[urq] HIDS

[Eric Renneisen]

The motorcycle-specific H4 bulbs that have been available for some time
in the US are designed to be a bit more robust to handle the greater
vibrations.  I don't know what I've got in the R1100RS right now, but
it’s lasted quite a while.  It's also a bit of a PITA to change.

As for the H1/H4 replacements for the sealed beams, those are definitely
a good option, and might be what I end up with.  However, if my goal is
HID, then I'd much rather have a unit that was designed for it from the
start rather than using a bulb hack kit.

You know, I certainly don't have anything against the Euro H1/H4, and
they sort of updated the look of the car back when it was still
relatively young.  Now that it's obviously an old car, I'm leaning
towards making it look the part with the original quads.  Still, I'd be
really upset at the first ding in the plastic/"chrome" trim piece.  Then
again, there will come a time when lenses for the Euros will be
unavailable too...

Eric R.
'86 urq
'93 urS

-----Original Message-----
From: urq-bounces at audifans.com [mailto:urq-bounces at audifans.com] On
Behalf Of Buchholz, Steven
Sent: Wednesday, January 31, 2007 8:01 PM
To: urq at audifans.com
Subject: Re: [urq] HIDS


Excellent point Eric ... so far I have been frustrated in general by the
life span I'm getting from the headlight on the Beemer ... and my hand
is still healing from what it takes to get the headlight bulb in and
out.  I had to do a clutch cable [again] last night ... that was far
easier than changing the headlight bulb!  (no scraped knuckles anyway)
I even run on the highs as much as I can, but still the low beam
filament pops far sooner than I'd like.  Fortunately the SilverStars are
sold in sets of two, so from my POV the price for the set is the same as
if I'd bought two of the BeeEmDubyah parts.

... on the urq headlamp ... quad light configuration ... There were
H1/H4 units for that configuration too, so it seems you could go right
to the H4 HID kit right away with that setup (I've actually got a set of
these in the garage ... I think they were from Hella.  Funny, I too have
been toying with the idea of going back to the quad setup ... 

Steve B
San José, CA (USA)
> 
> As I understand it, the drawback to the Silverstar bulbs (aside from
> cost) is significantly reduced lifespan compared to normal halogens. 
> (Might want to tuck an extra in the K1, Steve.)  If you have to 
> replace them more often, and shell out $20+ for each one, it won't be 
> long before you're into HID territory...
> 
> Another option I've not seen mentioned is returning to the original 4 
> rectangular setup and getting a kit that replaces the sealed beam lows

> with HID units.  The benefit there is that you're getting a 
> lens/reflector that's been designed from the start to work as HID 
> rather than one of these hack kits.
> 
> I've got no experience with them, so they may be poorly designed.  I 
> know there were problems with the original Sylvania Xenarc HID sealed 
> beam replacements, then they were redesigned, then they were 
> discontinued, so I guess the bad rap killed them off.  All the current

> kits I've seen use a projector design.  That's probably a good thing 
> performance-wise, but might look a bit goofy on the car.
> 
> Speaking of looks, I kinda like the original quad look, and it would 
> facilitate removing the high beams for extra cooling on the track. 
> However, I'm not sure I'm willing to risk damage to the brand new 
> headlight trims I have stashed away.  Those have got to be two of the 
> most rare parts Audi ever made, only being used on the '85 and '86 N. 
> Am. market urqs.
> 
> Eric R.
> '86 urq
> '93 urS
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: urq-bounces at audifans.com [mailto:urq-bounces at audifans.com] On 
> Behalf Of Buchholz, Steven
> Sent: Wednesday, January 31, 2007 4:37 PM
> To: urq at audifans.com
> Subject: Re: [urq] HIDS
> 
> 
> Thanks Steve ... that is precisely the detail I was looking for ... my

> position was the same as Ingo stated, and it seemed to me you could 
> even investigate creating an extra circuit so that the "flash to pass"

> switch activated only the H1s, but the high beam switch would activate

> the high beams in the H4.  It may not have been possible depending on 
> the internal construction of the headlight switch ... but now I know 
> it isn't even worthwhile considering the dual capsule H4s.
> 
> ... I must say I'm liking the SilverStars though on the motorcycle ...

> maybe that will be my next experiment.
> 
> Steve B
> San José, CA (USA)
> >
> > Well, yes, there is a reason not put them on the brights.  HID 
> > ballasts and bulbs don't like to be turned on and off rapidly, which

> > you would do if you "flash to pass".  The new Audis with "bixenon" 
> > HIDs use one bulb with a movable shutter that changes from low to 
> > high.  The dedicated high beam is still a halogen bulb, which can 
> > survive the flash.  If you don't flash to pass, then an HID high 
> > beam would be great.
> >
> > I don't like the idea of the "dual bulb" H4s that use two HID 
> > capsules
> 
> > for the above reason as well as the fact that the two bulbs cannot 
> > be positioned properly due to the nature of the HID capsule. On a 
> > true H4
> 
> > bulb, the high and low beam filaments are coaxial, which is not true

> > of the dual bulb HID. Some of the HID kits that you can find now use

> > a
> 
> > motor or solenoid to move the bulb so that the capsule is in the 
> > proper position for low and high beam.  So, when you go from low to 
> > high beam the bulb moves without turning off the capsule.
> >
> > To me, the ideal HID H4 replacement would be the motor/solenoid 
> > equipped, single bulb unit with 4300k color temperature.  You MIGHT 
> > go
> 
> > to 6000k if you want a little more blue (I don't, I would rather 
> > have the extra brightness of the 4300k bulbs), but you definitely do

> > not want more than 6000k.  I drove an ur quattro with 10000k bulbs, 
> > and they were awful.  The light was an eye- straining purple and did

> > not provide even as much light as a halogen.
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