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

Quote:

Originally Posted by drpullockaran

Only the initial draw on the battery and charging system is more than stock bulb by about 10 to 15 percent and after 2 minutes it settles down to draw the same current as the filament based bulb. IF it draws more than your ordinary bulb after 2 minutes return the HID unit as you have been conned.

The only thing to look out for is that the supply voltage at no time should dip below 9 volts. I just realized you are from Cochin, if I could help you in some way do let me know.

Hi Doc,

Normal 35W HID will sip nearly 5-6A for not more than 1 min at the time of initialisation which depends on brands. My first ballast (2 years back) was taking a whopping 9A which was considered to be normal for a Chinese std ballast at that time.After stabilization it will consume more or less of a 35W halogen bulb. Yes, if the voltage drops below 9V it starts flickering which is not good for the kit. But the initial demand is huge for a puny battery where the charging rates are less than 2A as the Dio's lighting is on AC which we need to by pass this to the charging circuit with a suitably rated RR unit. The stock RR wont allow anything more than 3A against the required charging rate of not less than 4A for the HL alone.

BTW, my bike is already converted to full DC 2years back and running with a meaty 3" HID projector. Check my garage for it. Any ways, thanks for the offer, I hope I can make use of your helping hand for some future upgrades.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Akki_5

Hello experts
Need help again! this time its the Mercedes. its an E280 CDI (W211; the model just before the current/ latest). It has projectors for low beams but not for high beams. i find the lights to be inadequate for highway/ city driving and mostly have to use the high beams, even at times when i shouldn't/ don't want to.
Planning to install aftermarket HIDs kit and bulbs. Finance isn't really a constraint but quality and fitment/ installation is! I need to know:
(1) which is a good quality HID kit recommended for Mercedes E-class?
(2) Which bulbs do i need to get to optimize light throw and intensity? i think temperature should be 4300 coz i don't like the blue ones.
(3) which is a reliable place in Mumbai to get the installation done?
(4) i read that even projectors are different for halogens/ xenons? do u think HIDs are a good idea considering the car has halogens by default?
(5) what is the tentative expense i am looking at?

i know that is a lot of questions but honestly, this will be my first car with HID and that too aftermarket, so want to do my homework well. also, where can i get so many experts in one place?
these questions come from the root that AutoHangar won't fit HIDs for me as aftermarket and even if they do, it will be more like 2-3 Lakhs for the entire thing! and i intend to finish this either on this weekend or max by the next.

thanks in anticipation.
cheers!

You can condider D2S HID Kit from any reputed brands like Osram, Philips etc. for upgrading to HID. Always insist for a CANBUS compliant ballast to match with the ECU.

Any two wheeler with a starter motor and self start facility will be having a battery and associated circuits that can withstand the load put by an HID system. The load by the starter motor for those few seconds is far greater than an HID system could ever put out. The load by the HID is of a longer duration but the battery should be able to take it. The only fly in the ointment is that they require DC to operate(battery is DC) though inside the ballast it is converted to AC. I doubt if run of the mill converter products can supply the 8 to 9 amps required by the ballast for the first minute. Do check the rms ampere capacity of the DC to AC converter. It should be at least 10 amps.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sohail99 (Post 2420883)

I sourced the LEDs from autolumination.com, through a friend!

But I think they take international orders too!

Regarding the blinkers, I too was thinking I'd need a resistor unit, but I've yet to receive the blinker LEDs for my tail as well as head light assemblies. Will update on whether I get increased blinking speeds or not!

:thumbs up

Sohail,

No one else on TBHP seems to be interested :D. But I AM!!

Did you receive and try out the blinkers?

Further, seems the Cruze needs 3157 bulbs which are present both on Autolumination as well as on UK's Autobulbs Direct. Could you kindly post or PM me the exact specs as well as the approx. prices for your particular 1156 bulbs?

Am trying to calculate the more economical landed cost for me between the UK & the US!

Quote:

Originally Posted by sudipta

I am finding a typical challenge. The electrical system is AC for my Honda Dio but the kit works on DC current only. I don't want to change the entire system so I am looking at connecting a seperate switch for the same. Any sugestions from anyone here??

When I connect it directly with the battery it is working but couldnt check it in road condition as of now. Currently my scooter is without headlight.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mayankk

you want a rectifier.
Products
Look a the ac/dc converter mentioned.
You should be able to get from any car market.

In addition to the RR, you need to unground one of the light coils within the stator coil which will be grounded by default. You will not get the full output from the coils until its ungrounded.

Quote:

Originally Posted by drpullockaran

Hi Doc, you have forgotten one thing that these AC lighting bikes are not designed to support even a 35W halogen as the charging rates are too low to compansate the battery drain. Theoritically 35W HID will consume 2.9A but in real terms its taking 3-3.5A. Evenif its 3.5A, as per theory it should give a backup of nearly 2hrs. But considering the load at the time of cold start, starter motor etc. the backup time will be badly affected. You can see on many forums those who have connected the HID to the battery without any mods to their AC lighting bikes are facing battery issues.

Two years back before converting my bike to full DC, I was also in the same assumption that it should support a HID without any mods. My 2004 Pulsar was running with one month old a 9AH Amaron, sporting with a 90/100W halogen with the help of a rewinded stator coil. When I installed the HID, I got a max backup of 20-30 mins. on highway driving. I've put a bridge rectfier on the lighting out to boost the charging rates but to no avail. Everyday I was ending with a flat battery. The stock RR was pumping 3.5A @3K rpm which was found to inadequate. Later I've bypassed the lighting coil to a higher capacity RR and now the charging rates have improved to a decent rate 8A @ 3k and till date am with the same battery with no issues.

BTW, not even a sigle full dc bike is having 10A charging rates. The best among the desi bikes are Y-R15 has got a charging rate of 7A (IIRC) which is having a puny 3.5AH battery to support 2X35W halogens by stock. And there are folks excelling with 55/60W on highways but on city drives they too suffer battery issues.

Got my reversing light leds and some interior ones!!

Reverse light leds are like literally super bright.
Even my cam had difficulty capturing a picture of it. :eek:

I kept them lit for like an hour or so while I was working on my i20(maintenance detail) and the lenses were barely even warm. :D

Stock reversing bulbs used to heat up the lenses so much that you couldnt even touch that part of the lens after 10-15 mins or so!!

---------------------

Also changed all the interior festoon filament bulbs including the one in the boot, to festoon leds!

White interior lighting looks sooo amazing + is much brighter than stock bulbs + no heat production at all!! (+ now the theater dimming effect of the interior lights looks much much better and sharp!)

Some pics

Sajjt,

I have decided not to touch the existing switch or wiring to start with as that is my insurance to go back to the original setup if needed. So I am planning to install a separate switch for the HID and see how is the performance.

So I will get all the connection directly from the battery and for the time being use the same. I have a 1 week old Amaron battery of 5 ah.

So when you say that the light will work only for 20 mins you mean pos that the battery will be dead and no self starting unless I ride it enough to get the battery charged again, right?

Also my kit is fro Mr. Vivek of Delhi who wasn't to helpful to start with when I started asking all the technical questions. He also suggested to connect a direct wire from battery to switch to make the HID work properly which I am skeptical and not following.

I have a plan to do all this today and ride in the evening. I will put up my experience by tomorrow for more suggestion.

Sohail,

Your LEDs are really nice. I just wish we could get them locally to convert all our bulbs in India. I can light up my Scorpio like a Diwali then.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Digital Vampire (Post 2429148)

You are trying to install a contraption of sorts which is neither efficient in throwing useful light on the road nor safe. Your headlight reflectors were designed to work with halogen lamps whereas the HID burners were designed to work with projectors (unless your HID burners are D2R). The light emission pattern of halogen bulbs and HID burners are totally different and hence their reflector/projector design has to be different too.

Simply put, you cannot expect mismatched optics to work wonders. It's ironic that even after this issue was discussed way too many times in this very thread, people still fall for cheap and dangerous HID modifications.

I do not completely agree with u regarding HID being completely useless in normal setup, earlier I had chinese HID in my NHC and their throw was erractic and scattered but last yr I got P8 HID and they have same beam pattern as normal Halogens and do not scatter as such, in low beam they have same cut off line a halogens,I do agree that it cannot be compared with a proper projector setup and I am a sort of person who is very particular about glare to on coming traffic, I will also add that HID in dipper are much much more comfortable then even with a motorcycle running high beams leave alone trucks and busses.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ashish_me2 (Post 2428865)

Hi All,

I have recently got my Honda City fitted with genuine Philips HID kit (6000K bulbs). While the bulbs/light are great, there seems to be some issue with the alignment of the HID bulbs and the Honda City's reflector.

Contrary to what the normal bulbs have, these HID bulbs do not really stop rotating at a specific position in the reflector cavity. I can rotate them full 360 degrees. In the seemingly normal position even the High Beam is focussed at a very close distance from the vehicle (with the height adjustment switch on HIGHEST position). I would like to have the beam almost straight in line in case of high beam.

Has someone else tried doing the same thing and can help me with some tips on how to align the new bulbs inside the reflector?

-Thanks,
Ashish.

Your problem is more related to improper fitment then HID or reflector, HID now a days come with a option of placing your "sealing rubber" for which they open from mid area, which rotates and open. if your HID are placed properly they should not rotate freely or even move, if bulb is placed properly then connector for rubber seal is moving. do a complete check for fitment, there should not be much height difference b/w halogen and HID, there is a option of manual setting behind headlight, In my NHC it needed a 10 inch Phillips screw driver to reach and adjust the screw for height, after which u can fine tune by switch inside the car.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sajjt (Post 2431774)

You are about to change something out of stock condtion which is actually not meant for it. So without moding the electricals, you will end up with battery issues.

If you do so, expect a max backup of 20 mins. So plan your routes accordingly.

In addition to the RR, you need to unground one of the light coils within the stator coil which will be grounded by default. You will not get the full output from the coils until its ungrounded.

Hi Doc, you have forgotten one thing that these AC lighting bikes are not designed to support even a 35W halogen as the charging rates are too low to compansate the battery drain. Theoritically 35W HID will consume 2.9A but in real terms its taking 3-3.5A. Evenif its 3.5A, as per theory it should give a backup of nearly 2hrs. But considering the load at the time of cold start, starter motor etc. the backup time will be badly affected. You can see on many forums those who have connected the HID to the battery without any mods to their AC lighting bikes are facing battery issues.

Two years back before converting my bike to full DC, I was also in the same assumption that it should support a HID without any mods. My 2004 Pulsar was running with one month old a 9AH Amaron, sporting with a 90/100W halogen with the help of a rewinded stator coil. When I installed the HID, I got a max backup of 20-30 mins. on highway driving. I've put a bridge rectfier on the lighting out to boost the charging rates but to no avail. Everyday I was ending with a flat battery. The stock RR was pumping 3.5A @3K rpm which was found to inadequate. Later I've bypassed the lighting coil to a higher capacity RR and now the charging rates have improved to a decent rate 8A @ 3k and till date am with the same battery with no issues.

BTW, not even a sigle full dc bike is having 10A charging rates. The best among the desi bikes are Y-R15 has got a charging rate of 7A (IIRC) which is having a puny 3.5AH battery to support 2X35W halogens by stock. And there are folks excelling with 55/60W on highways but on city drives they too suffer battery issues.

I have been using HID kit on my Zma since 4 years now with the stock 7A batteries,and havent faced any issue related to battery draining out in city riding even.My friend had 2 HID kits in his R15 and they were performing normally,though he had slight issues with the battery.
Also these days i see Activa's and heck even LML Vespa's with HID.
not sure what kind of electric circuit mod they run on.