Type_LT

Bi-Xenon Headlamps

These look cool, it looks like they simply move the xenon bulb forward or backward to create a high and low beam pattern, and it also appears you could pop them into your cibies or hella H4 conversion lense. I do question how good a HID can be without a projector though.

Cyrus951

I saw the most beautiful headlights on a Ferrari 360 Modena that was in

my neighborhood the other day..

What kind of lights do the Mondena's use? How much?

Mike B

Interesting...expensive, but interesting.

IceShark

Yeah, they are trying to copy what the *REAL* HID lamp manufacturers have been doing for awhile. Move the arc and shields to go between dipped and main beam rather than sticking in an H7 halogen bulb for high beam.

The big problem remains. Halogen lenses have been designed for a point light source and HID arc is not a point light source so things don't work out so well on a retrofit to a halogen lens.

Forget it, especially at those prices.

Manning

Wow, I feel dirty after looking at that

Type_LT

IceShark, your right, don't you think the HID's are such a ripoff? I mean if you look at their quasi dual it's a fluorescent tube with a ballast which you can buy at wal-mart for $20.00. Of course it has to be smaller and more rugged, but that doesn't warrant $500.00 more. Thats my take on HID's, overpriced, that was the first time i've seen that movement, now I know it's not unique.

Red 944

who's dirty?

Zero10

That looks very similar to the headlights in an Audi A6, however they move the reflector around the bulb. I am planning to retrofit a set of them into my headlights, but it will have to take it's place in the 'Projects Waiting to be done' lineup, so maybe the end of this summer.

Dal Heger

Dan, I don't know, that beam pattern that they show on their website looks pretty darn close to the filament bulb. It looks like they are using a US halogen lens, so that cutoff isn't as sharp, but I think it would look pretty close with a euro (hella/cibie) lens.

Too bad it's $700. If it was cheaper I'd think about it.

Dal.

IceShark

Dal, yes, those pictures certainly appear to be DOT lenses from the beam pattern. It is hard to tell what the beam pattern would be in real world out on the road because they are shooting it at a sheet of plywood a couple feet in front of the lens. Sort of a low budget operation - for 700+ bucks you would think they could at least go out on a dark road and take some before and after shots. Heck, Ben S. did after he got just a pair of Cibies and 90/100 watt bulbs (no wiring kit) from me just for his own entertainment one night. You can see the pictures on http://www.gururacing.net/

For DOT lenses either those bulbs don't perform very well or put out much more light or you have to be bothering other drivers. Just stick a 100 watt halogen in a DOT lens and watch people flash you and flip you the bird, or worse.

For E-Code lenses I would be concerned about where the light is going: is it getting to the sides OK, is it starting to light up the high beam portion when you are on low beam, etc. Just think about it. There is a reason the big lighting manufacturers haven't jumped on this gravy train after all these years.

The only way to tell for sure is to run tests and shooting a beam at a sheet of plywood a couple feet away is not a test. The big boys like Phillips and Osram already know they can't make these compliant with the lighting laws of various countries and make them perform well.

It seems to me that the big marketing driver for these HID bulb retrofits is the sad shape most DOT lenses are in. First they start off with a poor beam pattern and most lenses are now plastic (lexan/polycarbonate). After a year or two those plastic lenses start turning to junk getting scratched, nicked, and then discoloring/milking up from UV attack. So you can't hardly see where you are going. The solution is a real dilemma without spending a small fortune. The HID bulb retrofits cost a lot but they don't really solve the problems.

I've talked about this before, but Osram/Sylvania embarked on a project which apparently was sort of half assed run to make the purpose designed and built Xenarc true HID lenses and bulbs for replacing sealed beams including our 7" round lenses. Guess what? The whole product line has been junked. History. That should tell you something about what it takes to get HID working right.

Mike B

I think I got the same result for less than half of that with Dan's kit. The improvement is nothing short of amazing. Those of you who have the "full boat kit" know exactly what I mean.

wesmc3

What is Dan's full boat kit? I am looking for the best option to imrove optics for my aging eyes :-)

V2Rocket

Dan has passed since this thread. You can buy a version of his light harness here:
http://www.rennbay.com/944-headlight...cca91509bad1dd