Hella FF200 "Xenon"

Dark Laser

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Hi,

does anyone have experience with this lights? I already have/had the FF200 Halogen (Ref 37,5), but unfortunately I need new lights due to an accident.
The HID version looks promising, though I thought about going with the Ref 12,5 Halogen this time, which might be a bit better for my needs (just a tad wider beam, especially in the range < 100 meters).
But... the throw of the 37,5s was sooo nice and I'm afraid I'd miss them. Always felt pity when it came to maximum range illumination for, well just about everyone else's car, Halogen, HID lights or whatever :crackup:
Though my low beams aren't the best, either (H4 :sick:).
So I thought that the FF200 Xenon could give what I want: similar throw, plus more lumens this time. Maybe the 12,5s with 100 W bulbs might do as well, but due to legal concerns I'd rather not go that way xD

Greetings from Germany
 

-Virgil-

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Ref 12.5 = 37,500 candela maximum beam intensity with standard 55w bulb at 12.0 volts (~52,000 candela at 13.2 volts)
Ref 37.5 = 112,500 candela maximum beam intensity with standard 55w bulb at 12.0 volts (~155,500 candela at 13.2 volts)

FF200 Xenon has Ref 37.5, so 112,500 candela maximum beam intensity (no matter of voltage, because the ballast output doesn't change with different input voltage). But the Xenon lamp will give a much wider beam than the Ref 37.5 halogen lamp.

Still, this is 2021. Xenon is old news: expensive, bulky, relatively unreliable technology. You might do better to look at LED options instead.
 

Dark Laser

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Thank you for clarifying. I did not know that the Ref number was obtained with 12 V - my lights even saw nearly maximum voltage, so the difference between them and the main high beams was kind of (very) noticeable.

I could get the Xenons for 300 €, haven't heard about unreliability yet but understand that they are not the simplest. I am rather sceptical when it comes to LED headlights at the moment because... I do not want "super x % whiter light" (you know, often those LED lights are cool white > 6000 K), because it looks horrible to me and I don't want to blind myself when driving on snow. Color rendering aside ^^
Don't get me wrong, I like LEDs. I recently built a handheld light that easily destroys every vehicle's legally allowed headlights in output, today and I'm rather sure still in a hundred years because the build was severe overkill :D
But with auxiliary lights, I don't know whats in the box whereas in custom lights, I can choose a nice 3500-4000 K white with 80 CRI+, differing just unnoticeably from the perfect white Planckian locus.
 

-Virgil-

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I could get the Xenons for 300 €

Excellent price! I would say go for it.

haven't heard about unreliability

I should clarify; I didn't mean the lights are unreliable, just that the HID technology is less dependable than halogen or LED because there are more components to fail (notably the ballast).
 

Dark Laser

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Thank you. It's still a lot of money, so I need to think over but hearing that it is an excellent deal helps :D

Ah, well you've got a point there. Even though I think Hella delivers quality products, I was always a bit sceptical towards HIDs, too. If LED lights weren't so expensive and could be more configurable when it comes to colour temperature... :sigh:
 

Sadden

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Led driving lights dont make enough heat too melt snow. The HID def will. If thats a consideration.

HID will also take a moment too warm up so if they arent going too be on for a longer period of time they might not be the best option.
 

Dark Laser

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Snow is definitely an issue, sometimes.

Is there a guideline for "minimum on time" when using HIDs?

I saw a YouTube video of someone testing the FF200s, and they seem to start nearly instantly. Of course, I understand that fast starts and frequent on/off cycles aren't the best you can do to a HID light. Halogen wins here, and LED even more :D
 

Sadden

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If its a slow drifting snow you can use them too help see the road as the edges start too blend into the ditches.

Sometimes they help. Sometimes they dont and yoy are better off sticking too the lowbeams. Road conditions and visibility are not black and white.
 
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