[s-cars] Interesting read on HID conversions

[Eric Phillips]

> Date: Sun, 17 Dec 2006 16:29:26 -0500
> From: Igor Kessel <KBATPO at comcast.net>
> Subject: Re: [s-cars] Interesting read on HID conversions
> To: djdawson2 at aol.com
> Cc: s-car-list at audifans.com
>
> djdawson2 at aol.com wrote:
> > Good info if you read the whole thing... not to mention these kits are illegal.  Question is, why are sales of such illegal kits allowed to continue?
> >
> > http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/bulbs/Hid/conversions/conversions.html
> >
> > Dave
>
> I wonder myself Dave and the only explanation I see is the lack of true
> concern with safety from the US authorities. Otherwise how can anyone
> explain the criminally indistinguishable all-red rear turn signals,
> orange parking lights, the bright-to-dim turn signals all around and the
> absence of the European Asymmetrical beam?

With all sorts of varying sorts of heights and light outputs of OEM
headlamp assemblies and foglight installations to boot...

> To date I have yet to see a hack kit which would be at least adequate to
> true European halogen lights, let alone rival the true HID of either
> European or even the US DOT specification.

US DOT, like the OEM stuff that Came on *my* UrS-car?  The low beams
were pathetic.  The high beams are like the sun, in terms of what they
light up at night.  But the low beams aren't good for seeing anything.

The HID "hack" kit that I have does actually illuminate stuff that's
further away.  I tested them.

> In fact the "kits" that I did see would light up the road rather poorly
> as if the light source were out of focus in its reflector. I suspect
> that clowns who put them together never studied the so-called "Science"
> in high school, much less "Linear Optics" in college.

Well, I studied chemistry in college, so what do I know?  Well, I do
know how to carry out a controlled before/after experiment.  I also
read D.S.'s website.  I realized that with all things automotive,
compromises must be reached.  While one cannot alter the laws of
physics, one can alter the lumens produced by a light source, and
increase them.  By a lot.

I did notice that the HID kit produced some additional near-car
illumination.  I see it mostly to the sides, which is actually nice on
the dark streets in our neighborhood - kids and pets rarely seem to
wish to be seen until the last minute 'round here.

But the real test was the fact that the headlamps now illuminated
about twice as far down the road as my stock lamps did - this by
counting the center stripes visible before and after, on the same
night the lights were installed.

We live in deer country - and every foot of additional warning is
helpful, especially in the low-beam situation.  The high beams on
these cars is so good that I don't worry about that at all when there
are no other cars on the road.

I have not noticed adverse backscatter in rain or snow conditions.  I
have not compared side-by-side, however.

Eric