Topic: HID Bulb recommendations (Read 3569 times)

VXL V6 · « **on:** 16 July 2008, 20:30:22 »

Can't decide if my nearside HID lamp is beginning to fail, It looks slightly dimmer than the offside.

Anyway, question is what brand bulb to buy? There seems to be a vast difference in price between 'unbranded' Taiwanese and Bosch on eGay.
Does that mean a vast difference in quality / longetivity?

Jimbob · « **Reply #1 on:** 16 July 2008, 21:05:45 »

I bought the cheapest ebay ones I could find, been in about a year now and fine.

I bought 6000k ones.
Vaux are 4300k

the lower the number the yellower, 6000 generally being a slightly blue tinted white.

The 4300 illuminate better, so I would go for those or 5000 if you can find them, the higher numbers look showier but dont illuminate as well.

FRE07962128 · « **Reply #2 on:** 16 July 2008, 21:10:14 »

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Can't decide if my nearside HID lamp is beginning to fail, It looks slightly dimmer than the offside.

Anyway, question is what brand bulb to buy? There seems to be a vast difference in price between 'unbranded' Taiwanese and Bosch on eGay.
Does that mean a vast difference in quality / longetivity?

Personnally I always fit the best quality available, which in bulbs must be the likes of Bosch, to avoid continually taking the car apart to replace them. What is a couple of pounds more compared to this?

Jimbob · « **Reply #3 on:** 16 July 2008, 21:35:48 »

Quote

Quote
Can't decide if my nearside HID lamp is beginning to fail, It looks slightly dimmer than the offside.

Anyway, question is what brand bulb to buy? There seems to be a vast difference in price between 'unbranded' Taiwanese and Bosch on eGay.
Does that mean a vast difference in quality / longetivity?

Personnally I always fit the best quality available, which in bulbs must be the likes of Bosch, to avoid continually taking the car apart to replace them. What is a couple of pounds more compared to this?

couple of pounds!!!!

think you need to do some price comparisons...

1 x Hid bulb from vauxhall = £148 + vat (£85.90 trade club)

2 x Hid bulbs from ebay = £25ish!

so £25 versus £347.80!!!!! (£201.86 TC) I think Ill stick to the cheap ones

Jimbob · « **Reply #4 on:** 16 July 2008, 21:36:35 »

Ohhh and FYI, mine went a reddy purply pink colour just before failure

FRE07962128 · « **Reply #5 on:** 16 July 2008, 21:40:05 »

Quote

Quote
Quote
Can't decide if my nearside HID lamp is beginning to fail, It looks slightly dimmer than the offside.

Anyway, question is what brand bulb to buy? There seems to be a vast difference in price between 'unbranded' Taiwanese and Bosch on eGay.
Does that mean a vast difference in quality / longetivity?

Personnally I always fit the best quality available, which in bulbs must be the likes of Bosch, to avoid continually taking the car apart to replace them. What is a couple of pounds more compared to this?

couple of pounds!!!!

think you need to do some price comparisons...

1 x Hid bulb from vauxhall = £148 + vat (£85.90 trade club)

2 x Hid bulbs from ebay = £25ish!

so £25 versus £347.80!!!!! (£201.86 TC) I think Ill stick to the cheap ones

Yes, ok a slight exageration on my part

But which one is better quality and lasts longer?

dbug · « **Reply #6 on:** 16 July 2008, 22:58:11 »

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Yes, ok a slight exageration on my part

But which one is better quality and lasts longer?

Try http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/D2S-D2R-Xenon-HID-4300K-6000K-8000K-Replacement-Bulbs_W0QQitemZ380045903456QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item380045903456&_trksid=p3911.m14.l1318

£13.99 a PAIR + £7.50 P&P - no brainer against £201.86 TC - a tenth of the price!
So they only last a couple of years - buy some more at that price!

I bought a pair & they're fine!

FRE07962128 · « **Reply #7 on:** 16 July 2008, 23:39:31 »

Quote

Quote
Yes, ok a slight exageration on my part

But which one is better quality and lasts longer?

Try http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/D2S-D2R-Xenon-HID-4300K-6000K-8000K-Replacement-Bulbs_W0QQitemZ380045903456QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item380045903456&_trksid=p3911.m14.l1318

£13.99 a PAIR + £7.50 P&P - no brainer against £201.86 TC - a tenth of the price!
So they only last a couple of years - buy some more at that price!

I bought a pair & they're fine!

Yes that is a VERY good argument for buying non-brands names I will admit.........as you rightly state..."no brainer"!!

VXL V6 · « **Reply #8 on:** 17 July 2008, 00:09:49 »

Thanks for all the replies, some good points.

My main concern is that if I buy a set of 'cheapies' how likely is it that I will end up with a problem like this (http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1209931006/0#0) and wish i'd spent more money on a decent brand?

Jimbob · « **Reply #9 on:** 17 July 2008, 08:02:50 »

Well I would buy the cheap ones again.

In the event of a problem I would still have change left over from not paying vaux prices to repair em

dbug · « **Reply #10 on:** 17 July 2008, 08:30:59 »

Go for the cheap ones

-Alex- · « **Reply #11 on:** 17 July 2008, 12:11:10 »

I will be going with the cheapies too - the Vx one's haven't failed or anything but could do with a good spare or two just in case.
Have asked on the other thread what brand the melting one was

Marks DTM Calib · « **Reply #12 on:** 17 July 2008, 12:13:15 »

The one that melted looks like it was due to arching.....I wonder if water might have got into the connector by some means.

-Alex- · « **Reply #13 on:** 17 July 2008, 12:42:55 »

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The one that melted looks like it was due to arching.....I wonder if water might have got into the connector by some means.

Yeah I was just re-looking at that, in which case the brand may not necessarily to blame. Well I'll just dive in with the cheapies and see what is what

rennes · « **Reply #14 on:** 18 July 2008, 07:25:30 »

Just ordered a pair from ebay, thanks for the link. We'll see how they turn out. I got 4300K. I want new ones, cause it seems either one is failing soon, or replacement has been done with different colour temp. My left side is bright white while right one is more yellow'ish.

BTW how the hell do change the bulbs?

Jimbob · « **Reply #15 on:** 18 July 2008, 07:49:21 »

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Just ordered a pair from ebay, thanks for the link. We'll see how they turn out. I got 4300K. I want new ones, cause it seems either one is failing soon, or replacement has been done with different colour temp. My left side is bright white while right one is more yellow'ish.

BTW how the hell do change the bulbs?

With care!

Jimbob · « **Reply #16 on:** 18 July 2008, 07:52:35 »

In all seriousness, take care, extremely high voltage.

1st you will need to move the airbox and the battery to gain access, you may be able to slide the battery back to get access.

iirc I removed it before hand for extra safety.

3 torx screws to undo and a funny clip iirc.

dont touch the glass of the bulb.

rennes · « **Reply #17 on:** 18 July 2008, 07:53:46 »

Quick question. Got this email from supplier:

"Could you confirm with us which size of bulb you need?

D2S OR D2R

They are slightly different."

I have no idea ... help?

Jimbob · « **Reply #18 on:** 18 July 2008, 07:56:43 »

sure it was D2S

rennes · « **Reply #19 on:** 18 July 2008, 07:57:55 »

OK, thanks mate! I owe you one

Jimbob · « **Reply #20 on:** 18 July 2008, 08:06:24 »

Confirmed :

http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1182926673/0#0

dbug · « **Reply #21 on:** 18 July 2008, 08:35:54 »

You want D2S

When I fitted mine i left car for 20 mins after switching off before starting job. Unlike Jimbob i didn't remove battery or airbox. Not a lot of room but doable ok. 3 torx per light + clip. Straightforward job.

Do not touch bulb glass though!

Growler · « **Reply #22 on:** 18 July 2008, 08:47:21 »

This has been interesting reading as I did wonder what sort of prices they were for when the time comes. I think i will order a pair of spares from ebay.

Am i right in thinking HID light bulb life expectancy is shortened the more times the lights are turned on and off?

Marks DTM Calib · « **Reply #23 on:** 18 July 2008, 08:53:58 »

A useful little bit of info:

And you all thought the manufacturers had chosen the wrong temp bulbs for original fit HID's!

Marks DTM Calib · « **Reply #24 on:** 18 July 2008, 08:56:57 »

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This has been interesting reading as I did wonder what sort of prices they were for when the time comes. I think i will order a pair of spares from ebay.

Am i right in thinking HID light bulb life expectancy is shortened the more times the lights are turned on and off?

Correct, it is at the end of the day a discharge lamp in the same way a flourescent tube and SON bulb is. As such, to strike the arc and cause the discharge to occur you have to apply a strike voltage of many 10's of KV....and it is this that ages it.

Hence why they dont make good full beam lamps as the turn on time is slightly longer than that of a filament lamp and the life would be massively shortened!

rennes · « **Reply #25 on:** 05 August 2008, 15:52:10 »

Got my bulbs from Ebay yesterday. Installed them today. Easy enough if done with proper torx tool. What a difference! Much brighter now and both are the same colour now. But unfortunately discovered that probably both regulators are broken inside. The whole ficture moved pretty freely inside the lamp when I changed the bulb. Is it fixable? I have to dissassemble the lamp right?

Jimbob · « **Reply #26 on:** 05 August 2008, 15:55:42 »

I beleive you can remove the lights and glue the adjusters back together, never done it myself though.

TheBoy · « **Reply #27 on:** 05 August 2008, 18:57:09 »

Do HIDs age over time/use, or is it they work fine, then suddenly become much worse?

Mine seem fine, but thinking of changing anyway if it will make a difference. Both cars are 10yrs old.

Jimbob · « **Reply #28 on:** 05 August 2008, 19:01:32 »

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Do HIDs age over time/use, or is it they work fine, then suddenly become much worse?

Mine seem fine, but thinking of changing anyway if it will make a difference. Both cars are 10yrs old.

Youve been thinking of changing em for at least a year now!

Just do it!

TheBoy · « **Reply #29 on:** 05 August 2008, 20:32:17 »

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Quote
Do HIDs age over time/use, or is it they work fine, then suddenly become much worse?

Mine seem fine, but thinking of changing anyway if it will make a difference. Both cars are 10yrs old.

Youve been thinking of changing em for at least a year now!

Just do it!

Only if it will be worthwhile...

Jimbob · « **Reply #30 on:** 05 August 2008, 20:37:32 »

Quote

Quote
Quote
Do HIDs age over time/use, or is it they work fine, then suddenly become much worse?

Mine seem fine, but thinking of changing anyway if it will make a difference. Both cars are 10yrs old.

Youve been thinking of changing em for at least a year now!

Just do it!
Only if it will be worthwhile...

in my experience - yes

there may be false brightness results goiung from old 4300k bulbs to new 6000k ones though

VXL V6 · « **Reply #31 on:** 05 August 2008, 21:00:02 »

Personally I prefer the slightly blue tinge on the replacement 6000K ones i've put in to the 4300K they replaced.

rennes · « **Reply #32 on:** 06 August 2008, 20:44:33 »

It seems to me they degrade over time... I haven't noticed that bulbs faded on my car, but replacing them did wonders. I'd recommend it

EDIT: I put 4300 in. I don't want blue I want LIGHT!!! It's still pretty bright blue

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Author Topic: HID Bulb recommendations (Read 3569 times)

FRE07962128

FRE07962128

FRE07962128

Growler