mmmmm... 55 watt HIDs (there's no such thing as too many lumens...)

[deltatechx]

Don't worry glare haters, I'm using these for my high beams, still got the oem halogens for my low beams. From my experience, halogen high beams suck whenever you're using HID low beams, so I figured I'd start with a beefy high beam setup.

This is a 55w (5x brighter than halogens) 6000k PnP kit off ebay as the high beams with factory halogen low beams (these are not before and after shots, they're low beam/high beam shots):









Here's a video of them warming up (the lights get dimmer after the HIDs fully warm up due to the camera's auto brightness feature) :

Video of brights - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

[subieguy83]

hmm is 55w bad for low beams? cuz thats the kind i have for my low beams except mine is 8000k

[deltatechx]

i had 50 watt 6000k kit for my low beams, but the seller was an @$$, the product sucked, and there was alot of glare so I went back to the factory halogens. But there is alot of glare associated with high output hid kits with reflector or projector style headlights that are designed for halogens (the optics for halogens and HIDs are different). Also, the higher temp lights you use the more glare you get. I suggest getting a 35 watt kit for your low beams and get new bulbs for your 55 watt so you can use it for your high beams.

I'm getting 35 watt 6000K low beams from the seller I got this kit from for my low beams.

[deltatechx]

you got any pics of your low beams?

[RSX-CT]

the difference in wattage output does not change the beam pattern in the least. If anything, there is the same amount of glare it is just more intense. Now I have to ask you this as a vendor that sells 55w kits and see the results all the time, if you were looking at a headlamp coming at you in the pitch black dark, would you be able to tell the difference between the "normal" one or the one that is 20-30% brighter? They both will be as blinding given the incidence of glare being present given the constrast yopur eyes are trying to adjust to. An LED can be blinding in the pitch black, and it is no way near the intensity of HID. My point is it is not so much the intensity as it is the fact that the glare is present in any kit, 35w , 55w, or whatever.

[jeremy0203]

i thought you were supposed to get 35w for our car

[deltatechx]

higher wattage = more current in spark = more heat = higher arc = increased optics distortion = more glare

If the reflector/projector headlights are DESIGNED for use with 55w HIDs, then no glare. Otherwise, glare is present and increased with increased arc hight.

Increased halogen wattage doesn't change glare since the light is contained by the filament coil, in a HID bulb, an arc is produced between two electrodes giving no containment so the arc... arcs. More energy produces a larger arc. This arc displaces the light's position within the headlight changing the pattern produced.

Look at a Toyota Prius with factory HID and a retrofit civic, you'll see the difference. The Prius is designed to use HID so there's no glare.

[deltatechx]

Originally Posted by jeremy0203

i thought you were supposed to get 35w for our car

35 watt works ok for low beams, less distortion (glare). Brights don't matter since you shouldn't have them on if there's oncoming traffic.

Plus color is a big issue, I'm getting 5000K for my low beams and probably switching my high beams over to 5000K also. The higher the color temp (i.e. 30,000K) the higher concentration of high wavelength (high energy) light, which irritates the eyes and makes the glare appear worse. So try to stay at or under 6000K.

[SiConvert887]

Originally Posted by deltatechx

35 watt works ok for low beams, less distortion (glare). Brights don't matter since you shouldn't have them on if there's oncoming traffic.

Plus color is a big issue, I'm getting 5000K for my low beams and probably switching my high beams over to 5000K also. The higher the color temp (i.e. 30,000K) the higher concentration of high frequency (high energy) light, which irritates the eyes and makes the glare appear worse. So try to stay at or under 6000K.

fixed

(yeah yeah call me a geek)

[deltatechx]

lol, oops. thnx man. Got my short wavelength and high frequency meshed :P

[msjwild3]

Did you unplug your DRL fuse then? If not your HID's aren't going to last very long.

[deltatechx]

yes, fuse removed.

and these have been on my car for over 60,000 miles :P

[msjwild3]

Originally Posted by deltatechx

yes, fuse removed.

and these have been on my car for over 60,000 miles :P

Ya i was thinking of doing my high beams too but no DRL is illegal here so ya. I'll just wait til I have moeny for prejectors but my 6K HID lows are good for now, but want to do HID fogs yet too.

[SiConvert887]

Originally Posted by msjwild3

Ya i was thinking of doing my high beams too but no DRL is illegal here so ya. I'll just wait til I have moeny for prejectors but my 6K HID lows are good for now, but want to do HID fogs yet too.

You know you can just turn your low beams on during the day and they technically count as a "daytime running light"... I do it occassionally when I feel like it, I think the 35W HID kits run about the same as the stock DRL (which is like what...30W?)

[msjwild3]

Originally Posted by SiConvert887

You know you can just turn your low beams on during the day and they technically count as a "daytime running light"... I do it occassionally when I feel like it, I think the 35W HID kits run about the same as the stock DRL (which is like what...30W?)

Ya but i would rather not wear out my HID in my low beams by using them all the time, expecially when it is not dark.