Hi All,

I'm interested in upgrading the stock HID to have brighter light output. Could I just replace a new Phillip D2R 4100k & use stock ballast/ignitor to get the result? or do I need to replace the whole kit including bulb, ballast & ignitor?

What bulb type is the low beam housing? and where would be a good place to purchase one? I'm aware of HID Outlet..

Thanks

 

Just changing the bulb will not net any visible difference. Your best bet since you have the crummy pre projector headlights is to get 2006+ projector headlamps. Or if you are a project kind of guy you can retrofit projectors into your existing housing.

 

Agree with what Pete said.

Other ways to increase brightness of USABLE light:

1. change the ballasts to higher wattage ballasts. There are some 50W ballasts available on the web, or modify the ballast. No one has been able to modify the stock coupe ballasts though, because they are potted.

2. some people have been able to use D4S bulbs and ballasts, which have a few hundred more lumens than our D2S/D2R system.

3. if you have an aftermarket bulb, go back to stock.

These methods with not help:

1. putting D2S in the reflectors (I have pictures to show this).

2. removing the front shield on the reflector (worse idea ever).

3. 8000K bulbs.

Before:


After:


Same camera setting. Before is TSX projectors with 4100K D2S stock ballast. After is same projectors with DL50 bulbs with 50W ballasts.

 

E_K, I think I remember reading that your car was out of commission shortly after upgrading the ballasts to 50W. How many hours did you have on the headlights with the 50W ballasts? Was there any problem you noticed using them? I'm worried about the extra heat and what affect it will have on the plastic headlight housing. Is startup time to full brightness the same as stock?

 

The 06' projector headlight housing that everythingg35 have on sale is only the housing? or does that include the whole HID kit (bulb, ballast, ignitor, etc..)?
If that's the case, it would just be plug n play right? no modification necessito?

 

doesnt include the bulbs

 

just the bulb? but everything else is included?

 

Yeah, I was hit by someone in a parking lot. Fortunately the internals of the passenger light was ok. The outside housing's tabs were destroyed though.

But I got everything up an running about 2 weeks ago (damn insurance, still won't own up to the responsibility). I haven't had any issues with the 50W ballasts. I did pot them myself to make them water and shock proof. I've tested the ballasts extensively prior to mounting them, and they never got more than a bit warm. The bulbs and projectors do get hotter though, but I haven't had any problems. Everything in the retrofit is held with bolts/nuts and locktite.

 

The startup time takes about 10 seconds. With the stock ballasts, they start up a bit brighter than baseline, then gradually comes down. With these, the startup brightness is like the usual 35W, then it gradually increases in brightness.

Pic of the car finally fixed. My smoked corner was destroyed, and they had to replace the bumper and fender, as well as fix the rim... twice.

 

anyone know any local shops or anyone that can do this retro fit in so cal?

 

sweet setup E_K. sweet red brembos too.

 

Yeah, I was more worried about the heat from the bulb being hotter inside the plastic headlight housing without any ventilation. The 50 watter would be about 30% hotter than stock.

Questions:
Can you explain what it means to pot them?
Do the 50W ballasts fit where the stock ones are installed?
Do you have to remove the headlights to get to the ballasts?
We're looking at quite a few hours to do this right?

Thanks for the help.

 

Are the 06' Projector & 06' HID are really significantlly brighter? Clearly it's not a small amount of money for the replacement, but if it's not that significant i don't think it's worth it.

anyone can input on this?

 

.moO^., the projectors are better. I don't know if I would say they are "brighter" but they do put more usable light out there, on the ground in a flat, w i d e pattern. Considering how expensive they are, you might want to take a nighttime test drive of an '06/'07 to see how much you like them.

 

Potting means to fill the area of the electronics with a thermal compound. Most people use this:
http://www.mgchemicals.com/products/832tc.html

As it says, "Provides superior protection from impact, shock, conductivity, moisture, abuse, chemicals, and analysis"

The 50W ballasts are aftermarket, so they won't mount up directly.

I put mine where the stock ballasts usually go, by attaching them to a dust cover.



I would remove the headlights to make it easier on yourself. Otherwise you'll end up spending more time trying to reach around to the components, when you could have already taken the bumper and headlights off.