Thread: HID High Beam Upgrade

Originally Posted by tiddy

Can I ask then, why is it with the factory xenons, there is little or no delay with switching to hi beams?

Because Hi and Low beam uses the same HID globe with a shutter to provide the different light pattern. As the globe is already on when in low beam, it simply stays on for hi beam and it is the shutter that moves instantaneously. Also the Halogen filler beam that comes on when Hi beam is selected comes on instantaneously.

Garry

Originally Posted by garrycol

Because Hi and Low beam uses the same HID globe with a shutter to provide the different light pattern. As the globe is already on when in low beam, it simply stays on for hi beam and it is the shutter that moves instantaneously. Also the Halogen filler beam that comes on when Hi beam is selected comes on instantaneously.

Garry

Is it not possible then to fit a Bi Xenon as an after market upgrade?

The vehicles use a H7 globe that is only available as a single globe by itself. You can get H4 HIDS that either have a moving globe or a shutter (not sure) but of course H4s do not fit.

You can put a H7 HID in the projector and rely on the Halogen filler for Hi beam - or replace the Halogen with a HID but you have to accept the 5-10sec delay for them to light up.

Garry

Originally Posted by tiddy

Hi Graeme...my '14 has the xenon upgrade lights and I have noticed when there is fog or smoke, the hi beams seem to aimed a little high, but they still provide good penetration.

Is the penetration from the bi-xenon or from the fill-in lights? My bi-xenon high beam's half reasonable direct ahead illumination can be seen for a few seconds if the HIDs are cold before the HID fill-ins warm up enough to drown them out with their very much brigher but closer wide beam.

Anybody mind sharing some photos of their hid install? I struggle to see where the ballast can fit.

Any issues with reliability? - water ingress problems from vibration etc.

The ballast can fit inside the light housing. I have had HIDS fitted for a few years to both hi and lo beam - both ballasts fitted inside the light housing.

I had no issues with interoperability with the car systems and my HIDs are cheap $60 ebay systems.

I reverted the hi beam HIDs back to Halogens a while back due to me being unhappy about the light up time when switching to hi beam with the globes cold.

Other wise no issues.

Garry

There's no room inside the bi-xenons to mount ballasts so my full size ballasts are cable-tied to wiring or wiring brackets just above the headlights.

OK so I have the 2.7 D4 with halogen projectors. I assume the earlier post indicating an internal to the light housing solution is the same as mine.