HID bulb conversion kit

kh85 · 13 May 2013 at 20:38

Hi guys. In my old car I had a HID kit, it required bulb fitting h7.. my new car requires h4. rather than buying a whole new kit, can i just buy the h4 bulbs and plug them into the ballasts?

Thanks

coolamasta · 14 May 2013 at 00:22

Depends if the H4 bulbs are just low beam, if they are hi/lo as in they have 2 filaments in the standard halogen bulb then no you will need a new kit as they will have solenoids that move a reflector to simulate hi/lo beam so the HID power/relay loom would be different.

kh85 · 14 May 2013 at 08:26

coolamasta said:
Depends if the H4 bulbs are just low beam, if they are hi/lo as in they have 2 filaments in the standard halogen bulb then no you will need a new kit as they will have solenoids that move a reflector to simulate hi/lo beam so the HID power/relay loom would be different.

thanks for the reply mate, you're right in saying i'd need a new kit i beleive. i'd need a relay etc... i also read about it being better to have projector lamps to make the light better and not blind everyone (although most people just run them in normal headlamp casing) seems more money than i always intend to spend. lol.

thanks

scratch · 14 May 2013 at 10:20

kh85 said:
thanks for the reply mate, you're right in saying i'd need a new kit i beleive. i'd need a relay etc... i also read about it being better to have projector lamps to make the light better and not blind everyone (although most people just run them in normal headlamp casing) seems more money than i always intend to spend. lol.

thanks

If you don't have projector lenses then don't fit HIDs, simples. It's the chavved up Corsas et al who fit HIDs in their standard headlamps, driving around scattering bright white light in passing motorists eyes who give HIDs a bad name.

stoofa · 14 May 2013 at 10:39

Hate aftermarket kits with a vengeance.
But if you really must fit them then projector lamps or not at all. And don't scrimp - make sure you go and get them correctly levelled/aimed.

adam cool dude · 14 May 2013 at 11:08

scratch said:
If you don't have projector lenses then don't fit HIDs, simples. It's the chavved up Corsas et al who fit HIDs in their standard headlamps, driving around scattering bright white light in passing motorists eyes who give HIDs a bad name.

Uninformed. Reflector lights are fine for HID bulbs. Infact in some cases it is standard on manufacturers cars. If the bulbs are shielded it causes no problem. My daily drive has factory HID reflector lights which causes no problem what so ever.

What you are referring to is people using HID's in lights with fresnel lenses that are not shielded that just make a mess of all the light.

Draeger · 14 May 2013 at 11:10

scratch said:
If you don't have projector lenses then don't fit HIDs, simples.

Also, most retrofit HID kits are 'fickle' about interchanging bulbs from a manufacturer other than the one responsible for the original kit. Your mileage may vary though. If you do intend trying another set of bulbs in H4 flavour, make sure you match them up to the ballasts and get the correct wattage. HID's come in 35W or 55W, the latter being common for the majority of the newer second generation HID kits. Check what your H7's were wattage wise and then purchase H4's for that wattage.

kh85 · 14 May 2013 at 12:29

Draeger said:
Also, most retrofit HID kits are 'fickle' about interchanging bulbs from a manufacturer other than the one responsible for the original kit. Your mileage may vary though. If you do intend trying another set of bulbs in H4 flavour, make sure you match them up to the ballasts and get the correct wattage. HID's come in 35W or 55W, the latter being common for the majority of the newer second generation HID kits. Check what your H7's were wattage wise and then purchase H4's for that wattage.

yeah it was 12v 35 watt ballasts, just didn't know if i could buy the bulbs. i think id need a relay.

i'm not intending to look like a chav with a pimp mobile, i just want better vision at night time. but making sure i do it in a safe way for me and others

(im so caring lol)

stoofa · 14 May 2013 at 12:55

adam cool dude said:
Uninformed. Reflector lights are fine for HID bulbs. Infact in some cases it is standard on manufacturers cars. If the bulbs are shielded it causes no problem. My daily drive has factory HID reflector lights which causes no problem what so ever.

What you are referring to is people using HID's in lights with fresnel lenses that are not shielded that just make a mess of all the light.

Not really uninformed at all.
The majority of cars that hit the road with HIDs these days are in projector lenses. Sure there are a few that are OEM reflector, but they are rare (certainly on new cars) and every precaution has been made for them not to blind oncoming traffic.
However in 99.9% of cases where someone is trying to fit HID bulbs into a lens not designed for the job it is a reflector that will divert light all over the place and blind anyone and everyone.

Because it is such a tiny majority of cases where you could slam HID bulbs into reflector lenses and not be a total menace to society I guess it was felt it really didn't need mentioning.

kh85 · 14 May 2013 at 13:03

i've looked on the bay and it'll cost £124 for some projector lamps. but they look like angel lights, then it will look like I'm trying to be chavvy.

Minstadave · 14 May 2013 at 13:09

adam cool dude said:
What you are referring to is people using HID's in lights with fresnel lenses that are not shielded that just make a mess of all the light.

Which is the vast majority of people using the HID/reflector ultimate retina searing combo.