Best HID bulb color/temperature

[msweb]

I bought a HID conversion off of Ebay and they shipped me 10k bulkbs instead of 6k and I'm trying to decide if I want to keep them or return them.

I run the 6k bulbs in my Honda and the light output/visibility over conventional halogen bulbs is AMAZING so that's what I wanted when I ordered another set.

Is anyone here running 10k bulbs? If so, how is the visibility? Do they make everything look like you're living in a Smurfy place? And if running them, have you had any other "color" bulbs? If so, which did you like better and why?

 

[mortimersnerd]

10k look stupid even in imports and the color shift puts out less useable light. Also, I'd make sure that your reflectors have a fairly aggressive cutoff or you'll be blinding oncoming traffic, especially if your truck is lifted much.

 

[Sporto]

I run 5000K lamps in my recently converted Hella Ralleye's. They are killer bright and a lot of fun to run. The light has a blueish tint to it, but it is not too bad. The conversion itself was a simple little project. I agre with mortimiersnerd about the glare caused by putting HID's in anything that is not designed for them. There is a cool article on here by Heus33 and a conversion he did of some 7" headlamps into HID projectors. Good reading regardless....

R

 

[msweb]

10k look stupid even in imports and the color shift puts out less useable light.

That's what I was afraid of. I'm tempted to put then in just to see how they look but I don't want to risk the vendor not acceptimg them if "used".

There is a cool article on here by Heus33 and a conversion he did of some 7" headlamps into HID projectors. Good reading regardless....

That's who got me started on all this madness and hooked me up with my first conversion for the Bronco.

I'm using 7" housings that supposedly have the sharp cutoff but I've yet to get it outside to see how they look.

 

[Broncobowsher]

What color are the OEMs using on the HIDs?

 

[76MaBronco]

Anything above 6,000 is useless as the light degrades severly...I'm running DDM Tuning's 5k bulbs in both the headlights and the driving lights. Killer bright, and only $65...

Replacement bulbs are only $15...

 

[Sporto]

That's what I was afraid of. I'm tempted to put then in just to see how they look but I don't want to risk the vendor not acceptimg them if "used".



That's who got me started on all this madness and hooked me up with my first conversion for the Bronco.

I'm using 7" housings that supposedly have the sharp cutoff but I've yet to get it outside to see how they look.

Sounds interesting. Got pix? I am always interested in reading about this kind of stuff.

Learn from your pain. ;D

R

 

[msweb]

Sounds interesting. Got pix? I am always interested in reading about this kind of stuff.

Learn from your pain. ;D

R

Just these that are already installed in my Bronco. I believe they're 6k but won't swear to it, lol

 

[msweb]

What color are the OEMs using on the HIDs?

I'd guess they're either 4500 or the 5k

 

[69 Fl. Bronc]

The ones that aren't blinding me because they are not aimed right.

 

[KyleQ]

6k for sure in 55W - 5K in 35W

 

[Broncobowsher]

The ones that aren't blinding me because they are not aimed right.

Its not always an issue of aiming right. Usually it is the result of a crappy conversion. If the reflector is matched to the light source, proper light masks, shielding, etc., then it is a simple aim issue. Bigger problem is HID conversions that just stick a HID bulb in there. Completely disregarding the engineering of the housing. Those are the ones that cannot be aimed. The headlights which are carefully engineered to give pattern and a cuttoff line are turned into giant flood lights. That is the crap that sucks and blinds people.

Personally I have had an HID conversion on the Motorcycle for about 8 years. Never been flashed once and there was a lot of night riding involved in that. Took a few tries to get it right. This was long before the kits were common like they are today. My first conversion was one of the flood light conversions. I didn't even put the light back in the bike before it was coming apart. Just because I got the light to work wasn't enough for me, it had to work right. Too many people are caught up in simply getting the light to work and not realize they created a total POS. Once you finish the conversion, check your work for quality, not just that you have a working HID. Some conversions just don't work in some housings.