HID bulbs in Halogen lamps fail govt test

[mcrews]

Do these wto bulbs look the same to you????
but you going to tell me that YOU can align the HID up perfectly........really.

YOu don't even know how the machine works at the Honda dealership.

While I appreciate that you spent time trying to make it as close as possible, that doesn't make it right.
And not liking the PROVEN TEST RESULTS certainly doesn't make you right.

[2000mc]

part of why i thought the 9012's might be an issue was the amount of light spilling. with the standard bulb in a non projector lamp, theres a decent bit of spillage over the cut off. but with a 9012 even if perfectly aligned/ positioned in the lamp, what was acceptable spillage is now 50% brighter, and is no longer acceptable.

so if your working with 3x the light, anything above the cutoff is probably crazy bright to oncoming cars, even if the light has the same pattern

[mcrews]

Originally Posted by 2000mc

part of why i thought the 9012's might be an issue was the amount of light spilling. with the standard bulb in a non projector lamp, theres a decent bit of spillage over the cut off. but with a 9012 even if perfectly aligned/ positioned in the lamp, what was acceptable spillage is now 50% brighter, and is no longer acceptable.

so if your working with 3x the light, anything above the cutoff is probably crazy bright to oncoming cars, even if the light has the same pattern

HIR is a highbred halogen. Not sure where you are getting 3x the light.


just found this: "These bulbs attain light levels 75% to 110% brighter than stock as a result of an engineering process that deposits multiple, yet almost invisible, layers of semi-reflective coating on the surface of a specially shaped quartz bulb."

[2000mc]

3x for the hids

[mcrews]

gotcha!!!

my bad, I miss read.

No and that is exactly the point. When TOOOOO much light is in front of the car, you lose your long distance night vision. Also is tiring.

[mcrews]

the only time I have used a HIR was in the high beam halogen projector on the Q45. So while there was more light, it wasn't being used at on coming traffic. High beams don't have the cutoff shield.

[topcat]

mcrews, you say 3x the light is too much? Not so.
I can legally buy and use +50% H7 bulbs, +80% bulbs, +90% bulbs and +120% halogen bulbs. +120% is 2.2x brighter.
How long before we see a +200% halogen bulb (= 3x brighter)?
We don't need to wait for that 3x brighter bulb because it already exists as a HID.
So suddenly at 3x brighter you want to decree it is suddenly illegal? Where are you going to draw the line?

There is such a lot of fuss being made here. There is no fundamental reason why an equivalent sized arc can't safely replace a filament in a halogen projector lamp which HAS a cutoff shield.

I agree, a lot of people do it badly. And it probably shouldn't be tried as a retrofit to a reflector style lamp with no shield.

[RedDevil]

Originally Posted by mcrews

************************************************
edit: here is what you are missing or don't seem to understand.
1. the test is a low beam test.
2. the correct halogen bulb probably has a cover on the tip.
3. ALL hid bulbs require a metal shield to provide a cutoff
4. the hid bulb that was installed is being sold as a direct replacement of the low beam halogen.
5. NOTHING is being un-aligned by the tester.
****************************************
....

1. Agreed.
2. If you say so.
3. Depends on the light housing. Mine already has that.
4. Yes.
5. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARG! You really do not see it! You just don't!

Look at the H line in both graphs!

I put them side by side to make it more obvious.
The point of highest intensity on the halogen lamp hovers below the -2 degree line.
The point of highest intensity on the HID lamp is much higher; it hugs the H line. The HID lamp aims 2 degrees higher than the halogen!

Every time you change a lamp you have to check the alignment, even tiny differences in the manufacturing process can make a big difference in the direction of the light exiting the lamp house.

The testers did not realign after inserting the HID lamp. It beams its light straight out. It should have been turned down by 2 degrees.

If you compare the test results and compensate for the misalignment then suddenly the HID does not fare that bad. Yes it is still brighter straight ahead, as can be expected with a lamp that bright, but nowhere as bad as the unaligned test suggests.

[RedDevil]

One big plus of HIDs is their lower heat production.
When you hold your hand in a halogen beam close to the light you can feel the heat.
With HIDs your hand lights up very brightly but there is hardly any warmth in that.

It has been proven that cars that run the lights by day have 20% less accidents than cars that don't. It does not help the driver; it it just getting noticed earlier by other road users that makes this big a difference. So I often run them even by day. Collecting flies and debris on the lamp housing.

One day when I still used halogens I tried to clear the lamp housing of dead black flies. The plastic 'glass' was scorching hot and I was worried the flies had baked themselves into the plastic. They were almost impossible to remove. At long last they came off with no damage.

I was worried that the brighter light of the HIDs would aggravate this problem, but to my astonishment the lamp glass does not get hot at all. Whatever debris sits on it does not burn in and can be removed easily. When it snows I even have to repeat clearing the units after an hour or so of driving as the HIDs will not melt it away like my halogens did... but I'll take that minor disadvantage with pleasure.

[Walbum]

I put them side by side to make it more obvious.
The point of highest intensity on the halogen lamp hovers below the -2 degree line.
The point of highest intensity on the HID lamp is much higher; it hugs the H line. The HID lamp aims 2 degrees higher than the halogen!

Every time you change a lamp you have to check the alignment, even tiny differences in the manufacturing process can make a big difference in the direction of the light exiting the lamp house.

The testers did not realign after inserting the HID lamp. It beams its light straight out. It should have been turned down by 2 degrees.

If you compare the test results and compensate for the misalignment then suddenly the HID does not fare that bad. Yes it is still brighter straight ahead, as can be expected with a lamp that bright, but nowhere as bad as the unaligned test suggests.

This is what I noticed aswell.. While you can't say the test has been tampered with.. It's setently haven't been done right. It's done out of the perspective to do nothing after the installation to prove that young and old people with there hats backwards install thise so the light blinds oncoming traffic.

I am all in your line of thought mcrews.. The general I have my hat backwards type of guy won't realign the HID kits at the dealership.

And no one dispute your fact that it's illigal is most country's because of the I have my hat backwards people.

But that's not to say that HID kits can acualy work good if the right work is put in to installing them.