On-going issues with my headlights, I'd like to ask a question, I upgraded my main beams to a Xenon bulb, great improvement, if you put the Main beams on and with my hand cut the beam down to imitate a dip bulb, the illumination is great, much better than the HID's. so I wondered, surely an upgraded Xenon bulb on the dip would be the same.. So I buy some and install them. go for a drive on a Dark, Dark Night.. and hey presto, Rubbish!!

So what's going on, is there some wiring issue happening that I don't know about that is causing this,

 

Any 'leccy guru's please apply....

 

Rich

Just to clarify what you have done.

 

You said "I upgraded my main beams to a Xenon bulb, great improvement, if you put the Main beams on and

with my hand cut the beam down to imitate a dip bulb, the illumination is great, much better than the HID's."

 

Xenon bulbs (gas discharge) are HIDs.

The HID's were the top ones, and the main beam were the bottom ones. (Looks like the Osrams are Halogen, sorry about that, always thought they were Xenons.)

 

rich

Have you cleaned the projector lens inside and out? you will notice a big difference with the grime removed, which is why the main beam seems brighter as there is only the glass of the casing in the way.

Think your problem is right there......those hid bulbs are not H3 ?

^^^Agree.

 

What bulb type does it say on the packaging that came with the kit? Maybe the wrong type was sent out.

 

This is an example of an H3 HID:

 

Look guys, I'm sure its the right "H" bulb on the HIDS, I got them from Phutumsch on this site. The picture was just thrown there to show the scale of difference between the type of unit used, I didn't check to see the specifics of the photo, Sorry.

What I'm trying to find out is whether there is something different in the electrics feeding the 2 light units.

 

Rich

So you have Hid in the main and in the dip?

Everyone seems to be confused by what your asking. Maybe you need to try to explain again, I can't make much sense out of it myself.

Main beams on and with my hand cut the beam down to imitate a dip bulb

 

I am having trouble with what you've put here Rich ?

 

I don't have anything other than H3 HID kits so you have not been sent wrong, to just clarify you have H3, 55W and 5000k so you should have a wonderful dipped projector beam.

 

You do seem however to have sorted your mains out so at least we've moved on there !!

Ohhh, I get you now.

You fitted HIDs to the dip beam, they weren't as bright as you expected. You fitted uprated halogens to the full beam which you were very impressed with, so tried some in the dip beam and the problem of them not bring bright remains. So you want to know if there is a supply fault?

Stephen, Hi.

 

Yeah you're on the right track there, I've put similar bulbs that I put in the main beam into the dips (removed the HID's first) as Stephen says the result was not as impressive as when I put the upgrade bulbs in the main beam. Which is why I'm thinking there might be something in the electrics, just a thought..

 

Now, is everything clear, any problems just ask, i'll try to help.

 

Rich

I think it may be that the angle of the main beam is much higher than the dip, they both use the same wattage bulbs, but the dip 'dips', and the main beam is aimed almost straight. So it will appear brighter to you, but if you kneel down, you may find the dips become much brighter. Maybe.

I have HIDs in both the dipped beam and in the fogs and I got some 100w xeno bulbs from halfords to go in the maim beam That was quite bright. then I thought sod it and put HIDs in the main beam as well and now it's bright as a cloudy day

 

All you have to do with the main beam is flash a couple of time when you start off and holds enough power to flash again if you need to flash anyone. They come on all time when you pish the dip switch forward and have four HIDs in action

You not worried about over loading the wiring with 100w main beams tony?

Not sure why you took the hids out. They are brighter than the bulbs you put in the high beams, it's just that the 2 beams are set up differently.

Why did you change the hids out?

You not worried about over loading the wiring with 100w main beams tony?

 

No The wiring could cope with it on a 1995 series 4 but I've replaced them with HIDs as I said The 100 Watt give a yellowish light whereas the HIDS are white

There is probably nothing wrong with the electrical supply to your dipped beam. The reason the main beam seems much better is because they are not of the projector type, the dipped ones are.

Look at the light units properly, you will see the main bulb beams straight through the outer glass, where as the dipped must beam through a projector lens first then thru the outer glass. A lot of the dipped bulbs brightness is dulled by this extra lens.

As others have said, the inside of this projector lens can get dirty which makes matters worse and its not that easy to clean.

It has been said for many years that the Zeds dipped beam is rubbish, yours won't be any different, don't look for a problem that is not there.

My main beam is far, far, far superior to the dipped beam as well, but I'm confident there is no electrical issue.

To convince yourself, pull the bulb out of the unit and switch it on it and see if it looks like 55watts of brightness!

Just for clarification here -

 

The MAIN BEAM HEADLIGHTS should light up more of the road than DIPPED BEAM. That's what they are there for.

 

As has been said. DIPPED BEAM lights go through a projector lens and illuminate the road ahead. If you have HIDS fitted, you will generally see a distinct line in the near distance. The reason we have DIPPED BEAM is so as not to startle drivers in front of you.

 

MAIN BEAM have no projector and no angle so essentially direct their light everywhere. Which is why they appear so much brighter.

These should only be used to illuminate the road when there are no other road users that can be affected by them.

 

Now that is cleared up, we can go onto what you were asking.

 

By using your hand I assume you mean you covered the top of the lens to simulate the bulb only directing onto the floor. As has been mentioned above, the power of that bulb is only passing through one layer of perspex, not a glass projector like the DIPPED BEAM does.

 

I did mention to you in a previous thread to clean your lenses. Andrew even linked to how to do it.

So go do that before you start hunting for electrical issues that may only exist in your head.

Have a read of this American thread and mainly post 32 ?

 

http://www.300zxclub.com/showthread.php?t=170340&page=2

 

EDIT : You'll need to log in !!

Edited January 4, 201510 yr by phutumsch

Not sure why you took the hids out. They are brighter than the bulbs you put in the high beams, it's just that the 2 beams are set up differently.

Why did you change the hids out?

 

Hi Buddy, was this aimed at me or some of the other comments flying around.

 

Ric

Sorry for the time lapse, but that's what my life is like now..

 

Just thought id clear up a few points..

 

Just for clarification here -

 

The MAIN BEAM HEADLIGHTS should light up more of the road than DIPPED BEAM. That's what they are there for.

 

As has been said. DIPPED BEAM lights go through a projector lens and illuminate the road ahead. If you have HIDS fitted, you will generally see a distinct line in the near distance. The reason we have DIPPED BEAM is so as not to startle drivers in front of you.

 

MAIN BEAM have no projector and no angle so essentially direct their light everywhere. Which is why they appear so much brighter.

These should only be used to illuminate the road when there are no other road users that can be affected by them.

 

Now that is cleared up, LEXX, I don't how old you think I am, but seriously?? there's no need to patronise me.. we can go onto what you were asking.

 

By using your hand I assume you mean you covered the top of the lens to simulate the bulb only directing onto the floor. As has been mentioned above, the power of that bulb is only passing through one layer of perspex, not a glass projector like the DIPPED BEAM does. I Actually used my hand whilst driving and at arms length, used the palm of my hand to cut the top of the main beam, to simulate the Dipped beam

 

I did mention to you in a previous thread to clean your lenses. Andrew even linked to how to do it.

So go do that before you start hunting for electrical issues that may only exist in your head. This last comment of yours is totally uncalled for, How dare you. You don't know me well enough to make a rude and uncalled for comment like that, so I expect you to excuse yourself from this and any of my future posts

 

By the way, for other interested parties, I have a headlight unit off my spare car hooked up to a 12v psu and took the headlamp bulb and managed to place it in the dip unit and as far as I could see the output was greater than an upgrade bulb produces. So that takes me back to square one. even though the bulbs are marked the same (12v 55w) are they electrically different, Could it be due to their physical sizes? I don't know.

 

Regards

 

Rich

There is no difference electrically between the dipped and main beam, they both receive 12v via a relay and im sorry but holding your hand at arms length while driving trying to block part of the beam does not simulate a dipped beam. Firstly the main beam is angled slightly higher, has no lens and therefore the beam is scattered rather than focused.

 

I totally see what you are saying and having had really shite headlights in the past myself, i can say with complete confidence that once i cleaned the projector lens inside and out and place my HID H3 5000k the difference is like day and night.

 

Try swapping out your headlight relays, if they are original then a 20 year old relay may be corroded, worn or not conducting the voltage correctly, if you have cleaned your lenses etc and everything suggested in previous posts, then this might be the next port of call.

 

Let us know how you get on and hopefully we can get to the bottom of this brainmelt :biggrin:

Sorry for the time lapse, but that's what my life is like now..

 

Just thought id clear up a few points..

 

 

 

By the way, for other interested parties, I have a headlight unit off my spare car hooked up to a 12v psu and took the headlamp bulb and managed to place it in the dip unit and as far as I could see the output was greater than an upgrade bulb produces. So that takes me back to square one. even though the bulbs are marked the same (12v 55w) are they electrically different, Could it be due to their physical sizes? I don't know.

 

Regards

 

Rich

 

 

Wasn't intending to patronise.

The thread had become very confusing. You have to remember future members will come read this thread if they have a similar problem.

so the clearer the information the better for everyone. Too many people get confused between side light, dipped, and Main beam (not saying you do).

 

As for me being rude.....er....no. It was simply a statement that I think you should give everything a clean as it would save spending hours hunting electrical issues that may not have existed.

Since you have now hooked up a spare then clearly that isn't the issue. But no one knew that previously.

 

Clearly you're too sensitive when I was only trying to help. Ah well.

It has been said many times that one of the problems with this type of media is the lack of a voice with a tone and manor. Words on a screen can easily be taken the wrong way.

I suppose if I were being super, super critical Lexx's final sentence could have been written better, but I'm 100% sure just like me his intentions were purely to be helpful and no bad feeling was intended at all.

I don't know the guy, but being around and about this forum for years now I've read enough of his posts (some were helpful replies to my queries) and his intentions are purely to be helpful.

Edited January 16, 201510 yr by lonezedder

Reading this thread its clear to me that everbody is just trying to be helpfull but what you must remember is that the written words can sometimes sound different to the spoken words.