Do HID's light up instantly??

I have read the same thing also about the "warm up" time - however I'm not sure how much of a problem this will be on a busy highway as I'm not sure you'd have much use for HID driving lights if the highway is busy!?

Scoey!

Hi,
you cannot have low/high beam HID (only one light source) if your current headlamps incorporate a H4 bulb (one bulb with two filaments (high/low)). The warm up time is very short. They come on instantly, and you can even "flash" your high beams for example if there is a speed camera. Even immediately after lighting, they emmit more light than a halogen bulb, and will only get brighter and brighter over approx 10 seconds. The light is initially slightly yellow, going to full white over 10 seconds. You can get a retro fit kit for H4, but expect to pay at least $1500 from Hella. You will not have high beam from that reflector pocket then. Hella make all the high voltage modules that enable these bulbs to work and to flash as above. Older modules needed recovery time of several minutes, so if you light the bulb and then turn it off, you needed to wait a few minutes before they come online. But by law you are supposed to have a washer system on your lamps if using low beam gas discharge. Otherwise, you may not be roadworthy. For high beam they are more worth while then low beam.
Cheers

How come there are many vehicles coming out now with HID as standard but if you spend $1500 to upgrade an older vehicle's lights they aren't legal and you risk wasting your $1500 ?

My wifes Honda Accord Euro has HID lights. They take less than 2 seconds to warm up when first turned on, but once they are on flicking from high to low is exactly the same as any other vehicle.

The light is brighter and whiter than halogen bulbs but don't expect to see FURTHER using HID technology. You will be able to more clearly and thus better but not dramatically further. Because the light is so white the darkness beyond the light actually appears blacker in contrast and some people get the perception of having tunnel vision because the blackness is all around them except the patch of light from the HID's.

As much as I like them in my wife's pocket rocket I think I will wait till they produce a legal conversion kit before blowing my $1500.

Cheers...Taz

For all to see. I think xenonoz is a reseller of "european" possibly german technology. Hella invented the xenon gas discharge system.

Site Link
echnology/Technology.jsp

Anyway, older ballasts are not on the market any more, but some older stock remains to be cleared. I guess there is an incentive there of buying them as obsolete equipment cheap and then hocking them onto unsuspecting customers.

I think hella are currently onto fourth generation ballasts. A problem with older ballasts was also low temperature light up, below minus 10. Water intrusion resistance is much improved now too. But the ballast is the most expensive part of the whole unit, and these need to be mounted remotely, in not too hot area and as high as possible for water protection. Voltage to ballast is not a problem as they self regulate and will function down to approx 8 volts input, whilst still giving full light output.
Fourth gen works to minus 40 deg C. Keep in mind the wind chill factor, not just absolute temperature when considering temperature rating. Say youre doing 100kmh at 0 deg C, this is about minus 20°C.

Bulbs last a long time, but they can fail due to vibration. Then youre up for about $300 each. Good technology if you want the best and are prepared to pay for it.

cheers