Blue Headlights...where to get them?

[BrianDye]

I HATE those dodge trucks! I thought I was the only one who ever noticed that!

 

[zero_psi]

i love the new ram

i have 55 watt 4,000k in my housing..... and then i have 4 day lighters sawppped with 55 watt 3000k hids the amount of light it puts off is crazy im suprised non of u guys in the oakland area havent seen it

 

[zero_psi]

OR...... Stay with stock headlights, so you don't become an inconsiderate douchebag blinding everyone else on the road, just so you can:

A.) Pretend you're oohhhh ssooooo cool, because you have super-bright lights
or
B.) See where you're going, due to YOUR poor eyesight. never mind that you're causing long-term damage/degradation of the night vision of other people who DO have good eyesight/night vision, as well as jeopardizing the immediate safety of everyone around you , by temporarily blinding oncoming traffic, as well as those in front of you . If you truly NEED lights this bright to see where you're going on the STREET,at night; well then you are just not medically qualified to drive at night, PERIOD. It's your problem, not everyone else's.

I am so sick and tired of being blinded by all this aftermarket lighting crap. Regardless of the alleged DOT approval, many (if not most) of them, if ACTUALLY TESTED against DOT requirements, would be found to be illegal. Manufacturers are actually allowed to "self-certify" that these things are legal, and they get away with selling them unless/until they are challenged. (anybody recall the APC troubles a few years back?) I seriously want to just start roaming parking lots, smashing this junk with a sledge hammer.

There are many things one can modify on a modern vehicle. The headlights (at least the brightness/ or color), should NOT be one of them. Forget speeding... Cops ought to be cracking down on these abominations, as well as improperly aimed stock/ collision repaired lights; with big fines unless you go to court with proof that you've replaced the aftermarket crap with stock style lights/bulbs, and/or had the improperly aimed ones corrected by a qualified professional (whose willing to sign a notarized certification that it has been done correctly.) I'd like to see people have to bring in the removed bulbs, to court, and destroy them in front of the cop/prosecutor/judge, in order to have the ticket reduced,etc...

if u aim them all the way down theres still a **** ton of light and ur not blinding every one... atleast in my 1 g ur not

 

[FIND]

OP, we aren't trying to piss all over you or rain negativity down, we are just trying to offer our experiences and opinions so that you stay away from doing things that are in our opinions inconsiderate to other drivers on the road. Believe me, I live in an area with VERY few people, so when someone is driving around with an HID retrofit bulb, I really notice it, because there is so little other light. Even those guys who are "nice" enough to aim them down a little bit still blind you, because the different position of the light source in the headlamp causes the light to be reflected differently. This causes odd scattering and hot spots in places they shouldn't be.

There is a reason all 9004 bulbs are designed exactly the same (I am not just talking about the base, I mean the size orientation, and position of the filament too). Not only that, but headlamp housings are designed for a certain amount of candela coming from the source, and they use those figures to get specific amounts of light into specific areas. Headlights are not just something where you just put more and more into and just get a bigger beam, they are actually a very complex system.

 

[backfrmcolorado]

OP, we aren't trying to piss all over you or rain negativity down, we are just trying to offer our experiences and opinions so that you stay away from doing things that are in our opinions inconsiderate to other drivers on the road. Believe me, I live in an area with VERY few people, so when someone is driving around with an HID retrofit bulb, I really notice it, because there is so little other light. Even those guys who are "nice" enough to aim them down a little bit still blind you, because the different position of the light source in the headlamp causes the light to be reflected differently. This causes odd scattering and hot spots in places they shouldn't be.

There is a reason all 9004 bulbs are designed exactly the same (I am not just talking about the base, I mean the size orientation, and position of the filament too). Not only that, but headlamp housings are designed for a certain amount of candela coming from the source, and they use those figures to get specific amounts of light into specific areas. Headlights are not just something where you just put more and more into and just get a bigger beam, they are actually a very complex system.

Thank you FIND, its all good. I think i may stay whith my SILVERSTAR ULTRAS. Im totaly understanding what everyone is saying with improper adjustment of the lights and what not. Late last night/early this morning i had to run out and get a few things befor work this morning. I was on a two lane road with no other traffic when all the sudden a truck came around the corner. (NEW F-150, yes i turned around to see if it was indeed the new DODGE lol). This guy had some bright ass HID's in the headlights, driving lights and what looked to be an extra set of fog lamps.. All bright blue HIDS. Needless to say after seeing what i thought was the light at the end of the tunnel, i really dont want to be that guy. Im thinkin ill just use the lights i just orderd when im in norther MI on a dark desolate road.

I appologise for my rude remarks i posted to the past few posters that i thought were rude. I can honestly say i didnt understand what you all were saying till last night.

Thank you all for the constructive criticism,
Adam

 

[jd4242]

http://www.procarparts.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=902_1645&products_id=30702
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=181879

 

[jaschlum]

OP, there are many different opinions on lighting options, and you are entirely entitled to have your own, as well as everyone else is. Do what you want to do. However, if you decide to get HIDs, and install them in the stock housing, make sure that you re-aim them and aim them down. If you are still interested in HIDs, check out DDM Tuning . They sell a 9004 kit for around 40 bucks. Don’t buy the hi/low set though, because it only moves the bulb back and forth and doesn’t add any additional lighting. If you do end up getting the HIDs, don’t get anything over 8000k in the 35W. Optimal light output is at 4300K. I recently purchased the 5000k 35w kit that I plan on installing in my 92 explorer. I will readjust the light accordingly. If you decide to not go with the HID approach, you could try Sylvania SilverStar Ultra again; if you liked them. These were my last bulbs, and are really bright white, and have a bluish tint. Sylvania also makes a clue blue bulb that produces an even bluer affect. These filters however, only reduce the main reason that you have headlights, to see. So you will have to make a judgment call on what you want more, aesthetics or functionality.

Just my .02
I hope you find something you will like.

 

[FIND]

OP, there are many different opinions on lighting options, and you are entirely entitled to have your own, as well as everyone else is. Do what you want to do. However, if you decide to get HIDs, and install them in the stock housing, make sure that you re-aim them and aim them down. If you are still interested in HIDs, check out DDM Tuning . They sell a 9004 kit for around 40 bucks. Don’t buy the hi/low set though, because it only moves the bulb back and forth and doesn’t add any additional lighting. If you do end up getting the HIDs, don’t get anything over 8000k in the 35W. Optimal light output is at 4300K. I recently purchased the 5000k 35w kit that I plan on installing in my 92 explorer. I will readjust the light accordingly. If you decide to not go with the HID approach, you could try Sylvania SilverStar Ultra again; if you liked them. These were my last bulbs, and are really bright white, and have a bluish tint. Sylvania also makes a clue blue bulb that produces an even bluer affect. These filters however, only reduce the main reason that you have headlights, to see. So you will have to make a judgment call on what you want more, aesthetics or functionality.

Just my .02
I hope you find something you will like.

The reason it moves the bulb is because in a regular bulb, the two filaments are in a different position. THIS is what makes your high and low beam, the high beam filament on a 9004 bulb isn't THAT much brighter than the low beam filament. Headlamps use a compound reflector that create different beam patterns based on the position of the light source (yes, the TINY differences) and the intensity of the source. This is why HID retrofit bulbs, no matter how much you aim them down, or how much a fan boi you are, or how much you are sure that if you put more light somewhere it must be better, ever work right without disturbing other drivers or making an inconsistent, uncontrolled beam pattern. The big hot spots also make it HARDER to see when you are driving places with very little ambient light. Try aiming a headlight with a retrofit bulb in it at a wall sometime and comparing the beam pattern to the pattern from a regular headlamp bulb sometime.

This is the same reason that people putting a 9007 bulb in a stock headlamp always get strange artifacts in their beam pattern.

As I have tried to explain a hundred times before, you can't just put more and more light into headlamps without considering the size/position/orientation of the source and expect to put more light on the road just the way you want it. The science of optics isn't something that simple. LOOK at a headlamp sometime to see how complex the lenses and reflectors actually are.

 

[backfrmcolorado]

OP, there are many different opinions on lighting options, and you are entirely entitled to have your own, as well as everyone else is. Do what you want to do. However, if you decide to get HIDs, and install them in the stock housing, make sure that you re-aim them and aim them down. If you are still interested in HIDs, check out DDM Tuning . They sell a 9004 kit for around 40 bucks. Don’t buy the hi/low set though, because it only moves the bulb back and forth and doesn’t add any additional lighting. If you do end up getting the HIDs, don’t get anything over 8000k in the 35W. Optimal light output is at 4300K. I recently purchased the 5000k 35w kit that I plan on installing in my 92 explorer. I will readjust the light accordingly. If you decide to not go with the HID approach, you could try Sylvania SilverStar Ultra again; if you liked them. These were my last bulbs, and are really bright white, and have a bluish tint. Sylvania also makes a clue blue bulb that produces an even bluer affect. These filters however, only reduce the main reason that you have headlights, to see. So you will have to make a judgment call on what you want more, aesthetics or functionality.

Just my .02
I hope you find something you will like.

Hey, thanks. Yeah im still undecided. Ill try a few different setups.

 

[backfrmcolorado]

NOTICE: well i got my new headlights yesterday. They actualy arent that bad for other people. They have a really white shine on the road. I actualy had my GF drive my truck at night towards me while i drove her car towards my truck and it wasent to blinding at all.It shine the road the same distance as my olld Silerstar Ultras but has a much whiter look with a hint on a blueish purple. All i can say is i like them for the price but think ill sooner or later be buying a set of HIDS. Thanks again to everyone who posted on my thread.

 

[jd4242]

Hid will no matter how u adjust them!!

 

[jd4242]

This is a pic if 55watt hid aimed straight at the ground and its not the camera glare they are this bright and blind you no matter what!!! And i love them but get pulled all the time for them,in the clear housing!!!pics are from the width of a two car drive way,maybe15ft!!

 

[rhauf]

Throw those horrible blue lights in the garbage, please.

FYI the "super white" (blue) lights are identical to a regular halogen light, except they are painted blue (or blue tinted glass).. the way tinting works is it filters colors.. so it doesn't put out more blue than a clear halogen, it just puts out less red and green light.

our eyes perceive blue as brighter, even though our eyes are least sensitive to detail with blue. (we see the most detail in green)

 

[jd4242]

^^^Who you talking to??

 

[FIND]

I think he was talking to the OP about his blue lights.

For the OP, here is another picture to show you the difference between HIDs in a halogen reflector, and halogen bulbs in a halogen reflector.

HID

Photo's borrowed from TexasnativeDRJH's post in the Post pics of your Beam Shots (HIDs Only) thread

I really hope you can see from this what we mean about terrible beam patterns. Your blue coated halogen bulbs aren't the problem (though they are giving you less usable light), "upgrading" to HIDs retrofit bulbs would be the problem.

 

[Anime]

The success of superwhite/fake HID/blue bulbs, along with the incredible prices people are willing to pay for them, is a good indication you aren't going to appeal to this demographic with any tactics based on safety, light output, or common sense.

They are more than happy to pay four times as much for something that puts out half as much light and lasts a year at best. All for the reasoning that other people are impressed with what the color of their headlights are.

I do support the cause though. There are a few, when presented with the facts (both about light output and the fact that people who DO notice their lights hate the glare rather than admire the color), who 'see the light', so to speak.

 

[jd4242]

I think he was talking to the OP about his blue lights.

For the OP, here is another picture to show you the difference between HIDs in a halogen reflector, and halogen bulbs in a halogen reflector.

HID

Photo's borrowed from TexasnativeDRJH's post in the Post pics of your Beam Shots (HIDs Only) thread

I really hope you can see from this what we mean about terrible beam patterns. Your blue coated halogen bulbs aren't the problem (though they are giving you less usable light), "upgrading" to HIDs retrofit bulbs would be the problem.

Thats a horrible pic!!he just threw those in and didnt adjust anything.if he brought them together and down a bit,it would look much better.i have shimmed them down and done some fine adjusting on mine and they look way better than my old pics.the glare isnt as bad now but they are adjusted about 8ft out from my truck,light output is still 3x better than stock!! Ps they are dtm 55watt 8000k

 

[zero_psi]

lol this thread is full of fail

 

[backfrmcolorado]

"Zero psi" yes this thread is full of fail lol. Ive come to the conclusion im going back to my Silverstar Ultras. I really want to thank all resent posters to my thread tho. LOL i guess i had to learn the hard way buying my new bulbs. They were however only $20 shipd to my house. Idk, my new bulbs arent bad to other people tho. They have a real clear white shine that lights up the road the same as my silverstars but bot as far. I miss my brigth Ultras and will be changeing back to them. Sooner or later after i restore my X and only use it on nice days or car shows maybe then ill get a set of HID's for show over function. Ive really been noticeing a lot more BLUE HID's on the road and LOVE MY ULTRAS AND BLINDING THEM BACK TO THERE DAMN BRIGHT AND ANOYING BLUE LIGHTS. NO LONGER A FAN OF BLUE HIDS. But thanks again to everyone posting. LOL even tho i started this thread it getting kinda entertaing how everyone have there onw opinion andwhats being said. All i can say is please be nice people, were all a big family and no need for conflict or tension.
Happy Explorering to all,
Adam

 

[FIND]

Thats a horrible pic!!he just threw those in and didnt adjust anything.if he brought them together and down a bit,it would look much better.i have shimmed them down and done some fine adjusting on mine and they look way better than my old pics.the glare isnt as bad now but they are adjusted about 8ft out from my truck,light output is still 3x better than stock!! Ps they are dtm 55watt 8000k

No. They would have still made an uneven beam pattern and blotchy light, no matter how you aimed it down. If he had that pointed at a wall, I am sure you could see the artifacts that it is making far above his beam pattern as well. Also, from the position of the center intensity of the beam, they do appear to be aimed correctly, slightly lower even. That is just the way HIDs are, that is the way they will always be. Look at your pictures, they are exactly the same. You have some blotches of super bright light in the foreground, with some blotches and artifacts off to the side and forward. Those blotches of super bright light DO make it harder to see past them. Ever see the trick they do on interviews when people want to remain anonymous, they backlight them so you can't see them properly. Yeah, this is the same kind of thing. Put a really bright light in the foreground, and you can't see what is in the darker areas beyond it. There is a reason headlights are engineered to make dimmer light over a large area. So you can see.