H.i.d. Bulbs

[AAnickmac]

I see a lot of you have upgraded to HID bulbs. is there a good place to get them or is it ebay? what ones are the best to go for? was looking at upgrading my C70 headlights. but wanted to check see if there is a good supplier to use first.
cheers

[V70 Graham]

I sourced mine from 'HID's 4U' a couple of years ago and haven't had any problems, though eBay is cheaper with a few members having bought them on there with no problems either.

[JamesT5]

If you're using reflector lamp units, get bulbs ending with 'R' (e.g H7R) as they're fitted with anti-glare strips and cut out the 'glare' usually seen from standard HID bulbs around the bottom of the light cluster (this is actually what causes the 'dazzle' to other road users). I'm using them in the S60 and I can drive around with the MRA set at '0' without getting flashed. If on the other hand, you're fitting projector lamp units then standard HID bulbs are fine, in fact the 'R' bulbs are actually not recommended for projector units.

4300K will give you a very slight blue tint (I have these so I know), 5000K is slightly more blue but very pleasent (have these on my main beam). 6000K will look quite blue and 8000K onwards just looks plain chavy. There are also 3000K bulbs but they seem far less popular, owing mainly to their much yellower colour.

[p fandango]

i've just got a bargain of a set off ebay, uk stock so only took 3 days delivery & only cost £13. They only seem to do 55w kits which i wouldn't recommend for dipped beam

[expolicev70t5]

Got my replacement hid bulbs from hids4u a few weeks ago as original bulbs were 9 years old when one went

[AAnickmac]

Thanks, I'll start trolling through eBay then.

[jamesy12345]

As mentioned above HID's & stock headlights shouldn't mix...

[JamesT5]

55W kits are fine, in fact with the 'R' appended bulbs I mentioned, you may need the extra wattage to combat some of the light loss. You see, the H7R bulbs cut the glare right down and as a consequence of that, you also lose some of the light output.

I've been running the H7R 4300K 55W bulbs on the S60 in standard lens housings and not had any issues apparently arising from glare or dazzle. I'll snap a picture at some point and show you how my lights look at night.

[jamesy12345]

55W kits are fine, in fact with the 'R' appended bulbs I mentioned, you may need the extra wattage to combat some of the light loss. You see, the H7R bulbs cut the glare right down and as a consequence of that, you also lose some of the light output.

I've been running the H7R 4300K 55W bulbs on the S60 in standard lens housings and not had any issues apparently arising from glare or dazzle. I'll snap a picture at some point and show you how my lights look at night.

The guy in the video I posted shone them on a white garage door - you could see the light scattered much higher than dipped beam should be. I'd be interested to see if the H7R prevent this as I can't see much on the net about them....well nothing unbiased anyway

[silverhorse]

was looking at upgrading my C70 headlights.

Are you looking at upgrading your headlight units, or just the bulbs?
I have just bought from HID4U. 55w dipped and the guaranteed error free starters. And they actually are error free as well! Not cheap, but they are incredible compared to the crap stock items. Now the high beam looks ridiculous, so I may upgrade them as well.
My units are projectors (dunno what yours are) and the light stability and control is excellent.

[LeeT5]

FYI Nick, 4300k bulbs are what's fitted stock on a stock V70R/S60R. I have 5000k bulbs, which give a pure white light with no blue halo. It's a good 'go between'.

Also, make sure you get the newer 'digital' ballasts not the thicker, older type. You'll know they are digital as they normally say and you can see they are quite a lot 'thinner' than the general ballast. expect to pay between £30 - £50 for a good quality kit. There are UK suppliers too as ordering from China will take weeks and are a right PITA if they don't work.

[AAnickmac]

Are you looking at upgrading your headlight units, or just the bulbs?
I have just bought from HID4U. 55w dipped and the guaranteed error free starters. And they actually are error free as well! Not cheap, but they are incredible compared to the crap stock items. Now the high beam looks ridiculous, so I may upgrade them as well.
My units are projectors (dunno what yours are) and the light stability and control is excellent.

was looking at upgrading bulbs. Looked at getting crystal headlights but well expensive.

[MIKESC70T5]

J

4300K will give you a very slight blue tint (I have these so I know), 5000K is slightly more blue but very pleasent (have these on my main beam). 6000K will look quite blue and 8000K onwards just looks plain chavy. There are also 3000K bulbs but they seem far less popular, owing mainly to their much yellower colour.

FYI Nick, 4300k bulbs are what's fitted stock on a stock V70R/S60R. I have 5000k bulbs, which give a pure white light with no blue halo. It's a good 'go between'.
.

Conflicting information

I've just fitted 6000k in my factory fitted xenon headlamps and they are pure white.

[stribo]

J



Conflicting information

I've just fitted 6000k in my factory fitted xenon headlamps and they are pure white.

I know who I believe.

[MIKESC70T5]

I know who I believe.

James

[jamesy12345]

James

James is going to show us some photos.....not easy to capture on camera how they look in real life but anyway will see if H7Rs are working

[JamesT5]

6000K is what I have in the V70 and they look quite blue to me, definitely not pure white. If I look at my 4300K bulbs on the road surface there is a hint of blue but much yellower than 6000K, but if I look at them reflecting off a shop window or the back end of a white car they look blue-ish white.

You'll see exactly what I mean when I take the photos. In fact, I'll get some photos of the S60 and V70 together with the lights running, that way you can see the colour difference between 6000k and 4300K and then tell me none of them look blue in colour. It'll also allow you to compare the 'H7R' HID bulbs with that standard H7 HID bulbs because the V70 has the standard ones in, although they are 35W dipped and not 55W like those fitted on the S60. I think this comparison may actually be useful to someone.

[jamesy12345]

6000K is what I have in the V70 and they look quite blue to me, definitely not pure white. If I look at my 4300K bulbs on the road surface there is a hint of blue but much yellower than 6000K, but if I look at them reflecting off a shop window or the back end of a white car they look blue-ish white.

You'll see exactly what I mean when I take the photos. In fact, I'll get some photos of the S60 and V70 together with the lights running, that way you can see the colour difference between 6000k and 4300K and then tell me none of them look blue in colour. It'll also allow you to compare the 'H7R' HID bulbs with that standard H7 HID bulbs because the V70 has the standard ones in, although they are 35W dipped and not 55W like those fitted on the S60. I think this comparison may actually be useful to someone.

colours can be subjective...



If you are in the mood for photos, James, pls get a shot of the H7Rs on dipped beam shining against a light vertical surface

[LeeT5]

J



Conflicting information

I've just fitted 6000k in my factory fitted xenon headlamps and they are pure white.

I never said anything about 4300k being blue, nor 5000k's. The 6000k does have a blue halo but only really noticeable from a distance. 8000k is definitely blue!

I know who I believe.

Respect son, respect!

James

Knob!

Here's a picture of my Audi TT (stock 4300k) on the left and my V70R (5000k) on the right.
You can see the difference in colour temp but only because the stock bulb appears more yellowish.

[MIKESC70T5]

N[QUOTE=LeeT5;761049]I never said anything about 4300k being blue, nor 5000k's. The 6000k does have a blue halo but only really noticeable from a distance. 8000k is definitely blue!

Lee, I know you didn't, James did