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Thread: HID vs Stock Lamps

  1. #1
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    HID vs Stock Lamps

    So what is the general consensus on HID lamps? I have had the car for two days and the drivers headlight does not like to come on. When the switch is turned on the lamp strikes but does not stay lit. I also found 2 spare ballasts of unknown condition in the glove box. Just wondering what everyone else has experienced with these and whether or not I'd just be better off converting back to stock lamps.
    Thanks- Dave

  2. #2
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    I've heard HID's do not work well in standard housings for regular lamps..the light scatters too much, A better alternative is projector retrofitting or good bulbs actually do help.. Member Limited360 will have a better answer, he is LED and projector addicted.
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  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by RubberCtyRauder View Post
    I've heard HID's do not work well in standard housings for regular lamps..the light scatters too much, A better alternative is projector retrofitting or good bulbs actually do help.. Member Limited360 will have a better answer, he is LED and projector addicted.
    Absolutely addicted!!!


    Projectors are awesome for output, you get to much scatter in an OEM reflector housing not designed for HID's.

    But to your question, if it ignites and goes out my guess is a faulty ballast. What brand ballasts? Xentec? Plastic small ones or heavy stainless tell ones?
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  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by 68Rogue View Post
    So what is the general consensus on HID lamps? I have had the car for two days and the drivers headlight does not like to come on. When the switch is turned on the lamp strikes but does not stay lit. I also found 2 spare ballasts of unknown condition in the glove box. Just wondering what everyone else has experienced with these and whether or not I'd just be better off converting back to stock lamps.
    Thanks- Dave
    Sounds like there is a flaky ballast the or connection.
    I'd unplug the ballast from the affected headlight and look at the connector. If it looks OK try bending them a bit so they make better contact. If that doesn't fix the problem drug swapping the ballasts. Even if they are bad you won't hurt anything.
    Although there is some light scatter with HIDs in the stock housings the light output is 1000 times better IMHO. Projectors are nice but are extremely pricy.

    If you need anything HID or LED related checkout my forum Marauder Innovations. There is plenty of Bing there also.
    “When you can’t make them see the light, make them feel the heat.”
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  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by fastblackmerc View Post
    If that doesn't fix the problem drug swapping the ballasts.
    My doctor told me swapping drugs is bad...
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  6. #6
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    I didn't make it a year with the hid headlamps (I actually gave them away in Louisville). I personally would call them a downgrade from stock.

    Go stock or projectors IMHO.
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  7. #7
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    1000 times better? Well projectors must be 1,000,000,000,000 times better...

    Scatter from drop in bulbs....




    Projectors... Notice no light scatter above cut off line?




    Also this is a projector high beam.... No drop in bulb can even compare as it can not physically mimic the standard halogen bulbs filament location for high beam.






    My 2 cents.... get rid of the drop in bulbs if they are a cheap brand and at a minimum upgrade to a higher quality drop in set. I can provide more information on brands / suppliers to stay away from.
    I have 5 Marauders...

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  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by RF Overlord View Post
    My doctor told me swapping drugs is bad...
    Mixing drugs can have some unintended consequences...

    Like dropping prices for no reasons on products you have been selling for years

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  9. #9
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    I believe they are the xentec style ballasts. Slim plastic housing. How much money and work are the projector lamps? Thanks for all the feedback - I really appreciate it. The one thing I am not looking forward to is removing the gobs of silicone sealant on the back of the lamp holder regardless of what direction I go.

  10. #10
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    Gobs of silicone and the cheap slim plastic XENTEC ballasts... hmmmm *suspect*... Are they hi / lo beam functioning?

    You should be able to order some replacement ballasts for those as I assume the ballast connection is external to the headlamp bucket...
    I have 5 Marauders...

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  11. #11
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    I put hids in my stock housings and love them, no scatter on mine.
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  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by FastMerc View Post
    I put hids in my stock housings and love them, no scatter on mine.
    +1

    Same here. I've been had mine in for at least 5 years.
    “When you can’t make them see the light, make them feel the heat.”
    Ronald Regan

    "The only way to deal with the Islamic State - these blood thirsty, blood-drunken, terrorists -
    is to kill them, keep on killing them, until you kill the last one, then you kill his pet goat."

    Lt. Colonel Ralph Peters

    “Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet.”
    "I come in peace. I didn't bring artillery. But I'm pleading with you, with tears in my eyes, if you **** with me, I'll kill you all"
    General James Mattis




  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by FastMerc View Post
    I put hids in my stock housings and love them, no scatter on mine.
    Pull up to a wall and take a picture please... Prove it...

    This is a reason LJI372 gave away his Bi-Xenon kit... High beam was useless! low beam was marginal at best.



    That is what you will get... Called light scatter...





    Drop in HID's into a reflector housing will cause glare.... show us your High beam as well while your at it...
    Last edited by Limited360; 04-24-2014 at 06:00 PM.
    I have 5 Marauders...

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  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Limited360 View Post
    Pull up to a wall and take a picture please... Prove it...

    This is a reason LJI372 gave away his Bi-Xenon kit... High beam was useless! low beam was marginal at best.



    That is what you will get... Called light scatter...





    Drop in HID's into a reflector housing will cause glare.... show us your High beam as well while your at it...
    +a billion

    Hid's must be better, that's why new cars come with projectors

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  15. #15
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    IMHO one would need to ask the person driving towards you about light scatter. Here on Long Island there are tons of people running HIDs in stock housings, and most of them are blinding to oncoming drivers. I think simply adjusting the headlamp assemblies down isn't the answer. If I were to go HID's I would only use them with projectors.

    With all that said I run Sylvania ZXE bulbs in both the headlamps and foglamps, and the light output is no comparison to stock. It's that good that I'm in no rush to go to projectors. I have driven in rural upstate New York where its very dark and they've been great...so good in fact that I don't feel that I'm out-driving the headlights.

    '98 MGM LS...sold..................... .............................. ..'03 300A...sold 6/17

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