Help with projectors?

[Buck91]

So I picked up some APC projector headlamps recently, mostly because they have nice glass windows as opposed to the lexan/plastic that loves to yellow out. Anyways, I figured they should be some type of improvement as far as lighting goes, as you sure can't get any worse than the stockers! The high beams are fantastic, which says a lot about the housings as well as the bulbs (one of the supplied bulbs yellowed out instantly so I went out and purchased a pair of german manufactured, napa branded 9005 bulbs made by Wagner). They do seem to be a little high compared to the projector lows, but maybe I'm aiming them wrong?

THe real problem is the low beams. They are extremely dim, almost like they are shinning through a piece of paper. Is this characteristic of these APC lights (pn 403515HL) or is something going on? I should have took a voltage reading while I was out there earlier, but I'm going to try to get this resolved either Friday evening or Sunday. Do you think the original made-in-whereever bulbs (haven't replaced the 9006 units) could be the culprit? Will 9006 bulbs work well with projectors or what I be better off swapping to a 9005 for the extra output? These are really dim and I see no reason why a light with is marked as an MSRP of $399 all over the net should function like this...

 

[Diesel_Bomber]

APC projector headlamps

I'm afraid this is your problem, and I very much hope you didn't spend $399 on them. You may have wiring issues as well, but APC sells NOTHING of any quality whatsoever.

I find it ironic that they're called the American Products Company, yet they cater to ricers.

If you have any fabrication skills at all and some tools, it's not hard to buy Hella projectors for ~$60 each and mount them in your headlight area.

:buddies:

 

[-Virgil-]

So I picked up some APC projector headlamps recently, mostly because they have nice glass windows as opposed to the lexan/plastic that loves to yellow out. Anyways, I figured they should be some type of improvement

APC ("American" Products Company) sells Chinese toys. They have headlite-shaped toys, toys shaped like tail lites...they're really cute, they even have pretend "DOT" and "SAE" marks on them! OK, done being sarcastic. Fact is, APC's "lights" are junk. The whole line. They know it, but they don't care 'cause there's an endless market for dumb junk that doesn't work for poo but looks cool. APC got fined $650K by US DOT a few years ago for selling dangerous lights...they wrote a check, laughed, and kept right on selling.

The high beams are fantastic, which says a lot about the housings

High beams are very easy to make. Low beams are hard. Lamps that work properly in every respect, and that last, and hold an aim adjustment, and have the low and high beam aimed correctly relative to each other, and don't let in water and dirt...well, that's harder.

They do seem to be a little high compared to the projector lows, but maybe I'm aiming them wrong?

Yup. They need to be aimed into the trash can so that's where they'll land when you throw them there and put real headlights back on your car.

I see no reason why a light with is marked as an MSRP of $399 all over the net should function like this...

This is an excellent illustration of marketing psychology at work: "But...I paid four hundred bucks, they've got to be good!" Not trying to slam you; advertising and strategic pricing like this works great, which is why companies like APC do it. If it didn't rake in the cashola, they'd stop doing it. Their projector headlite conversions cost them about $11 apiece to make...landed at their U.S. warehouse!

 

[Buck91]

Wow, so this is the third time I'm going to try to edit this, lets see if it works....

Anyways, super short version: Lamps overall have a decent feel and solid construction. Could be lousey projectors, could be lousey bulbs or could be lousey wiring. Hoping for the later going to check voltages in a little bit, then I might try swapping the 9006's into the projectors and see what that does. Gonna play around and hopefully get them working...


Oh, and regarding the price... Trust me, I paid nowhere near $400

 

[Buck91]

Hmmm 13.56vdc to the HB3 bulbs, so they should be nice and bright... Starting to think the lowbeam projectors have to be the weak link. Thats too bad since I've always been a fan of the 9005/9006 lights as two of the best headlighted vehicles I've had ran them (94 Crown Vic and 97 GMC Safari).

I can see some smudges and such on the projectors when I shine a light in there, maybe if I can take them apart, clean and reseal that would make a considerable improvement?

 

[-Virgil-]

No matter what you do...
...no matter how much you do it...

...they will still be useless trash.

 

[Diesel_Bomber]

Afraid you're wasting your time. There's the adage about polishing a certain kind of detritus....

 

[Buck91]

Screw it... After tonight's driving I'm so sick of these its just not worth it. Still think they could be saved but just P F'n O'd at them.

Guess this damned car is just not meant to have decent forward lighting since no other option of I know really is that great...

 

[65535]

What car do you drive, I'm certain there is an honest company out there, or just simply OEM replacements that are just fine.

 

[Buck91]

96 Mustang... I've been doing (rather modest) research over the past 6 months or so and it seems the only options are to live with lousey lights or swap to cobra lamps (which are clear) and run an HID kit. So I think I'm just going to live with it...

 

[-Virgil-]

You can actually get a fair amount more performance out of stock or Cobra lamps in good condition...see this thread.

 

[Buck91]

Yeah I remember that thread. I've heard of people having decent results throwing HID kits into cobra lamps as well- although I'd be slightly hesitant.

 

[-Virgil-]

No, you've heard of people who don't know what they're doing, looking at, or talking about bragging about their HIDs. You're right to be hesitant; "HID kits" in halogen-bulb headlamps (any kit, any headlamp, any vehicle) do not work safely or effectively, which is why they are illegal. See here.

 

[Buck91]

Regardless, the end result is that There really isnt jack squat (other than a custom fabbed set up) that seems to be available... Maybe if I can flip these projectors I'll try some cobra lamps... Maybe I'll just live with it...

 

[Diesel_Bomber]

How mechanically inclined are you?

Go to this page. All the Hella modules are shown with measurements and mounting templates. You can use threaded rod through the mounting points(you only need to mount on three corners), with nuts and lockwashers placed as necessary. Extend the threaded rod back to the radiator support or some other solid support. Aiming is done by adjusting where the nuts hold the headlight on the threaded rod. May look kinda funky, but will work, and if you do it right you can re-install whatever original lights you had when you go to sell it. Put the Hella projectors on your next vehicle.

Use the biggest projector you can, and don't forget to measure for depth, too.

Edit: Googling seems to show that your turn signals and side markers are integrated with your headlights. Hella offers turn signal modules too, and side markers, but this will make the project that much more involved if you should choose to proceed this direction. Good luck with whatever you choose.

 

[sharonk868]

Thanks you for the post.
Hi guys, Im a newbie. Nice to join this forum.

 

[bobski]

Go to this page. All the Hella modules are shown with measurements and mounting templates.

It's not really necessarily to fabricate a whole new headlamp module. I bought a pair of APC-style (they weren't actually marked as APC, but the construction is identical) projector units for my CRX (about $90 shipped for the pair), knowing that the output was probably crap. Just like Buck91, I bought them for the clear glass lenses. Sure enough, when I got them, the projector output was full of stripes radiating from the center of the beam and was aimed higher than the high beam with no means of adjustment.
Getting to the point, you can still use the APC outer lenses and housings, but install quality projector units (such as the Hella units) in place of the crap optics APC uses. If the APC high beams really are passably useful, just construct an adjustment mechanism between the replacement projector unit and the APC housing so you can line things up.