HID Conversion kit

[Scottie]

Got my bulbs for main beam delivered and fitted.

Lucas fitted the dip beam hid conversion thing on my cabrio with 6000k white bulb thingy.

Got to say it's the best £377 i've every spent amazing results.:cool:

[Sheilz]

What is the HID conversion?

[Scottie]

quote:Originally posted by Sheilz

What is the HID conversion?


not sure what it stands for but it was the type of lights that i had on my lexus and i thought they were good so i've fitted them to the cabrio and what a difference they have made.

Now all I need is to convert the lights so that they turn with the car i.e. bend round the corners.:)

[Gismo]

quote:Originally posted by Sheilz
What is the HID conversion?
I beat Martin, Yay ;)
HID = High Intensity Discharge or HID lights are different from standard halogen bulbs in that HID lights replace the filament of the light bulb with a capsule of gas. The light in HID lights is emitted from an arc discharge between two electrodes. HID lights require ballasts to operate, which supply proper voltage and control current. The amount of light produced by HID lights is greater than a standard halogen bulb and it consumes less power. They also last longer than a halogen bulb.

[MartinSullivan]

quote:Originally posted by Bonnie Scotland


quote:Originally posted by Sheilz
What is the HID conversion?
I beat Martin, Yay ;)


I cant be in two places at once, I was trying to sort Gordys pics out!!!, you ran off!!!! :D

[Sheilz]

Cheers. Can they be installed in an ordinary cooper? The lights are my biggest (only really) moan about the car.

[Gismo]

quote:Originally posted by Sheilz
Cheers. Can they be installed in an ordinary cooper? The lights are my biggest (only really) moan about the car.
Pretty sure you can, all you need is the fact you have H7 factory bulbs installed

[3GGG]

Also known as Xenons as supplied as an option for the car.

[Scottie]

quote:Originally posted by 3GGG

Also known as Xenons as supplied as an option for the car.


I might be a bit confused and not understanding what you are saying :p
but hid and xenons are not the same thing:)

[3GGG]

Yes they are the same thing
HID is Xenon OK
Anther thing in the UK all Xenon HID lighting systems must have headlight washers and auto-levelling sytems which use sensors on the front and rear axles to decide where the light should go, as you all know the light emitted from HID's is much more intense than halogen lights and the thinking is that they can seriously dazzle oncoming traffic, and as such aftermarket HID's which do not have the self-levelling system and washers are illegal.

[MartinSullivan]

You can buy HID kits here (http://www.hidlights.co.uk/index.htm) and they do a H7 kit. Like 3GGG says the standard kit comes with head light washers and self adjusting mechanism - which I always understood was a legal requirement when using Xenon HID's in the UK. Obviously you dont get that with these kits.

[Scottie]

quote:Originally posted by 3GGG

Yes they are the same thing
HID is Xenon OK
Anther thing in the UK all Xenon HID lighting systems must have headlight washers and auto-levelling sytems which use sensors on the front and rear axles to decide where the light should go, as you all know the light emitted from HID's is much more intense than halogen lights and the thinking is that they can seriously dazzle oncoming traffic, and as such aftermarket HID's which do not have the self-levelling system and washers are illegal.


Sorry do not follow but then that's me.;)

Anyway I had xenons on my cabrio that had the H7 bulb and I had to get a kit fitted for the HID bulbs to work.

So there must be a difference ie the bulbs.:)

[MartinSullivan]

The standard mini Xenon kit just has Xenons in the low beam, and normal bulbs in the main beam - so you have just changed the main beam bulb to a HID type and installed the ballast/starter. This means that your xenon washer and adjustment is already there.

If you were fitting them to a car that didnt have xenons at all , you obviously would not have the washer or adjustment and would potentially be open to getting pulled by the police.

I am not sure if Sheilz has Xenons as standard (dont think she does) so fitting the kit may well be illegal.

[Scottie]

quote:Originally posted by MartinSullivan

The standard mini Xenon kit just has Xenons in the low beam, and normal bulbs in the main beam - so you have just changed the main beam bulb to a HID type. This means that your xenon washer and adjustment is already there.




my conversion was done to the dip beam xenons so that I could use the HID bulbs.

The main beam I changed the bulb to Philips.

[Big Col]

Is the main beam just used for full beam?

Also...why do Xenon's have to have washers?

[MartinSullivan]

quote:Originally posted by ScottieCoop

my conversion was done to the dip beam xenons so that I could use the HID bulbs.

The main beam I changed the bulb to Philips.


My mistake misread your orignal post, I believe the factory standard Xenons are 4300K so your 6000K upgrade should definitely make a difference

[3GGG]

Scottie, a lot of folks have fitted after market Xenon HID bulbs in the UK without self levelling/ washers and though strictly not meeting the legal requirements, I haven't heard of anyone being charged or indeed having their MOT failed. New cars are unlikely to attract attention for having xenons, but if you had an X reg Saxo you might! Provided your headlight alignment is correct you shouldn't cause problems. The reason the washers are fitted is to cut down on scattering of the high intensity xenon light when they get dirty.

[Scottie]

quote:Originally posted by 3GGG

Scottie, a lot of folks have fitted after market Xenon HID bulbs in the UK without self levelling/ washers and though strictly not meeting the legal requirements, I haven't heard of anyone being charged or indeed having their MOT failed. New cars are unlikely to attract attention for having xenons, but if you had an X reg Saxo you might! Provided your headlight alignment is correct you shouldn't cause problems. The reason the washers are fitted is to cut down on scattering of the high intensity xenon light when they get dirty.


Hi don't doubt what you say I already have the self level and washers etc. However I could not just change the bulbs over to HID without the kit which has nothing to do with the level washers etc all to do with the wiring side of things.:D Also you should not convert the main beam to HID bulbs unless your planning on doing a bit of rallying etc just to bright.:cool:

http://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/HID/hid_H7.htm

[3GGG]

Glad we got that sorted out! - Phew!

[Scottie]

quote:Originally posted by 3GGG

Glad we got that sorted out! - Phew!


well you should know us women are always right no matter what:p:D

Only kidding just mis reading the posts I think that was my problem;)

[3GGG]

I'm not sure why just the OEM HID bulbs can't just be changed to the 6000K ones and use the existing high voltage ballast etc though?

[Big Col]

I KNEW he wouldn't be happy. ;)

[Scottie]

quote:Originally posted by 3GGG

I'm not sure why just the OEM HID bulbs can't just be changed to the 6000K ones and use the existing high voltage ballast etc though?


I do know the answer to this question but as I'm not very good at explaining things I am going to bow out now.;)

[3GGG]

Fair enough, just curious!
Now can anyone help with upgrading my Christmas tree lights to HID please?

[Scottie]

quote:Originally posted by 3GGG

Fair enough, just curious!
Now can anyone help with upgrading my Christmas tree lights to HID please?


no but I did upgrade the Christmas tree to LED lights:p:cool:;)

[3GGG]

quote:Originally posted by ScottieCoop


quote:Originally posted by 3GGG

Fair enough, just curious!
Now can anyone help with upgrading my Christmas tree lights to HID please?


no but I did upgrade the Christmas tree to LED lights:p:cool:;)


Cool! :)

[MartinSullivan]

Automotive Lighting FAQ (http://faq.auto.light.tripod.com/headlamp-faq.htm)

[3GGG]

quote:Originally posted by MartinSullivan

Lighting FAQ (http://faq.auto.light.tripod.com/headlamp-faq.htm)


ooohh - looks like 6000K HID are not legal in Europe/USA?

[Scottie]

Ok.

Here we go again. The Mini's with the NEW style xenon headlights are infact.

HID'S

Style of bulbs are NOT I say again NOT H7 for DIP I upgraded the bulbs and it was only the bulbs to 8000K ones in the blue mini today.

Sorry if any of my prevoius posts have been confusing but thought when they had put the bulbs in the cabrio they had to fit a kit but this was NOT the case. These are the bulbs required
http://www.mini2.com/gallery/personal/18065/51770_thumb.jpg (http://www.mini2.com/gallery/personal/18065/51770.jpg)

[3GGG]

I'm totally confused now :clown:

Not knowing what colour your Cabrio is and what the blue mini is doesn't help :)

One point of clarification, all BMW Xenon headlights (old and new style) in MINIs use HID technology, that is how a Xenon bulb works, not to be mixed up with some conventional Halogen filament bulbs which just have a small amount of xenon gas added and which may be advertised as Xenon bulbs by the unscrupulous which are not the same thing at all.

So, can you please clarify exactly what fitted to a) Your Cabrio and b) Your Blue mini.

Thanks for you patience.










quote:Originally posted by ScottieCoop

Ok.

Here we go again. The Mini's with the NEW style xenon headlights are infact.

HID'S

Style of bulbs are NOT I say again NOT H7 for DIP I upgraded the bulbs and it was only the bulbs to 8000K ones in the blue mini today.

Sorry if any of my prevoius posts have been confusing but thought when they had put the bulbs in the cabrio they had to fit a kit but this was NOT the case. These are the bulbs required
http://www.mini2.com/gallery/personal/18065/51770_thumb.jpg (http://www.mini2.com/gallery/personal/18065/51770.jpg)

[Scottie]

quote:Originally posted by 3GGG

I'm totally confused now :clown:

Not knowing what colour your Cabrio is and what the blue mini is doesn't help :)

One point of clarification, all BMW Xenon headlights (old and new style) in MINIs use HID technology, that is how a Xenon bulb works, not to be mixed up with some conventional Halogen filament bulbs which just have a small amount of xenon gas added and which may be advertised as Xenon bulbs by the unscrupulous which are not the same thing at all.

So, can you please clarify exactly what fitted to a) Your Cabrio and b) Your Blue mini.

Thanks for you patience.










quote:Originally posted by ScottieCoop

Ok.

Here we go again. The Mini's with the NEW style xenon headlights are infact.

HID'S

Style of bulbs are NOT I say again NOT H7 for DIP I upgraded the bulbs and it was only the bulbs to 8000K ones in the blue mini today.

Sorry if any of my prevoius posts have been confusing but thought when they had put the bulbs in the cabrio they had to fit a kit but this was NOT the case. These are the bulbs required
http://www.mini2.com/gallery/personal/18065/51770_thumb.jpg (http://www.mini2.com/gallery/personal/18065/51770.jpg)



I have the NEW style headlights fitted to both. Although the blue one has them retro fitted as this is a 2003 Mini. The Red Cabrio is 2004.

I thought although xenon they had H7 type bulbs fitted but no they have the style of the picture I posted.

[3GGG]

Thanks - much appreciated, all quite clear now!