Ebay HID spotlights

[rar110]

Has anyone had experience with these or similar HID spotlights?

http://m.ebay.com.au/itm/330958495115

[VladTepes]

I personally don't rate HID lights. Bright? Sure. But the bulbs do break so carry spares. The ballasts can fail.... nah give me a decent halgoen anyday. I've a Defender it's an old school thing !

If going HID buy quality not cheap ebay as you'll get what you pay for.

[tonic]

Like Vlad said, Ebay cheap stuff, I wouldn't. Personally I would go with LED now anyway if buying again. Currently I've got standard Light Force that go pretty hard and from memory they were only about $340 or something.


We just put $1500 worth of LED on the Mack Low Loader, WOW, and the best part I find about LED is you don't get the glare back off road signs etc. My eyes get far less tired, it's a real white light, love em.

[n plus one]

No experience with those lights but I have done good quality hid conversions to driving lights in the past and have been very pleased with the outcome.

Actually just removed my super-duper led driving lights to go back to my old hid converted lights as I find LEDs to be a poor option for a driving light.

[Silenceisgolden]

Has anyone found a source of LED spots that actually are spots? I have tried several that are called "Spots" but they really are more like floods. The nearfield light is so bright that distance vision is very limited.

Otherwise LED's are great.

I bought a set of HID's similar to those on ebay. The beam was okay, but the height adjustment was on a spline, and one spline had them possum spotting and the next one down was much too low.

[Rurover]

Yep,

Bought as pair of these cheap HID's he other day and have now fitted them to my Defender.
Too early to say how long they'll last, but at $135 a pair, (for 7" 75 Watters) I don't have a lot to lose I reckon.

They certainly put out plenty of light..very blue light..makes the headlights look very yellow.

Only issue was that the angle of elevation adjustment is not indefinitely variable. There's a sort of ratchet mechanism that only allows that angle to be set in discrete steps. Had to bend one of the mounting lugs slightly to get the exact elevation I wanted.

Alan

[patclan]

Has anyone had experience with these or similar HID spotlights?

2 X 7inch 55W HID Xenon Driving Lights Spot 4x4 OFF Road 4WD UTE Flood Work BLK | eBay (http://m.ebay.com.au/itm/330958495115)

I have had those ones on for around 4 years now, they work well and are nice and bright, I had a lens shatter with a stone, so may be worth finding ones that come with covers, but it was easy to get a replacement lens, there are a couple of places in oz online that sell spares, cost around $20 to replace so was quite happy. I have Trucklite LED headlams now also, and as good as they are the HID's still out perform them, I went for the euro beam instead of spot, I think it is just a wide beam rather than spot.

cheers
Pat

[redrovertdi]

Ive had them for over a year and they are brilliant, bought a set for my father, and mates use them to, make sure you get a spread and a pencil beam, great value for money but of course if your a trendy that needs a brand name they wont be any good:p

[dullbird]

I had a set of them on my 110 think I had them in there for nearly 4years with no dramas
Out perform night stalker by a long shot but that wasn't hard.

The car did the cape and they were dunked a number of times too and stayed sealed they also gave good distance (we had pencil and spot)

Can't complian I thought they were a good light for the money but I paid 300bux for the set back then but at the time other units were more like 700/900

This time I will be putting fyrlyts on though but if you want an inexpensive light I would say yes to these particular ones :)

[rar110]

Thanks all for the replies. The experiences seem pretty consistent with owners reports I've read on other forums.

[rar110]

Yep, Bought as pair of these cheap HID's he other day and have now fitted them to my Defender. Too early to say how long they'll last, but at $135 a pair, (for 7" 75 Watters) I don't have a lot to lose I reckon. They certainly put out plenty of light..very blue light..makes the headlights look very yellow. Only issue was that the angle of elevation adjustment is not indefinitely variable. There's a sort of ratchet mechanism that only allows that angle to be set in discrete steps. Had to bend one of the mounting lugs slightly to get the exact elevation I wanted. Alan

I've read similar reports about elevation adjustment. That seems to be the only criticism.

Is it worth going with 75w or is 55 watt sufficient?

[two up]

They are OK but you would be better off buying some quality lights, narva etc and converting them. You do get what you pay for.

[dullbird]

isnt Narva the brand sold by super cheap? kind of Ironic:D

[two up]

isnt Narva the brand sold by super cheap? kind of Ironic:D

Have a look at the narva extremes, supercrap sell the low end narvas.:-)

[Rurover]

I've read similar reports about elevation adjustment. That seems to be the only criticism.

Is it worth going with 75w or is 55 watt sufficient?
Not sure about 75w vs 55W.
I just thought that for a few extra dollars I get around 50% more light, so it seemed a better deal.
BTW I also upgraded the H4 globes in the headlights to 100/55 instead of the original 60/55 Watt units.
Of course, important to install relays and heavier wiring to handle the extra amps to the re-globed high beam circuit and to the driving lights.
The HID driving lights come with a pretty comprehensive wiring harness, including relay and switch, but I installed my own as it was just a bit more convenient to install.

[rar110]

Not sure about 75w vs 55W. I just thought that for a few extra dollars I get around 50% more light, so it seemed a better deal. BTW I also upgraded the H4 globes in the headlights to 100/55 instead of the original 60/55 Watt units. Of course, important to install relays and heavier wiring to handle the extra amps to the re-globed high beam circuit and to the driving lights. The HID driving lights come with a pretty comprehensive wiring harness, including relay and switch, but I installed my own as it was just a bit more convenient to install. There is only about 3 body styles on eBay. Which did u buy?

I'm looking at 7" and hard to find a 75w spread/spot combo kit. Most are a pair of the same light.

[VladTepes]

Not sure about 75w vs 55W.
I just thought that for a few extra dollars I get around 50% more light,

I'm not clear on the maths but it isn't linear like that.

[superquag]

You're correct. It certainly is'nt linear.

It's 'logarithmic'. - The rate of increase slows down. Simple demonstration is... Remember those 3 and 5 lamp chandeliers that were so disappointing when we put them up in our lounge / dining rooms? (you have to be over 50 years old to remember them...)

- The old 100W bare bulb was brighter than the 5- lamp, chewing up 300W (5 lamps @60W) And if you'd had a 120 or 150W bulb previously, you'd have been very disappointed....

The 100W globe puts out about 1800 lumens, and the 60W is around 800.
You'd logically think that 5 times 800 would be '4000'. It was'nt, as everyone noticed... More like 1200 lumens from the 5, and you just got softer shadows.

Same with auxilliary lighting. Going up frin 55W to 75W will make very little differance in real terms. Same with the 'Plus 50 and Plus 100' halogen globes, you might notice the differance, but it was'nt enough to blind you.
- One day I'll put the Super-Oscars back on, but only for country expeditions, otherwise they live in the shed where thieves caqn't nick 'em.
On the brighter side (!) - in a Deefer you can never out-drive your lights... so budget may well be better than 5 mile flamethrowers...

[Grappler]

I've read similar reports about elevation adjustment. That seems to be the only criticism.



This is how I got round the elevation adjustment
Used a small stainless bottle screw used on boats and balcony cables.
The pic shows the setup on my cheap ebay spots (which have been great).
As well as giving good adjustment, the screw stops the light vibrating on corrie tracks

[AndyG]

I have been eyeing off some new Super Oscar with HID, overkill but has anyone used them. plus I was gunna get 2 spreads, not a mix?

[rar110]

I have been eyeing off some new Super Oscar with HID, overkill but has anyone used them. plus I was gunna get 2 spreads, not a mix?

I was also wondering if it would be better to get two spread beams in HID.

[n plus one]

I was also wondering if it would be better to get two spread beams in HID.

I run two 70w HID cornering beam LF Genesis - they're great (apart from the warm up time) - as they're dedicating cornering beams they're just lacking range at high speed at night, not bad but a little more would be good.

Two HID spreads would be great IMO, although still too narrow for my preference.

Personally, I'm going to fit a two pairs of 100w HID spots in combo with my cornering lights - that ought to do it!

[Rurover]

There is only about 3 body styles on eBay. Which did u buy?

I'm looking at 7" and hard to find a 75w spread/spot combo kit. Most are a pair of the same light.
Andy,

Here's the link to the light I bought.
2 X 7inch HID Xenon 75W Driving Lights Spot 4x4 OFF Road UTE Flood Work 12V 24V | eBay (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/2-x-7INCH-HID-XENON-75W-DRIVING-LIGHTS-SPOT-4X4-OFF-ROAD-UTE-FLOOD-WORK-12V-24V-/231018182882?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item35c9c1b8e2&_uhb=1)

As you'll see you can change the poly carbonate light covers over to achieve spot or flood patterns on one or both lights.

Alan

[joel0407]

I have a pair of those ebay lights linked in the first post in my Garage. I took they of my vehicle when I bought it thinking how rubbish they are. As others have noted, up and down adjustment is not infinate. My refectors are all white and not shinny. I presume bleached by the HIDs.

If you were closer, you could have them. They wouldn't be worth the postage to send them to you.

Happy Days.

[Tombie]

I run two 70w HID cornering beam LF Genesis - they're great (apart from the warm up time) - as they're dedicating cornering beams they're just lacking range at high speed at night, not bad but a little more would be good.



Two HID spreads would be great IMO, although still too narrow for my preference.



Personally, I'm going to fit a two pairs of 100w HID spots in combo with my cornering lights - that ought to do it!


As opposed to 2 spots and a LED bar? Which will cause less drag, and reduce cooling system air flow restriction?

[joel0407]

As opposed to 2 spots and a LED bar? Which will cause less drag, and reduce cooling system air flow restriction?

I have been surprised before about how much accessories can increase drag and therefore hamper fuel economy.

I guess the reduced cooling will be partly dependant on where you live. Bathurst NSW is home for me and in years gone past, cooling has never been a concern. Some of my cars would get hot on hot days but I just accepted that as normal. I'm currently living in Darwin and the cooling becomes a bit of a concern, considering most airconditioners run when ever the car runs all year round.

With the extra brightness offered by HID bulbs without the extra heat. It's perfectly reasonable to run smaller lights.

Spread beam light become a little redundant with the LEDS avalible these days. HID for spots.

It'll be interesting how the face apearance of vehciles changes over the next few years with the development of Lazer lights. Lazer lights can be projected from very small points so no more big glass or lexan lens lights.

Who knows, in 10 years time we might be mounting driving lights the size of AAA batteries and running them at 1w.

Happy Days.

[n plus one]

As opposed to 2 spots and a LED bar? Which will cause less drag, and reduce cooling system air flow restriction?

I've already got high end LEDs lights - I don't rate them for anything other than low speed offroad work. IMO they create too much foreground illumination which restricts my ability to see into the distance at night.

They are great for carpark-based 'my lights are brighter than your lights' sessions though :p

[rar110]

I've already got high end LEDs lights - I don't rate them for anything other than low speed offroad work. IMO they create too much foreground illumination which restricts my ability to see into the distance at night. They are great for carpark-based 'my lights are brighter than your lights' sessions though :p

Interesting you say this. I've started looking at LED driving lights. Eg below which seems ok exc for red.

http://m.ebay.com.au/itm/161158284341?nav=WATCHING_ACTIVE

[Tombie]

Interesting you say this. I've started looking at LED driving lights. Eg below which seems ok exc for red.

http://m.ebay.com.au/itm/161158284341?nav=WATCHING_ACTIVE


34 emitters - that's a single 21" light bar...

Packaging into a bar would be more stable, easier to wire (single feed) and reduce frontal area - lot of wasted area in those driving lights...

[patclan]

Has anyone bought a curved LED light bar? I am just wondering if they are a gimmick or would the curve actually be a great benefit.

50inch 288W Cree LED Curved Work Light BAR Flood Spot Offroad UTE 4x4 Sekil 240W | eBay (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/50INCH-288W-CREE-LED-CURVED-WORK-LIGHT-BAR-FLOOD-SPOT-OFFROAD-UTE-4X4-SEKIL-240W-/261400247106?_trksid=p2054897.l4276)