HID low beam's not much chop on open road

Hi Captain_rightfoot, I’m hoping it is something as simple as an adjustment problem, otherwise these lights are total useless for long distance night driving.

Cheers

Not to cause any offence either but it is proven that as we all age our ability to see 'light' of different temperatures decreases.

The HID on the Clubsport are brilliant. There is a discernable line on the road where the colour temperature changes but there is definately light further in front than a Filament based light (Lux meter confirms).

Sounds like your lights are too low, I never noticed this issue when I had a D3 for a few days/nights.

I also believe the intensity of the HID high beams then dropping to low would easily mean that you become blind.

It takes me seconds to refocus to the reduced light when I dip whilst highway driving.

And for statement given to me be several vehicle experts, a vehicle travelling at 110km/h is almost always outdriving its standard high beam, let alone its low beams.

Cheers
Mike

Hi tombraider, the cut-off is the problem. It’s not a case of being left blind when changing down to low.

The D3’s high beam are standard halogen globes and even though they give excellent light, there is not a problem with going from ultra bright to dull. Low beam is on at all times and the combination is well suited while on high beam.

The problem is actually the reverse. It’s like those ******* that drive around with their fog lights on when not needed. the HIDs are ultra bright and work well at low speeds in a suburban environment but the cut-off is so total and defined but at such a short distance that there isn’t enough light above the cut-off line, to light up the reflectors on the guide posts. Normal headlights don’t have that problem.

The irony is that when I get around to fitting the driving lights on the roof, if the HIDs had lit more of the road on low beam, they would have been a great benefit when coming of the around 700 watts that I was planning to run.

loved your post, dulbird,

so that means we, (AS IN DRIVESAFE) gets you on the bonnet (head first) holding a torch in each hand (arms outstretched)....

so plod comes along and says.....


um drivesafe, are they the same lights from the original discovery 1?

interesting comment, need a few little groundpounders that work when hibeam is off, but it's amazing that these 'issues' still haven't ben resolved after so many years, by sooooo many manufacturers....

just got a 00 fairlane with the same lighting probs


brights as, on hibeam, dull as, when not hi beam

and yes i did see the comment about eyes and age which is worthy and relevant

i came back from syd a few days ago overnight and only ran low beam, amazing what you can see in the (relative) darkness. hibeam was too obright



GQ

<span style="color:blue">what about running the blue or red filters on the spotties or the high beams.....
the theory is when you switch down from high beams.....you shouldnt have
to adjust to the low light.....</span>

Just do what I do.

I try and memorise what the road looks like when the spotties are on, so when I have to dip back to low beam I don't need to actually see the road!

Or else, try and use the Force.

Hi zook, the problem is not that the low beam is a dull light.

These new HID lights are HEAPS brighter than normal low beam headlights.

What is a problem is the way these HID lights light up the roadway. They shine about 80 or so metres in front of the vehicle to the cut-off point and then it is totally black.

With normal headlight low beams there is a cut-off point but the light fades away for a fair distance after the cut-off point thus allowing you to see much further down the road while on low beam.

If these lights are adjusted correctly then there is no way you can raise them any further without blinding on coming vehicles.

I will play around with them and see what can be done.

Cheers