HID Upgrade

[baldmosher]

Originally Posted by Grumpywurzel

I have read that the high beam can flicker when you flash someone

Correct. Anything fitted with a ballast (like HIDs or fluorescent bulbs) will need to "warm up" and cannot just fire up at full power. Tungsten filament and LED don't need to warm up. So HIDs are fine in DLRs, side lights, and dipped beam as they will stay on for a while, but for full beam, flashing them won't do them any good at all.

Unfortunately LED not quite at the level needed for headlamps intensity, but that day is certainly coming. IKEA have recently turfed out ALL their fluorescent bulbs in favour of shipping probably a billion LED units into everyone's home instead. Once sold, nobody will ever buy another bulb again. LED are better than fluo in every way, and IMO better than incandescent (tungsten) because the colour temp is almost entirely controllable, and you can flash them on and off very easily (but you can't dim LEDs so easily... it's possible, of course, but requires electronic programming, so a straight wire-in upgrade doesn't work).

[martinrpeachey]

I have HIDs in my full beam and you get one full power flash from them.

It then takes a few minutes for it to build enough charge to do it again (there's a small current constantly fed to the headlights, even when they're off)

Most HIDs flash when you turn them on and dim straight away, then built up to full power (15 seconds from cold, 2-5 seconds from hot)

[baldmosher]

That is why I don't want HIDs... although good to know they're usable for those who do

On a loosely related hijack note, turns out that Philips CrystalVision 4300K are no longer available (if they ever were, in the UK), DiamondVision 5000K aren't road legal (if the MOT guy notices, of course) but Philips now do a road legal "ColorVision" range now, which includes blue, green, red and pink (!) and I am guessing (edit: incorrectly I think) that the blue one replaces the CrystalVision...? Bit of a shame as I'd just decided to buy some CVs! You can still buy them imported from Japan but no idea if they're knockoffs as they seem to be listed "without packaging" which usually implies non-genuine

Edit: they also do a "Blue Vision Ultra" at 4000K http://www.powerbulbs.com/product/ph...eadlight-bulbs

Edit: CrystalVision apparently not road legal in EU either, that explains why you can't buy them anywhere! http://www.powerbulbs.com/product/crystal-vision-h4

[GaryS40]

Originally Posted by v40alex

Do keep your standard sidelight bulbs - I got flagged on my MOT for white LEDs being too blue against the standard headlights.

Me too, on my last test.

Had them in at another test centre, for the two years prior.

Gary

[GaryS40]

Grumpy, instead of HID's, why don't you go for a Phase 2 headlight conversion.

The difference between P1 & P2 headlights, the light output is HUGE!

Gary

[Alex121]

+1 on what Gary suggested.

You won't run into MOT issues either

[Matt86]

Edit: Wrong section! lol sorry lads.

[Grumpywurzel]

I thought about doing the conversion to Ph2, is the wiring a pain in the posterior or what? Plus getting hold of the headlights, I have asked a few scrappies and they either havent got any or try and book me into the hospital to remove my kidneys.....

[GaryS40]

Originally Posted by Grumpywurzel

I thought about doing the conversion to Ph2, is the wiring a pain in the posterior or what? Plus getting hold of the headlights, I have asked a few scrappies and they either havent got any or try and book me into the hospital to remove my kidneys.....

Gatos is your man, for things like this.

Gary