triplecore

I see many cars with Bulbs that look like my RX330, but the thing they don’t give off Bluish tint white lights. Example the New Camry or Honda Pilot and many new Toyotas. If a car is being designed with the HID look why not just install HIDS in them. Does it really cost that much more? I mean they might as well just put in regular Halogens. Can someone tell me the benefits and negatives of Halogens versus Projector Headlamps and HIDS?
Like the Integra had projector, but then the RSX went to standard Halogens why would Acura downgrade a car.

RX_330

Even though they're projectors, it doesn't mean that the beam and light pattern will be the same once you put in an HID kit to replace halogen bulbs. Halogen projectors were designed to project halogen light in a beam and pattern for halogen light.

chrispy

iTrader: (21)

New reflector halogens > old projector halogens

Even so, putting HID in either of those would cause massive glare.

HID lighting is much more intense than halogen so the projector or reflector optics would have to be designed to work with that high intensity.

Threxx

Projector halogen will typically offer more controlled dispersion of light in front of the vehicle, plus it looks nicer.

Why don't they just do HID? Cost. HIDs add quite a lot of cost to a vehicle, especially in relative terms for a manufacturer... halogen lights are just bulbs... HIDs require quite a bit more hardware to run properly and legally.

eyezack87

iTrader: (4)

My RX330 projectors have way better light than my ES300 ones. I'm lucky with the glare issue though, I have almost none since I cleaned the projector housing out. It even has a decent cutoff line too so I'm happy with that

To correct the blueish light, I'm currently upgrading from 4300k to 6000k

whoster

High-Intensity Discharge (HID) is a totally different animal in terms of the light it throws.

Halogen headlights run a filament--HID bulbs emit light by way of an arc between two points within the buld. The result makes for different dispersion patterns compared to filament-based light. Producing a proper HID housing, whether they be a projector or reflector-based system is difficult.

Some halogen projectors (namely those made by Valeo--found in earlier Audi models) perform surprisingly well with HID bulbs, albeit a need for a simple adapter. Even newer halogen projectors however, have a built in "window" within their thrown pattern to light up road signs---which for a HID application would result in too much glare for oncoming vehicles. It's no easy business, dabbling in light.

bagwell

oh really? I installed an HID kit on an 06 IS250 I had -- cutoff was perfect, no glare at all -- everything was great.

photos courtesy of muzzman1

before -- with halogen



after -- with HID kit

Koma

iTrader: (3)

That's not always the case with halogen projectors though.
At least you have projectors. I hate HID aftermarket kits in plain halogen reflector housings.

SLegacy99

I use both projectors and Halogen in my foglights.

whoster

sure the cutoff could be usable and everything looks good,

but the biggest difference in HID projectors and halogen projectors is how evenly the HID projector throws down usable light on the ground. As clearly visible in the image, your halogen projectors with HID bulbs look great as far as glare and cutoff goes, but the majority of light is concentrated to the exact front of the vehicle, and falls off as soon as you're away from the bumpers. Projectors meant to take HID bulbs from the beginning display less fall-off of light, and project a wider, more consistent beam of light on the ground.

RX_330

Exactly, here's a pic I found of the LS430 projectors (I absolutely LOVE these) in an E-Class.

whoster

the LS430 projectors are truly one of a kind...

it's a both projector-reflector design in one, the projector doing the majority of throw, and the the front reflector bowl adding extra width to the beam.. .

dl11

Gah, I hate seeing LS430 retros. It only reminds me that I want to get one myself.

triplecore

wow that is really cool, I really appreciate everyone taking the time to explain this to me. I never new so much went into designing the lights on cars, I always thought shape took priority. I originally asked because my RX came with HIDs but mom's E320 didn't it came with Projector Halogens. Which I always thought was weird considering the cars cost they would make HIDs standard. But I guess now I see Mercedes point of view some drivers perfer more wide spread light from projector and other perfer more direct light with the HIDs. I am actually in the middle of both, my RX HIDs provide better clarity, but the cut off is awful, while the E has more light, but less intense.

ps. I always thought you could interchange the bulbs between Projectors like on the Mercedes E and Lexus IS with HID bulbs on the RX or the optional ones on Benz. I thought it was more like when you buy a lamp it comes with a cheap 40watt instead of a 60 or a 100.

Oh yeah and thanks for taking the time to upload of the pics Rx_330, Whoster, Slegacy 99, bagwell and all who responded. I realize I ask more questions then contribute on this forum; don't know much about cars so this website and all the people on are really a blessing. Thanks