New Headlight Bulbs

[Mattcheryl]

Hi

 

I have been what could/should be called a lurker for a number of years. What a wealth of information there is here.

 

This is where I need a little bit of advice.

 

The headlights on my Gal (Late 2003 TDI) are Ok but I'm looking to upgrade them (if this is possible to some of those sexy bright Xenon lights)

 

Thanks anyone in advance

 

Matt :lol:

[chromedome]

Yes you can get a HID kit to fit the galaxy ok. Some manufacturers have a small enough ballast so the whole lot fits inside the headlight assembly, this makes installation easy.

 

I had some in my other galaxy and personally I found them very good in the dry but in the wet was terrible, most of the light seemed to be reflected off the road surface.

 

Of course, if you fit them you will need your headlights realigned.

 

Just do a search for HID's on the internet.

[seatkid]

Aftermarket HID kits are illegal - this has been recently clarified by the Department for transport

 

further info here

[chromedome]

I didn't know that and I'm not surprised. I never felt "comfortable" when I had mine fitted and I did eventually remove them.

 

Have a look at the Philips X-Treme Power here http://www.powerbulbs.com/

 

They specify they are DOT legal.

Edited September 5, 2007 by chromedome

[big_kev]

From the horses mouth

 

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roadsafety/drs/hidheadlamps

 

One line summary below

 

"it is not permitted to convert an existing halogen headlamp unit for use with HID bulbs"

[chromedome]

The bit about glare probably explains why my lights were useless in the wet.

[big_kev]

I didn't know that and I'm not surprised. I never felt "comfortable" when I had mine fitted and I did eventually remove them.

 

Have a look at the Philips X-Treme Power here http://www.powerbulbs.com/

 

They specify they are DOT legal.

 

Altough not lying they are deliberatly misleading.

 

They are legal if your headlamps are capable of taking them......which certainly the older Galaxies are not....you would have to get new headlamp units,if they exist ?........don't know about the MK3's.

[insider]

These are listed as suitable for the Mk1 Galaxy so I don't understand why you think the headlamps are not capable of taking them?

 

http://www.powerbulbs.com/product_detail.asp?prod=43

 

The issue seems to be whether you can achieve the claimed 80% extra light with your existing headlamp units - "X-treme Power headlamps project up to 80 per cent more light on the road ahead (depending on the type of head lighting unit used in the car)."

[adrianf.]

I simply changed my dipped beam bulbs for some 80watt bulbs (yes i know not leagel) but as long as the headlights are correctly adjusted i cant see a problem as is was never flashed at by other motorists)

The results were much better over the standard bulb.

 

Ive just changed the bulbs in the Shogun for some 80/100 watt and the same again, a big improvement.

[big_kev]

I cant see a problem as is was never flashed at by other motorists.

 

You were probably blinding the traffic that far away that they were on a different road from you !

[Biscuit]

I've got HID's in my Gal

never had any problems.

passed its mot last month and they werent even mentioned

 

i made sure that they were aligned correctly when i fitted them

Edited September 6, 2007 by Biscuit

[seatkid]

The fact that it didnt get picked in the MOT doesn't make it legal. Of course the only potential victims here are other road users.

IMO Its a similar story to those that remap/tuning box their motors and don't declare it to insurance, which, incidently I suppose you have...

[RADIOTWO]

The fact that it didnt get picked in the MOT doesn't make it legal. Of course the only potential victims here are other road users.

IMO Its a similar story to those that remap/tuning box their motors and don't declare it to insurance, which, incidently I suppose you have...

 

 

Hi Seatkid,

But does that not prove the point ! as Biscuit said his passed the MOT and thats the place that would say that they are dazzeling or not.

 

So if you was pulled by the Police, they would send you off to the MOT station to get it checked and they would say they are ok

 

So the police would a bit silly !!!

 

Radiotwo

[big_kev]

So if you was pulled by the Police, they would send you off to the MOT station to get it checked and they would say they are ok

 

Somehow I don't think so...... ;)

[MadBaz]

I've got Xenon bulbs , not HID's, in my Gal and they do improve night driving without glare. The prob with aftermarket Hid's is that (i believe) there is no self levelling or headlamp wash which is required on a car which is equipped by the manufacturer.

[big_kev]

I've got Xenon bulbs , not HID's, in my Gal

 

And the difference between HID's and Xenon's is ?

[seatkid]

HID are Discharge type bulbs - a bit like a flourescent tube if you like. Very efficient (35w)

 

Xenons are conventional halogen filament bulb filled with extra Xenon gas (which is a halogen) allow it to work at a higher temperature, so whiter/brighter.

[tim-spam]

I simply changed my dipped beam bulbs for some 80watt bulbs (yes i know not leagel) but as long as the headlights are correctly adjusted i cant see a problem as is was never flashed at by other motorists)

The results were much better over the standard bulb.

 

Ive just changed the bulbs in the Shogun for some 80/100 watt and the same again, a big improvement.

You really should consider uprating the wiring as well. Remember, the higher wattage bulbs will require more current, and they will also generate more heat, which could affect both the headlights themselves and the wiring to them.

 

It used to be possible to buy looms ready made using fused relays supplied directly from the battery +ve terminal and then plugging into the back of the headlights. The old headlight plugs were then plugged into the new loom and used just to actuate the relays.

[chromedome]

This is why I mentioned the Philips builbs, they are rated at the original wattage. A direct replacement.

[NikpV]

Xenon gas (which is a halogen)

 

pedantic mode on/

 

actually Xenon is a noble/inert gas (helium,neon,argon,krypton, Xenon Radon) and is used in discharge tubes like neon and sodium vapour lamps - its characteristic discharge colour is a brilliant white, in other words the excited electrons (stimulated by the heating effect of the electric current lose their energy as high energy photon - nearer the blue end of the spectrum. This process is the same as fluorescent tubes where mercy vapour produces ultra violet photons which are absorbed by the fluorescent coating and re-emitted as white light (lose the coating on the inside of the tube and UV emitted will give you a tan, but much less light)

 

Halogen lamps replace the inert gas in a filament lamp with some halogen (Fluorine, chlorine,bromine,Iodine or astatine - halo gen - greek salt forming) this allows their filaments to get hotter and produce more photons in the violet/blue end of the spectrum making the like whiter. See Stefan's law for more technical explanation

 

pedant mode off

 

 

reason for edit - essential spelling maintenance :D :D

Edited September 7, 2007 by NikpV

[NikpV]

Btw it is possible to have non HID xenons ie filament lamps with xenon in the lamp.

 

edit :more essential spelling maintenance

Edited September 7, 2007 by NikpV

[seatkid]

NickpV is right with the technical/chemical explanation.

 

Most advertised "Xenon" bulbs are filament bulbs - the marketing is probably meant to confuse people into thinking they are HID - it did me when I first saw them advertised.

Edited September 7, 2007 by seatkid

[NikpV]

yes a marketing scam which relied on folks associating the term xenons with HID whilst using a completely different system of light generation

[big_kev]

I've got Xenon bulbs , not HID's, in my Gal

 

And the difference between HID's and Xenon's is ?

 

Apparently they are the same thing, Xenon is the gas used in HID lamps.

 

The only other type are Halogen Lamps which have didly sqaut to do with Xenon.

[NikpV]

original Hids contain xenon gas and work using a different way than filament lamps, originally filament lamps contained argon to prevent oxidation of the filament and to conduct the heat to the glass (otherwise the filament melts) this can be replaced by halogens and more recent by xenon although the latter is a bit of a marketing ploy see above - having said that xenon is dense and is a marginally better heat conductor - adverts that mention xenon usually refer to filament lamps unless they state that they are of the discharge (non filament type)

 

Its not rocket science :16:

 

There are 3 type of light here BK

 

1. HID's - discharge lamps containing Xenon

 

2. Filament lamps with some added xenon it (all over ebay - if you read the descriptions - they give the HID look

 

3. Filament lamps with halogen (+argon) which redues the vaporisation of filament at higher tems

Edited September 7, 2007 by NikpV