HID in FB
08-29-17, 04:28 PM
#1
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HID in FB
The proper way to install HID option :
1. Projector lens housing
2. Bulb and ballast
3. h4 signal wire relay harness.
Am I missing anything?
What ballast or bulb can I get? Any right? Because the wire harness is already H4 compatible and any HID ballast should connect?
1. Projector lens housing
2. Bulb and ballast
3. h4 signal wire relay harness.
Am I missing anything?
What ballast or bulb can I get? Any right? Because the wire harness is already H4 compatible and any HID ballast should connect?
08-29-17, 09:10 PM
#3
ancient wizard...
The only "proper" way to install HID lamps in a 1st gen would be to use a lamp assembly from a vehicle that came with them,which would require major surgery to the front of car to do so and may not pass inspection in some states.
The headlamps pictured in op original post are meant for use with a halogen light source,very likely an H4 bulb. Judging by the price,they will not be well made,which is beside the point. A lamp housing,any lamp housing is designed around a specific bulb and its characteristics to produce a determined light beam,low and high if a dual filament bulb such as an H4. Substituting ANY other light source(HID burner,LED insert) will produce an uncontrolled light pattern,throwing spurious light everywhere except for where it belongs-on the road. We've all encountered oncoming or following vehicles on which these "upgrades"were performed with the irritating blue light in your face/mirror. What is ironic is the very fact all that light is in your face and not down on the road in a controlled beam means that driver can't see as well at night as they were able to with their lamps in their original configuration.
Just because these "conversion" light kits are available for purchase and the fact they may bolt in doesn't mean they should be done or are legal-they aren't in any state in this country.
Be responsible and considerate of drivers sharing the road with you.
There are light conversion kits sold while not originally available on cars in this country(they were installed in 1st gens overseas to comply with their lighting standards) that are a marked improvement in the sealed beams that were oe in our cars. They use the same wattage bulbs but lens/reflector construction is superior and the low beam has a razor sharp cutoff that aimed properly is not a distraction to oncoming traffic because ALL the light is put down on the road for much improved night vision. The high beam is also an improvement over oe lamps.
Racing Beat shows lamps such as this on their website. Hella makes a Vision Plus conversion lamp that is DOT certified. These lamps do bolt in and improve after dark driving in our cars.
The headlamps pictured in op original post are meant for use with a halogen light source,very likely an H4 bulb. Judging by the price,they will not be well made,which is beside the point. A lamp housing,any lamp housing is designed around a specific bulb and its characteristics to produce a determined light beam,low and high if a dual filament bulb such as an H4. Substituting ANY other light source(HID burner,LED insert) will produce an uncontrolled light pattern,throwing spurious light everywhere except for where it belongs-on the road. We've all encountered oncoming or following vehicles on which these "upgrades"were performed with the irritating blue light in your face/mirror. What is ironic is the very fact all that light is in your face and not down on the road in a controlled beam means that driver can't see as well at night as they were able to with their lamps in their original configuration.
Just because these "conversion" light kits are available for purchase and the fact they may bolt in doesn't mean they should be done or are legal-they aren't in any state in this country.
Be responsible and considerate of drivers sharing the road with you.
There are light conversion kits sold while not originally available on cars in this country(they were installed in 1st gens overseas to comply with their lighting standards) that are a marked improvement in the sealed beams that were oe in our cars. They use the same wattage bulbs but lens/reflector construction is superior and the low beam has a razor sharp cutoff that aimed properly is not a distraction to oncoming traffic because ALL the light is put down on the road for much improved night vision. The high beam is also an improvement over oe lamps.
Racing Beat shows lamps such as this on their website. Hella makes a Vision Plus conversion lamp that is DOT certified. These lamps do bolt in and improve after dark driving in our cars.
08-29-17, 11:06 PM
#4
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Jeez. Very informative. I was under the impression that a simple "fish-eye" lens was needed to eliminate blinding the oncoming driver when utilizing brighter light. The alternative I guess that leaves LED sealed? Like a truck lite 27270C or sylvania Zevo plug and play? The "led bulb" in a housing with/without a fish eye lens is incorrect right? regardless of origin of light.
08-29-17, 11:42 PM
#5
There are led drop in replacement "bulbs" of various quality though none afaik are actally legal here in aus at least.
The trick to picking a half decent one is a design that has rows of very small led chips arranged to best simulate the incandescant filament and a little "shade" thingy over one bank as per oem for propper low beam.
Ive converted my bike, ute and fb. Used expensive ones in the bike and ute and cheap Chinese ebay ones in the rx. Theyre all good but the cheap ones in the mazda are the best.
The trick to picking a half decent one is a design that has rows of very small led chips arranged to best simulate the incandescant filament and a little "shade" thingy over one bank as per oem for propper low beam.
Ive converted my bike, ute and fb. Used expensive ones in the bike and ute and cheap Chinese ebay ones in the rx. Theyre all good but the cheap ones in the mazda are the best.
08-30-17, 08:59 AM
#6
Waffles - hmmm good
iTrader: (1)
I've heard the LED headlights are not that good yet even though some new
vehicles are using them. Best solution is an H4 conversion that uses the Hella
headlight with a quality H4 buld in it. I have the old relayed light harness and
Hella kit that was on the BlackDragon site and it works great. I wrote it up
and it has pics of the difference it makes.
https://www.rx7club.com/1st-gen-arch...lation-695121/
No modifications or chopping of the headlight mount like would be the case
for HIDs. Also HIDs draw a hideous amount of current and would probably
require an alternator upgrade as well.
vehicles are using them. Best solution is an H4 conversion that uses the Hella
headlight with a quality H4 buld in it. I have the old relayed light harness and
Hella kit that was on the BlackDragon site and it works great. I wrote it up
and it has pics of the difference it makes.
https://www.rx7club.com/1st-gen-arch...lation-695121/
No modifications or chopping of the headlight mount like would be the case
for HIDs. Also HIDs draw a hideous amount of current and would probably
require an alternator upgrade as well.
08-30-17, 09:40 AM
#7
ancient wizard...
t_g,you're right about the oe LED lights in new cars. Some are better than others,a relative has a late model Acura MDX with these that iv'e driven after dark and am not impressed by the performance of them,and they were an add on option. They also are in the camp of unwanted distracting light in an oncoming situation,insufficient light control.
On the opposite end of the spectrum,have driven a year old Audi A8 several times after dark(awesome car all around)that was brought here from Germany when a good friend moved here to follow his job. The LED lighting in this car works very well,low beam illumination and light control is very good. I have not had the occasion to view the lighting of the car in an approaching situation,but from driving it,examining light pattern against my garage doors and in traffic behind other vehicles at a stoplight the lamps have a very distinct cutoff above which there is no light. Approximately 1/2 way up the trunklid of the car i'm sitting behind at an intersection. The lo beam upper cutoff is not unlike the Hella units you have in your car.
Were i to guess at prices of replacement lamp/housings for these two cars,would not be surprised the Audi units(made by Hella) being more than twice the cost of the Acura,but the performance is like night and day-like the rest of the car.
On the opposite end of the spectrum,have driven a year old Audi A8 several times after dark(awesome car all around)that was brought here from Germany when a good friend moved here to follow his job. The LED lighting in this car works very well,low beam illumination and light control is very good. I have not had the occasion to view the lighting of the car in an approaching situation,but from driving it,examining light pattern against my garage doors and in traffic behind other vehicles at a stoplight the lamps have a very distinct cutoff above which there is no light. Approximately 1/2 way up the trunklid of the car i'm sitting behind at an intersection. The lo beam upper cutoff is not unlike the Hella units you have in your car.
Were i to guess at prices of replacement lamp/housings for these two cars,would not be surprised the Audi units(made by Hella) being more than twice the cost of the Acura,but the performance is like night and day-like the rest of the car.
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08-30-17, 10:08 AM
#8
ancient wizard...
Regarding HID lighting,I purchased the whole HID lighting system from a wrecked 2013 Lexus SUV and grafted it into my Tacoma. I do a lot of headlight(legal) upgrades on customers bikes and autos and familiar with lighting design and performance,what is legal and what is not.
This was an experiment and a LOT of work to get them in and aligned but look like oe. These lamps have a leveling mechanism in them that will adjust the burner housing to compensate for attitude of vehicle(loaded or empty) to keep the light cutoff constant. They also pivot 15 degrees to whichever direction the steering wheel is turned to turn the light beam to illuminate the road in front of the vehicle. I tried to incorporate this function into my truck but was unsuccessful. I do have a small rocker type mini-switch attached to the shifter that i can activate this function. Only really use it on tight turn roads.
After driving with them for about four years now,they are very good in inclement weather,especially fog. As far as power consumption,initially when turned on,they draw for 15-20 seconds twice amperage wise what a set of 60/55 watt H4 bulbs do but after the initial lightoff they draw less than 1/2 of what the halogen bulbs do. They are rated at 35 watts low and high. Part of the attraction for the oe auto market using them is their low power consumption,which is why you see them on a lot of cars like a Toyota Prius and other hybrid cars.
This was an experiment and a LOT of work to get them in and aligned but look like oe. These lamps have a leveling mechanism in them that will adjust the burner housing to compensate for attitude of vehicle(loaded or empty) to keep the light cutoff constant. They also pivot 15 degrees to whichever direction the steering wheel is turned to turn the light beam to illuminate the road in front of the vehicle. I tried to incorporate this function into my truck but was unsuccessful. I do have a small rocker type mini-switch attached to the shifter that i can activate this function. Only really use it on tight turn roads.
After driving with them for about four years now,they are very good in inclement weather,especially fog. As far as power consumption,initially when turned on,they draw for 15-20 seconds twice amperage wise what a set of 60/55 watt H4 bulbs do but after the initial lightoff they draw less than 1/2 of what the halogen bulbs do. They are rated at 35 watts low and high. Part of the attraction for the oe auto market using them is their low power consumption,which is why you see them on a lot of cars like a Toyota Prius and other hybrid cars.
08-30-17, 11:12 AM
#9
Waffles - hmmm good
iTrader: (1)
Good info. Maybe it was the early ones used in the late nineties that were pigs. Problem is they need extra box (transformer?) that has to sit near the lights. Makes retrofitting a pain I would imagine.
08-30-17, 12:53 PM
#10
Rotary Enthusiast
They also pivot 15 degrees to whichever direction the steering wheel is turned to turn the light beam to illuminate the road in front of the vehicle. I tried to incorporate this function into my truck but was unsuccessful. I do have a small rocker type mini-switch attached to the shifter that i can activate this function. Only really use it on tight turn roads.
If I had your rocker switch, I'd sit at traffic lights and make them look left and right, left and right. Or maybe just have them cycle constantly. That sounds like a good idea.
08-30-17, 01:16 PM
#11
Regarding HID lighting,I purchased the whole HID lighting system from a wrecked 2013 Lexus SUV and grafted it into my Tacoma. I do a lot of headlight(legal) upgrades on customers bikes and autos and familiar with lighting design and performance,what is legal and what is not.
This was an experiment and a LOT of work to get them in and aligned but look like oe. These lamps have a leveling mechanism in them that will adjust the burner housing to compensate for attitude of vehicle(loaded or empty) to keep the light cutoff constant. They also pivot 15 degrees to whichever direction the steering wheel is turned to turn the light beam to illuminate the road in front of the vehicle. I tried to incorporate this function into my truck but was unsuccessful. I do have a small rocker type mini-switch attached to the shifter that i can activate this function. Only really use it on tight turn roads.
After driving with them for about four years now,they are very good in inclement weather,especially fog. As far as power consumption,initially when turned on,they draw for 15-20 seconds twice amperage wise what a set of 60/55 watt H4 bulbs do but after the initial lightoff they draw less than 1/2 of what the halogen bulbs do. They are rated at 35 watts low and high. Part of the attraction for the oe auto market using them is their low power consumption,which is why you see them on a lot of cars like a Toyota Prius and other hybrid cars.
This was an experiment and a LOT of work to get them in and aligned but look like oe. These lamps have a leveling mechanism in them that will adjust the burner housing to compensate for attitude of vehicle(loaded or empty) to keep the light cutoff constant. They also pivot 15 degrees to whichever direction the steering wheel is turned to turn the light beam to illuminate the road in front of the vehicle. I tried to incorporate this function into my truck but was unsuccessful. I do have a small rocker type mini-switch attached to the shifter that i can activate this function. Only really use it on tight turn roads.
After driving with them for about four years now,they are very good in inclement weather,especially fog. As far as power consumption,initially when turned on,they draw for 15-20 seconds twice amperage wise what a set of 60/55 watt H4 bulbs do but after the initial lightoff they draw less than 1/2 of what the halogen bulbs do. They are rated at 35 watts low and high. Part of the attraction for the oe auto market using them is their low power consumption,which is why you see them on a lot of cars like a Toyota Prius and other hybrid cars.
I'm now curious to know how you'd go about retrofitting a set into an FB. I assume you'd have to do clear lenses with the HID housing mounted in them, since getting the stock housings to rotate up and down with the HID housing in them would be too much of a mechanical nightmare.
08-30-17, 02:41 PM
#12
ancient wizard...
Yes,step up transformer 14 volts to 28k volts. Average size about big as a pack of cigarettes. Some have the transformer right on the back of the burner capsule. In my truck i have more cable than needed,vehicle i took them from had a large frontal area and each transformer was down behind the front facia. In my Tacoma one is under the airbox,the other next to the battery box.
08-30-17, 02:45 PM
#13
ancient wizard...
I had a VW with the shifty HIDs. It was really weird as they looked around corners as I drove.
If I had your rocker switch, I'd sit at traffic lights and make them look left and right, left and right. Or maybe just have them cycle constantly. That sounds like a good idea.
If I had your rocker switch, I'd sit at traffic lights and make them look left and right, left and right. Or maybe just have them cycle constantly. That sounds like a good idea.
08-30-17, 03:03 PM
#14
ancient wizard...
That really is an awesome bit of information!
I'm now curious to know how you'd go about retrofitting a set into an FB. I assume you'd have to do clear lenses with the HID housing mounted in them, since getting the stock housings to rotate up and down with the HID housing in them would be too much of a mechanical nightmare.
I'm now curious to know how you'd go about retrofitting a set into an FB. I assume you'd have to do clear lenses with the HID housing mounted in them, since getting the stock housings to rotate up and down with the HID housing in them would be too much of a mechanical nightmare.
After about 1/2 a case of beer had him talked out of it,the consensus being all the "surgery" would destroy the looks of the front of the car+ the car was way too clean and original to screw with. He still brings up the subject a few beers into it...
09-12-17, 04:54 PM
#15
Guys, messing with HID systems not designed for the Fb is too much work. Check out my thread where I put in some LED headlights and the effect is almost as good as modern HID system.
https://www.rx7club.com/1st-generati...alled-1073467/
https://www.rx7club.com/1st-generati...alled-1073467/
09-12-17, 06:45 PM
#16
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Thanks. All your responses are well received. However your response is most relative. It addresses my yearning for better lighting and fast forwards my efforts to a cost effective less invasive solution! Thanks!