Omega Owners Forum

Chat Area => General Car Chat => Topic started by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 06 November 2015, 16:13:22

Title: Piss poor Signum hadlights.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 06 November 2015, 16:13:22
I can't believe how pathetic the illumination is compared to the HID's on the MV6.

Today the dip beam has blown on the passenger side so is there any way I can uprate the headlights without spending a fortune?

Title: Re: Piss poor Signum hadlights.
Post by: 05omegav6 on 06 November 2015, 16:26:13
Buy an Omega... Seriously, I feel your pain... They are shockingly crap... Not helped by the fact that you get a twenty foot shadow from the top edge of the bumper. If I have a single bug bear with the Vectra C range, this is it... :-\
Title: Re: Piss poor Signum hadlights.
Post by: zirk on 06 November 2015, 16:26:44
Put a new bulb in it.
Title: Re: Piss poor Signum hadlights.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 06 November 2015, 16:30:49
Put a new bulb in it.

On the passenger side I believe I can gain access by removing the filler neck to the washer bottle.

Too dark now. :-\

Which bulb do you suggest?
Title: Re: Piss poor Signum hadlights.
Post by: 05omegav6 on 06 November 2015, 16:32:21
Put a new bulb in it.

On the passenger side I believe I can gain access by removing the filler neck to the washer bottle.

Too dark now. :-\

Which bulb do you suggest?
Plod were about the only ones to be fitted with xenons... £500 option for retail cars, so very few were ordered with. Try and find a '59 petrol plod estate... Full 280bhp version of your engine, fit an Elite interior and a decent head unit and you're on your way to a half decent wwd rocket :y
Title: Re: Piss poor Signum hadlights.
Post by: 05omegav6 on 06 November 2015, 16:35:16
Not sure what happened there... ::) Nightbreakers would be a good start... Easier to remove cluster. Same 8mm screws as Omega, one accessible from underneath with the corner raised, tother two on top...

Replace all the bulbs as access is woeful, even with washer neck/airbox removed.
Title: Re: Piss poor Signum hadlights.
Post by: henryd on 06 November 2015, 16:37:46
Headlights on my Signum were crap ,night breakers helped somewhat,lights on my Touareg are crap too yet my shitty little focus has lovely lights :-\
Title: Re: Piss poor Signum hadlights.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 06 November 2015, 16:39:51
The Vectra C boys speak of converting to HID's.

Possible?

Expensive?
Title: Re: Piss poor Signum hadlights.
Post by: 05omegav6 on 06 November 2015, 16:45:30
Retrofitable, but alot of work... Easier if you can find an explod, say 2006, as a spares/rrpairs car for all the bits :-\

Thwt would also afford you some useful mechanical spares :y
Title: Re: Piss poor Signum hadlights.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 06 November 2015, 17:20:25
Thanks, Al. :y

For now I'll change the bulbs.

Prices at ECP start from a couple of quid for an ordinary Osram or Bosch.

Night Breaker........£17.99

Philips 130% extra light.....£19.99

Philips white vision ......£29.99.

Is H7 the variety I need for the dip/low beam?

Title: Re: Piss poor Signum hadlights.
Post by: Crazycarzowner on 06 November 2015, 17:29:45
£95 for the conversion + there's a video how to, doesn't seem too complicated

http://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/H7-HIDS4U-Ultimate-35W-HID-Conversion-Kit.html?bulb_search=car
Title: Re: Piss poor Signum hadlights.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 06 November 2015, 18:25:45
£95 for the conversion + there's a video how to, doesn't seem too complicated

http://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/H7-HIDS4U-Ultimate-35W-HID-Conversion-Kit.html?bulb_search=car

Thanks, Jason.

You're right. It doesn't look that difficult.

I wonder if the HID kit uses the same bulbs.
Title: Re: Piss poor Signum hadlights.
Post by: tunnie on 06 November 2015, 18:46:03
Special HID bulbs I would have thought. Does look extremely simple, Omega would be the later style shown in that video.
Title: Re: Piss poor Signum hadlights.
Post by: 05omegav6 on 06 November 2015, 18:54:12
£95 for the conversion + there's a video how to, doesn't seem too complicated

http://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/H7-HIDS4U-Ultimate-35W-HID-Conversion-Kit.html?bulb_search=car

Thanks, Jason.

You're right. It doesn't look that difficult.

I wonder if the HID kit uses the same bulbs.
Only thing to watch will be that if they're the showy blueish bulbs, the visibility won't be any better than your current ones...
Title: Re: Piss poor Signum hadlights.
Post by: STEMO on 06 November 2015, 19:00:31
I like Opti's frank admission in the title "Piss poor signum had lights". Yeah, all cars do.  ;D
Title: Re: Piss poor Signum hadlights.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 06 November 2015, 19:18:23
Before I order can somebody confirm these are the correct bulbs for Signum/Vectra C low/dip beam?

£15 with the voucher code.


http://tinyurl.com/pnxw28v (http://tinyurl.com/pnxw28v)
Title: Re: Piss poor Signum hadlights.
Post by: 05omegav6 on 06 November 2015, 19:29:26
Rings a bell, but should be a visible label on top of the light cluster detailing what bulbs are what :y
Title: Re: Piss poor Signum hadlights.
Post by: STEMO on 06 November 2015, 19:39:33
Your friendly local Vauxhall dealer should be able to advise, and sell you some reasonably priced bulbs.  :)
Title: Re: Piss poor Signum hadlights.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 06 November 2015, 19:41:59
Your friendly local Vauxhall dealer should be able to advise, and sell you some reasonably priced bulbs.  :)

Whilst I'm there I may trade my car in for an Astra presented in a fetching shade of green. :)
Title: Re: Piss poor Signum hadlights.
Post by: STEMO on 06 November 2015, 19:43:20
I love it, on dark nights, when some blind, selfish barsteward is coming towards with his searchlights shining straight into your eyes. Still.....at least he can see.
Title: Re: Piss poor Signum hadlights.
Post by: STEMO on 06 November 2015, 19:43:51
Your friendly local Vauxhall dealer should be able to advise, and sell you some reasonably priced bulbs.  :)

Whilst I'm there I may trade my car in for an Astra presented in a fetching shade of green. :)
Yeah....your car and five grand. ;D
Title: Re: Piss poor Signum hadlights.
Post by: Filth_Mobile_Jim on 07 November 2015, 12:04:12
 I'm getting fed up of plastic headlamp lens' degrading in uv light. I have to keep polishing mine.
Title: Re: Piss poor Signum hadlights.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 07 November 2015, 13:26:55
I've popped in a spare Ring bulb until my Night Breakers arrive from ECP.

Easy fix. Simply remove the neck of the washer bottle. :y

I may go the HID route in future.

Title: Re: Piss poor Signum hadlights.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 07 November 2015, 18:37:44
This what the Vectra C Boys get all hot and excited about.

Less than £25. Any good?

http://tinyurl.com/p7t5q5o (http://tinyurl.com/p7t5q5o)
Title: Re: Piss poor Signum hadlights.
Post by: tunnie on 07 November 2015, 18:51:33
Very cheap. Surely can't be much good at that price.  :-\
Title: Re: Piss poor Signum hadlights.
Post by: 05omegav6 on 07 November 2015, 18:54:57
This what the Vectra C Boys get all hot and excited about.

Less than £25. Any good?

http://tinyurl.com/p7t5q5o (http://tinyurl.com/p7t5q5o)
One way to find out ;)
Title: Re: Piss poor Signum hadlights.
Post by: tunnie on 07 November 2015, 19:00:24
Tempted to give them a go at that price myself.  :-\
Title: Re: Piss poor Signum hadlights.
Post by: Andy H on 07 November 2015, 20:43:28
The problem with sticking a high intensity discharge tube (HID) in the space designed to take a filament lamp (H1 or H7) is that the optics aren't designed for it.

The light from a halogen lamp is emitted by a short, small diameter, filament that approximates to a point source. The light from an HID tube is emitted from a larger diameter source which is why the cut off is so poor in headlights with retrofitted HIDs.
Title: Re: Piss poor Signum hadlights.
Post by: STEMO on 07 November 2015, 21:30:10
The problem with sticking a high intensity discharge tube (HID) in the space designed to take a filament lamp (H1 or H7) is that the optics aren't designed for it.

The light from a halogen lamp is emitted by a short, small diameter, filament that approximates to a point source. The light from an HID tube is emitted from a larger diameter source which is why the cut off is so poor in headlights with retrofitted HIDs.
So....instead of the beam lighting up the road in front of the car, you just light up everywhere, dazzling anyone in front of you. There are quite a few cars like this on the road.
Title: Re: Piss poor Signum hadlights.
Post by: Andy B on 07 November 2015, 21:51:45
I can't believe how pathetic the illumination is compared to the HID's on the MV6.
 
 ......

If it's any consolation, my R Class's halogen headlights are also piss poor compared to my Omega's HIDs  :(
Title: Re: Piss poor Signum hadlights.
Post by: EMD on 08 November 2015, 10:48:12
Buy an Omega... Seriously, I feel your pain... They are shockingly crap... Not helped by the fact that you get a twenty foot shadow from the top edge of the bumper. If I have a single bug bear with the Vectra C range, this is it... :-\

This seems the way forward  :D ;D
Title: Re: Piss poor Signum hadlights.
Post by: BazaJT on 08 November 2015, 11:37:50
I seem to recall either being told or reading it somewhere-it was many moons ago now-that a vehicles headlights had to be powerful enough to illuminate the road far enough ahead to match its stopping distance at top speed.If that was correct what's gone wrong since?
Title: Re: Piss poor Signum hadlights.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 08 November 2015, 11:47:16
The problem with sticking a high intensity discharge tube (HID) in the space designed to take a filament lamp (H1 or H7) is that the optics aren't designed for it.

The light from a halogen lamp is emitted by a short, small diameter, filament that approximates to a point source. The light from an HID tube is emitted from a larger diameter source which is why the cut off is so poor in headlights with retrofitted HIDs.

If this is the case it may be wise to stick with the Night breaker bulbs when they arrive.

However, Vectra C owners who have used the HID conversion seem very happy with the results.

Perhaps the original lights are so poor that anything is better than the standard set up.

Title: Re: Piss poor Signum hadlights.
Post by: 05omegav6 on 08 November 2015, 11:55:12
That is a distinct possibility  :-\
Title: Re: Piss poor Signum hadlights.
Post by: Lazydocker on 08 November 2015, 13:47:21
The problem with sticking a high intensity discharge tube (HID) in the space designed to take a filament lamp (H1 or H7) is that the optics aren't designed for it.

The light from a halogen lamp is emitted by a short, small diameter, filament that approximates to a point source. The light from an HID tube is emitted from a larger diameter source which is why the cut off is so poor in headlights with retrofitted HIDs.

If this is the case it may be wise to stick with the Night breaker bulbs when they arrive.

However, Vectra C owners who have used the HID conversion seem very happy with the results.

Perhaps the original lights are so poor that anything is better than the standard set up.

Also possible that as they can now see better they don't give a toss realise that they are now dazzling everyone else on the road :-X :-\
Title: Re: Piss poor Signum hadlights.
Post by: Phil on 09 November 2015, 14:02:55
The problem with sticking a high intensity discharge tube (HID) in the space designed to take a filament lamp (H1 or H7) is that the optics aren't designed for it.

The light from a halogen lamp is emitted by a short, small diameter, filament that approximates to a point source. The light from an HID tube is emitted from a larger diameter source which is why the cut off is so poor in headlights with retrofitted HIDs.

If this is the case it may be wise to stick with the Night breaker bulbs when they arrive.

However, Vectra C owners who have used the HID conversion seem very happy with the results.

Perhaps the original lights are so poor that anything is better than the standard set up.

HIDs are only different on the facelift as they are self levelling units, as are the adaptive forward lighting ones.

AFLs is quite an easy upgrade if you can get the bits - the lights, control module, possibly UEC if yours is missing fuse hole and bumper with washers + pipework - best bet is to rape a rear ended VXR

EBay HID kit is easy, stay with 6000k and you don't get the blue tint or the blind everyone problem. Think they are about £49

BUT you will need Tech2 to tell it you have HID's otherwise you will get bulb failure warnings and strobe effect - ignore the EBay fault free descriptions or paying extra for 'cancellers' just go Tech2
Title: Re: Piss poor Signum hadlights.
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 09 November 2015, 14:11:19
The problem with sticking a high intensity discharge tube (HID) in the space designed to take a filament lamp (H1 or H7) is that the optics aren't designed for it.

The light from a halogen lamp is emitted by a short, small diameter, filament that approximates to a point source. The light from an HID tube is emitted from a larger diameter source which is why the cut off is so poor in headlights with retrofitted HIDs.

If this is the case it may be wise to stick with the Night breaker bulbs when they arrive.

However, Vectra C owners who have used the HID conversion seem very happy with the results.

Perhaps the original lights are so poor that anything is better than the standard set up.

HIDs are only different on the facelift as they are self levelling units, as are the adaptive forward lighting ones.

AFLs is quite an easy upgrade if you can get the bits - the lights, control module, possibly UEC if yours is missing fuse hole and bumper with washers + pipework - best bet is to rape a rear ended VXR

EBay HID kit is easy, stay with 6000k and you don't get the blue tint or the blind everyone problem. Think they are about £49

BUT you will need Tech2 to tell it you have HID's otherwise you will get bulb failure warnings and strobe effect - ignore the EBay fault free descriptions or paying extra for 'cancellers' just go Tech2

Yes, Phil......I have heard mention of this on the Vectra C forum.

But how much would the cost/use of a Tech 2 be?
Title: Re: Piss poor Signum hadlights.
Post by: 05omegav6 on 09 November 2015, 14:12:45
Buy TB a curry... Job jobbed :D