Bi-Xenon Vs Halogen

[Celtoid]

Hi All,


My SE D4, one of the first built (2009) has Bi-Xenon headlights. The MY13 SE that I just bought (not delivered yet), doesn't.


Is there much performance difference?


Can it be done and is it worth doing a swap of the headlight systems between cars?


Cheers,


Kev.

[discotwinturbo]

For me, after the elocker, it was the next option to tick.

The difference between halogen and bixenon, is a world apart.

Brett....

[WhiteD3]

What he said............

Had the bi-xenon's in the D3 and D4. They are a "must have" in my books.

I think there's a recent thread here somewhere about the merits of 3rd party upgrade kits.

[Gus67kg]

Didn't have them on the my11 but got them on the my14, chalk and cheese really.
Wouldnt go back

Gus

[Graeme]

They're quick and easy to swap. The CCF setting fitted/not fitted might need to be changed if they misbehave on startup.

[ytt105]

Graeme

What do you mean by misbehave.

I've updated my lights with aftermarket HID's.

They work well and are a major improvement on the halogens.

However, the high beams take a couple of seconds to warm up when first turned on.

Would changing my CCF to reflect HIDs installed have any effect on that?

[101RRS]

I changed my halogens to aftermarket HIDs a few years back with 4300k lights in the low beams and 5000k in the high beams.

As mentioned like chalk and cheese but with the aftermarket globes hi beam takes a while to light up which did annoy me. I took them out at Christmas time and replaced them with Narva Intense 4200k Blue halogens. Well they are crap - they are certainly not 4200K and have a definite yellow tinge (they are more like 3500K. They look like normal halogens with a blue tinted bulb - they highlight how much better the HIDs are and I am thinking of changing back to HIDs in hi beam.

So if you are able I would definitley go the OEM Bi - Xenons which are better than HIDs as you get instant light from the Hi Beam HID light and in addition you have the Halogen fill in light.

Garry

[Celtoid]

Thanks for the input thus far guys. So it's an overwhelming vote for the Bi-Xenon over the Halogen.

So I'm not intending an aftermarket upgrade or conversion. I'm talking about swapping the OEM Bi-Xenon Unit/Assembly (whatever is required) from the old D4 to the new D4. I guess I'm trying to establish if all D4s are 'fitted for but not with' .... if you understand the term?

I was hoping that there would be no wiring loom changes or software requirements, that all the smarts of the Bi-Xenon would be in the headlight assembly itself and that it would be nothing more than disconnect, remove Halogen, fit Bi-Xenon unit from old D4, reconnect .... and Bob's your uncle.

I don't know what you mean by the CCF settings Graeme? Do you feel that there may be a permanent concern or it can easily be reset to work properly from that time onwards?

Thanks,

Kev.

[101RRS]

Kev I understood what you were getting at - Bi Xenons are just HIDS at the basic level so the comparison between after market HIDs and Halogens is just as relevant between Bi-Xenons and Halgons.

I think your light housings will just swap - but the ballasts may be more problematic. You will need to find where they are installed - in my HIDs they fitted inside the light housings but for OEM I assume they well be bolted to the body somewhere near the lights. The of course will need to go across but I assume the wiring will be in the new car in about the same spot - these days wiring is common to all spec levels. The reverse will apply to putting the halogens into the old car.

In both cases lights should automatically work but if not the car may have to go on a test book to have them switched on.

Garry

[phl]

HID and BiXenons are the same; the difference in the D4 with CCF is the OEM HID gets a spike at startup to give it instant high intensity. Some guys with halogen, with this setting enabled, have been blowing bulbs as halogens don't like the surge.

[ytt105]

Phl

Does that mean that updating my CCF will cause my aftermarket HIDs to warm up quicker?

Regards

[101RRS]

the difference in the D4 with CCF is the OEM HID gets a spike at startup to give it instant high intensity.

I am not sure I quite follow that. The ignition of HID/Xenon globes is a two stage process - at start the high voltage is used to vaporise salts in the globe which in turn ignites the gas and it is not until these gases are fully ignited that full brilliance is achieved.

So while no always obvious it should take 5 to 10 seconds for the globe to get full brilliance when first turned on. The OEMs do not have an issue when going to high beam as the Xenon globe is already alight with the shutter determining the hi/lo pattern (also have the Halogen globe to fill in the dark spots).

Cheers

Garry

[ytt105]

Thanks Gary, I understand now. My aftermarket ones use two separate H7 globes, not one globe with a shutter.

So, I dont think I'll bother with changing the CCF.

Regards

[Graeme]

.. and Bob's your uncle.Yes!

I wondered if with the wrong CCF setting that they could flicker on startup or be slow to start but also that the CCF setting could just be documentation.

[captcam68]

Two items I think should be std on every model D4, EDiff and Bi Xion head lights!. With both these as std this car would win every 4 x 4 comparison/ offroad test challenge thrown at it ( won most anyway) and turn a sensational offroad vehicle into an unstoppable one! ( in most cases:p)

[Celtoid]

Thanks very much again for the great advice.

I'm going to have to dig deeper into the software/electrical aspects, as I don't want to start mucking around unless I'm certain that it can be done, beyond a shadow of a doubt.

I even talked to LR yesterday and they were willing to give it a try but were not certain of the outcome .... so I need to make more enquiries. I'm calling some independants.

I'll keep you updated.

Cheers,

Kev.

[phl]

Phl

Does that mean that updating my CCF will cause my aftermarket HIDs to warm up quicker?

Regards

Just the main beam, not the high beam. As stated, HIDs takes some time to warm up, which is not great in a car situation. So what manufacturers do is give a higher surge voltage initially to bring it up to full lumens faster, but at a slight cost of reducing lamp life.

So with most OE HIDs/Bi-Xenons, you'll notice it strikes with an initially very bright light, which then drops to normal. Great if you have the proper bulbs, but as one guy in DISCO4 found out, not good if you have halogens, as it kills them much more quickly; problem solved when the CCF was changed to reflect he didn't have Bi-Xenons.

[phl]

I am not sure I quite follow that. The ignition of HID/Xenon globes is a two stage process - at start the high voltage is used to vaporise salts in the globe which in turn ignites the gas and it is not until these gases are fully ignited that full brilliance is achieved.


Garry,

I understand this bit, but manufacturers get around this by over-driving the initial phase; it's noticeable in the D4, as the initial output is much brighter for a second or so.