Thread: Headlamps - To HID or not to HID?

one iota,

Some people will replace their bulbs if they believe they will get better light performance without increased current draw. Others will increase performance by higher wattage bulbs and associated increased current draw. So current draw may or may not be important. It’s personal.

Sorry but if my eye performance is better with halogen than with HID's then that's personal. And if I prefer to drive with the whiter HID light that's personal.

Driving with lights that are incorrectly adjusted is discourteous to other road users and may be dangerous in given circumstances.

If you have HID’s have them adjusted properly and I hope you like them.

I don't question the "brilliance" of HID lighting. It is superior to halogen watt for volt for lumen.

It's just that the internationally accepted regulations require self levelling lights with washed lenses....and why...because without those things the glare emitted is a problem for everyone else...that is my argument.

Just ask your vehicle inspector when you declare you have them at the next registration/road worthy inspection or ask your insurer...

one iota,

Agree.

I have the low halogen and high HID which makes them legal as I understand it. Regardless they are correctly adjusted

Originally Posted by one_iota

I support that view. The lights on my defender are more than adequate for city driving after a wiring upgrade and +50 halogen bulb upgrade.

Aftermarket HID's can be a distraction to others and are not legal for good reason...you might be able to see better but everyone else is left less able to see because of the glare. The more I "see" them the less I tolerate them.

As said above it's not just the lamp its the whole assembly that makes the light.

If the lights are not focussed properly they will cause unnecessary and annoying glare, as will all lights be they tungsten or halogen. As I mentioned, mine are correctly focussed and do not cause a problem.

cheers

Originally Posted by scott oz

I fitted HID's and love them.

They draw the same current and better light output. So regardless you should upgrade your wiring.

It is subjective and personel if the added output is an advantage or not

As they say each to their own

As I understand it, HID draws less current than equivalent or less halogen globes?

cheers

Originally Posted by stony

As I understand it, HID draws less current than equivalent or less halogen globes?

cheers

Generally speaking the HID draws a lot less - usually less than half*, so upgraded wiring is probably not justified, although since some of them are more sensitive to voltage you need to make sure there are no bad connections. This despite producing a lot more light.

* depends what you are comparing it to - I think most HID are around 25w, halogens vary typically from 55-100w and can be higher. I seem to recollect that most HID produce something of the order of ten times the light produced by halogens - which, however, vary quite a bit. And then there is the effectiveness of the reflector/lens combination in both cases.

Extra light, it perhaps should be pointed out, is not an unmixed advantage - while it is useful to have a bit of extra light to see the roos further off, you have to remember that your eyes lose their dark adaptation if there is too much light - this is particularly noticeable when you drop to low beam, when too bright a light means you cannot see outside the area of your beam at all, but also I find some of the big reflecting signs quite painful just with halogen high beam plus el cheapo driving lights.

John

If you look at HID's they will quote the wattage and the kelvin scale.

If you run 55 W low and 75W high in either a standard bulb or HID they draw the same current 55/75.

The difference is the "light" that each put out.

If you are happy with your current lights and just wish to reduce the current draw then you may find say a 25w low 35w H HID will give you the same usable light as standard 55/75 but draws less currrent.

Originally Posted by scott oz

<snip>

If you run 55 W low and 75W high in either a standard bulb or HID they draw the same current 55/75.

The difference is the "light" that each put out.

The wattage is a measurement of power and is the product of the voltage multiplied by the current.