The skinny on HID headlights

[aviator41]

Been thinking about putting a set of HID's in my F250. Had them in my silverado and really liked them.

All you LEO's - I've heard both that they are legal, and that they are not. which is it? I'm not talking the deep blues or purples or some other color. I'm talking a simple, white lamp.

 

[PBramble]

I'm not in LE, but the HID conversions have been illegal for a while in every state.

http://dsl.torque.net/images/techdocs/NHTSA_Crackdown.jpg

 

[Gabriel42]

Conversion, bad. Swap, good.

 

[FamousAJ]

I'm not in LE, but the HID conversions have been illegal for a while in every state.

http://dsl.torque.net/images/techdocs/NHTSA_Crackdown.jpg

So, only HID 'conversions' are illegal? Caddies, Lexus, Mercedes, et al all have HID lights. Is the fly in the soup the conversion part?

 

[AbundantEntropy]

According to what pbamble post it was just one companies conversion that wasn't up to par

 

[nofearfactor]

Conversions and having bulbs over 6k can cause you trouble, under 6k tho and youre alright. (Stock HIDs are pure white at 4300, white with blue tint is 6k, a deeper blue is 8000, and full on purples can be up to 30k). One of my cars has the blues, neither my trucks have them, and my wifes car has the plain whites. I like mine for when Im out driving late at night on the highway.

 

[bettingpython]

Just slapping HID's in a reflector housing is uncool, causes vision problems for oncoming traffic, and I believe not D.O.T. legal. Proper H.I.D. lamps are in a reflector housing and have a distinct cut off line. Also the longer wave length (Lower K number) lights are better for seeing with but the shorter wave length blue tinged color is what everyone want's because it looks cool.

A proper retrofit kit for my truck is around $350 dollars and lots of work fitting the projector inside the headlamp housing. I can just slap ballasts and bulbs in it for about $100. The first option is the correct option the second option actually reduces how well you can see at night and is dangerous to oncoming traffic.

http://www.theretrofitsource.com/co...orimoto-mini-stage-3-kit-h1.html#.UuUGLXl6iM8

 

[tRidiot]

Projector housings. Available for most vehicles at varying costs. For me, about $100 for the housings, about $100 for the HIDs and ballasts.

Easy-peasy swap in my Tahoe.

As mentioned above, do NOT just drop HIDs in your existing headlight housings. Bad idea for multiple reasons.

I've never ever been brightlighted by oncoming traffic due to my HIDs, even though they're very very bright. Because they're in projector housings which has a distinct cutoff line that preserves oncoming drivers' vision. It's the right thing to do, AND you have to spend the time (about 10 minutes) getting them properly aimed. I love mine, one of the best mods I did to my truck.

 

[Lurkerinthewoods]

My new mustang has them from the factory and I have a love/hate opinion on them. I love the level of brightness when driving at night. The down side is that I get hit with bright lights from at least 8 out of 10 cars that pass at night. The only part that bugs me about that is, I know some night some jackass is going to throw something out the window as they pass because they think I'm bright lighting them.

 

[SlugSlinger]

My new mustang has them from the factory and I have a love/hate opinion on them. I love the level of brightness when driving at night. The down side is that I get hit with bright lights from at least 8 out of 10 cars that pass at night. The only part that bugs me about that is, I know some night some jackass is going to throw something out the window as they pass because they think I'm bright lighting them.

Sounds like the lights need aimed. I had to do this on my new Tacoma. When you see peoples faces when you pass them going the opposite direction, your lights are aimed too high.

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/aim/aim.html