Anyone tried replacing the main headlamp bulb with HID?

Specifically wondering about something like this: http://www.ddmtuning.com/Products/DDM-3 ... le-HID-Kit

They claim Hi/Lo H4 retrofit capability, so it sounds like a good fit...

The main reason I'm interested in it is for more power savings - already saving a decent amount with LED turn signals and tail lights, but it looks like I could save another amp or so with HID and get a brighter headlight in the process. I'm just wondering what the down side is (besides the question of reliability of an inexpensive ballast system).

Thanks,
Paul

 

Why are you concerned about saving power? I have stock lights, run a heated vest when it's cold and have never had a power problem.

 

Fuel pump, IAC, HEGO, and injectors draw more power than just carburetors. Things are fine as they are, but I still wouldn't mind a bit more power savings.

 

I did some research into this awhile back because I saw a kit to suit going for cheap on ebay... I can't find the link but it turns out the way the globe illuminates is based on the lens shape of the your headlight so...

The HID lamps have a suitable lens for HID and the normal lamps have there own specific lens and if you put a HID globe behind a lens that isn't made specifically for it you end up with flare and basically you blind everyone else on the road as it looks like you have high beam on all the time.

I've seen a few wankers, at night, driving with high beam on all the time... I'm thinking they did HID conversions by just changing the bulb.

I'm pretty sure there was a write up on the forum but I can't seem to track it down but here is a link to a video.
Xenon Test

If you read through the FAQs you get a bit of a heads up too, check this FAQ from another firm selling them,
XenonOz and look for Are these XENON HID light systems street legal?

Hope it helps.

 

Knew there had to be a down side to it.

Thanks guys.

 

I know I haven't finished my review and I know they are PRICEY, but you can get 7" LED DOT headlights from Truck-Lite.

I'm loving mine so far. (First night ride home from work tonight on farm/country roads). Though it needs to be aimed better, it definitely lights up the road and the reflectors/signs really good.

 

Very cool, but wrong shape for my Seca. Think I'll have to wait a bit longer, but at least the technology is getting there... just in time for the EU's ban on halogen bulbs too.

 

Sorry to bring up an old thread. But I had great experience with upgrading car headlights to E-codes and then dropping Hid's in them.

As long as they are aimed properly that is.

DOT headlights are designed to give off glare so other drivers see you and to reflect off of the road signs which are nearly always not lit. When you drop HID's in, not only does it shoot the lighting in a different manner as described above, but you also increase the light output by 3 times and the lighting is usually a lot whiter and harder on eyes. That small amount of glare which DOT headlights are desiged for increased by 3 times becomes too much for other drivers to handle.

E-codes are meant to have minimal to no glare. Some say because they are more considerate and strict about safety, others say their road signs are usually lit one way or another.... But one huge factor is that the wasted lumens which would be sent off elsewhere in a DOT headlight is now being focused totally onto the road where you want it to be when you use E-codes.

Not only that, European light bulbs (osram, hella, etc) tends to perform better although comes at a slightly higher price. ($25 pair) while using the SAME amount of power as the japanese bulbs. I work on european cars mostly and I had a lot of osram interior bulbs sitting around from doing LED swaps on customer cars. And when I replaced my "neutral" light on the dash with my osram bulb (same size and power and everything, just osram vs stanley), it became so much brighter that I replaced all those bulbs in my dash immediately.

Headlight bulbs are the same.

I have had heated debates over this subject and used DSLR on manual settings to show the differences in beam pattern, intensity of light, and the glare.

Even while using the same bulbs, E-codes were significantly brighter than DOT on my Audi. My girlfriend noticed instantly without me telling her. Glare is also significantly reduced.

The lens design is also very different, causing HID kits to work MUCH better than they do on DOT headlights.

I would never compromise other driver's safety.

E-code headlights with 55w 6000k HID kits installed (H4 bixenons) had less lumens in the "glare" aspect than a DOT headlight with regular osram H4 halogen bulbs.

I was shocked. I bought the headlights just to try as they were dirt cheap, expecting to have to cut them up and fabricate some projectors into the housing and modify the lens, but nope I was more than satisfied and not one single time did I get flashed on the road.

Not sure if it's the same with motorcycles but I got some E-codes on the way to find out.

 

So these follow pictures are to replicate the average driver's amount of glare. Each pair are taken with the exact same camera settings (focus, shutter speed, ap, blah blah)

I used a wooden stick i had that was at the perfect height to imitate the location of where a average driver's eyes would be. Obviously raised trucks and slammed civics are gonna be an exception.

Same bulbs - Showing the beam patterns and glare on the wall.
DOT (trust me, that is NOT the high beam. I tripple checked. The highbeam lights up the entire wall rather than a hot spot)

E-code



Side glare
Obviously a DOT

Heres an E-code



Looking at it from driver's angle

Dot


And E-code! See the difference?




Now e-code with HID installed.
--> THESE ARE *55 WATTS*!!!! 6000k H4's<---
Most hid kits are only 35watts. I got them because I do offroading/rallying with my audi in the forrests at night. Kinda nice to have brighter lights so I don't hit a deer in the middle of buttf**k nowhere....
So with 35W hid kit's you'd have even less glare!

Notice how you STill can't see my license plate on the wall




In conclusion, I believe that the amount of glare from a properly setup E-code headlight with 35W Hid's installed is lower than that of an OEM DOT headlight setup, making it safer. While also allowing you to not only have MUCH more lumens on the road, but also having a MUCH BETTER beam pattern (puts the light at the right places) as well as being able to aim the headlight slightly higher due to the cleaner cutoff line, allowing you to shoot the light farther while the headlight also shoots enough light down at whats close up as well.

This has been GREAT for a car setup, a good 50000 times better. I'd do it to any car I own even if it costs hundreds. (I drive a lot at night and rain)


I agree cars are different from motorcycles.

The E-code i'm ordering are for motorcycles and maybe they will be different.


E-codes ARE LEGAL where I live in Canada, And from what I've heard, also legal across USA on MOTORCYCLES and TRUCKS. And even if they are not legal, a cop would never know they are e-codes unless he looks closely enough at the glass to find the E marking rather than the DOT marking. Trust me, no one checks for that.

 

Fix'd

 

The problem I find with any vehicle i've seen with these, is that "cutoff line" bobs while you drive.

Cars coming over a hill blind the living bajesus out of you untill they get past level. Hell, even just driving on flat road, it looks like you're getting hi beams flashed at you.

It's quite dangerous, i'm not sure how new cars today are DOT legal with the systems they use.

Jeeps, and Seabrings, are the biggest offenders.

 

I personally feel that being "DOT legal" IS the ACTUAL PROBLEM!

DOT specifications allow a much much higher percentage of glare than e-codes.

get a nice set of e-code projectors or even reflectors and you will see clearly without ever blinding other drivers.

 

Iv heard that hids can scatter light more, giving you less visibility. But i love them in my car. If you want the look of HIDs, try https://www.sylvania.com/en-us/products ... r-zxe.aspx these are really cool and don't require a ballast. If you do buy HIDs dont buy from DDM, i have had good luck with Kensun http://kensun.com/ . Cheap HID kits don't last forever. With kensun, whenever i have had a bulb or ballast fail i just email them and they sent a new bulb immediately.