HID Lamp conversion, anyone tried one???

[Lemon]

Hi

I was pootling around E Bay as you do! Again! And came across this guy doing H4 HID conversions for £235. Not seen the brand before and plugs directly in to the loom with no relays etc. Seems too easy and cheap, does this look inferior to other makes?

Here is the link to have a look.

cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7968308043&ssPageName=MERC_VIC_RSCC_Pr4_PcY_BIN_Stores

He also gave a link to this site which I am guessing is either where he gets the kits from or similair spec.

www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/HID/hid_H4.htm

Let me know your thought or if anyone has used an identical kit would like to hear what you thought of them.

Thanks
Lee

 

[Fen]

Haven't looked at the link but does it fit inside the pod?

 

[Lemon]

It says it fits inside the headlamp?

Can only assume they are right.

Cheers

Lee

 

[Fen]

OK, no experience myself but I thought I deard somewhere there are clearance problems within the pod. I nominate Slim and/or 944S2 for advice as I know they have both had HID kits on other cars.

 

[Guest]

I'm sure if Iceshark sees this he will be able to illuminate the revelant issues, also.
Over on Rennlist, there is the fixed headlight conundrum which keeps raising it's head. As yet there doesn't seem to be a clear result of either design or choice of lamp. I personally like the pop up headlights (until they go on the wonk!) They could be brighter of course ref. Iceshark kit. Remembering to clean them (Diver944 wagging finger) does help. But...

 

[Guest]

Here is the problem with the HID retrofits as pictured. All you are getting is the arc bulb, ballast and wiring. NO lens. So you have an arc light source trying to work in a filament designed point light source lens. They don't work very good, no matter what the marketing types say.

These retrofit bulbs drive the manufacturers like Philips and Osram crazy as they are afraid of killing people and getting their asses sued off but they have not been able to shut the trade down.

There is no HID solution for the 7" round lamp. You can go to other sizes which is what flamingeye is referring to on the fixed light alternative that never gets built. That is the true project that never gets done.

If you are looking for good headlights go with overwatted halogen and a wiring upgrade. In the kits I sell here is what you wind up with:

http://forums.rennlist.com/rennforums/showthread.php?t=134230&highlight=headlights

Those will stand up to MB, BMW, anyone with HID. I had nothing to do with those pictures other than I sold a customer the package. It is the real deal.

The only problem with you UK guys is you probably have the articulated lenses which you can adjust height from the cockpit. You either have to stay with those Hella lenses or change the mounting hardware so you can run the Cibies. Unless you are hardcore, I would stay with the Hellas (get a new fresh pair) and you will be pretty close to the Cibie. I got a pair of the Hellas for a guy in the UAE and lit them up just for kicks against the Cibies. They weren't as good as the Cibie but close enough consdering the alternatives.

Ask John Sims for his opinion as I sent him everything and he is running on the articulated Hellas.

 

[Fen]

FAO John - does that mean you have a set of the fixed Cibies you don't need? If so I'll take them off your hands assuming they aren't valued at ££££££. I think you sent a mail to me about it but I didn't understand it and I was hoping to speak to you at Husborne and/or pick up some non articulated light brackets but neither were present.

 

[Guest]

Fen,

John has a set of the Cibies for left hand lane driving sitting in his closet. I actually own them and he is storing them for me until someone wants them so we don't waste money shipping them all over the planet. You can have them for $115 USD for the pair, about 60 GBP.

 

[Fen]

The left hand driving bit - you mean driving on the left side of the road? If so then I'll have them, assuming they have all the associated bits that let me remove the little black motor by current lights have.

 

[Guest]

Fen, yes, the beam pattern is for driving in the left hand road lane like you do in the UK.

But they don't have the conversion bits to switch the headlight bucket hardware over to the way these mount. So you would have to buy those new or from someone parting out a car. Or make them yourself. There are the bits available in the USA as most/all of our cars never came with the adjuster motor so every wrecked car that wasn't in a bad front end crash has those available.

 

[Black80XSA]

Do they work - yes

Are they as good as Litronics - No - they can't be because the headlight beam is dictated by the glass headlight lense and not a xenon specific reflector.

Are they better then Osram Silverstar bulbs - dunno, but they are better than PIAA Extreme WHite bulbs which i used to use (@ £70 a pair)

Are they legal - they won't pass an MOT because xenons need automatic headlamp levelling and washers fitted

Heres a before and after pic of my Boxster (std factory Osram headlamp bulb, not Silverstar, vs 35W xenon kit)

 

[Lemon]

Hi Black80XSA

Whose kit are you using?

Cheers

Lee

 

[Guest]

Pics of the headlight lens lit up are generally worthless, or even deceptive. You need the pic with the lenses aiming down the roadway and see how much of that you light up.

 

[Fen]

ORIGINAL: IceShark

Fen, yes, the beam pattern is for driving in the left hand road lane like you do in the UK.

But they don't have the conversion bits to switch the headlight bucket hardware over to the way these mount. So you would have to buy those new or from someone parting out a car. Or make them yourself. There are the bits available in the USA as most/all of our cars never came with the adjuster motor so every wrecked car that wasn't in a bad front end crash has those available.

Ahh. I'm not too fussed about the lamp units to be honest (as it's for a primarily track car just to keep it road legal) I just want to get rid of the little motors.

 

[Black80XSA]

ORIGINAL: Lemon

Hi Black80XSA

Whose kit are you using?

Cheers

Lee

Bought from Ninemeister in Warrington, not as cheap as the ones on ebay but they have installed about 20 and all owners seemed pleased.

Headlight shots are deceptive, but unless you go out in the middle of the night and use the same aperture and exposure settings on your camera for both shots, then beam pattern ones are little better.As i said the range is limited by the glass lense - the difference is the amount of light across the whole range, with much more at the extremities which is where its needed most. All i an add is that i can now drive on unlit country roads above 40mph now - with the standard lights i could see bu66er all !

 

[John Sims]

ORIGINAL: IceShark

Fen,

John has a set of the Cibies for left hand lane driving sitting in his closet. I actually own them and he is storing them for me until someone wants them so we don't waste money shipping them all over the planet. You can have them for $115 USD for the pair, about 60 GBP.

Hi Guys,

Sorry, Ive been away in the land of bananas, volcanos and horribly sunburnt northeners (when will they ever learn?).

As UK distributor of IceShark lamps - I have a very limited stock of one pair - I would be happy to get the not overly small box out of my garage.

I have been very pleased with my IceShark conversion and look forward to fitting new lamp units and adjusters so that I can realise their full potential. My current lamps are very stone chipped and the adjusters rusted solid in some cases so I can't achieve the ideal alignment at the moment. The light is very bright in front of the car but could extend much further forward (without dazzling) if only I could move the lamps to where I want them.

 

[Guest]

John,

What are the articulated lenses going to cost you locally? I was able to get those out of Porsche Germany for a fairly good price considering the USD is in the crapper. Well under $200 USD for the pair air freighted in one day to the States. I could get some drop shipped to you if the local UK ones are too expensive. You really need to get those new lenses in.

 

[John Sims]

Well under $200 USD for the pair air freighted in one day to the States. I could get some drop shipped to you if the local UK ones are too expensive. You really need to get those new lenses in.

I ordered a pair from my OPC today @ £60 each so not too painfull - but then as an enthusiastic modifier said to me recently ".... a few hundred quid isn't a worry, it's when you do it ten times over that you start to notice it.

 

[John Sims]

You really need to get those new lenses in.

New lenses are now in and adjusted and all I can say is WOW!

Mr Shark did say that new lenses would make a difference and he was right. The IceShark conversion was very good without but allied to new lamps the lighting has gone to a whole new level.

It was the first time I've driven the car properly in the dark tonight and I am very, very impressed with the conversion. It's like driving in daylight. Awesome.

You know how, with the original lights, you might be tempted to turn on the front fogs just to give a bit of fill in illumination (very naughty, if you are alone down a country road what does it matter?) With the IceShark kit it makes no difference if the fogs are on or off, I doubt you would even know, aside the light on the switch being on.

I short, don't bother with HID, if it produces more light than the IceShark conversion your eyeballs will melt.

I would recommend getting you IceShark conversions quickly however, as I am about to sue Mr Shark for everything he has due to me now having ark eye through the reflected light when I put the car in the garage. []

 

[Guest]

LOL!

Yeah, I knew the new lenses would make a big change without road rash and the top drawer light source in.

Subsequent to our initial dealings, I got some of the articulated lenses for a right hand lane ROW car in UAE. I had them in my hands so tried them out. Not quite as good as the Cibie standard 7" round, but close enough. You are going to burn the hair off rabbits that cross in front of you.

Here is the thread of someone that actually took a professional photographic approach to recording the improvement. I had nothing to do with the pictures and only found them when someone pointed me at them. They are legit, not a marketing scam. Well, you will conclude that anyway if you read through the very long thread.

http://forums.rennlist.com/rennforums/showthread.php?t=134230&highlight=headlights

That 60 quid (sorry, don't know the key stroke on my new laptop to make a pound S sign.) per lens is sort of high. I could probably get a group of lenses drop shipped to the PCGB from Germany for a bit less.

Might take awhile on the other bits though. I'm trying to go take a diving vacation in one of my old haunts, Palau.

Regards,

Dan