Ghettofit...HIDs
 

So I miss messing with the car and got a set of Bi-Xenon HIDs from good ole' eBay. Well, as everyone knows our stock headlamps reflect light for halogen bulbs and aren't suited for HIDs which need projectors or something to focus the beam. Instead of spending money on a Retrofit like H-T peeps do, or buying projectors I'm in for the Ghettofit...


So basically help me think this through. HIDs need to be focused by use of a projector, well a projector is nothing more than what? A tube with a glass piece on the end. So I got to thinking the old HMT way...PVC with Aluminum heat tape (to make the inside shiny and reflect the light) with some kind of mirrored glass end like old people use OR no cap OR taper the pipe OR cap it with a 3/4" hole or so...


That's basically my thinking on the whole idea and feel as if God willling we can get in a nice Ghettofit to make these HIDs perform the way they should and do it the HMT way.


I'm in for thoughts and suggestions before I start cutting, JB welding, and siliconing in some pipe and what not....


JP

Re: Ghettofit...HIDs
 

why cant you just get the reflective housing from a different car?

Re: Ghettofit...HIDs
 

Re: Ghettofit...HIDs
 

what you need is a shroud so light doesnt go everywhere, and thats what you said, hmmm. metal bowl cut down to size?

you could add a cut off, so you dont blind people, but eh, whats the fun in that.

Re: Ghettofit...HIDs
 

I have heard of dudes shimming the base of the hid bulb or modifying it so that sticks in the housing EXACTLY like the the oem halogen bulb. Not sure if that would work though. I don't have projectors and my car has factory hids.

Re: Ghettofit...HIDs
 

i should be able to get ahold of a pair of projectors from a legacy, but you need to encase them. i've got one, im waiting for warranty guy to pitch the other (leaky sealant, headlight took on water)

Re: Ghettofit...HIDs
 

The sharp buzzing noise commonly heard when cheap chinese HIDs are turned on is the ballast box arcing to chassis ground, which is a common cause of dead Ostriches, HULOGs, and I have even heard of it killing a laptop USB port.

Re: Ghettofit...HIDs
 

That's the idea of retrofitting. That's only for one side though, and it usually gets pretty expensive going that route. Thanks for the link though.



Pretty sure that'd be just like a halogen head lamp only scaled down, but still good thought. Cut off is kinda on the lights already as it has it's own unique casing...

Never heard of shimming it to sit correctly, because my HIDs sit exactly where the stock bulbs did. What car do you have so I can maybe check out they're headlamp design and go with maybe something shadow suggested...



That'd be the whole retrofit, which as said before is ideal just expensive and seems to me to be alot more difficult. I'd basically pop the seal on my lights and put the projectors in the stock EJ8 housing. Let me know on the HMT discount price and what not because this might be the easiest. Thanks, I appreciate it...


Thanks thus far for all the input guys! Looking forward to more feedback...

Oh and JD, I come back for ONE day and you're already being negative. No love, no love... :P


JP

Re: Ghettofit...HIDs
 

02 maxima and is300 come to mind (non projector factory hid). I guess you could just experiment with the reflector opened up to see what gives you a good cut-off that won't blind other drivers. I have a pair of gs300 projectors that were non-hid that I want to experiment with as well. If I ever get a good hid conversion kit I will try it out.

Re: Ghettofit...HIDs
 

just buy some cheap halo projector headlights for your car and get the proper HID conversion kit [you'll probably need H4, I can sell you a set =P]. Works well, not perfect like a real hid projector but pretty darn close. did this for my buddy's ef, has a cutoff line and everything.

or you could just throw in the hid kit without doing anything. works for me, slightly blinding probably, but I see better at night so ehhhhhhhh.

Re: Ghettofit...HIDs
 

Yea, I already snagged a Bi-Xenon kit I was just looking on how to make it as good as possible...


JP

Re: Ghettofit...HIDs
 

I think the whole reason for using the projector instead of just a regular reflector is because HID bulbs are extremely bright and reflector headlights will just cause glare and hotspots from uneven light ------.

The ends of projectors isn't just a glass piece. It's a lens meant to distribute the light evenly to prevent glare/hotspots. Regular incandescent bulbs and halogen bulbs have a larger light emitting surface, so it doesn't have to be as precise. Research and development money goes into the OEM cars HID headlights so they have a great even ------ and cutoff...

I don't really think you can have a "good" and "cheap" HID setup unless you find OEM HID projectors for cheap.

Personally, I won't do the upgrade until I can do it the right way and retrofit in some HID projectors. Although I enjoy being a shithead to others, I know that I can't stand people with their cheap HID installs that blind everyone (no offense).

Good luck though.

Re: Ghettofit...HIDs
 

Haha, word. I feel you and understand where you're coming from so I guess I can sit on it and see if simpl3x can shot me a nice offer on the projector pieces.


JP

Re: Ghettofit...HIDs
 

dont ---- around and catch ---- on fire

Re: Ghettofit...HIDs
 

Good deal.

I know in some cases you can do something yourself for cheap and do it right, but I don't think this is one of those cases.

AFAIK, there aren't any CDM actual projectors made for HID setups. If there are, someone let me know :)

When you compare pictures from cheap ghettorigged HID setups and ones with retrofitted OEM projectors, there's usually a big difference.

What color temperature did you get? 6500k is closest to natural light. I laugh at these people that get purple, pink, or 10000k HIDs. You'll actually get the most lumens with the lower temps (closer to yellow), but the best "color" will be around 5500-6500K.

My 600w high pressure sodium HID bulb puts out 95000 lumens and looks a weird pink/orange Mars landscapish color. My 600w metal halide HID puts out around 80000 lumens, but is a nice white light and makes the room look like I'm outside in the bright sun. HID is ----------ing bright, more efficient, and runs cooler than halogens/incandescents with less energy.

LEDs are going to be the next source of light. Even more efficient, use less power, run cooler, last longer, don't require ballasts or warmup time, and can be tuned to a specific wavelength. They're just starting to use them in cars, and are using them in growing. You can get bulbs that put out light at the exact wavelengths plants use for photosynthesis, so they're extremely efficient. Prices just need to come down and in a few years everyone will be doing LED retrofits :P

Re: Ghettofit...HIDs
 

i got some projectors that you can retro fit into your headlights and fit your HID kit into, have cut off shield and everything.

Re: Ghettofit...HIDs
 

4300K is optimal temp with the most "clarity"

Re: Ghettofit...HIDs
 

Yeah though headlights had a lower temp just wasn't sure which it was.

Plants in their vegetative stage, sunlight, and your tv/monitors and lighting are best at 6500k though ;)

Re: Ghettofit...HIDs
 

I've got 8000k because I'm a ricer, ha. No, they really aren't that blue at all and look quite white from the car. Honestly, they look closer to 6000k because of the 'hint' of blue rather than the iceberg bright blue I thought I was getting. After I put them in though, I was happy with the blue hue to it because it's bright and has enough color that you can see when looking at it, but not turn your night drive into an under water adventure.


I guess it depends on the company too, because like I said my 8000k are more towards what I consider being a 6000k color. Well, seeing how God steers this whole thing I may be selling the car so I may not be doing all of this anyway. But no matter, I learned alot and appreciate all the responses.


If not, I'm probably going to just cut in some projectors and see how it turns out, ha.


JP