Playing with a cheap HID kit

[JHZR2]

Many have read my thread testing a set of LEDs in my Accord Hybrid:

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubb..._th#Post3967972

Overall I've been pleased, and like them. But what start d me down the study of any lighting options was really the consideration of if I should install S2000 or TL projectors in my car and do an HID retrofit.

There are two things that bug me still:

1) could I still do better than with my (supposed) 2800lm LEDs?
2) that the heat sink on the bulb is heavy and may cause long term damage to the housing.

I've not been willing to commit to HID because of these LED bulbs, and the fact that the accord hybrid has less underhood space than a regular accord due to more stuff in the way.

Enter OPT-7 Blitz Bullet HID. Likely a cheap analog DC ballast, but tiny....

$29 on eBay, $39 next day delivered on Amazon prime with simple returns. I figured why not play with these in the parking lot and then return them? So that's what I did.

I only installed one...

For reference, here is my halogen vs LED profile, and what the LED pair looks like from my projectors.

Halogen vs LED:

Note the hot spot on the halogen side, for later.

The LED pair:

I have been happy with the LEDs, but again, why not try something cheap just to see?

So that's what I did. This is supposedly a 5K HID. Here it is vs the LED:

Notice that the hot spot is back, fwiw.

Another pic with slightly different exposure:

I'll say this. I didn't use a relay. The only reason this crossed my mind to try is because the ballast is so small, it's beyond easy to install and secure. No way I'd leave it or run without a relay for long term use though...

This bulb flickers a few times and changes colors as it warms up. I'd say that warmup is about 10s, as compared to the LED being instant. Not sure if that is due to the lack of a relay, a purposeful soft start setting, etc. My BMW OE HIDs sure don't do any of that...

I wasn't keen on going too far, but there's a long river park not far from my home and the HD where I do wall shots, so I went there.

Possibility for glare aside, it seems that they are definitely brighter, and reach further.

Tomorrow I plan to try to use a clamp on ammeter and see inrush and steady state current. I'm curious if they start soft or have a big pull at the start... And if they're 35W in, or 35W out... I'd suspect that these ballasts are 70% efficient, if that... So these bulbs aren't driven very hard. Interestingly, the headlight plastic cover on the LED side was cooler than on the HID side...

Tomorrow I go back to my LEDs. I still think that ballast mounting is going to make HID impossible in the accord hybrid. Plus the LED headlight matches the color of the LED DRLs perfectly...

Enjoy!!

 

[blupupher]

Pics are not showing up for me (just the 1st one shows, all the ones from photobucket don't show).

 

[daves87rs]

Still like the LED better...

 

[Jetronic]

especially the first time, it takes a while before the HID bulbs get their regular colour. Maybe you noticed when you first turned them on? they go from very blue-ish to whiter in the first few minutes.

To me those hid's still look too blue, like it's not really 5k?

Now to get the light to go where it needs to....

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: daves87rs
Still like the LED better...


Me too. I was just curious if an HID setup would reach further/be brighter than the LED, which claims to be 2800 lm.

It's interesting that the same hot spot that I've observed for the HID is apparent with the OE halogens.

What this does tell me is that there is additional brightness to be gained over the LED.

Problem is, under the hybrid's hood, there's a lot more wiring and stuff that prevents mounting regular square ballasts. Would I run DC analog ballasts, without a relay, and without known debased brand-name bulbs. Nope. Just a test...

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: Jetronic
especially the first time, it takes a while before the HID bulbs get their regular colour. Maybe you noticed when you first turned them on? they go from very blue-ish to whiter in the first few minutes.

To me those hid's still look too blue, like it's not really 5k?

Now to get the light to go where it needs to....


I thought so too. I've heard of color shifts, not sure what is going on here besides potential mislabeling/poor QC. I'd have thought they would be a bit more yellow, though the 5k was called "pure white".

 

[gathermewool]

Awesome job!

The comparison is great and probably the most useful in pictures, but a single-side comparison (with the other side unplugged) would be great, too. With the same exposure settings, it might show full beam spread, highlight the hot spot, and give some indication of distance illuminated.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Of the two retrofits with your Accord I too like LED better. Also, LED cost less and possibly more reliable.

Now, if you do the correct HID retrofit use S2000 projector bowl with newer Osam or Philips D2S bulb you will see the differences. It will be brighter, farther and much wider.

From the picture I can say your beam pattern is about 60-70 degree, while the S2000 beam pattern is about 140-160 degree. The S2000 doesn't have hot spot of 30-50 feet on front of the car, their light is spread out evenly from left to right and from lose to far.

That why most experience members of HIDplanet loves S2000 projector bowl. The correct HID retrofit costs a lot of money and time and it is possible you may make it worst. Because of this I think LED is probably the safer and much easier way to accomplice. But to say that just plug in LED bulbs the result is better than any HID system isn't 100% correct.

 

[DBMaster]

Deleted.