HIDs

[NiceOne]

Hi does anyone have any experience with retro fitting hids into mk2 roccos, im interested in doing this but i have been told that they work considerably better with projectors, are they actually a necessity, do they improve the light that much.
If they do and i need them does any one know how to go about fitting projectors is it possible?

[Jay4424]

Right... something I know about!!! (or atleast I think i do, someone will be along to tell you other wise soon no dought!).




I have fitted HIDs to my bike, useing twin Bates headlights (these are std round head lights designed for normal H4 incandesant light bulb).

i fitted a HID system that uses a single burner and a solendoid to pull it in and out to give high and low beam.

this system worked very well untill with the amount of miles i do the sliders became worn and I had to shim to keep them inplace (and not touch eath and cut out!).



the light out put was amazing, very clear, jsut like daylight at night, was very very happy!


i had to drop alittle too low for me (as I wanted to see as far in teh distance as poss) because of other road users flashign me when I was on low beam!.



THE PROBLEM:


I fitted them straight into the housings with out converting to Projectors (my next thing on my list!). although the output was great, there is a lot of "wasted" light. ...when traveling along a motorway, i can see that I'm lighting up signs well in the distance, too far for me to read them!, when passing other vehicles i can see that I'm lighting up th inside of their cars when im parrell with them (lots of light lost sidways).


alough it doesn't matter as such I can't help but think theres more to get from them, more difined/directed light output to be had!


wen driving my dads car (modern car with HIDs, projectors, self leveling) the output is greater, very crisp and doesn't light usless things (trees to the immediate left and right of you!)




with projectors you need clear glass, not the glass which diffuses the light thats used with H4 incandesants.






aswell as all that, LEGALLY they MUST me self leveling lights (when the boot is full off gear the lights should drop them selves as to not blind other road users!)

how ever non of the conversions I know about (on older/non ajdustable vehicles) have ever compliede, I've had MOTs with them the only comment being "they're blue" to which i state they are 8K and are still (just) in the legal limit for this country ....8K is NOT legal in some other countries.




anyway, thats my 2 cents

Jay.

[Jay4424]

http://www.2phast.com/500e/hid.htm

(someone elses diy on a merc.)

[Nate]

read this: http://sciroccoregisterforum.co.uk/carf ... hid#p32790

ANY hid bulb/burner fitted in lamp unit designed for a "normal" filament bulb isn't road legal, purely for the reason that they ain't safe. with the wide availability of cheap, poor quality diy retrofit kits now available from the far east, this is something that is now starting to be inforced quite strongly, and rightly so.

if you really want hid lights that badly, the only way is to find something with type approved and marked lights that you can fit to your car. don't forget that you will need to notify your insurer, and many won't cover you for this mod.

[NiceOne]

oh that doesnt look good, i was speaking to my local MOT tester who told me that as long as the beam pattern was correct that was all they were worried about, but obviously he doesnt know about the law because it doesnt apply to what they have to do.

Maybe I will just upgrade the loom instead

[Junglist]

I can help with that if you want a cheaper one than the ebay jobbies.

[Nate]

oh that doesnt look good, i was speaking to my local MOT tester who told me that as long as the beam pattern was correct that was all they were worried about, but obviously he doesnt know about the law because it doesnt apply to what they have to do.

he's right. so long as the beam pattern is ok and the colour of light is more or less right, then it's a pass. still a construction and use offence though.

decent branded bulbs and upgrade the headlight wiring would be the way i'd go

[snathe]

I went into this a while ago...
There are 2 different types of HID bulb... 1 type for projector headlamps, and 1 type for the traditional design of headlamps. Not many people know this, and often fit the wrong type. This seems to be a trend round my way, and is one of my pet hates!
Fitting projector type HID bulbs into traditional lamps causes a HUGE amount of glare and light scatter, and has the same effect as driving around with full beams on. The proper type for these headlamps have a shroud that eliminates the problem of scatter and glare, the same as a halogen H4 bulb has a small metal shroud round the dipped beam element.
Glass lensed lamps that have the beam diffuser moulded into them aren't suitable for HID's. This is because the thicker (by comparison to plastic) lense can act like a prism and split the light, producing glare and scatter. Only the clear plastic lensed lamps should be fitted with HID's.

[Nate]

you can have glass lenses on an HID headlamp, but it needs to be a different lens to a filament bulb one, as the different light sources emit the light in a different 'pattern' to start with, caused by the orientation of the light emitting part

[snathe]

you can have glass lenses on an HID headlamp, but it needs to be a different lens to a filament bulb one, as the different light sources emit the light in a different 'pattern' to start with, caused by the orientation of the light emitting part

Yep, that's why i stated "Glass lensed lamps that have the beam diffuser moulded into them aren't suitable for HID's."

The BMW e30 projectors (with HIDs) in my GT2 have glass lenses, but the glass is suitable due to being flat, thinner and clear where the projector lense is. I was rambling when i wrote the post the other day, and i tend not to make much sense when i ramble on lol

[Nate]

Yep, that's why i stated "Glass lensed lamps that have the beam diffuser moulded into them aren't suitable for HID's."

true, but you also said:

Only the clear plastic lensed lamps should be fitted with HID's.

which is why i pointed it out ;)