HID Kits, which colour temperature?

[Draeger]

The thing I don't understand is what was the problem with halogen lights that led to a need for HID's?

As far I can see the reason most people want HID's is because it makes their car look more expensive / 'cool', which is a pretty inadequate justification for compromising other road users' safety.

Possibly, but not in my own personal case. I think the people more likely to do that would most probably just buy those blue tinted bulbs rather than go to the considerable expense of fitting HID's. Not saying they all would, but the prime reason for 99% of people fitting kits like these ones, is to improve the light on the road and make driving safer. Honestly, if you have ever been in a Calibra at night, you would be simply amazed at how poor the lights are!!.

If you do a search on any Vaux or Calibra forums, you will see a lot of complaints about the headlights. They appear to be a very common bugbear from owners. The inherent design of the projector beam unit isn't at fault, its the substandard wiring loom and fittings that Vauxhall added to them that appears to be the problem. There's a voltage drop between the headlight and the power source. It can be addressed somewhat, by taking a direct feed from the 12v source, through a couple of relays, but that all seemed a bit "Heath Robinson" to me. Many owners fitted HID kits and reported back that it was a massive improvement, despite obviously, the voltage drop still being present. It's more effective than adding 100W bulbs which again, make little to no difference.

Interestingly enough, most HID kits mine included, run the bulbs at @35W.

 

[Fr0dders]

The thing I don't understand is what was the problem with halogen lights that led to a need for HID's?

As far I can see the reason most people want HID's is because it makes their car look more expensive / 'cool', which is a pretty inadequate justification for compromising other road users' safety.

because HID kits by nature put out more light

its obvious that some1 who does a lot of night driving would want to invest in a proper HID kit to get better lights for night driving

the ones you want to vent your anger at use E marked bulbs like the Philips Blue Vision ones. They arent HID, they dont put out any more light, and produce a nice pretty blue light.

they cost about £20 for a pair and the boy racers love em. Those that spend £100s on proper HID kits will have genuine reasons for buying em. Anybody that just wants fancy coloured lights will spend £20 on some blue bulbs

 

[Draeger]

Would just like to point out another common misconception a lot of folk have when it comes to the ratings and spec of these kits:-

Bear in mind the higher the K value not only changes the colour but the temperature they operate at, dont make them any brighter but could start melting the insides of your lights, which will be nice.

Not true.

The kelvin rating is the temperature or "colour" of the light. Natural sunlight is about 4500k, or a yellow hue. The light on a ocean coral reef 3ft below the surface is about 10,000k, or blue in colour. The higher the kelvin rating, the less visible light it produces. 10,000k is great for growing coral reefs, but it isn't good for lighting a dark rainy road.

Wattage determines the heat output, not the kelvin rating, and HID's use less wattage than incandescent bulbs, @35W in most cases.

 

[pinkaardvark]

The thing I don't understand is what was the problem with halogen lights that led to a need for HID's?

As far I can see the reason most people want HID's is because it makes their car look more expensive / 'cool', which is a pretty inadequate justification for compromising other road users' safety.

Because they illuminate the road better and as such aid visibility. If you think higher visibility is a bad thing then your mad. Also as you get older your ability to see in low light conditions deteriorates rapidly, in fact most 50 year olds are half blind so anything that helps has got to be a good thing. Finally the light emmitted by HID lamps is closer to natural daylight so even at the same luminosity levels as halogen it is easier for a driver to pick out detail and make quicker decsions based on visual input.

On the blinding other drivers front, it'snot anything new... when halogen lamps were introduced in the 60's most road users complained they would dazzle oncoming drivers. Research did show that the problem is more to do with the other driver not being accustomed to seeing them so there eye is naturally attracted towards the unfamilair lightsource, the same is true of HID but in time I think most drivers will become at home with them. I find other cars with HID do not bother me in the slightest nowadays.

 

[thepharcyde]

The thing I don't understand is what was the problem with halogen lights that led to a need for HID's?

As far I can see the reason most people want HID's is because it makes their car look more expensive / 'cool', which is a pretty inadequate justification for compromising other road users' safety.

Total and utter rubbish! Are more and more lorries and coaches having them fitted as standard in hope to bling Volvo Trucks, so footy players can trade them in for their pimped out Escalades.

I think as Rilot already mentioned, a bit of a green eyed monster coming out, they rock period 200 times safer IMO.