4300K HID Kit

[josh220]

I was very unsatisfied with Xenon Depot's service, and some of the kit required modification for it to fit, but I finally got it all installed. I put the old PIAA halogen bulb into the passenger side so you can see a comparison of how the HID kit looks.

As you can see it is not 300% brighter, but it's enough that I am satisfied with it's performance, despite shabby customer service and product quality before I modified it.

Passenger lowbeam: PIAA Halogen
Driver's lowbeam: 4300K HID kit

 

[josh220]

I've noticed a lot of posts recently about how HID's are a waste of money because of how much glare they cause to other drivers. I aimed the beams much lower so that they still give me great lighting on the road, but you would have to be sitting down on the ground for the lights to be in your eyes. So I fail to see how a properly aimed HID kit is hazardous. I am also planning on covering the squirrel finders so I have a clean cut-off line, eliminating all possibilities of glare.

 

[KellyJ]

Don't projectors have squirrel finders eliminated in them? Or is that only for cars that come equipped with HID's? And how were cars like the Acura TL (previous generation, without projectors) legal if they were just the same as cars with halogen lamps and light assembly's?

 

[simple]

Wow...its amazing how crappy the stock lights look. Josh, looking back, would you just go with some Hoen bulbs or silverstars? And how much did this set you back.

My 04 has projector fogs but NOT projector headlights? 06 and above have projector headlights but not Fogs right?

 

[josh220]

Wow...its amazing how crappy the stock lights look. Josh, looking back, would you just go with some Hoen bulbs or silverstars? And how much did this set you back.

My 04 has projector fogs but NOT projector headlights? 06 and above have projector headlights but not Fogs right?

Yea you are right about the projector/reflector housing for those years. And keep in mind that my before/after pictures were not HID vs Stock. Those shots are my HID kit vs. my $90 PIAA light bulbs. The difference between the stock bulbs and the PIAA bulbs was just as big as the difference between the PIAA and HID. So if you went directly from stock bulbs to HID, it would be amazing to say the least.

The kit was $224+$26 for shipping. Not a bad price, but be prepared for sub-par customer service.

 

[josh220]

Don't projectors have squirrel finders eliminated in them? Or is that only for cars that come equipped with HID's? And how were cars like the Acura TL (previous generation, without projectors) legal if they were just the same as cars with halogen lamps and light assembly's?

I'm not sure how the Acura was legal, but my projectors have the squirrel finders. I haven't tweaked them yet because I adjusted them low enough that no one has flashed me yet. It's the same as you get with halogen, just brighter.

 

[XenonDepot]

josh220,

I am sorry to hear that you were dissatisfied with the service. Would you mind just sending me a PM with more details regarding the issues?

Steve

 

[josh220]

josh220,

I am sorry to hear that you were dissatisfied with the service. Would you mind just sending me a PM with more details regarding the issues?

Steve

There's no option to PM you, only to e-mail you. I was just frustrated that it took almost 2 weeks to arrive. I understand that you were short staffed during the time I purchased it, but I sent multiple e-mails that were either never returned, or took well over a week for a reply, not 48 hours as specified. The tracking number that was sent to me didn't work, so I was unaware of the delivery date. The last thing, is I had to file the center of the positive terminal connectors for them to fit over the bolt for them to receive power. Maybe they sent me the wrong size, or just an error.

 

[XenonDepot]

Thanks for your response. Yes.. Unfortunately some issues did arise in the early past of last month when we were short staffed. Those have been addressed though. I do apologize for any hassle/inconvenience caused.

Steve

 

[Uneek]

Don't projectors have squirrel finders eliminated in them? Or is that only for cars that come equipped with HID's? And how were cars like the Acura TL (previous generation, without projectors) legal if they were just the same as cars with halogen lamps and light assembly's?

Projectors and reflectors for HIDs are very different than those designed for halogens. Cars like the second GS300 where HIDs were optional, have two different set headlights, one for halogens and another for HIDs.

 

[XenonDepot]

All halogen headlights allow a slight amount of light to bleed upwards to illuminate overhead signs. HID headlights do not.

The interesting thing is that the older Mercedes headlights were designed for either HID or halogen (same headlight).

Steve

 

[XMAN05LTD]

Man, would've gone at least with 6000k, brighter white look. I got my HID kits for $72 shipped.

 

[josh220]

Man, would've gone at least with 6000k, brighter white look. I got my HID kits for $72 shipped.

If I went with 6000k it would have been blue, not white. The 4300k I have now has 0% yellowness to it. And since I am going to be tinting my front windshield, I need the kelvin rating that would provide the most usable light. The 6000k is very nice for oncoming traffic to look at I'm sure, but from the driver's standpoint, the 4300k has the best benefits.

When I first turn them on, it takes about 5-10 seconds for it to fully heat up, and it starts out very blue. I wouldn't want it blue all the time though. The road only gets lit up about half as much as when it gets to it's pure white.

 

[XenonDepot]

Thats exactly why we do not suggest upgrading your high beams.

Steve

 

[josh220]

Thats exactly why we do not suggest upgrading your high beams.

Steve

Because of the 5-10 seconds it takes to fully heat up?

 

[XenonDepot]

Thats one of the reasons. The other reason is that it is strenuous on the components to be turned on/off repeatedly ie: flashing people.

Steve

 

[yota2004dsa]

Human eye response to various luminance levels.

If I went with 6000k it would have been blue, not white. The 4300k I have now has 0% yellowness to it. And since I am going to be tinting my front windshield, I need the kelvin rating that would provide the most usable light. The 6000k is very nice for oncoming traffic to look at I'm sure, but from the driver's standpoint, the 4300k has the best benefits.

When I first turn them on, it takes about 5-10 seconds for it to fully heat up, and it starts out very blue. I wouldn't want it blue all the time though. The road only gets lit up about half as much as when it gets to it's pure white.

Not entirely true, as our eyes are most sensitive to a lighting spectrum centered around 5500-6000K (natural sunlight) under mesopic lighting conditions.

Here are a few interesting articles re: human eye response to lighting at various luminance levels.

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/bulbs/blue/bad/bad.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photopic_vision

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesopic_vision

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adaptation_(eye)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotopic_lux

I appologize for being such a geek. But I chose 6000K Pilot brand HID Hi and Low beam bulb replacements (9005, & 9006) for my '04 V8 sport.

Fog light bulb replacement and Vision-X 6500 55W Euro pattern HID bracket mounted lights are next. I'm told by the manufacturer that these won't be available until May or so, 2008.

 

[bimmer4life2009]

Not entirely true, as our eyes are most sensitive to a lighting spectrum centered around 5500-6000K (natural sunlight) under mesopic lighting conditions.

Here are a few interesting articles re: human eye response to lighting at various luminance levels.

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/bulbs/blue/bad/bad.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photopic_vision

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesopic_vision

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adaptation_(eye)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotopic_lux

I appologize for being such a geek. But I chose 6000K Pilot brand HID Hi and Low beam bulb replacements (9005, & 9006) for my '04 V8 sport.

Fog light bulb replacement and Vision-X 6500 55W Euro pattern HID bracket mounted lights are next. I'm told by the manufacturer that these won't be available until May or so, 2008.

Thanks alot for the articles, they were really informative :thanks:

 

[Mike07SE]

I upped my bulbs to 6000K. To me, it's pure white. I know, not the optimum lumen output, but I like the whiteness of this better. Kind of like how 6500K flouresent shop lighting is vs. interior flouresent bulbs, it's like that.

 

[liqourish]

i planned on getting ddm 55watt with 4500k.
http://www.ddmtuning.com/index.php?p=product&id=101&parent=60


would that look close to stock? i wana keep a low profile with just brighter output. from waht i head 55w tends to wash out the colors? also trying to keep the color same as stock high beams/fogs..youtube videos of 4500k look blue at first then white ish...its hard to see from the camera's view :/