LS HID/Halogen Question

[glanga]

What exactly makes it ok to run HIDs in the second gen LS even though they have a reflector and not a projector. I know Maximas have this too and a few other cars but how does that work?

Some guy explains why it's bad to have retrofits or put HIDs in a halogen reflector but I see it all the time and on some cars the glare is really not that bad but then some others it's blinding.

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showpost.php?p=23586885&postcount=284

 

[pektel]

I want to guess... I'm guessing that the HID reflector housing is made specifically for the light pattern of the HID bulb. A halogen bulb has a different focal point than an HID, so when you put them into a reflector housing built for halogens, the light hits at different angles, sending it all over the place, instead of just at the road.

 

[glanga]

Actually I remembered and your somewhat right, what you said coupled with the light sources between hid and halogens are in different spots which is why the beam pattern is crazy. I wish someone made a retrofit of the lenses for stock halogens to make them into xenons.

I just dont get how some people its ok and some its not. I see these little ricebuckets with HIDs that dont look half bad then ill see one that looks like it constantly has highbeams on.

 

[n8bachelor]

^^ Yep, it is all about the level of "bad" you are willing to accept. Unfortunately untill you try the HID's in your non-HID housing you will never know how it will look.

I saw a Chrysler 300 the other day with a HID kit that scattered all sorts of glare across the road (and into my eyes). Definately not a good fit for HID in non-HID housings. But in some instances it is not nearly as bad (like the LS). Although the non-HID housings may not have been designed with HID in mind retrofitting them does not produce significant glare.

 

[xarruda89x]

So the LS's that have factory HID, the headlights are designed for the HID?

OR are all years same design no matter the bulb?

 

[ChrisTheBest]

I have a 06 LS that had hallogen lamps and i got the conversion to HID, the light patterns dont seem sloppy. actually looks great. What I'm trying to find is the HID's for the Fog's seeing how the fogs are fugly not matching. any sugestions?

 

[TDUB]

You've just gotta get the right bulb size.

 

[Gottie]

I think i might just buy that kit from umintza for $125. There was a post on here a while back and a couple of people got them.

 

[pektel]

That's what I bought. I'm satisfied.

 

[glanga]

You might be satisfied, but others on the road might not be.

 

[pektel]

Never been flashed. Eyebrows on the lights might help that, along with proper alignment. Smartass.

 

[LEOV5]

Once you install the HID's, you will have to do an alignment on the headlights and the fog lights. This way you can put the light where it helps you the most and not blind people. I think the biggest problem with the retro fits, is that people and installers don't align the lights after the installion is done. That is why we get blinded by them. These kits are installed by so many amatuers and so-called pros.

 

[skizot722]

Once you install the HID's, you will have to do an alignment on the headlights and the fog lights. This way you can put the light where it helps you the most and not blind people. I think the biggest problem with the retro fits, is that people and installers don't align the lights after the installion is done. That is why we get blinded by them. These kits are installed by so many amatuers and so-called pros.

LOL. Throwing an HID kit into your halogen reflectors is not a "retrofit." Retrofitting (in the context of headlights) refers to taking headlight reflectors or projectors from another vehicle and doing the custom work required to get them to work in your headlights. Plugging in re-based D2S kit bulbs and mounting ballasts isn't really much of an installation.

Also, a halogen reflector is not optically engineered for an HID bulb, so there is no "aiming" them; you cannot aim glare. I suppose you could attempt to aim them as far down as possible, but then you'd end up with worse output than with stock halogens, as you'd only have about 5 feet of light in front of you.

I don't think there are many people out there that would take the time, effort, and money required to retrofit projectors, and then not aim them properly. The glare you see on the road is caused by HID kits in halogen reflectors.