also do this yourself...it is not easy. And yes it is illegal. But, you can aim your low beams for a standard drop of 2.1" for every 25ft and with projectors your lights will not be bothersome. If you want to pursue this matter, this is the wrong forum, I suggest you go here

http://faqlight.carpassion.info/

hope this helps.

Just to clarify to make it work I need to

1. Point the beam down towards the road more.

2. Pull the bulb back in the reflector (which was designed for the orig bulb) to reduce flood.

Is this correct?

I'm a huge fan of HIDs. But both the cars I drive had them installed by the factory, so...

LED61 is right! If you have a halogen headlamp, please don't get the aftermarket ones without modifying your headlight! I highly suggest retrofitting some projectors to keep it looking OEM, and to maintain that nice cutoff line.

Actually a lot of the new versions of HID conversion kits, mostly made in China, have a shield or cover in the bulb assembly thereby having a similar beam cut-off to the original halogen lights. I have tried both versions and the newer ones do not glare anymore oncoming vehicles.

Some units provide a high beam by sliding the bulb assembly back and forth via a solenoid. High beam pattern not too useful and scattered as expected. Others include a small halogen bulb beside the HID bulb to provide the high beam.

Aim the lights properly and the increase in light output really relieves the strain of night driving.

Cheers.

FredM said:

Just to clarify to make it work I need to

1. Point the beam down towards the road more.

2. Pull the bulb back in the reflector (which was designed for the orig bulb) to reduce flood.

Is this correct?

Click to expand...

No this is not correct. Just getting the arc in the correct position will not eliminate glare.

Exactly XeRay,

That's what I tried to say earlier, but some just won't listen !!! :tsk:

HID has about four times the surface brightness of halogen: ANY GLARE COMMING FROM THE SIDE OF THE LIGHTS WILL SEEM AT LEAST FOUR TIMES BIGGER !! Why ?? Due to the fact that the HID has a more blueish colortemperature, the glare will be even more annoying to others, because at night your eyes are more sensitive to blue!

And don't walk around your car saying "Ohh, the glare is acceptable..." As a HID-lover, you are not objective about this: What you think is acceptable, can be annoying to others !! :duck:

WAKE UP GUYZZZ !!:

YOU NEED A FIXTURE DESIGNED FOR HID !!!


Regards,

Ra.

Dear LED61,
How are you ? I am a new comer here I must learn from all of you
What LED products are you dealing with ?

Best
Carl.

carllivesfordream said:

Dear LED61,
How are you ? I am a new comer here I must learn from all of you
What LED products are you dealing with ?

Best
Carl.

Click to expand...

Hello carllivesfordream, I really don't "deal" with LED's, it's just my username. I have thought about changing it more to represent my real name, I might do it one of these days.

Regarding modding, HID projectors are different from halogen projectors in that they are toned down in places, and use the extra lumens from HID capsules to project light more to the sides and yes also brighter and evenly about. Part of an HID fixture as Ra put it is these projectors. Rarely will you see an OEM, though there are, on HID reflector fixture and I have found these to be most anoying even if OEM. HID retrofits on reflector fixtures are out of the question, and these kits out there like the H4's sometimes use that moving the capsule forward and back with a solenoid. Autolamps-online in England, one of the very best manufacturers of kits out there using genuine Philips ballasts and bulbs, used this system back a while. It was dropped because it was found that the movement of the capsule shortened bulb life dramatically.

So, you need HID projectors fitted properly in the fixture. Leave the projectors too far back or allow stray light to hit the reflectors and you'll put out unbelievable glare.

All this and you're still illegal in the United States.

If your car is from a jap manufacturer like mine is there are probably OEM HID housings available from cars in the JDM market. I ordered a set of genuine factory Subaru OEM HID housings, bulbs, and ballasts. Unlike the US housings which are reflectors for halogens these are projectors. they are awesome.

Shane

Coming from the automotive profession, the best suggestions that I can provide are:


1.) Check your state and local regulations. Know what they do and do not permit. Please keep in mind that what is legal in your area may not be legal in another (If traveling on vacation for example)

2.) If your state has an inspection requirement, be sure to verify that any modifications will permit the vehicle to pass that inspection. Yes, I know you can always find someone who might slap a sticker on an otherwise technically illegal vehicle, but that is NOT the smart thing to do (See item 4).

3.) Do it right. Do it smart. If it cannot be done properly and safety or if you cannot affort to do it properly or safely then leave it alone (See item 4). Also be sure to verify that your vehicle can handle the modifications and that you have the technical ability to do them. Many of todays newer vehicles have many microprocessors, and in many vehicles they "talk" to one another. Some have microprocessors that control exterior lighting. Making a mistake during a modifiation could lead to some very interesting, and perhaps expensive, complications.

4.) All three of the above suggestions are intended to keep you and others on the road safe. From the perspective of other drivers, that means that your modifications do not create an undesirable and perhaps dangerous side effect that could cause property damage or a physical injury to someone else. From your perspective, all three of the above suggestions help to keep you physically safe and reduce if not eliminate the possibility of you being charged criminally or face civil action if, for example, your modifications cause an accident by blinding another driver.

With over 26 years of experience in the automotive profession, I can tell you that I have seen some very nicely done, safe, and legal (in our area) modifications of all types to various vehicles. I have also seen some incredibly stupid and foolish ventures that were outright unsafe and could have led to some serious problems. Since I do not know your level of technical ability I am in no position to make a recommendation beyond being both smart and safe.

Timson said:

FredM,

All the Bi-Xenon kits I have seen have only a single arc and achieve the high / low by moving the position of that arc within the headlight housing.

The method that most manufacturers seem to be going for now is the whole lamp capsule is attached to a solenoid , which when activated (ie main beams on) pulls the entire lamp capsule further into the reflector to a position, roughly where the filament for your high beam would be in a standard lamp - for a high beam effect.

Click to expand...

Cool. I read some journal articles where they were using solenoids to produce a tailored magnetic field to move the arc itself in order to create a high/low beam function. No moving parts. But I think the bulbs were special DC bulbs, not the AC bulbs you normally see. AC would make things a bit more difficult...