HID Kit

[clean_me]

Hello,

can anybody tell me whether HID kits are worth the money/effort?

You can get a set of xenon bulbs off ebay for about 15.00-20.00, so is there any benefit to an 80.00 HID conversion kit?

Any thoughts much appreciated.

Cheers.

[Shalershasker]

I've not done this conversion on a car/truck ect, but i have done it on my bike and have to say the difference is amazing, I don't even bother with main beam on the bike anymore, simply don't need it, it was a very easy conversion to do as well, if the kit your after is anything like mine I'd say go for it but it might be worth waiting for someone to come along that has done it to their surf for a definitive answer.

[tintin]

I put the uprated bolbs in mine (from Halfords ) and the difference is amazing....................

from the pale yellow candle light...........




To a vastly improved white light..............




pics are not great but you get the idea!!!!!!!!!!

Alan

[clean_me]

That's really helpful, thanks very much.

Shaler Shasker : What Wattage was the HID kit you fitted and what temperature "bulbs" did you go for?

Tintin : which Halfords bulbs are those? I've been looking at the 472SB (50% brighter) and 472EB (90% brighter) bulbs...

Cheers.

[shumba]

Hid Kits

Hello,

can anybody tell me whether HID kits are worth the money/effort?

You can get a set of xenon bulbs off ebay for about 15.00-20.00, so is there any benefit to an 80.00 HID conversion kit?

Any thoughts much appreciated.

Cheers.

I have done it on mine and love them, makes driving in the dark a whole new ball game!
If you can get some crystal clear head light lenses this also makes it clearer.
They are worth it. Don't do what I did and bought the wrong bulbs!! Get the H4 dip!

[Shalershasker]

That's really helpful, thanks very much.

Shaler Shasker : What Wattage was the HID kit you fitted and what temperature "bulbs" did you go for?

Tintin : which Halfords bulbs are those? I've been looking at the 472SB (50% brighter) and 472EB (90% brighter) bulbs...

Cheers.

Output : 85v, 35W Nom.
Temp: -40~+105 degrees C Amb.
D2S or R lamp, can't remember which, it was 3 years ago when I did it.
As said earlier though this was for my bike not the surf and was fitted just after I bought the bike so had up to date lense, don't forget our surf's are much older with older style lenses so as shumba say's, the crystal lenses will make a difference too.

[Shalershasker]

Thinking about it, how the hell did I remember that, normally I can't remember what I did an hour ago .

[madmanc]

LOL Shalershasker when we bought out Blackbird it has had the HID conversion done all ready. I have to agree that the light output is an amazing upgrade on the standard Candle light.

I also thought that with the normal H4 bulbs you have to be carefull with the wiring if you go to hot a bulb, so this could be something to consider and a Plus for the HID conversion.

[tintin]

That's really helpful, thanks very much.

Shaler Shasker : What Wattage was the HID kit you fitted and what temperature "bulbs" did you go for?

Tintin : which Halfords bulbs are those? I've been looking at the 472SB (50% brighter) and 472EB (90% brighter) bulbs...

Cheers.

Mine are the 90% i think. If i remember correctly they are in blue boxes.
If you try the search button there are a whole lot of posts on the subject.
I think what swung it for me was no extra faffing about, just change the bulbs with no hassle and no problems!

Alan

[clean_me]

Thanks for the replies everybody

[Surfer Ross]

Dragged from the depths but just wanted to add my tuppence on this. The difference in light output between HID Xenon kits and any "plug in" bulb are incomparable.

The headlamp wiring on our Surfs is cr*p to put it politely. A good quality H4 Hi/Lo HID kit will bypass all the wiring, taking its power direct from one of the batteries and using the original wiring as a switching source only for the Hi/Lo relay included with the kit (the same way that a H4 wiring harness upgrade kit works). The results are amazing.

4300k colour temperature will give the most useable light on the road and is closest to factory xenons. My personal choice on the 5 or 6 vehicles I've fitted them to.

6000k has a lot more of a blue tinge to it but gives less light on the road even though it looks "brighter". More for form than for function. Used them once but 4300k is better for light output.

8500k is outright blue and will get you pulled by the police in short order.

12000k is purple and of no use on a public road.


There is nothing in the Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations that states that they can't be retro-fitted and used on the road. This is the only law under which you can be stopped or prosecuted for vehicle lighting offences. Anything that the often circulated Department for Transport email says is an opinion of one employee and nothing more, its not worth the paper its written on. I carry a copy of the RVLR in my glovebox just incase I get pulled by an over-zealous rozzer but that hasn't happened since I started using them. I've passed 8 MOTs with HIDs fitted, all at different garages and they've never been mentioned.

You can download/view the RVLR here: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/SI/si1989/Uksi_19891796_en_1.htm

I'm fitting a set of 4300k HIDs to the truck on Saturday. Got them for £66 delivered from HIDs Direct here: http://www.hids-direct.co.uk/hid-con...beam-hid-kits/

[puddlesurfer]

I bought a set of Halfords 472EB's for mine yesterday - problem is it's too cold to be outside fitting them!

[Streetsurfer]

Dragged from the depths but just wanted to add my tuppence on this. The difference in light output between HID Xenon kits and any "plug in" bulb are incomparable.

The headlamp wiring on our Surfs is cr*p to put it politely. A good quality H4 Hi/Lo HID kit will bypass all the wiring, taking its power direct from one of the batteries and using the original wiring as a switching source only for the Hi/Lo relay included with the kit (the same way that a H4 wiring harness upgrade kit works). The results are amazing.

4300k colour temperature will give the most useable light on the road and is closest to factory xenons. My personal choice on the 5 or 6 vehicles I've fitted them to.

6000k has a lot more of a blue tinge to it but gives less light on the road even though it looks "brighter". More for form than for function. Used them once but 4300k is better for light output.

8500k is outright blue and will get you pulled by the police in short order.

12000k is purple and of no use on a public road.


There is nothing in the Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations that states that they can't be retro-fitted and used on the road. This is the only law under which you can be stopped or prosecuted for vehicle lighting offences. Anything that the often circulated Department for Transport email says is an opinion of one employee and nothing more, its not worth the paper its written on. I carry a copy of the RVLR in my glovebox just incase I get pulled by an over-zealous rozzer but that hasn't happened since I started using them. I've passed 8 MOTs with HIDs fitted, all at different garages and they've never been mentioned.

You can download/view the RVLR here: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/SI/si1989/Uksi_19891796_en_1.htm

Found this on DfT website:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roadsafety/drs/hidheadlamps

Seems to say most retro-fitted kits are NOT legal.

[Surfer Ross]

Found this on DfT website:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roadsafety/drs/hidheadlamps

Seems to say most retro-fitted kits are NOT legal.

You're about the millionth person to see that particular quote and almost the millionth to misunderstand it. As I stated in my post, the DfT's quote is nothing more than an opinion until passed as law. As yet, that has not happened and doesn't ever look likely to happen.

The ONLY law governing vehicle lighting is the RVLR, period.