What you need to know about HID vs HID kit

[striker_1818]

Originally Posted by Tim

The very thread title is something of an anomaly. HID vs. HID kit? There are cars that come from the factory with HID but without projectors. Does that make them fall under the "HID kit" category?

Philips makes a bulb rated at 6000K.

HID bulbs "shift light everywhere". I'm sorry, but that's a little silly. How is that different from a halogen bulb?

I'm not trying to be mean, but I just don't know what your point is exactly. I don't think that most people who have bought kits from ebay have been discontent with the results or even been misled. Much as it grates me to admit it, plug-and-play kits are viable options for this generation Civic, because the light is *relatively* controlled.

Those cars with factory hid but without projectors have ...what do you call it hmm oh yeah HID reflectors. Example: G35 which uses D2R bulbs(reflector bulbs)

HID bulb shifts light everwhere as in its beam is uncontrolled thus a shield will control it and make the beam sharp. Example: Projectors.
The differece with Halogen bulbs is that the HID bulbs produce more than twice the lumens a halogen produces...these high intensity discharged light output is controlled by the ballast. That's why you don't find ballasts with our halogen bulbs in our cars.

[Tim]

You don't understand, my friend. I have a projector retrofit in my headlights and I still think you're going about this the wrong way.

And I think the term that you're looking for is REFLECTOR. You are describing the classic reflector headlight- all of them. And contrary to what you may think, even modern reflectors are designed to minimize light above the cutoff. Unless they come that way from the factory (and surprise! there are factory-equipped cars with HID that have reflector technology) many reflector headlights just aren't designed to handle the intensity (high INTENSITY discharge) of D2S or D2R bulbs.

So whether your general argument is with reflector technology, HID technology, or with plug-and-play ebay kits remains unclear. You come off as belligerent and condescendingly didactic, and when you combine that with opinions rather than facts (citations, pictures, examples, figures, testimonial, etc), you aren't helping your argument.

[ethlar]

ok guys seriously we are beating a dead horse here

striker, you do have some points but they could be better expressed

to those posting negative rep, why, this is an argument that we are going to be having for the next 5-20 years untill something better comes along. But is the negative rep really necessary

seriously if you want to continue this argument go join hidplanet.com and they will be happy to have you join in their discussion, but this is starting to get out of hand here

we are always going to have people installing pnp kits in their cars (im one of them), and we are always going to have people stating over and over that the projector retrofit or oem reflector setup is better...

WE ALL ALREADY KNOW THIS!!

im just asking you guy to give it a rest already

[striker_1818]

you see...
Halogen reflectors are made for what? Halogen. Why? Because the lumen that halogen bulbs produce are at a mere 700.
HID reflectors are made for what? HID. Why? because the lumens that D2R HID bulbs produce can be handled by such reflectors. I even gave you an example. The G35.
For instance, take a look at a halogen projector vs an HID projector. After that, gather your own conclusions.
BTW loving the TW si

[GalaxyGreySi]

Is there such a thing as a complete HID kit that includes the projector? Like an all-in-one solution? Or is the only way to get that nice sharp cutoff on an FG2 the TSX retrofit (or any other lens retrofit). I guess what I'm saying is, is the only way to get a sharp cutoff to take apart my stock lens? Or can I buy a HID headlight setup with the lenses already in it? I have seen the PNP kits in person, and, they are OK, but one of my friends has an RSX with a retrofit, and WOW. The cutoff is beautiful, and even more amazing when you are in the car. I want it.

[caveman74]

There are 4 different setups for lighting

Reflective HID- Which is made for D2R bulb and reflects the light up. even the reflector is different than a stock halogen setup ( Toyota Sienna ) NOTICE the bulb reflector, It is putting everything up!


Reflective Halogen-- This is your standard lighting. This puts light everywhere in the housing and is made for halogen bulbs. NOTICE the bulb reflector, It is allowing light on the sides...


HID projector-- Made for a D2S bulb, any other bulb will not fit unless it is modified.


Halogen projector-- This is made for Halogen only, If you install HID, the focal point will not be the same and you pattern will be very weak. Tried it with TYC projectors already


Its anyone's judgement on what they want to use. I wanted HID 4 years ago in my 02' Accord. I planned to go the cheap way and it failed. So I went the projector way. I got all OEM stuff and had no problems. That is the price you pay for going PnP, is the ballast and bulbs

If you buy a kit for $200.00, I can guarantee you it will not last that long. Something will fail within 2 yrs or sooner

Read up on this link. It is very informative and better than going to Hidplanet
http://faqlight.carpassion.info/
It has everything you need to know about lighting

[tennisfan16]

Originally Posted by Tim

So whether your general argument is with reflector technology, HID technology, or with plug-and-play ebay kits remains unclear. You come off as belligerent and condescendingly didactic, and when you combine that with opinions rather than facts (citations, pictures, examples, figures, testimonial, etc), you aren't helping your argument.

[tennisfan16]

Originally Posted by ethlar

seriously if you want to continue this argument go join hidplanet.com and they will be happy to have you join in their discussion, but this is starting to get out of hand here

[Pachodino]

What is the hid conversion kit (pnp) with the least amount of glare or no glare at all??
i'll buy that one

[striker_1818]

Originally Posted by Pachodino

What is the hid conversion kit (pnp) with the least amount of glare or no glare at all??
i'll buy that one

Whatever kit that has hmm i think its called the "casper shield" but not sure someone correct me here.
Anyways, the casper shield makes you get less glare from your stock housing but those kits cost more. Hence the phrase "you get what you pay for".

Merry Christmas everyone!
and bump for my tsx projectors sale...150 bucks only :-p no1 on hidplanet seem to want them let me post them here.

[caveman74]

Hidplanet is a joke now.

[ethlar]

Originally Posted by striker_1818

Whatever kit that has hmm i think its called the "casper shield" but not sure someone correct me here.
Anyways, the casper shield makes you get less glare from your stock housing but those kits cost more. Hence the phrase "you get what you pay for".

casper shields are only available for 9007 and other dual filament type applications, to prevent light from hitting the high beam parts of the reflectors

[striker_1818]

Originally Posted by ethlar

casper shields are only available for 9007 and other dual filament type applications, to prevent light from hitting the high beam parts of the reflectors

my bad. But i know some come with a shield and i dont know the name lol.

[gbae007]

Who can tell me why the HID reflector on a Lexus IS300 is optimized for a HID setup whereas my OEM halogen reflector is not?

To clarify: What makes a HID reflector fundamentally different from a halogen reflector?

Isn't the only difference the type of bulb? (D2S versus the D2R.)

[striker_1818]

Originally Posted by gbae007

Who can tell me why the HID reflector on a Lexus IS300 is optimized for a HID setup whereas my OEM halogen reflector is not?

To clarify: What makes a HID reflector fundamentally different from a halogen reflector?

Isn't the only difference the type of bulb? (D2S versus the D2R.)

wait what?
D2S = Projector HID
D2R = Reflector/Reflective HID

The design is different, size, positioning etc all tested from the manufacturer. Even if it may look the same at first glance, it is different. Every reflector is made to handle its respective lumens coming from its corresponding bulbs for which they're designed for.

[leenangle]

Originally Posted by gbae007

Who can tell me why the HID reflector on a Lexus IS300 is optimized for a HID setup whereas my OEM halogen reflector is not?

To clarify: What makes a HID reflector fundamentally different from a halogen reflector?

Isn't the only difference the type of bulb? (D2S versus the D2R.)

HID reflector has a different focal point than a Halogen reflector.

the light emitted from the HID bulb is in a different location from the light emitting filament on the halogen.

Notice on the H4 bulbs that the low beam is in a different location from the High beam filament. You can switch the beam pattern by simply relocating the light source.

Its pure geometry.

[gbae007]

Originally Posted by leenangle

HID reflector has a different focal point than a Halogen reflector.

the light emitted from the HID bulb is in a different location from the light emitting filament on the halogen.

Notice on the H4 bulbs that the low beam is in a different location from the High beam filament. You can switch the beam pattern by simply relocating the light source.

Its pure geometry.

^ That answered my question.

Originally Posted by striker_1818

wait what?
D2S = Projector HID
D2R = Reflector/Reflective HID

I knew that.

Originally Posted by striker_1818

The design is different, size, etc all tested from the manufacturer. Even if it may look the same at first glance, it is different. Every reflector is made to handle its respective lumens coming from its corresponding bulbs for which they're designed for.

Then this begs the question: what can we do to the OEM reflector housing to make an effectively glare-free HID reflector? Leanangle talked about the focal point location differential between HID and halogen reflector designs. Is is possble to mount a D2R in our stock housing farther back in the housing to change the focal point of the reflector?

[striker_1818]

Originally Posted by leenangle

HID reflector has a different focal point than a Halogen reflector.

the light emitted from the HID bulb is in a different location from the light emitting filament on the halogen.

Notice on the H4 bulbs that the low beam is in a different location from the High beam filament. You can switch the beam pattern by simply relocating the light source.

Its pure geometry.

hey dude what is the different with the new headlights lexus is making...
with leds
I still don't understand why a multiple-led based headlight would produce more light than an HID projector based headlight?

[cappykd]

Originally Posted by Tim

striker: I appreciate your zeal in being so anti-ebay-PnP-kit, but a few of your facts are a little bit hazy or just plain off. I think there are better ways to broach the subject than bullying.

+1

Amen.

[leenangle]

Originally Posted by striker_1818

..these high intensity discharged light output is controlled by the ballast. That's why you don't find ballasts with our halogen bulbs in our cars.

I think thats part of the reason for your bad reps, you are trying to present a strong argument with false information.

Light is not controlled or limited by the HID ballast. The ballast is simply a transformer, converting 12 volts to some 20 kajillion volts or whatever it is required to produce an arc in the HID bulb. It IS limiting voltage, but not trying to limit light intensity as you state.

Halogen bulbs do NOT have ballasts......correct.......but its not because halogen lights need to control the output, its because the halogen bulb is designed for 12 volts.

And to further analyze, you could use these PNP HID kits. You would either have to engineer and design a shield to limit the light output to mimic the same light emission of the halogen bulb or you would have to stick the PNP bulbs in a projector, which is NOT sensitive to filament location.