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Purple Light bulbs for headlights

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Old 04-30-2009, 08:44 PM
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Putting aside the legal aspect, because the law and common sense do not always go hand in hand, and laws vary between different regions, can we look at this from a safety aspect?

Most "premium" and luxury cars today come with HIDs. These are DOT/street legal in most countries. One would assume this to mean that HIDs are both safe to oncoming motorists as well as preferable to drivers. Meaning, the HID provides a more comprehensive, and hence safer (or at least more luxurious), driving experience while not hindering other drivers.

If you were to add HIDs to your car such that they were exactly the same as an OEM car, it seems that from a logical, safety, etc. point of view, you are doing nothing wrong. Is this correct, or is the assertion that HID retrofit kits are somehow unsafe?

I am also surprised to hear the retrofit kits are illegal. I have never seen any other documentation to this effect.
Old 05-01-2009, 03:44 AM
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LOL @ this thread, what have I done? HHAHA
Old 05-01-2009, 04:29 AM
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You guys have NO idea what you are talking about....

retrofitting of HID in a halogen housing is illegal because it is unsafe for you and others on the roads. it puts out so much glare that oncoming traffic loses almost all vision. In an OEM housing designed for HID, this isn't a problem as the light is reflected properly onto the road. In a halogen housing it's reflected in all directions because it's made for a light pattern from a specific filament bulb with other dimensions and light directions than the xenon arc burner.

and to you recommending 8000K for better night vision, are you completely out of your mind?
Old 05-01-2009, 11:54 AM
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Angry

Too Funny!!!! Eitherway I already bought some white Sylvania bulbs. Thanks AMG
Old 05-01-2009, 01:53 PM
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dont get scared off, Javys21. if you have any other questions, feel free to
post. it may appear to take on a bar room fight scene here, but overall the
ideas and support is great. it's interesting how a lot of the emotions vanish
when folks meet at the get-togethers....even if your horn plays 'la cucaracha'
Old 05-01-2009, 02:00 PM
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Originally Posted by raymond g-
dont get scared off, Javys21. if you have any other questions, feel free to
post. it may appear to take on a bar room fight scene here, but overall the
ideas and support is great. it's interesting how a lot of the emotions vanish
when folks meet at the get-togethers....even if your horn plays 'la cucaracha'
LOL
Old 05-01-2009, 03:22 PM
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Originally Posted by Semikolon
retrofitting of HID in a halogen housing is illegal because it is unsafe for you and others on the roads.
Do you have a reference you could post regarding the legality (I think most here are concerned about US DOT, rather than European, but either would be a start) and safety. Thanks.
Old 05-01-2009, 03:50 PM
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What about the law, what does it have to say on the matter? In virtually every first-world country, HID "retrofits" into halogen headlamps are illegal. They're illegal clear across Europe and in all of the many countries that use European ECE headlight regulations. They're illegal in the US and Canada. Some people dismiss this because North American regulations, in particular, are written in such a manner as to reject a great many genuinely good headlamps. Nevertheless, on the particular count of HID "retrofits" into halogen headlamps, the world's regulators and engineers all say DON'T!
Good enough for you? I don't know where to find the US DOT regulations..

you can read more here if you don't believe they're unsafe.
http://www.danielsternlighting.com/t...nversions.html
Old 05-01-2009, 04:15 PM
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Originally Posted by Swauve
Maybe in Norway gas hole. Not in the States.

Annoying, dangerous, and illegal, you sound like a playa hater. Thats what we want our cars to be, envyed, fast, powerful, and modded to perfection (what the police do not like, hints: illegal)! Do you even have police over there or are they minor leaguers like the British?
yes, in the states too. putting hid's in halogen housings is the cheapest, tackiest, most wanna-be, incredibly annoying thing ever. if you are that desperate for them, the least you can do is a hid projector retrofit. buy some m-tec's and throw them into your headlights if you must have brighter lights, at least they will have the same beam pattern.
Old 05-01-2009, 05:01 PM
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So just to clarify, HID retrofits aren't illegal. It's HID bulbs/ballast in the stock halogen housing that are illegal. Retrofitting an HID housing, bulb, and ballast is not necessarily illegal. I think this is where the confusion came in.
Old 05-02-2009, 01:48 AM
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Originally Posted by saintz
Putting aside the legal aspect, because the law and common sense do not always go hand in hand, and laws vary between different regions, can we look at this from a safety aspect?

Most "premium" and luxury cars today come with HIDs. These are DOT/street legal in most countries. One would assume this to mean that HIDs are both safe to oncoming motorists as well as preferable to drivers. Meaning, the HID provides a more comprehensive, and hence safer (or at least more luxurious), driving experience while not hindering other drivers.

If you were to add HIDs to your car such that they were exactly the same as an OEM car, it seems that from a logical, safety, etc. point of view, you are doing nothing wrong. Is this correct, or is the assertion that HID retrofit kits are somehow unsafe?

I am also surprised to hear the retrofit kits are illegal. I have never seen any other documentation to this effect.
Retro fit HIDs or xenons to a housing not specifically designed for it is illegal in all states. To get a comprehensive explanation you can find the legal descriptions on the Daniel Stern lighting website. It explains with federal regulations why this is not an allowable practice and very dangerous. Read the site first then come back here armed with info that should answer all your questions on what and how to legally modify your lighting. Somebody here must have the web address as its been a while since I looked at it. Remember too that the higher the kelvins temperature of the lighting unit the poorer the visible light to illuminate the road will be. Violet at 12k is worse than purple at 10k which is worse than blue at 8kand so on. It is what your eyes can use of the light spectrum that will give you the best view of the road and that is between 4 and 6k kelvin. Irionically 4300 kelvin is MB factory OEM xenon ratings.
Old 05-02-2009, 01:59 AM
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Originally Posted by Semikolon
Good enough for you? I don't know where to find the US DOT regulations..

you can read more here if you don't believe they're unsafe.
http://www.danielsternlighting.com/t...nversions.html
Semi, look at the website for Daniel Stern that you are posting here. The US federal regulations and a complete explanation of why are right there.
Old 05-03-2009, 12:25 AM
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300E a couple 1994 w124wagon E320 Wagon/,1971MGB Track/Rally, MG Midget Autocross ,2000 E320 wagon.
Get the

65 watt rally H7 bulbs.From you know who.DS
And Ray, as long as the lavender crushed velour headliner has a tastefully air brushed nekid mexican chick it will pass muster along with the depo conversions
Old 05-03-2009, 01:11 AM
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o- whew....it does!

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