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HID's right or wrong

Discussion in 'Lighting' started by 4WD, Oct 24, 2010.

  1. Oct 24, 2010 at 11:33 AM
    #1
    4WD

    4WD [OP] cRaZy oLdmAn

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    Illumination at night, theres a belief that the brighter the better for seeing at night, to this I think we can all agree on. But at what point is the increased illumination that is great for the driver become a hazard to on coming traffic ?

    I know it looks cool & there are benefits, but lately I've seen an increase of "overkill" by people (some are guys that are members that I wheel with even)
    I mean the HID's by themselves are brighter than hell, add to that the HID foggers & these "idiots" (sorry not trying to piss anyone off, but it had to be said ) insist on cruising around with every fucking light on available to have that "cool" feeling I guess & they refuse to dim down (not even sure they can) & its getting to a point where I just want to start taking them out with my pellet gun (of course I won't) But the point is where to draw the line for your increased night vision in relation to the decreased night vision to on coming traffic. These are great for offroading but personally would like to see them illegal for highway use, just my .02....
     
  2. Oct 24, 2010 at 11:39 AM
    #2
    CopDoctor

    CopDoctor Well-Known Member

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    HIDs are very helpful for exactly what you said, offroading and when you're the only car on the road. I've got HID converted hellas behind the grill and an HID retro fit. I've aimed my headlights well and have never been flashed and even drove in front of and coming towards my truck with my gf's car to make sure my lights weren't annoying. I only use my PIAAs and Hellas off-road or when i'm by myself and agree with you 100%. If some clown comes at me with blue lights all up in my face you better believe i'll light the shit out of them.
     
  3. Oct 24, 2010 at 11:39 AM
    #3
    BrokenTusk

    BrokenTusk I support a velociraptor free workplace.

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    Currently in middle of deals to HID upgrade my Hi's, low's, and fogs. But I'm going with a soft blue light, easier on oncoming traffic. Currently i drive around with low's and fog's on 24/7 just because the stock headlights are so bad. Hi beams only on night time highway. once i upgrade though i will just have the 2 low's and only use fogs in the bush, that'll be plenty. And I wont ever need that quad lighting on the highways, the Hi beam HID's will be plenty.

    Simple point, I agree, save the over kill for the bush.

    Edit: Yeah there are super bright blues but those aren't the ones i'm getting.
     
  4. Oct 24, 2010 at 12:11 PM
    #4
    IamTacO

    IamTacO red balls got me!

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    simply put, people don't care about others. they only care about themselves. and no matter how much you try to inform people of how fuck'd up they are by doing this, they just don't care
     
  5. Oct 24, 2010 at 12:19 PM
    #5
    Brunes

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    The big problem is folks not fitting HIDs in projectors. They are made to go together but folks just throw HIDs into normal reflectors...That makes the wicked glare. The bluer/higher temp the light- The less lumens it provides.

    The other thing is- most of the folks who drive with all the lights on that they can- are doing so illegally. Most states only allow for like 4 lights in the front at any time....So lows and fogs or driving and fogs or what ever.

    The no respect for others thing really only leads to more BS (like road rage) when you try to "show them" or "light the shit outta them"
     
  6. Oct 24, 2010 at 12:28 PM
    #6
    4WD

    4WD [OP] cRaZy oLdmAn

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    I agree with you on this to a degree ! Before anyone thinks I'm just an old bastard griping it just puzzles me that years ago (I'm sure a couple of ya remember this0 There was major debate by the public & law makers when D.O.T. passed the upgrade from standard sealed beam headlights to quartz/halogen (it barely passed regulations) & they are nowhere near the intensity that HID's are, seems the HID's kinda just started appearing on the road without much public input, if any (I know I never heard any debate on it from any media.)
     
  7. Oct 24, 2010 at 12:31 PM
    #7
    BrokenTusk

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    Please elaborate, should I get new Headlights as well? I was just going to put the HID bulbs in stock headlights
     
  8. Oct 24, 2010 at 12:38 PM
    #8
    Snowman

    Snowman I have a problem for your solution…

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    If HIDs are in the proper projectors they shouldnt be bright for on-coming traffic.
    [​IMG]
    That is my TSX retrofit on my Prelude. They are about 2" lower on the wall at 25' than the height of the headlights (so the beam is going downward) Unless you are laying on the ground, they arent bright. The cut-off is below the eyes of on-coming drivers.
    Non-retrofitted HIDs are what blind everyone and are illegal in most places (rarely enforced). Any car that comes with HID lights from the factory has a projector to focus the light and a cutoff so others arent blinded.
     
  9. Oct 24, 2010 at 12:41 PM
    #9
    Brunes

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    You can get the parts to "retrofit" your stock headlight housings for projectors or you can buy a set of projector equipped lights...but yes...Use the proper equipment for the lights and you'll get better results and it'll be better for oncoming drivers.
    There are some guys around here who are big into HIDs and retrofits....I hope the stop by the thread to points you are some of the good resources for the process.
     
  10. Oct 24, 2010 at 12:46 PM
    #10
    BrokenTusk

    BrokenTusk I support a velociraptor free workplace.

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    http://www.xr-underground.com/forum/showthread.php?t=39295

    That is the Hi/Low kit I'm planning on getting. It's through a X-runner underground group buy in case anyone else is interested. It says it wont require any retrofitting though..

    It also says maximum brightness will be achieved with a 5000k to 8000k rating. I Pm'd the OP but he hasn't gotten back to me yet. Am I right in assuming the 6000k is the retard bright ones? So I should go with a nice 8000k blue?
     
  11. Oct 24, 2010 at 12:49 PM
    #11
    Brunes

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    Yeah...Those bulbs should fit into the stock headlight housings...but the reflector for a halogen bulb and the reflector for a HID are different....Put an HID in a halogen reflector- and you get the horrible scattered glare.


    Those should work...but you'll have to work to make sure you aren't blinding other drivers.
     
  12. Oct 24, 2010 at 12:54 PM
    #12
    BrokenTusk

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    Thx for the idea, I have a headlight housing i want to buy but can't access their site at work. I'll post link tonight.
     
  13. Oct 24, 2010 at 1:24 PM
    #13
    IamTacO

    IamTacO red balls got me!

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    for best possible usable light, 4300K is oem color. anything over 5000K is more blue than white. 8000k and above is fairly worthless and after 10000K you are no better than a stock halogen light
     
  14. Oct 25, 2010 at 8:50 AM
    #14
    CopDoctor

    CopDoctor Well-Known Member

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    putting HIDs in the stock housing is fucking dumb in my opinion. and 8000k is about the same amount of dumb, since you're loosing the additional light you just gained by switching to HID. i run 4300k, most guys run 5000k
     
  15. Oct 25, 2010 at 8:52 AM
    #15
    CopDoctor

    CopDoctor Well-Known Member

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    here's my cutoff....truck was uphill and leaning, but like i said earlier, i've driven in front of my truck as well as coming towards my truck to make sure they were aimed right

    [​IMG]
     
  16. Oct 25, 2010 at 8:53 AM
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    DeeKay21

    DeeKay21 Lieutenant Dan.

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    I have HID's in my heads and fogs. After I installed both sets, I readjusted them to aim a little lower. I have yet to be flashed by oncoming traffic. I also have PIAA 520 driving lights behind my grill that I use mostly for off-road but occasionally on the road when the weathers bad and visibility is low. Even with the heads, fogs, and PIAA's on, I still dont get flashed.
     
  17. Oct 25, 2010 at 8:55 AM
    #17
    blackhawke88

    blackhawke88 wo ai ni bao bei ^_^

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    if you aim your headlights correctly, it doesnt matter how bright they are, they will be fine

    /thread
     
  18. Oct 25, 2010 at 9:15 AM
    #18
    jblaze805

    jblaze805 Well-Known Member

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    I feel the pain...some people just dont know how to adjust there damn headlights after installing hids especially the ones with the baja cali lean, (nothing against the lean i have it too but i adjusted my lights down so they dont blind people) there lights are bright as heck when there behind you.....
     
  19. Oct 25, 2010 at 9:17 AM
    #19
    IamTacO

    IamTacO red balls got me!

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    very false statement. it doesn't matter how low you aim hids/stock lights, you will still cause glare at oncoming traffic. the fact that no one has flashed back only means they are tolerant of you. but it still blinds the shit out of them.

    stock lumens are well below 2000lm, now stick an hid bulb with 2500-3200lm and even the normal glare is an eye sore. you just made normal glare that is used to light up street signs, the same brightness as your hid's. simple fact, halogen reflectors CAN NOT focus the light given off by an HID bulb. yes, there are HID reflectors in some cars, but they are designed differently than the normal reflector. here is an example. 05 subaru STI has a HID reflector with a D2R bulb. now the 05 WRX has a halogen reflector.... not the same even though the look the same. if you place that same D2R bulb(modded to fit), the will be just plain crappy and piss lots of people off.
     
  20. Oct 25, 2010 at 12:25 PM
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    BrokenTusk

    BrokenTusk I support a velociraptor free workplace.

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    Yea the guy just got back to me, 6000k Is the super bright ones. 8000k is a little better then stock but with a more blue hue to them.
     

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