HID xenon lights to reduce electrical load
 

My 1994 Geo Metro has an underdrive pulley and a super tiny 'race' battery. Because of this, P&G and EOC doesn't work very well for me. I have been working on reducing my car's electrical load by removing things like the stereo, dash and dome lights, etc... Also, I removed the passenger side vents and blocked up the air ducts so that I don't have to put the fan up so high to get air on the driver's side.

But that's not what I came here to talk about... (Arlo Guthrie)

I realized that one of my largest electrical loads in the car are the headlights. I don't really use them when it is light out, but I drive early in the morning and late at night so I have to use them most of the time. I looked into LED lights, but found that they are either too dim or too expensive(200/bulb without drivers). Then, I stumbled upon HID lighting systems. These use high voltage to react in a xenon tube. The light is much brighter and uses up to 35W per bulb. I happened to know a guy who owed me a favor and he knows a guy who has an HID ballast kit I can have. It is made by Philips and seems to be fair quality. I just purchased the bulbs online tonight for 20 bucks so I should have all I need to check this out this weekend. It may not be a huge power savings, but if nothing else I will get more light and less heat from my bulbs. Obviously I am not the first to do this to a Metro, but I thought I would share anyway. I will let you know how it turns out.

I have dual xenon headlights and daytime running lights. High beam 4 x 35W and 2 x 35W for lowbeam. I would use 25W xenon bulbs (or ballast), but those are hard to get. You can get double of lumens from 35W xenon compared to 60W halogen. So I think, that 25W xenon is more than enough in most cases.

There is always some kind of prolems with vehicle regulations. Usually you can't totally legally replace your halogens bulbs with xenon replacement kit. Check that your assembly won't glare other drivers.

I installed also Xenon H4 hi/lo beams last weekend and oh boy how great they are. On the dark I can see almost 100 meters longer and they also save fuel!. I cannot imagine that I would go back to using old halogen lamps in my car anymore. Half of the year Finland is very dark so if I can avoid even one moose crach or minor collision they have earned they price.

I still haven't seen anyone selling a kit they claimed were legal. That said, i wonder if it is possible to reduce the power of the kit to say 17w or if a certain bulb will only work at it's rated power.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVuSSdZNsZw

cycleguy,
By installing the a hid system in a halogen designed lamp, you will increase the GLARE not increase the useable light.
THe basic issue is the hot spot on the bulb.

http://i678.photobucket.com/albums/v...s/bulbs001.jpg


The reflective pieces inside the lamp (chromed) are designed SPECIFICLY for the halogen bulb. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE (REALLY) to successfully install an hid lighting system into a halogen lamp.
Can it be done.....ABSOLUTELY. 1. illegally and 2. see above.
Yes, there are thousands of Plug n play kits on the internet. That doesnt mean that they correctly reflect the light.
Go to HIDPLANET.com and spend a couple of hours reading up.

Here is how an hid light should look. There HAS to be a cutoff.
http://i678.photobucket.com/albums/v...es/9-23-11.jpg

there is no cutoff inside your lamp. (for starters......let's not even discuss the glare to oncoming drivers.)

just to givr you an idea.
Here is an HID fog projector designed for an hid systerm.
THe bulb, while in 'correctly' is not perfectly centered inside the housing. thus the is 'some glare' above the cutoff.
http://i678.photobucket.com/albums/v...s/IMG_2161.jpg

All that glare is shoot up and at oncoming drivers.
this is that same lamp corrected with very slight adjustments
(ignore that it is higher on the wall. adjustments have to be made while the assembly is uot of the car)
http://i678.photobucket.com/albums/v...s/IMG_2211.jpg

Next,
your laamp is plastic and called 'a reflector' for halogen buldb

here is an example...see how you can see the bulb in the center and the lens is really just the plastic cover?
http://i678.photobucket.com/albums/v...rilles/024.jpg

Here is the exact same 'houising' but designed specificlly for hid. see the 'dull looking lens behind the plastic lens


http://i678.photobucket.com/albums/v...s/IMG_2142.jpg


Hid lamps are metal and called 'projector' they have a factory ground optically ground lens.
http://i678.photobucket.com/albums/v...es/lens002.jpg

http://i678.photobucket.com/albums/v...s/IMG_2155.jpg

Finally, the hid has a metal body so that the heat generated by the hid bulb wont melt it......
your lens is plastic...........think about it........

Finally, YES, the BASE of the HID will fit into the base of the halogen lamp.
But that DOESNOT MEAN IT WORKS CORRECTLY!!!!

If you want legal HID lamps go to Hella | Homepage.

Your lights should have D marking in them to be able to use these aftermarket kits, legally

That would cost about 2500€ total. Now if in finland at the moment about 5% has this kind of illegal HID kits should that mean 5% more accidents according to that video? I can also say it will not work perfectly but many other things can also distord the halogen lamps. Biggest issue which affect the safety is the user and how he adjust the driving lights heigth.

Anyway it was a good video on the topic ;).

I am disturbed maybe once a month about someones drive lights. Some of those are also regular lights which has just been adjusted wrong. You are not supposed to try to read the other cars licence plate number when you face it on the road...

tolo,
you understand that YOU car came with HID.....correct?

And the the METRO DID NOT come w/ HID, correct?

And so your recommendation is (well illegal) complete off base, correct?

And yes, you have a disclaimer......but........

Vekke,
So I understand the op's post and your reply.
HE wants to STOP using his factory halogen bulb and intall and HID bulb / ballast.

You want him to buy an aftermarket "ADD-On" hid from Hella.
1. if he follows your recommendation, then he has the factory setup AND the add-on. Since HELLA doesnot make factory replacement headlamps for direct consumer purchases.
2. the op wants to REDUCE his electrical consumption, not increase it.
3. And why Hella??????? Any sealed aftermarket hid system will do the same thing....PIAA for example.

1. Hella makes also oem headlamps and you can look if they have your lamp. After that you can go to local dealer and ask the price. You can go to your loal dealear also ask them straight. If you want to build your own lamps to replace the current ones Hella has kits to do it also.
2. If he installs HID lamps and ballast kit electrical load would be lower.
3. In Finland Hella is most well known manufacturer. Piaa and other make also similar lamps.

I think in europe you also need to add high pressure lamp washers to the system to make it legal.

What comes to legality most of mods that are discussed here are at least illegal in europe if you go by the book I dont about the states.