Some Headlight questions.. and Covkid Q

[CovKid]

Not so. Had mine checked, rechecked and set up just right. No stray light, very defined beam. Took ages to get right certainly but no probs now either for me or others. Plus I'm using halogen, not HID bulbs. The unit merely makes sure I have sufficient voltage come what may. A step-up from relays basically. The bulbs themselves are actually Osram Silverstars.

[Syncro G]

Not so. Had mine checked, rechecked and set up just right. No stray light, very defined beam. Took ages to get right certainly but no probs now either for me or others. Plus I'm using halogen, not HID bulbs. The unit merely makes sure I have sufficient voltage come what may. A step-up from relays basically. The bulbs themselves are actually Osram Silverstars.

Sorry I think you mis read me, probubly my fault by the way I [badly] write sentances.

I wasn't trying to say your halogen setup will dassle and anoy, rather that it wouldn't as its based on proper H4 reflactors and quality H4 bulbs so alignment and beam pattern will be good. This driver unit just makes it brighter and I'm interested in the details as to what it puts out. Sounds like its the altimate upgrade to a vehicle with Halogen headlamps.

What I actively slate and am sort of on a crusade against is the 'HID conversions' or 'upgrades'. Truth is there isn't a way to convert to HID properly without swaping the hole lamp unit for that of a HID one, if the vehicle isn't also avalable with a factory HID lamp cluster (maybe as optional kit) or there isn't a proper one on the aftermarket you can't do it properly and therfore shouldn't.

An HID capsule in a halogen lamp unit puts the beams in the wrong place and produice loads of skatter and while they might look bright (the sourse of course is very bright), alot of the light becomes excessive forground light (wrecking your long range vision, rather like driveing with front fogs on does when its not foggy) or just disperced everywhere, eather waisted or into oncomming traffic and little ends up where you want/need it further down the road - thats why those boy racer cars at night have dassleing blue lights where as a BMW has blue lamps that don't dassle (with exception of cresting a hill maybe).

As HID is so powerful they should have headlamp washers and be self leveling too on dipped beam to be legal, all to prevent dassle. Without those extras and an aproved lamp cluster VOSA can actully impound your vehicle on the spot if they notice them - fair game as far as I'm conserned as I think the conversions are a menace.

I'm not trying to have a go, more try and diswade others who might read this from going the HID route rather than what you've done. Near everyone on here wants better headlamps so I want people to do it right as everyone benifits. If you want more info this site is pritty good. Its written to an american audiance who have slightly different headlamps and laws but the the basic phisics of bulbs and reflectors is the same. Don't belive the bullshit that "the latest in E marked HID technology" are fine and leagal, they just want you to spend £100+ so say anything, they always say "off road only" in small print to cover their backs. The E mark now commonly quoted to make them seem genuine is actully for the unmodded HID lamp their 'conversions' are based on but its ment to be used with an E marked aproved HID lens.

[CovKid]

Agree with all that Glen. These were issues for me too. I think I found the ideal solution although as I say, I've had to tweak constantly to get them just right and I actually lowered them after MOT guy set them where he said they should be!

I have tried relays and it certainly helped but not as good as the unit I purchased in combination with the osrams. A very easy and relatively cheap upgrade. Its a pure white light and superb on country lanes. The most noticeable thing is that dipped is fine just about everywhere most of the time and if I do switch to full, I switch back DAMNED quick if theres even a hint or possibility of anyone coming from the opposite direction. Before, it made little odds whether main or dipped.

I would definately recommend this mod. Don't opt for high wattage bulbs in the hope that it will cure crap headlights - its a waste of time not to mention illegal. I dread to think what it would be like with high wattage bulbs AND the unit.....