Better low beam?

**harlie** · 24th April 2009, 06:17 PM

Originally Posted by VladTepes

nrand ? availability ? arethey just bulbs or complete lights ? legaility ?
I also thought there was a "warm up time" for HID ?

Huh ? You lost me there... whaddayamean ?

Replacing Halogen globes with HID is not legal. It is partially because the globes are so bright but more importantly because the headlight mirror and lens were designed and approved for the focal point of light produced by a halogen globe (the tiny element) – a HID replacement has a very different point of light emission which creates overflow of light on lowbeam. – park the car infront of a wall with one light replaced and you will see a sharp horizontal line with light below and dark above from the halogen. The HID replacement will still have a line but the area above (directed into other drivers’ eyeballs) is quite brighter.

Under ADR HIDs are required to have
- to be fitted into projector cylinder and lens (the small round lens you can see inside the headlight of factory HIDs)
- headlight washers
- Auto levelling system

So it is the combination of a mirror & lens assembly that is halogen designed and a HID globe that is the problem. Get some custom light assemblies made with the projector tubes and your all good... You can get aftermarket replacements for some cars (our Golf is one) but not the D2

Yes they do take a while to warm up but most of the BiHID H4 kits have one light and a motorized flip cover to shade one side for low beam.

If you use a 50w HID kit you will attract a bored police officer sooner or later – there are heaps of whinging “hot hatch” owners who will confirm that...

**V8Landy** · 24th April 2009, 06:24 PM

You can get hids off ebay and they are not legal. I put some in and won't go back and if the men in blue tell me to it is unplug the hid and reinsert the halogen show the cops and swap it back again

**Aaron IIA** · 24th April 2009, 07:11 PM

Originally Posted by Tombie2

As opposed to the law which states anything over 55/60w is also illegal for a headlight?

This is what I thought. I have fitted 4000K bulbs, instead of the old 2300K halogen bulbs. They are more efficient, produce a whiter light, but are still only 55/60W. I therefore get more light of a better quality, but still only use the same amount of electricity.

Aaron.

**350RRC** · 25th April 2009, 07:41 AM

Originally Posted by harlie

The HID replacement will still have a line but the area above (directed into other drivers’ eyeballs) is quite brighter.[/FONT][/COLOR]

Under ADR HIDs are required to have
- to be fitted into projector cylinder and lens (the small round lens you can see inside the headlight of factory HIDs)
- headlight washers
- Auto levelling system

All true Harlie.

Just for interest sake.......... who has the tubes and reflectors, and how much? (Standard round universal reflectors in a RRC) I still have the load leveller and washers are easy!

Mine are aimed lower than stock anyway so they don't shine over boot level of a car in front on lo beam. Never been flashed by oncoming.

cheers, DL

**hoadie72** · 25th April 2009, 08:33 AM

Originally Posted by Aaron IIA

This is what I thought. I have fitted 4000K bulbs, instead of the old 2300K halogen bulbs. They are more efficient, produce a whiter light, but are still only 55/60W. I therefore get more light of a better quality, but still only use the same amount of electricity.

Aaron.

The only thing that's true there is that the globes produce a whiter light. They're not brighter, nor are they more efficient.

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