ATSOU

Has anyone of you try the 8000K HID kit?? I heard the BMW 5-Series stock is 9000K. And when I went back to Taiwan this winter, they have the 10000K HID kit available.

My LS at: www.sounddomain.com/id/kenjitsou

concepts

The higher on the Kelvin, the less light you have. (just for your information), at 9k or 10k (if it exist), I think you factory halogen bulbs will produce more lumens.

jvxdriver

Got myself an 8000k HID. It is just awesome! It gives out a polor-white color, not bluish or purplish like the 6000k HID. It is extremely bright. Makes the 4300k look like another halogen. I have all three types installed on my CRX. So, it is safe for me to recommend which is the better choice. 8000k HID is the real deal. Highly recommended.

Check out the HID conversion on my CRX:
http://www.geocities.com/jvxdriver/crx_mod.htm

BTW, I am a Lexus fan.

hleo1

Thanks! Your website has excellent graphics comparison and details.

I'm also a HID fanatics, however, I've never really tried the 8000K before. I've tried everything else, and my favorite is still the Philips Ultinon 6000K.

thanks,
Hendry

lex400sc

Yuck, 8000K is crap, 9000K is crappier, and 10000K is a joke. Folks, there is a very good reason why EVERY AUTO MANUFACTURER IN THE WORLD uses nothing other than 4100K HID bulbs. Yes, every car equipped OEM with HIDs is burning a 4100K bulb. And every bulb in the world used in these cars are made by Philips or Osram-Sylvania. You know what else? None of the top three lighting manufacturers in the world produce any bulb higher than 6000K. Osram's highest rated bulb is 5400K and Philips is 5800K. Auto makers do extensive research and testing on their bulbs to ensure they live beyond the car's warranty period because a recall on 100,000 defective bulbs per year is not good business. Trust what the pros use and stick with the quality brands. If you like color, get a Philips Ultinon of Osram Dulux L bulbs (~6000K).


Jvxdriver, I'm sorry, but those Korean-made ballasts and those Korean/Taiwanese-made bulbs have very, very poor endurance. The average lifespan on those bulbs has been benchmark tested to 176 hours by independent groups contracted by auto manufacturers. Even auto makers that use Japanese ballasts like Lexus and Infiniti always use German bulbs. Those "other" bulb makers just don't have the same magic mix of noble gases and alkali earth metals that provide the 2000+ hour lifespan bulbs. Their gas mixtures, especially 8000Ks, corrode the electrode coating prematurely. To be honest with you, I don't even think they got the 8000 kelvin temperature accurate on those bulbs. I also noticed the less-than-perfect beam pattern your lights produce. Lots of hot spots, patches, and uneven light flux distribution.

That kit may be packed in a different label, but it is still a Vision-Hana based kit, just like K2s. The photos you posted do not represent a true comparison. 4100K is daylight white. The purest form of white light. The picture you post shows a color temperature of 3000-3500K.


If you want more info on HID myths, visit my HID tutorial page... http://www.intellexual.net/hidframes.html or do a search on "HID" in the forums and read my other thoughts on the technology.

TommyG

I happened to stumble by this forum while doing a search on HID lighting system. Jvxdriver, thanks for the website. This is one of the best personnal website I have seen on retrofitting HID. I have been searching for personal account on HID retrofit from common folks. Most the sites from search engines are companies trying to sell their products or FAQ sites with negative information about alternative HID brands.

Your site, however, presents a personnal account on the matter of HID retrofitting. Has lots of unbias information and down-to-earth logical explanation on proper installation, the effect of the reflective shield inside a projector housing in determing the cutoff line, proper position of the arc capsule to maximize output, the purple cutoff line, and the color-changing effect of projector headlight. Not to mention plenty of pictures.

After visiting your site, I agree that alternative HID brands are not bad at all. They may not be of high quality as the Philips and Osram, but seeing them in your car make me wanting to get one too. I guess as long as you do it safely and responsibily, it's good.

Thanks again for putting together a site on retrofitting HID using alternative brands.


- Tommy

lex400sc

I tried, but some people never learn...

retrodrive

JVX, do you post on DI Radio forums by any chance? I could swear there was a refference to your site over there.

Kyle Harty

iTrader: (17)

Tommy, the alternative brands may work, but wouldn't you rather pay a little more for a higher quality product that will last much-much longer? What's the real bargain after you've replaced the off brand bulbs a couple times while the Phillips would've still been going strong with plenty of life left?

IMHO, and this applies to most everything, save or spend the money for quality, you'll be glad you did in the long run; and then you can be proud of your purchase.

Welcome to ClubLexus, hope we're not sounding too harsh, just trying to tell it like it is.