bosch hid kit. are they any good ??

[spikuzi]

anyone used the bosch hid kits ???
i am thinking to buy this for my e30

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll ... :IT&ih=007

[BMracing]

They're not really bosch, but I think a few people on here are using those without problems. Most of those kits on ebay work well.

[Steve-E30]

Work out just over £50 , There are a few sets on there for £40-£50 from china as well

[Brianmoooore]

Don't know what 114 AU dollars is worth, but these are available in the UK for around £43.
I've just fitted a kit last week and can't fault them as yet. My kit had an almost identical label on it, but without the Bosch logo, and I can guarantee that yours have never been anywhere near a genuine Bosch factory or Germany!

[Steve-E30]

http://www.xe.com/ to convert £Â£Ã‚£

Where did you get yours brian ??

[BadDave]

My kit must be similar to Brian's

Labels on the ballasts are identical,apart from not having Bosch printed on them.

[Brianmoooore]

Here: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0183501202

[ShepsEvo3]

What colour temperature is the best? Whats the most popular?

[BadDave]

Best imo would be 4300k version
Most popular imo is the 6000k and 8000k ones

[Steve-E30]

Arent 4300 brighter and 6000 slightly blue ??

[ShepsEvo3]

I'd like mine bright white, with maybe a hint of blue!

[BadDave]

4300k are nearer to "daylight" and yes the 6000k do have a slight blue tint to the lightling

[ShepsEvo3]

Anyone fitted them to both high and low beam units?

[BadDave]

Low beam only on mine

Have heard they don't like being switched on/off frequently

[Brianmoooore]

Anyone fitted them to both high and low beam units?

The problem is that HIDs aren't designed to be switched on and off frequently, but, where I live, I can drive for miles at night without seeing another car, so, at this price, I'm strongly considering a set for the main beams.
The performance of the dips has improved so much, that they're good enough to drive on without using the mains at times when I'm meeting traffic.

[ShepsEvo3]

Yes, I have heard very good things about these HID kits and have been extremely tempted. They have come down in price alot since. I just couldn't make up my mind about what bulds to go for. I heard the 4300K were a yellowy white though?

[mattyb240]

Incorrect 4300K and 6000K are the same brightness just a different colour temperature. They give pretty much the same out put, anything over 6000K is purely cosmetic!

Just ordered myself a 6000k as i wanted it to be white light with just a slight tint of blue, don't want anything to blue otherwise it's not great for vision.

And discharge sources don't like being turned on and off, supposedly every time you turn them on it reduces it's life by 4 hours but that is purely theoretical!

When they don't turn on people assume it's because they have blown the HID bulb when in actual fact it just means the light isn't striking. This is because they don't like hot striking.

Although Brianmoore has proved this otherwise, I wouldn't recommend doing it for main beams.

[ShepsEvo3]

So what has happened when this happens and what needs to be done to repair it? Or doesn't it need repairing and just need cooling?

[spikuzi]

oh, i thought they are a real bosch ones. but the cheap price made me think again

[mattyb240]

Doesn't need anything mate thats the nature of discharge lights. The ballast is there to control everything. So unless the ballast says it's cool enough (but to be honest the cheap kits are more likely to be on a timer as well) it won't re strike. Just the nature of the beast.

[agreen]

where can i get some 6000k ones from then a decent kit that someone recomends ????

[ShepsEvo3]

Doesn't need anything mate thats the nature of discharge lights. The ballast is there to control everything. So unless the ballast says it's cool enough (but to be honest the cheap kits are more likely to be on a timer as well) it won't re strike. Just the nature of the beast.

Ah! I understand now.... see I ant no electrician... atall!

[Demlotcrew]

Incorrect 4300K and 6000K are the same brightness just a different colour temperature. They give pretty much the same out put, anything over 6000K is purely cosmetic!

Just ordered myself a 6000k as i wanted it to be white light with just a slight tint of blue, don't want anything to blue otherwise it's not great for vision.

And discharge sources don't like being turned on and off, supposedly every time you turn them on it reduces it's life by 4 hours but that is purely theoretical!

When they don't turn on people assume it's because they have blown the HID bulb when in actual fact it just means the light isn't striking. This is because they don't like hot striking.

Although Brianmoore has proved this otherwise, I wouldn't recommend doing it for main beams.

I have to disagree with almost everything said here! Where do you get your information?

4200k bulbs are the brightest of them all, and the cheap ballasts/bulbs dont light when hot because they are crap not because they cant! Spend the money on a proper kit and they will light all the time hot or cold!

[mattyb240]

I get my information from universiy as i study lighting as my degree lol. We have done equations to prove that yes 4200 are brighter then 8000+ but 6000K is also the optimum, but due to the difference in colour temperature it appears as though 4200 is brighter when in fact it is just slightly more yellow and appears to be more illuminated.

With regards to the ballasts thats how ballasts work again because i study theatre, stage, live event, and architectural lighting and thats how every single one works. You are right in what you are saying with regards to quality but it varies some of the lanterns i use are of £7000+ they will not re strike when hot it's a safety feature but in this case can be down to an "inferior" product/components.

Also 6000k is what most manufacturers use. Just because something appears brighter doesn't mean it is.

No disrespect meant but if am wrong i don't mind admitting it but this is what i have learnt/used and practiced.

EDIT forgot to add car manufacturers use different styles of cooling, but never the less the principle is the same.

[agreen]

mattyb where did you get your kit from ebay got a link ???

[mattyb240]

Yeah I thought i'd try Brianmoore's link as I am unfortunately a poor student lol.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... :IT&ih=016

It's got a one year warranty, if i had more cash i'd get something with a life time warranty or one of demlots conversions to do it properly and to get real modern technology gains. But this came in at less than £45 delivered so it does no harm to try!

EDIT: Demlot not trying to say your wrong mate merely trying to say what I know. So please don't take anything offensively

[Brianmoooore]

Andrew, I have an E30 with 'proper' ballasts and D2S lamps, which works perfectly, and I've bought these cheapies just to see what they're like. If they fail after a month, then I'm not that bothered!
There's also an '06 535d with HIDs just outside the front door I can use as a comparison.
I can't fault the beam pattern of these cheapies at all. I've moved the bulb around while it's on, while watching the pattern, and the optimum seems to be exactly where the standard clamp holds them.
There appears to be no problem at all with hot restarts - I've abused them more than a little, and they fire up instantly every time.
There's more of a problem with their cold starting! They give an initial bright flash, then start off with a blue, dim light, that goes whiter and brighter over a period of about five seconds.
I can't comment on reliability of course, but apart from that, I can't fault these kits.
I can see big problems with regards to beam pattern and glare if anyone fits these type of bulbs into reflector type headlamps, rather than projector types like the facelift E30.

[mattyb240]

I can't fault the beam pattern of these cheapies at all. I've moved the bulb around while it's on, while watching the pattern, and the optimum seems to be exactly where the standard clamp holds them.
There appears to be no problem at all with hot restarts - I've abused them more than a little, and they fire up instantly every time.
There's more of a problem with their cold starting! They give an initial bright flash, then start off with a blue, dim light, that goes whiter and brighter over a period of about five seconds.

Thats good to know Brian, as I said I'm not trying to declare I'm right there just the facts that I have been taught the last few years and been shown. I think it is down to different cooling methods as well as different safety precautions within the ballast with regards to the lamps. Just because it is hot striking does not mean it is doing it any good is what I am trying to get out. Which was why the bi-xenons were created i thought? to reduce the need for striking different lamps.

[agreen]

so which bulbs do i need to order for e30 then in the kit above the ebay link

also how easy are they to fit for a idiot like me

[spikuzi]

oh well i think i might give them a go and see how good they are. anyway they come with 2 years warranty, i am happy if they last the 2 years for that amount of money.

[mattyb240]

H1 Bulb size and then you need to decide which colour temp you want. The higher the colour temp the bluer the light gets I'd personally go for 4200-6000K for the best light output.

As for fitting there's a guide in the styling ice section that explains it!

[Brianmoooore]

I'm well aware that hot restarts aren't good for discharge lamps. I deal with these from time to time in the day job! It's just at this sort of price, I'm not that worried.

[Demlotcrew]

I get my information from universiy as i study lighting as my degree lol. We have done equations to prove that yes 4200 are brighter then 8000+ but 6000K is also the optimum, but due to the difference in colour temperature it appears as though 4200 is brighter when in fact it is just slightly more yellow and appears to be more illuminated.

With regards to the ballasts thats how ballasts work again because i study theatre, stage, live event, and architectural lighting and thats how every single one works. You are right in what you are saying with regards to quality but it varies some of the lanterns i use are of £7000+ they will not re strike when hot it's a safety feature but in this case can be down to an "inferior" product/components.

Also 6000k is what most manufacturers use. Just because something appears brighter doesn't mean it is.

No disrespect meant but if am wrong i don't mind admitting it but this is what i have learnt/used and practiced.

EDIT forgot to add car manufacturers use different styles of cooling, but never the less the principle is the same.

I could put this a better way but i dont think it would be as effective, WHAT A LOAD OF RUBBISH.

"4200 is brighter than 8000+"

You dont need to go to uni to work that one out, infact all the information is published on the internet, a quick search on google will provide all the information you will ever need.

Taken from the philips website.

6000k bulbs



Note the NOT TO BE USED part!

So you still think that all manufacturers use 6000k bulbs? I can tell you now they dont, not only does the bulb not fit into the projector base they are also less than useless with their light output. Unless you run them in 50w mode (you need a special ballast for this)

The only safety feature in OEM HID systems is in the event of an accident all power is cut to the igniters and bulbs because of their high voltage running. (they could spark and cause a fire etc)

The re strike feature youre on about are not applicable to the automotive lighting system as stage lights etc are fitted with bulbs that have built in thermal cutoffs, how is a ballast to know the bulb is running hot?

heres something to calculate

The output of a stock (4100k) OEM bulb is 3200lm
The output of a after market (6000k) bulb is 2400lm

Okay ill give you the answer 25% less output with a 6000k bulb than a stock HID system from factory, and thats using data from Philips can you imagine the difference in output from these cheapo ebay kits that run at 6000k? Ive seen the difference plenty of cars have them these days and you can spot the cheap blue glow miles away!

No offence taken.

Andrew

[Demlotcrew]

Also as you go higher up the k scale the light output with Metal Halide lamps goes purple not blue.

[E30Dale]

i got a one of those Bosch kits from ebay iam realy pleased with the kit for the money,
went for the 6000k they look white with a tint of blue
overall i think there well worth the money only takes a few seconds for them to warm up