HID in 1G

[PaulPDX]

Has anyone tried using a HID retro fit kit in a 1G with the aftermarket Hella H4 replacement headlights described here in this "how-to": http://www.dsm.org/how-tos/biglights.html

I am thinking of doing the Hella H4 conversion... and I also have a Catz H4 hi/lo HID kit I bought for my previous car which I never installed. Found out about a recall (because of the US gov ruling against HID kits) and sent it back to Catz for a refund, but they are stalling on sending me the check. So I'm thinking of asking them to return the kit to me.

If anyone have had any success running HID retrofit kits in their Hella H4 housings, I'd like to hear your story and see what you thought of the results.

Thanks.

 

[Omega]

HID retrofit kits are crap. Read about them. Do them properly and use the projector housing.

Ah, you have a 1G. You can't do them properly anyway.

 

[PaulPDX]

I know about HIDs. Been reading about them for over 3 years and I know what the proper way to do HID is. Thanks anyway.

Anything is better than stock 1G lighting.

 

[Omega]

Not if you blind me it isn't (sorry, it's a pet peeve) Try a set of "cool blue" lamps they are pretty good.

If your current headlights are faded then replace them. Also make sure that they are aimed correctly.

If you have been reading up on the HID systems then you would know that doing them improperly can give you worse night vision than the OEM setup.

 

[PaulPDX]

Man.. ask for one thing, get another...

If you think blue bulbs are better than you know even less than you think I know. The stock 1GA lights don't suck because they are tarnished. We're talking about a 35w low beam stock. OK? If you think it's okay to run blue bulbs, then you might as well turn the car into a roving Christmas tree.

The Hella H4 conversion kit for the factory sealed beam lamps are European code lamps. They aren't the US spec, spread light everywhere kind of lamps. The reflectors are specifically designed to have a very sharp cutoff. Projected against a wall, you'd see a very defined horizontal line from left to right and then a slant upward off to the upper right. Like this _____/ only not as steep. This way on-coming traffic isn't blinded, but road signs to the right of the road is lit.

The sharp cut off will limit exessive glare. There are other things one can do to help minimize excessive glare... like aiming the lights down just a little. If anything, amber tinted light (Halogen) strains the human eye more than light that is closer to natural sunlight. Similar to Florescent lighting vs. Incandescent lighting.

Now please, if you don't have anything to say to address what I had originally asked... let those who do speak for it. I am here to gather info not here to argue.

 

[steve]

The Hella e-spec housings are the only ones I'd use to convert the popup lights. Everything else seems to be ricer junk. I think the problem putting HID bulbs in them has more to do with where the the light gets generated compared to the H4 filament their designed for. That can throw off the beam pattern for either the high, low or both.

I'd get the housings anyway and try the Cats kit if you get it back. Worst case you can always put some good H4 bulbs back in.
Rewiring the headlights to use relays for each and direct power feeds won't hurt either.

Steve

 

[Defiant]

ooo... HIDs in popups? I'd not expect there's room. However, if you can finagle the filaments into the same location as the regular bulbs, you'd be fine.
The Hella reflectors are _terrific_. You best bet might be getting Sylvanina Silver Star bulbs for them.
Cibie used to make a "Z-Beam" which had the cutoff __/-- on the right side also cutoff, but stepped higher than the dead-ahead portion. They were US legal, but I don't know if they're still available, nor if they had a reflector for your housing. And if you could find Carellos -all the hell over Italy- they may have an even better design than the Hellas. I don't know if they even bother with the US anymore, they were rare and expensive when they did.

 

[Omega]

The cool blue lights I suggested are not that painted shit. These are replacement lights that are more of a white light than standard halogen replacements. I saw a big improvement in visability when I put them in.. and they were not blue by any stretch of the imagination.


Going back to your original question though, I would still stick with a halogen bulb in a halogen housing. If the H4 housings are good as that link says they are then you don't even need to consider swapping in a HID setup.

 

[PaulPDX]

Thanks Steve & Defiant. Since Catz is stalling on giving me a full refund, I might as well try and see if it'll work. If it doesn't I'll always have the Halogen H4s to go back to. Someone will want to buy the HID kit on eBay anyway.

Omega:

http://lighting.mbz.org/tech/bulbs/blue/blue.html

http://lighting.mbz.org/tech/bulbs/superwhite/superwhite.html

 

[Defiant]

And since the HID kits have been pulled from the market (probably why Catz is stalling you), you might make a killing on eBay with them.

Those links are good, Stern's a good outfit with lots of valid information.

 

[PaulPDX]

Unfortunately, Catz can not return my kit. The NHTSA told them so. Apparently my case is setting a national precedence because no one else has attempted to obtain a refund under the recall where the original retailer is out of business. Under NHTSA's ruling, both the manufacturer (FET-USA/CATZ) and the retailer are responsible for the refund. CATZ is responsible to refund the wholesale cost to the dealer, and the dealer is responsible for refunding the profit they made.

Now lawyers from the NHTSA and manufacturers are trying to hash things out. Lawyers? God, it'll take forever. So it looks like I'm only getting the wholesale amount back along with some goodies.

Two thumbs-up for Catz for working with me on the refund. What they've done is more than I ever expected. Since I now have a really cool contact at Catz, I can probably put together some groupbuys if anyone is interested. Catz owns Ignited as well (push button engine start kit etc.)

Anyway, going back on topic, I did more research and found out that the Catz kit probably would've worked just fine since the bulb itself has a good sized shield to reduce glare and a lot of care was taken in the design process to make sure the capsule is right where a filment would be in a H4 bulb. And the Catz kit is not junk like some claim it to be. It was made in Japan and Catz is/was the OEM supplier for Honda/Acura.

 

[Defiant]

Oh, fine. Leave it to a DSMer to stir it up. So what, now you're stuck with being unable to use them AND unable to return them? Fine kettle. And worse, laywers know your name.

 

[PaulPDX]

Catz is offering me two options... wait for the ruling or they can give me a refund based on the whole sale price of the kit and some of their products equal to the amount of the difference of whole sale price and what I paid. Not a bad deal.