Team-BHP - Auto Lighting thread : Post all queries about automobile lighting here

My Punto is reaching the 10k mark and by this month end when she completes 6 months, 10k will be reached easily.

I'm planning many modifications during the next service at 15k kms

I like the white lights on cars (especially the ones on Audis and Skodas)
I wish to put something looking similar to those on my vehicle.
HID kits will be expensive and might void the warranty.
So I want to go for the new lamps which emit white light but can be fitted with just the present setup.

I was browsing through Philips website and shortlisted two White-light lamps.
Diamond Vision 12342DV 5000K
Crystal Vision 12342CV 4300K
Its mentioned in the website that DV is ideal for city driving and CV for all purpose driving.

Now my queries are:
1. Do these 2 light up better than the Philips Xtreme power Yellow light-Is it worthless if I buy white lamp?
2. Are these lamps street legal in India?
3. How is 4300K suitable for all purpose driving when 5000K is for city? (I assumne 5000K is brighter)
4. Where in Bangalore can I source these-any trustworthy place?
5. What might be the cost?
6. Is the life of white lamp any different from that of the yellow ones?

Quote:

Originally Posted by hemanth.anand (Post 2279111)

Please note that these lights wont have the same white light output like you see in HID's. It will have a tinge of white light. But it's a cheap alternative when compared to HID's.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hemanth.anand (Post 2280101)

@naveen.raju,
agree: with you. If not for warranty I would've certainly gone for the HIDs.
That's why I'm thinking of something similar to the HIDs if not same.
Now the 2 most important points for me are the brightness and the legality.

You can use bulbs of the same wattage. This wont create any issues but there will be only a slight difference in the output. You wont notice much but better than stock headlights.
HID's wont void warranty since these are plug n play kits. If you tamper with the existing wires, this will void the warranty. But HID's will come at a price. That's the major drawback but it's worth every penny you shell.

Summary of my search for HID':

1. HID's are BEST used with projectors.
2. Start-up time. Especially when you want to flash (to the on-coming driver or during overtaking).
3. Motorized Bi-Xenon: motor can be the weak link.
4. Expensive to replace when you lose even one beam (high or low). Since you have to replace the full bulb.
5. Most convinient, if you still want to go for HID/Xenon: one pair of Xenon's, and one pair of Halogen's (I prefer High-beam).
6. Warranty is suspect. If it does conk out, it will take some effort to get the warranty replacement.

After doing my reading, I have decided not to go for HID's or Xenon's. I'll be going for aux lighting, since I feel the need more on the highway than in city.

But if any one wants to go for HID's, then I suggest you go for full kit's. Where you can swap the entire head-lamp unit.

Quote:

Originally Posted by condor (Post 2280196)

Here's what I learned:

Very true, HID on conventional reflector HLs are purely illegal due to its inability to control the glares. All HID conversion kits available as retrofit without HID specific projectors or reflectors are illegal and waste of money as it wont give you anything near the stock bulb beam spread. And more than that you literally blinding the on coming traffic which can cause accidents too.

But the fact is everyone is so fascinated with its immense intensity which is scattering everywhere though.

HID will take a min of 5-15 secs warm up time in all brands and it cant be eliminated due to its working principle. But the current models have reduced the cold start warm up time significantly. This is the reason behind every manufacturers are opting HID for low beam only and halogen will take place in high beam for flashing.

Bi-Xenon HID capsule is having only one HID tube which acts as low and high with the help of a solenoid. If the HID tube conks off you will loose both the beams.

These are not motor driven, its actuated by an electro magnet which pulls back when the high beam is activated. There by changing the bulb position and coming out of the shield which covers the lower portion of the capsule. Initial days manufacturers used to address the solenoid action as motorised.

There are chances for shaking of HID tube once the solenoid is activated in cheap quality brands due to poor quality materials used.

Being its a good performer, you need to pay a premium for it and I would say its a universal rule of thumb.

HID capsules are available with almost all bulb bases, so it can be plonked to any of the available aux lamps too.

Warranty, hmm... Its like a lottery:), nothing more to say even its belong to branded or not as the dealer support is too thin as per my observation.

Last month, I got a pair of Philips Extreme Vision (H4 60/55) from my brother who was coming from UK. He got it for 30 GBP. Got fitted in my old Corsa. Believe me, the bulbs are great. The brightness while looking at the headlight is like " I havn't seen this type since long". The beam throw for low as well as high is very good.

Only thing is that you need to re adjust your lights after fitting the new bulbs. Great bulbs in standard fitments.

Suggestions to many who are looking for cheap HIDs after market fitments etc. Get these bulbs (Some UK company is shipping all across the world for free) and replace the old one and forget your worries. Night driving is a different experience now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by praful (Post 2281531)

@HID Gurus: Which brand of HID do you recommend for me? Considering I need the lighting to be as close as halogen colors.

Or do you suggest a 4300K Lo and a 3000K Hi beam? <just a weird idea>

You can check out Philips, Osram, Auto Gauge and P8.
3000k will be yellow color - Fog lights
4300k will be yellow color with a tinge of white light - Best visibility range
6000k will be white light (pure white)

The best would be 4300k HID's

See the video below.
That's my ride with projectors running on Auto Gauge 4300k HID's.

YouTube - Swift Projector Light

Quote:

Originally Posted by naveen.raju (Post 2281567)

That's my ride with projectors running on Auto Gauge 4300k HID's.

Did you pick up Auto Gauge in Cochin? Can you share the price here?

This is it, right?

Quote:

Originally Posted by condor (Post 2281710)

4300k - standard /regular lights. 3000k is for fog lamps only. Do not use 3000k in Hi beam. It will not help in the lighting, and it will definitely blind on-coming drivers.

Pls stick to 4300k, or 5000k. Max 6000k

The high beam on my bike is a reflector setup, but the light does not spread, it just forms a beam of light instead so thought maybe 3000K might work.

Problem is quite a few of 4300K stuff actually looks like 6000K.

Quote:

Originally Posted by praful (Post 2281923)

The high beam on my bike is a reflector setup, but the light does not spread, it just forms a beam of light instead so thought maybe 3000K might work.

The type of light output (spread / beam) does not depend on light temperature. The color of the light is measured as it's temperature. A yellowish light has lower temp (3000k, typicall). And as the light starts to become less yellow, then whitish, then bluish, and more bluish, the temp increases.

The projector is used to concentrate the light into a proper beam with sufficient spread. When you dont use the projector, it will spread. And logically, a beam with less spread is better for lighting the road ahead.

Quote:

Originally Posted by praful (Post 2281923)

Did you pick up Auto Gauge in Cochin? Can you share the price here?

This is it, right?

Yes, this is right and got it from Cochin. I got it for 7.5k 1 year back and now guess it's around 9k.

4300k kind of look like 6000k HID's. My HID's appear pure white during startup but tends to change the color after a min. This is due to the warming of the bulbs. This can be seen in the video.

Most of today's cars have 4300k-6000k HID's are OEM fitment, although 6000k is mostly used as it looks cool.

Projectors are basically used to project the light source to a greater distance. Without projectors, the light beam would spread. Also, without projectors most of the light is wasted while in projectors it is evenly spread and visibility is improved.