Looking for new Headlights... LED v. Halogen v. HID

[YepYep]

maybe it's due to the much smaller size of the bowl for the projector light, we will easier to get the uv ray from the Xenon bulbs to "damage" the bowl?!

I think if so, I also have some buildups on my bowls too. But actually as I said before, I run the HID for years already, and the light output is still so bright and no comparable by the halogens. That's enough as a reason to switch to use HID.

[studum]

Hyperion is the one to listen to in this thread.

No offence YepYep, but dude you have no idea whatsoever what you're talking about.

[Default User]

@studum

YepYep was just defending the case that HID's in a Mazda 3 isn't going to destroy your headlights, as Hyperion is claiming.

No doubt Hyperion knows his shit - but hundreds of TM3 members and thousands Mazda3 owners world wide are installing HID kits without issues.

[studum]

My only point is that Hyperion is saying if you're going to do it, do it right. No matter what - any light source in a reflector or projector housing that isn't designed and optimized for that light source is less than ideal.

I'm not arguing that it won't work, of course they will still throw some light out in front of the car as long as the bulbs and ballasts are alive. But if you're truly looking for an increase in lighting performance the benefits aren't there with plug and play kits - especially over time (As Hyperion has shown with irrefutable evidence).

It's impossible to argue that light performance is the same or better if the reflectors/bowls are being charred or distorted in any way - they are what concentrates the light from the bulb for the lens to disperse.

Yes, the light scatter may be slightly better (I.e. less bad) when installing in a halogen projector vs reflector, but the difference in hotspot location of the light source changes when switching the bulb type in the same housing and the only way to correct this is with a housing designed for that light source. This is in addition to the materials design that Hyperion has brought up which will still apply in halogen projectors and could slowly degrade over time.

As someone who drives a lot plug and play HID installs drive me absolutely crazy. I feel they're rather inconsiderate to others sharing the road. Proper aftermarket HID housing retrofits or OEM HID retrofits are never an issue in traffic as they are using properly designed equipment.

The issue is people put these kits in, think they're seeing better because the color of the light has changed even though the actual output isn't any better or is actually worse while making the road harder for anyone to see in oncoming traffic. All those kits are doing in halogen housings are giving a pretty blue / white / purple light color and potentially scattering a ton of bright, uncontrolled light into oncoming traffic.

[roachkillah]

with my old car i opened the headlight after using morimoto hid kit for several years, right before the car went to the junkyard
the bowl looked just like what Hyperion posted.
no doubt it worked fine, but in no way was it done right.

[Hyperion]

Wait. So what do I do with this Pitchfork I had. I have the projector in my hand and I came and check this thread. Glad it's all sorted out

[YepYep]

As someone who drives a lot plug and play HID installs drive me absolutely crazy. I feel they're rather inconsiderate to others sharing the road. Proper aftermarket HID housing retrofits or OEM HID retrofits are never an issue in traffic as they are using properly designed equipment.

The issue is people put these kits in, think they're seeing better because the color of the light has changed even though the actual output isn't any better or is actually worse while making the road harder for anyone to see in oncoming traffic. All those kits are doing in halogen housings are giving a pretty blue / white / purple light color and potentially scattering a ton of bright, uncontrolled light into oncoming traffic.

Year, I agreed (1) do it right (2) share the road

See my post in the same thread in the beginning, I HATE the high-beam runner too. So I do not suggest the HID to be installed on the old reflective bowl head light. Because the large reflective bowl will reflect too much light out and make a low beam works like a high beam. But for the projector lens lights, I see that in the research today through Google, there is a small block plate between the ball (half ball, ok, I still like to use this work as it will make better understanding for many normal drivers) lens and the tiny reflective bowl to block the lower side of the bowl. So, that's why I said the projector lends will "keep the light low". And that's a reason I suggest install HID mod on our Mazda 3.

And we don't need any actual number to measure after how many years, our HID light output will decrease how much %.... I can only tell that my HID after about 6 years, is still much brighter (at least twice to more) than the brand new Mazda 3's head light. Isn't that enough to pay 100 bucks to add something really good to your car??

[graham.mceachern.08]

Hey I drive a 08 hatch it’s got the stock projector headlight housing looking to replace the low beam H7 halogen to HID. I drive about 90 Kms a day and usually driving home in the dark.

Is there a link to someone on here selling decent kits... from this thread it’s clear I need to get it done right and not going for the “plug and play” any insight would be greatly appreciated


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[TheMAN]

there's no "getting done right" with a "kit" for the H7 headlights... the only way, which is still illegal, but a lot harder to do, especially to get it right, is to replace the projectors completely with ones designed for LEDs... the morimoto projectors are very popular but I don't like their DOT style beam pattern

a technically illegal, but safe and performance improvement upgrade is to get H18 bulbs... they drop in place of the H7 bulbs, but lifespan is still pitifully short, so it's not ideal for these cars since it's so hard to change the bulbs... H18 bulbs are rare as headlights using these bulbs just came out... they're an evolution of the H7 design (same filament position, but improved filament design/efficiencies)

[Hyperion]

there's no "getting done right" with a "kit" for the H7 headlights... the only way, which is still illegal, but a lot harder to do, especially to get it right, is to replace the projectors completely with ones designed for LEDs... the morimoto projectors are very popular but I don't like their DOT style beam pattern

a technically illegal, but safe and performance improvement upgrade is to get H18 bulbs... they drop in place of the H7 bulbs, but lifespan is still pitifully short, so it's not ideal for these cars since it's so hard to change the bulbs... H18 bulbs are rare as headlights using these bulbs just came out... they're an evolution of the H7 design (same filament position, but improved filament design/efficiencies)

A lot harder no longer. https://www.gtaretrofits.com/shop/hi...rofit-package/

Drop in projector swaps now available and on sale.