03 m45 HID headlights conversion

[DRIPS]

Has anyone converted teh high beams to HID? I know the low bean is HID but the high is halogen. I am thinking it would be nice to have HID for both hi and low beam

[szh]

I don't remember any posts about this, sorry! Closest thing I could suggest would be to get Sylvania Silverstar Ultras ... the new ones ... that are a brighter white than stock halogen!

Z

[nmgoodthing]

Also keep in mind that the high beam reflector is designed for Halogen not HID. Your light is not going to be usable and will be very scattered, probably rendering it useless. I would recomend an HIR bulb. I think they have a 9005 and they are pretty bright.

[DRIPS]

Ok. So I am going to purchase the SIlverstar Ultra 9005SU bulbs for my highbeams. I may also replace my HID bulbs (lowbeams). What is the maximum output we should have...4000k?6000k?8000k? ALso, do I need ballasts? what are ballasts? Is changing these HID bulbs as easy as halogens?

[regtwelve]

I don't think 03/04 M's have HID's, mine sure doesn't, its a regular reflector type setup with xenon bulbs, HID's look much better and more modern.

[CakeDaddy]

I don't think 03/04 M's have HID's

think harder! Read your manual! These cars are equipped with 4300k HID’s in the low beam.

DRIPS,

4300K is the OEM specs, so if you decide to go with 6000k you’ll loose a little visibility, but not much The higher you go, for example: 8000k-10000k you'll have that bluish/purple look that you see from Audi, Saab, etc..., but your light output will be sacraficed. Also, be careful with your bulb selection, you do not want to damage "YOUR" ballast. That will be an easy $200-$400 from your dealer. Do not exceed your recommended voltage. If your oem bulbs are 55W, stick with that on your new “HID” buld purchase. The kelvin can be compromised. Correct me if I'm wrong anybody.


Modified by CakeDaddy at 2:50 PM 1/14/2008

[regtwelve]

i stand corrected. i think im talking about "projector beam headlight assemblies", which r hot.

p.s. chrome 20's still blow

[szh]

Ok. So I am going to purchase the SIlverstar Ultra 9005SU bulbs for my highbeams. I may also replace my HID bulbs (lowbeams). What is the maximum output we should have...4000k?6000k?8000k? ALso, do I need ballasts? what are ballasts? Is changing these HID bulbs as easy as halogens?

As you note, the highbeams are easily swapped out with Silverstar Ultras. The OEM highbeam is halogen, and the Ultra's are also halogen (just different "whiteness"). The wattage on both of these is the same too, so there is no problem with this swap. The whiteness on the Ultra's are fixed at some equivalent Kelvin rating (I forget which), so you do not have a choice on them per se.

Now, lowbeams are an entirely different story! I do not plan to mess with mine ... they are HID's on the 2003 M45 and I am perfectly happy with them.

Z

[nmgoodthing]

Actually, the reason the BMW's, etc have that purple/blue coloring is due to the projector they use. They use the same kelvin rated Phillips HID capsules we have, 4300k. Reflector type HID uses D2R and projectors use D2S.

There is a shield inside the projector that bends the light through the lens of the projector that gives it that color/flicker. Projectors are nice for controlling light. That's why you see a lot of cars moving more toward using projectors.

Our reflector design on our Y34s is one of the better reflectors out there. My only beef is that need to be raised a tad more.

Don't go over 6000K of you decide to change HID bulbs. Anything over that is garbage and Halogen has more lumen's at that point.

[CakeDaddy]

Actually, the reason the BMW's, etc have that purple/blue coloring is due to the projector they use. They use the same kelvin rated Phillips HID capsules we have, 4300k. Reflector type HID uses D2R and projectors use D2S.

There is a shield inside the projector that bends the light through the lens of the projector that gives it that color/flicker. Projectors are nice for controlling light. That's why you see a lot of cars moving more toward using projectors.

Our reflector design on our Y34s is one of the better reflectors out there. My only beef is that need to be raised a tad more.

Don't go over 6000K of you decide to change HID bulbs. Anything over that is garbage and Halogen has more lumen's at that point.

Hmm I was under the impression that those cars used a higher kelvin, but know I know I was one click away from ordering the 6000K’s from Phillips for the M and then I asked myself, “Why” and decided to spend $250 somewhere else, but I agree that anything over 6000k is pretty much worthless.

p.s. chrome 20's still blow

I normally shy away from addressing ignorance, but once again you've found your way into my domain with your fragmented one liners that 3rd graders are taught not to use.CONGRADULATIONS !!!

Out of the 9 total posts from you I've had at least 2 or 3 dealings with you. You must be that cyber bully that I'm hearing about.


Modified by CakeDaddy at 5:02 PM 1/15/2008

[nmgoodthing]

250 seems a lot for a pair of bulbs. There is a guy on ebay (akinaboi or akinboy) that sells OEM Phillips and Osram capsules for cheap(new). I bought a pair of Phillips 5000k + bulbs for 80 bucks shipped for my Qx4.

In time our HID colorshifts. After about 100 hours of use you will notice it gets a little bluer but not as bright. Thats why it's good to replace both when one goes out so that you have matching colors.

[CakeDaddy]

righteous! I've seen that name before (akinboi) I'll look into it. Thanks for the info

[auditech10]

I might have been the one some time ago giving high props to akinaboy on ebay. I have dealt with him numerous times, even before he starting selling things on ebay me and him bought and sold from each other.I highly recommend the Phillips 6000K Ultinons(which I bought from akinaboy). They have a tad bit more bluer hue to them but they reflect road signs and road markings better than any other bulb I have used or seen(and Ive seen and used a lot!)Just my 2 cents

[CakeDaddy]

I might have been the one some time ago giving high props to akinaboy on ebay. I have dealt with him numerous times, even before he starting selling things on ebay me and him bought and sold from each other.I highly recommend the Phillips 6000K Ultinons(which I bought from akinaboy). They have a tad bit more bluer hue to them but they reflect road signs and road markings better than any other bulb I have used or seen(and Ive seen and used a lot!)Just my 2 cents

Do you have a way of getting in contact with him. I searched ebay to the best of my knowledge, but no luck.

[DRIPS]

I also looked and could not find him.

[auditech10]

http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZakinaboy

email him for anything you need if he doesnt have it listed

[got chub]

Hmm I was under the impression that those cars used a higher kelvin.

most maufactures do use the 4300K but there are some high end cars that do use a 5200K. most of those 5200Ks are found in a benz and some ferraris that is all i know that uses anything higher than 4300 for stock lighting, there might be other.

i have a set of infiniti QX-4 projectors and they give a purpleish blue tint when you see them from a distance. the cut off sheild inside it is a purplish blue tint. i can take some pics of them apart if anyone would like to see

[nmgoodthing]

i have a set of infiniti QX-4 projectors and they give a purpleish blue tint when you see them from a distance. the cut off sheild inside it is a purplish blue tint. i can take some pics of them apart if anyone would like to see

2001+ Qx4 only has high beam projector. And it's a very odd shaped oval/rectangle shape. The shield in side is painted blue to give it a blue appearance but has virtually no effect on the color output. Halogen bulbs, look halogen. There is no sharp cut off. I will say the 2001+ Qx4 low beam HID's have awesome light output compared to my M. It lights the whole road up and them some.

[got chub]

right they don't have any color with halogens but i used the projectors for a retrofit on my 240sx and i have HID in them so now they do have the purplish blue look to them

[StarPD]

Has anyone converted teh high beams to HID? I know the low bean is HID but the high is halogen. I am thinking it would be nice to have HID for both hi and low beam

"Silverstars" will change the color of your light but not increase the lumen output absent higher wattage. Your high beams will best be improved by using HIR1 bulbs. They will provide more light, but not more range, as the reflector determines that.

For insight on headlights from a guy who REALLY knows his stuff, go to Daniel Stern Lighting. Here his reply to my recent inquiry after buying and installing HIR1's in my '05 Q45, and you can use the embedded links for more info:

On Thu, 17 Apr 2008, George StarPD wrote:

> sometime around a year ago, I bought a pair of HIR1 bulbs from you for > my 2005 Infiniti Q45. I'm completely satisfied with them. Thank you.

Good!

> You had provided me with a detailed comprehensive E-mail that provided > full specs and descriptions of these bulbs. I saved the E-mail, but > somehow lost it. Do you still have that data already written up that you > can resend me?

Yep. If I didn't, I'd spend (even more of) my life typing! It's at the bottom of this message.

> Also, I just bought my wife a new 2008 Honda Civic EX-L coupe, and would > like to upgrade both high and low beams. Which bulbs should I get

HIR1 high beam, HIR2 low beam. Per the below.

> I'd like to have 100 watt high beams and maybe 75 or 80 watt low beams.

Negative -- output is not measured in watts, high-wattage bulbs would burn up the wiring and damage the headlamps, no such bulbs are made in decent quality, those that are made have sloppy filament placement and very short life and produce less light than the HIR1/HIR2...shall I go on?

Your best upgrade path is to replace the existing 9005/HB3 (high beam) and/or 9006/HB4 (low beam) bulbs with Toshiba 9011 and 9012 bulbs . The new bulbs are not some tinted or overwattage version of 9005 and 9006, but rather employ a relatively new technology called HIR, Halogen Infrared Reflection. The mechanical dimensions of the bulb are all identical to the 9005 and 9006 bulbs, but the bulb glass is spherical instead of tubular, with the sphere centered around the filament. There is a "Durable IR Reflective" coating on the spherical glass. Infrared = heat, so the coating causes heat to be reflected back to the filament at the center of the sphere. This causes the filament to become much hotter (producing more light) than it can by passing electricity through it, *without* the shorter life or greater heat production that comes with overwattage bulbs (to say nothing of overwattage bulbs' incompatibility with stock wiring.)

Here's the comparison of these bulbs to standard and high-performance 9005 and 9006 bulbs. A "+50" would be a Philips Vision Plus or GE Night Hawk. A "+80" would be a Philips Xtreme Power.:

Low beam stock: 9006, 12.8V, 55W, 1000 lumens, 875 hoursLow beam compare: 9006+50, 12.8V, 55W, 1090 lumens, 300 hours Low beam compare: 9006+80, 12.8V, 55W, 1120 lumens, 275 hoursLow beam new: HIR2, 12.8V, 55W, 1875 lumens, 875 hours

High beam stock: 9005, 12.8V, 65W, 1700 lumens, 320 hoursHigh beam compare: 9005+50, 12.8V, 55W, 1830 lumens, 175 hours High beam new: HIR1, 12.8V, 65W, 2530 lumens, 320 hours

So, compared to standard bulbs, you're looking at 88 percent more light from the low beams and a grand total of 137% more light in high beam mode (49% of which from the high beam units, 88% of which from the low beams). The beam pattern will not change, but there will be considerably more light within the beam pattern.

Of course, your headlamps _must_ be aimed carefully and correctly perhttp://www.danielsternlighting....html with any bulbs, but especially with these high-output bulbs.

These bulbs are expensive as bulbs go - $23.95/ea - but they are verycost-effective compared to a tarted-up 9005 or 9006 with blue coloredglass (PIAA and Sylvania Silverstar come to mind) that doesn't producemore light and has a very short lifespan.

The HIR bulbs have a double-wide top ear on the plastic bulb base, tocomply with the law requiring different bulbs to have different bases. Theextra-wide plastic top ear is easily trimmed or filed to make the bulb fityour headlamp's bulb receptacle. Once that's done, they go directly intothe headlamp, and the existing sockets snap on. Please seehttp://dastern.torque.net/Mods/HIRmod.html for details.

Direct order links for these bulbs:http://store.candlepower.com/hirlighting.html

[DRIPS]

Excellent info! Thanks!

[StarPD]

Excellent info! Thanks!

You're welcome, DRIPS. Glad to help.

ALL of my cars, every one the highest performance ones on the market since 1963 have had high performance lighting, as I always drove very fast at night. I used to use two 200,000 candlepower jet aircraft landing lights AND two 290,000 CP ones with different beam patterns. They required special wiring and relays, and drew so much current I couldn't use my blower motor or the radio when they were on. Technology has changed, and available lighting has improved a lot, but there is still better than stock lighting available aftermarket. The ones Daniel Stern recommends I think are as good as you can get without resorting to add-on driving lights, which are not really practical nor attractive on M or Q45s.

If you get the HIR1s, let us know how you like them. I was pleased with mine.

[nmgoodthing]

Also keep in mind that the high beam reflector is designed for Halogen not HID. Your light is not going to be usable and will be very scattered, probably rendering it useless. I would recomend an HIR bulb. I think they have a 9005 and they are pretty bright.

Damn, I mention this in the begining of the thread. No one listens