is there a way to make stock xenons brighter?
10-15-2008, 02:15 PM
#2
AudiWorld Super User
WTF? They already blind everybody. That said, it depends on what you mean by
brighter.
Lots of measures, candlepower, luminance, perceived brightness (wavelength of the light emitted). Some people think the bluer (higher K temp) bulbs are brighter. They're not...the human eye doesn't respond to the higher temp as well and your vision is generally less acute, not to mention the blue freqs don't focus well on the retina (blue blocker mean anything>
and don't do contrast any good.
Of course if you really mean xenon halogen bulbs just buy 100w bulbs or plumb in some relays to ensure you get full battery voltage to the bulbs you have. It's amazing the voltage drop through stock wires. Measure it sometime...it's not unusual to have a 1-1.5v drop to the bulb under load.
I recently saw some 50w HID bulbs but I'm not keen on driving them with ballasts designed for 35w.
Lots of measures, candlepower, luminance, perceived brightness (wavelength of the light emitted). Some people think the bluer (higher K temp) bulbs are brighter. They're not...the human eye doesn't respond to the higher temp as well and your vision is generally less acute, not to mention the blue freqs don't focus well on the retina (blue blocker mean anything>
and don't do contrast any good.Of course if you really mean xenon halogen bulbs just buy 100w bulbs or plumb in some relays to ensure you get full battery voltage to the bulbs you have. It's amazing the voltage drop through stock wires. Measure it sometime...it's not unusual to have a 1-1.5v drop to the bulb under load.
I recently saw some 50w HID bulbs but I'm not keen on driving them with ballasts designed for 35w.
10-15-2008, 02:34 PM
#5
AudiWorld Super User
Which covers 10% or more of the vehicles on the road.
here in MD there's no annual inspection and there's a lot of poorly aimed (or deliberately lower-aimed high beams...don't get me started) headlights.
10-15-2008, 02:57 PM
#6
i guess im looking for the 50w bulbs. my car is a 2001 4.2, and i already replaced the bulbs
with some 5000k D2S, but they aren't as bright as my buddie's BMW... i guess he must have 50W bulbs or something... i want 5000 or 6000k bulbs but brigther than stock...
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10-15-2008, 03:52 PM
#8
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The light output of the stock lights sucks. It sucks bad. The facelift headlights...
Got the bigger 90mm projector and look much much better. I plan on swapping a set of 90mm bi-xenon Ecode projectors that I was able to find. I'm just having a problem finding the facelifted housing that holds the projector. Since the light output of the stock projector is so bad. The best choice for you is 4300K. At least then you know you are getting the most out of what you have to work with.
In the meantime I installed a set of HID's in my foglights. Us 4.2 guys are kind of lucky, our fogs have projectors in them too. The cutoff is fantastic and helped tons. I am actually very content with the light combo now of 4300k headlights/4300k fogs.
Pic of the fogs...
<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v431/stampy616/DSC00272.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v431/stampy616/DSC00275.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
In the meantime I installed a set of HID's in my foglights. Us 4.2 guys are kind of lucky, our fogs have projectors in them too. The cutoff is fantastic and helped tons. I am actually very content with the light combo now of 4300k headlights/4300k fogs.
Pic of the fogs...
<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v431/stampy616/DSC00272.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v431/stampy616/DSC00275.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
10-15-2008, 08:30 PM
#10
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I am wondering too..
Where can I get some new bulbs, preferably 50w in 4300-5000k. The stocks are 35w D2S bulbs, correct? Would simply putting in a 50w bulb increase light output over the 35w? One of my headlights has the original '00 bulb in it, and the other is about a year old with a new headlamp housing. The colors/brightness of the two are way off.
My lights can never be too bright. I live out in the country and I really need the extra output.
I don't know much about the factory xenons as I rigged my old A4 with an aftermarket jap kit.
I sanded and polished my oldest headight the other day so thats good to go.
One more Q, can the headlights be aimed even with the auto-leveling system? My drivers side points pretty low.
/threadjack
My lights can never be too bright. I live out in the country and I really need the extra output.
I don't know much about the factory xenons as I rigged my old A4 with an aftermarket jap kit.
I sanded and polished my oldest headight the other day so thats good to go.
One more Q, can the headlights be aimed even with the auto-leveling system? My drivers side points pretty low.
/threadjack