HID lights

[zak]

Anyone interested in obtaining some of these? I think the H4 halogens (even upgraded to powerbulbs) are pretty naff in a Seven so I have looked into a bit.

 

here good guide about them.

here

 

Main problem is that are not legal for road use in the UK. These kits replace the bulb in standard headlights.

 

I have also found (not sure of size of Seven headlights) HID replacement units that are DOT approved and therefore legal in Europe from the US. Not sure of left hand drive application.

here although for some reason this site is currently down. This is the US site of european legal DOT HID lights.

 

Also wondered if these HID lights were made in Europe (germany?) Cibie?

 

Anyone else interested?

 

Zak

 

See updated pics of THE car here

[Ben Long]

Zak,

 

Might be interested in some of these, depending on price of course 🤔 They're not cheap I don't believe, if the cost of this option on other vehicles is anything to go by.

 

Drop me line when you have more info

 

Cheers,

 

Ben

[zak]

Ah, cost! D'oh!

 

The US ones are $300 which at present rates works out £160 plus I am sure P&P etc etc bargain on £200.

 

Glad its not just me who thinks the lights are pants!

 

Zak

 

See updated pics of THE car here

[Bricol]

HID lights - ah ha!

 

Convert dipped beams in my Lancia to such things form Autolamps online - not cheap but rather good! I too, seeing as I'm over in the USA at the moment, thought about another, cheaper set - but you have to watch who you buy from. I would buy without hestitation from Autolamps again (hesitate over price tho) as they work a treat and use decent components of European make. You can pay extra for bluey/purple tinted, higher temp - supoosed to look cool but actually give out less light than 4300K.

 

For seven lights you need a H4 replacement - which is where it gets interesting - a H4 uses two filaments and a shield. HID don't - so you lose either dip or main beam, esp.if you buy form the states. Some conversion use moving sheilds, mmorrors, wings and god knows what else to try to get main beam - all stuff to fail! Esp in a Seven - not the most cosetting ride.

 

USA HID conversion sites aredown at moment due to USA DOT trying to decide if their regs allow them - reading the letter of the law, they don't, as the law stares a "filament" bulb - HID clearly aren't. They are imposing fines of up to $5000 per instance per day on retailers - so some are even offering to take kits back for full refund. Because each instance, not each car! if someone with a 4 headlight car and foglights converted it could lead to £30,000 fine per day!

 

Problem with USA headlights, even more than European one is they have to buy law, kick some light upwards to attempt to illuminate the most useless overhead road signs I have ever seen (not all of them are, but a heck of a lot) - so when you stick a unit with 3X more light output into a headlamp not specifically designed for it, you dazzle a lot more people.

 

In europe, it is illegal if you don't have headlamp washers and automatic levelling - as dirt on the lense causes a lot of light scatter - esp with the aforementioned 3X output. But with careful realignment, you can reduce it so you don't get anyone flashing you back, the car passes the MOT and you can see better. although my MOT man commented on the white light when he was expecting yellow - so to avoid him getting into trouble I may well bung the orginal H1 bulbs back in next time - there was no modification to the actual lamp needed.

 

So, after all that, at a show on Sunday I ran into a guy flogging HID conversions that seem to be of Japanese origin - never heard of them and they are 12000K - purple with relatively crap light output - however, he claims that they are going to be doing some 4300K (white light) ones in the next month or so. Use a separate ballast and ignitor rather than the Hella all in one that Autolamps sell. Bulbs for H3 (my main beam) looked pretty good and not bodged - on a par with the Autolamps by looks only. Approx $300 ish if I remember. I have his website and email but won't post it here for all to see - email me and I'll forward it - mention Brian the British guy at the Long Beach Hi-Performance SwopMeet and he may remember. However, I have no idea how good they are, how long they will work, but he is selling them unlike everyone else I tried over here.

 

Check these out tho'

 

 

http://hidforum.com/forum/ - esp the vendor problems page

 

http://dsl.torque.net/tech/tech.html - when he FAQ setion is works it is a mine of info - and it all makes sense.

 

Bri

[zak]

This is Good! We are making progress. 😬

 

Not really sure which way to take this now but at last some knowledge is surfacing. Bricol you seem to know a lot more about it than most. So there is no way of replacing the standard H4 filament bulb with a HID bulb that does both main and dipped for a seven.

 

The site here http://www.xenonupgrades.com is having buying problems with a minimum order imposed of 350 units. For a small concern that trashes it. I wonder what H4 replacement they have?

 

Cost of Autolamps online the xenonupgrades price is a bit better!

 

Zak

 

See updated pics of THE car here

[noddy]

I'm interested, would like to know what the fittment is i.e. where does the ballast go etc 🤔 HID are great, I've got diving/cave torches torches, the light is fantastic but not good in all conditions ......... dont know about how they would fair on a 7.

 

R400 .......... I love it