Help me verify my HID kit (pic)

[typhoon43]

Hey guys, I'm looking to do an upgarde to HID's in my 1997 4 Door Ex.
I have a friend who runs an automotive parts warehouse and he gets these kits, and I can get a VERY good deal on them. I just want to make sure they are at least REAL HID's. I see the 9007 on the bulnb box, but that just realtes to the clamping mechanism to hold the bulb to the lens right?
I just want to make sure before I take the plunge. Once I get them I'll be doing a write up with pics for you all.
Thanks,
Josh

 

[Bill Kemp]

Looks like the right stuff to me. How much is he selling them for? If I may ask. What color 4500 or 6000 or what, are the bulbs?

 

[typhoon43]

That's what I can't figure out. It only says 3200Lumens, which is the DS1/DS2 HID according to the website I went to that broke them down by wattage/output. I'll try and find the color temp for you. I'd liek to know as well. I'm sure they're better than the "faux HID" 110Watt bulbs everyone and their mother uses.

EDIT:
here's the best table I found from HIDforums.com Looks to me like they are legit and either DS1 or DS2

 

[Bill Kemp]

Well, if the lumens are correct then those are 4100 to 4300 K bulbs. Those put out the most light. When you get above 5000 the light is so blue that it really doesnt illuminate the road very well and is really bad in the rain.
If you do buy those remember you should use a harness & relay to turn on the ballast. The directions usually just show pluging them into the headlight wires but that sometimes doesnt provide enough volts to fire the ballast correctly.

 

[4544x4]

your going to need to replace/upgrade your lenses also as to the stock ones will melt at that high temp the bulbs put out.

 

[huskyfan23]

High temp they put out? Stock housings will be fine. I second the notion of relay use. Osram is by Philips so the ballasts are good, might wanna get different bulbs though.

 

[draft]

How much did that run you bro?

 

[davesexplorer]

How much did that run you bro?

x2 please share

 

[expo5.0]

mine have been fine in the mountie lenses, i don't see a real problem with the heat.

looks good, but i'd go higher K for sure. mine are 7000s and they are plenty "white" rather than blue once they get warmed up.

 

[huskyfan23]

Point is, under 5k gives off the brightest white and most usable light, that's why factory HID kits are 4100 & 4300k.

 

[expo5.0]

I understand that, but why do you actually want the most light?

My 7k kit gives out infinitely more light that stock, and is plenty bright for my needs at ALL times. headlights should not be driving lights, i have a set of those for when i need to see far down the road. having brighter headlights than mine would serve no purpose other than to bother oncoming traffic and the cops. maybe someone prefers the less blue light over mine, but the argument for how bright they are is sort of pointless (at least to me)

 

[huskyfan23]

It depends how well the light is directed. Usually aftermarket kits have the light shooting all over the place. I guess I just prefer the "daylight" look in front of me. When I want to see further ahead I just use the brights.

 

[expo5.0]

that brings up a great point- the stock explorer lenses have crappy crappy cut-offs. they will be sending light all over. I never get flashed in my truck, but do all the time with the silverstars in my bros escape... not sure what to think about that etc.

 

[huskyfan23]

Yeah, those ripples are aweful. I was lucky, my projectors don't affect the light much at all, just the cutoff. I don't care for a clean cutoff anyways. I got them aimed by Pepboys and have never gotten flashed or pulled over.

 

[Saleen_SR71]

Point is, under 5k gives off the brightest white and most usable light, that's why factory HID kits are 4100 & 4300k.

brighest white no... but white (sunlight) yes. anything between 4100k and 4500k(i dont remember the exact temp color of sunlight) are the close to white (sunlight)... they are supposed to be best for lighting up the road and giving true colors out of the objects they hit, unlike the blue tinted bulbs that add a hint of blue to the color of the object they hit

 

[cfkane]

Color temperature of sunlight is nominally quoted at 5,500K but can vary over a broad range depending upon atmospheric conditions and altitude. When evaluating the best color temperature for night driving one needs to consider that the human eye responds differently that it does in daylight. The automotive HID as developed by Rothwell at Sylvania was designed specifically with this in mind thus the shift to the blue end of the spectrum. However one can take this too far with the result being degraded performance.

As a side note the xenon HID also produces significant levels of UV radiation that requires a secondary spectral shield for consumer use. If this shield is damaged the bulb will still operate but should be replaced.