My Current and future modifications...

kkodal78 · Post by **kkodal78** » Tue Oct 30, 2012 9:16 pm

This evening around 4:30pm i had the lights on and was clearly be able to see the light pattern even it wasn't too dark. It looks pretty bright and full lighting in the front. I used to feel i had dead spot in the middle with the oe lights. Especially with the cover on that headlights assembly it was more depressing but now it looks nice and bright. Have not driven the X at night so can't explain the full experience. After installing the lights i went straight over to our shop on base that does the MOTs to make sure the light pattern is safe for other drivers and all checked out great.

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kkodal78 · Post by **kkodal78** » Tue Oct 30, 2012 9:18 pm

For now i just keep the lights switched off untill i start the car and turn the lights after starting. No issues so far but i also would like to keep my auto headlight option.

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kkodal78 · Post by **kkodal78** » Tue Oct 30, 2012 10:07 pm

while i was searching for info about where i got the HID kits which was an unsuccessful attempt, i found myself searching in Ebay and found this HID ballasts which should fit where the OEM ballasts were housed so thinking about getting these to replace the huge ballasts that came with the set i bought. i am going to attempt to try the fancy link and hope it works

75W HID Ballast

ianmaney · Post by **ianmaney** » Tue Oct 30, 2012 10:17 pm

The problem I have with mine is I have the lights set to auto all the time, if I put the key in and start it straight away, either no lights come on or just one of them so I have to turn them off, then put sides on then main, so to avoid this I put the key in and turn all the power on and wait for the lights to come on and auto level themselves by the time I've put my seatbelt on I just turn the key, the lights go out, the car starts and the lights come back on, but of a PITA but you get used to it.

Raj · Post by **Raj** » Tue Oct 30, 2012 10:43 pm

[quote="kkodal78"]
while i was searching for info about where i got the HID kits which was an unsuccessful attempt, i found myself searching in Ebay and found this HID ballasts which should fit where the OEM ballasts were housed so thinking about getting these to replace the huge ballasts that came with the set i bought. i am going to attempt to try the fancy link and hope it works

75W HID Ballast
[/quote]

Oooo interesting. Potentially all I'd need is those and the connectors and then just hard wire those into place. Cheers.

kkodal78 · Post by **kkodal78** » Wed Oct 31, 2012 6:44 am

Raj
Do you think the current bulbs will be able handle the current? I mean the bulbs look the same but the oe bulbs are connected via cable which is attached directly to the ballast. The only way you can manage to connect the new ballast would be, buying bulb connecter to connect to the bulb which would cost you about the same price as new bulbs. Then you can maybe put the oe set up for sale. At least that is i am planning on doing. I'll put my OEM headlight aasemblies with xenons for sale soon

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Raj · Post by **Raj** » Wed Oct 31, 2012 12:44 pm

[quote="kkodal78"]
Raj
Do you think the current bulbs will be able handle the current? I mean the bulbs look the same but the oe bulbs are connected via cable which is attached directly to the ballast. The only way you can manage to connect the new ballast would be, buying bulb connecter to connect to the bulb which would cost you about the same price as new bulbs. Then you can maybe put the oe set up for sale. At least that is i am planning on doing. I'll put my OEM headlight aasemblies with xenons for sale soon

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[/quote]

Bulbs will be the same as they are not conventional bulbs. Xenon bulbs are gas filled where the gas is ignited as opposed to a filament being supplied with a current to generate the light.

Also the cable that goes from the OE ballast to the OE bulb should in essence still be just positive and negative wiring so should be able to just tap into them. I need to check the OE headlights to see where the OE ballasts are located. I don't want to have to cut the hole out on the back of the headlight for the wiring to have to pass through to connect to a new bulb, etc. I'd like to keep it as OE looking as possible, so if the ballast is hidden out of the way then no-one is the wiser.

storminmike · Post by **storminmike** » Wed Oct 31, 2012 7:14 pm

Can I ask a question of those in the know on HIDS?

Is a 75w ballast just an indicator of it's "ability" to manage a current draw from a discharge bulb and therefore the current drawn and hence the light ouput determined by the bulb?

or have I got it wrong in so much all HID bulbs are the same and can draw as much (at a cost of life perhaps) current as the ballast manage? Or to put it another way will putting a 75w ballast on a bulb in a 35w kit whack up the light output>?

Raj · Post by **Raj** » Wed Oct 31, 2012 7:31 pm

[quote="storminmike"]
Can I ask a question of those in the know on HIDS?

Is a 75w ballast just an indicator of it's "ability" to manage a current draw from a discharge bulb and therefore the current drawn and hence the light ouput determined by the bulb?

or have I got it wrong in so much all HID bulbs are the same and can draw as much (at a cost of life perhaps) current as the ballast manage? Or to put it another way will putting a 75w ballast on a bulb in a 35w kit whack up the light output>?
[/quote]

My thoughts were (and I'm going to call hids direct to confirm this) that the ballast in essence is like an amp and takes the input and increases it accordingly to supply to the bulb. Conventional bulbs use a filament and so will only take so much current before it blows/breaks. So with xenons the higher ballast wattage should accordingly produce a brighter light.

kkodal78 · Post by **kkodal78** » Wed Oct 31, 2012 7:32 pm

[quote="Raj"]
[quote="storminmike"]
Can I ask a question of those in the know on HIDS?

Is a 75w ballast just an indicator of it's "ability" to manage a current draw from a discharge bulb and therefore the current drawn and hence the light ouput determined by the bulb?

or have I got it wrong in so much all HID bulbs are the same and can draw as much (at a cost of life perhaps) current as the ballast manage? Or to put it another way will putting a 75w ballast on a bulb in a 35w kit whack up the light output>?
[/quote]

My thoughts were (and I'm going to call hids direct to confirm this) that the ballast in essence is like an amp and takes the input and increases it accordingly to supply to the bulb. Conventional bulbs use a filament and so will only take so much current before it blows/breaks. So with xenons the higher ballast wattage should accordingly produce a brighter light.
[/quote]
I hope you are right on that one.

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storminmike · Post by **storminmike** » Wed Oct 31, 2012 7:37 pm

[quote="Raj"]
[quote="storminmike"]
Can I ask a question of those in the know on HIDS?

Is a 75w ballast just an indicator of it's "ability" to manage a current draw from a discharge bulb and therefore the current drawn and hence the light ouput determined by the bulb?

or have I got it wrong in so much all HID bulbs are the same and can draw as much (at a cost of life perhaps) current as the ballast manage? Or to put it another way will putting a 75w ballast on a bulb in a 35w kit whack up the light output>?
[/quote]

My thoughts were (and I'm going to call hids direct to confirm this) that the ballast in essence is like an amp and takes the input and increases it accordingly to supply to the bulb. Conventional bulbs use a filament and so will only take so much current before it blows/breaks. So with xenons the higher ballast wattage should accordingly produce a brighter light.
[/quote]

That's my thought too but I do notice that HIDS direct sell different wattage bulbs (albeit at a modest price increase).

They sell 35w and 50w bulbs. Like you say if these were filament then they'd "draw" more current based on an unlimited supply.... AKA National Grid

Still not sure if the power is pushed or the bulb demands on HIDS

having said that...doesn't voltage "push"

Bargain Bucket · Post by **Bargain Bucket** » Wed Oct 31, 2012 8:12 pm

In simple terms, voltage is "pushed" and is constant. It's like pressure.
Current is drawn i.e. the device takes as much as it needs. It's like flow.

storminmike · Post by **storminmike** » Wed Oct 31, 2012 8:20 pm

[quote="Bargain Bucket"]
In simple terms, voltage is "pushed" and is constant. It's like pressure.
Current is drawn i.e. the device takes as much as it needs. It's like flow.
[/quote]

hence the debate on whether a BIG wattage ballast does anything other than create the potential for a hid bulb to draw.....or as it's not a filament but an arc does the ballast restrict that potential

surely there's some analogy toward an arc welder....you can control the power consumed on these can you not?

jaynana · Post by **jaynana** » Wed Oct 31, 2012 10:21 pm

[quote="Bargain Bucket"]
In simple terms, voltage is "pushed" and is constant. It's like pressure.
Current is drawn i.e. the device takes as much as it needs. It's like flow.
[/quote]

wasn't aware of a concept of push or pull, maybe its easier to understand that way. but in the simplest terms:

watts = volts x amps

as taught way back in school

.. is that right? i hope i've not forgotten the basics...

kkodal78 · Post by **kkodal78** » Wed Oct 31, 2012 10:30 pm

I'll try and see if i can use a 35w bulb with 75w ballast. Have a few H1 and H7 hid kits with 35W. I can sacrifice one of the bulbs to see if handles the current from 75W.

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