[SSSIERA]

prety simple. what dose every one think about spotlights vs the hid lighting upgrade for my sierra?
cheers
what r the pros and cons

[mnemonix]

1.) Wiring loom upgrade for standand headlights, with H4 insert lenses and some standard wattage vision+ bulbs.
2.) Spotlights with sufficient power cable.
3.) HID upgraded spotlights.

In that order.
HID inserts in standard headlights focus terribly, are distracting to other drivers and a glaring(pun) defect.

[whincup]

mnemonix wrote:

1.) Wiring loom upgrade for standand headlights, with H4 insert lenses and some standard wattage vision+ bulbs.
2.) Spotlights with sufficient power cable.
3.) HID upgraded spotlights.

In that order.
HID inserts in standard headlights focus terribly, are distracting to other drivers and a glaring(pun) defect.

X2 on the loom upgrade. i was always skeptical it could make as big of a difference as everyone says it does... but it does. im yet to try a brighter bulb, but its on the to buy list.

[swifty_ano]

Are those 100w bulbs off eBay any good?

[ajsr]

55watt hids in spots and 35 w in lights.

[vermin]

HID headlamps are illegal in WA coz I wanted to do it... was also told they are no good in H4 setups.

[Gwagensteve]

I have had HID's in my last three road cars - (factory fit) and I wouldn't go back to halogen for my road car lighting.

However, when HID kits are used in H4 7" headlights, they use one globe with a sliding bulb or rotating shield to provide high beam and low beam beam spread.

I'm not sold that these kits are reliable in an off road application - after all, its a moveable part in an area that sees lots of vibration. I've not been that impressed with the ones I've seen - they seem to be a bit flaky.

Also, HID globes in regular H4 inserts don't have the right light pattern for road use because the light source is a different size and in a different place in a HID globe. There tends to be lots of stray light all over the place - great offroad, bad for other road users.

Obviously, this isn't a concern with HID used in a spotlight application.

As per the posts above. I'd upgrade the loom in the car and keep the sealed beams, or upgrade to Koito Landcruiser inserts, which are much brighter. At least you'll never have to worry about them.

I have H4 inserts with Halogen globes in my car, and they've both had mud in them. My spotlights are on my roof and don't fill up with mud.

In any case, I reckon HID is a flash in a pan. Within 18 months or so, LED will be as common as HID is now for lighting, and it's a much better solution, especially offroad.

http://www.jwspeaker.com/products/headl ... filter=LED

These are about $500 a pair currently. Remember what HID kits were worth a couple of years ago.

Steve.

[SSSIERA]

aahhh i was wondering if u can upgrade spotlights to HID globes. though i think i will have to run duel batteries. so many toys

[Zook_Fan]

SSSIERA wrote:

aahhh i was wondering if u can upgrade spotlights to HID globes. though i think i will have to run duel batteries. so many toys

Why would you have to run dual batteries? HID's take less power than halogen spotlights to run...

[SSSIERA]

might be able to get away with just a bigger batterie. im running to to much crap.
2x 400 watt amps
spotlights
upgraded headlights
interior neons
etc etc

[dano_mung]

Do both.

More light = better

I have 35W HID in my headlights and they are good, but I will still be buying spotties and eventually going to HID on them too.

[Gwagensteve]

SSSIERA wrote:

might be able to get away with just a bigger batterie. im running to to much crap.
2x 400 watt amps
spotlights
upgraded headlights
interior neons
etc etc

And so the bigger battery myth continues.

Imagine it like this:

Your battery is a water tank.
Lets imagine your lights, neons amps etc use water. they needa really big pipe to feed them.

Your alternator is the pipe that fills the tank up.

Even if your tank is quite large, if more water is going out than can get in you're going to run the tank dry.

More load does not require a bigger battery, it requires a bigger alternator.

I agree that certain sorts of load require bigger batteries - parking while camping with a fridge running, and prolonged winching are examples - that's because you need a big tank to run a small hose (like a fridge) for a long time,

Or in the case of winching, the draw on the battery is too great to overcome with even a very powerful alternator.

Steve.

[SierraDan]

Falcon 110A Upgrade

[Gwagensteve]

Bingo!

Steve.

[SSSIERA]

hhhmmm just curious the falcon 110a alternator wouldnt happen to have been used in the xf/xe falcon would it

[JrZook]

SSSIERA wrote:

hhhmmm just curious the falcon 110a alternator wouldnt happen to have been used in the xf/xe falcon would it

EL

[SSSIERA]

dam.

[smiffkid]

im running hid head light and spot light, some people reckon u dont notice the difference,
its because halogen leaves a shadow, hid makes every thing visable,
then my opinion any way,
plus i can run more thing with out wiring about killing the alternator

[SSSIERA]

yeah i am concern because my batterie drains very quikly. to the point were running the batterie after a good hour driving say for another hour running the stereo (no amps or subs just 2 6x9 and 2 6 inches) after that anything else electrical will cause the stereo to cut out. (some reason touching the break peddel also) this included flashing the headlights, turning the indicators on. etc etc the batterie is still under waranty

[smiffkid]

there only a small battery
if we leave our uhf over night there is no way the car will start the next morning,
hence y every thing now runs off second battery,
most factory Hid lights use less power then halogen, with the exception of 120w hid lights and 75w hid,
there for battery will last longer and will use less power to run

[SSSIERA]

^^^^^ u have interior neons like monkey right??? what colour did u go
and how much do they draw?

[royce]

SSSIERA wrote:

yeah i am concern because my batterie drains very quikly. to the point were running the batterie after a good hour driving say for another hour running the stereo (no amps or subs just 2 6x9 and 2 6 inches) after that anything else electrical will cause the stereo to cut out. (some reason touching the break peddel also) this included flashing the headlights, turning the indicators on. etc etc the batterie is still under waranty

Fix your shitty wiring

Give you an idea of how critical good solid power to everything is, on the weekend I redid some bits on my dual battery wiring to replace some corroded stuff, in the process I pulled some of the 4 gauge connections that go to my amps (real 700wrms, not what you have ) and cleaned em up a bit (they looked fine)

Now it plays a hell of a lot cleaner at high volume, I originally put it down to teh front amp I was using being a bit soft but it was just 3 connections

[smiffkid]

no no no,
monkey has interior neons like me, mine have been in there since the 4wd show last yr,

there blue and they done draw bugger all power, plus i run them straight from the battery so they can be ran with out the key on

[BlueSuzy]

This thread is turning into rice..

HID headlights= bad, illegal, blind everyone. You may as well drive around with your high beams on. Just because YOU see everything, doesnt make it better.

Run headlight upgrade and HID spotties.

[Gwagensteve]

Right on!

HID in stock inserts is illegal for a reason.

Steve.

[monley]

smiffkid wrote:

no no no,
monkey has interior neons like me, mine have been in there since the 4wd show last yr,

there blue and they done draw bugger all power, plus i run them straight from the battery so they can be ran with out the key on

I don't have any

Anyway, i am also running hid head light's now, i would not go back to halogen if i didn't have to. I will also be putting HID's in my hella spotties.

[Nagz]

BlueSuzy wrote:

This thread is turning into rice..

HID headlights= bad, illegal, blind everyone. You may as well drive around with your high beams on. Just because YOU see everything, doesnt make it better.

Run headlight upgrade and HID spotties.

I think it blinds people less as they are directed lower on the road, i know when my wife is driving the forester behind me the lights dont bother me in the revision mirror, but if we swap cars the zook lights bug the shit out of me . Standard lamp just shine crap everywhere and there crap in every way.

I have the problem that low beam is so low that when i turn off high attached are my spotties its like there is no light at all. Im going with the wiring upgrade then take it from there i guess.

[Gwagensteve]

You do realise that factory HID lights are required to have self levelling and washers standard?

A badly aimed HID light is a road hazard. 4WD's often have badly aimed headlights.

Steve.

[smiffkid]

they may be illegal, but almost every car on this site is illegal is some part of the country,
there deffinitly a better light to drive behind they use less power,
and if u dip from hid spot lights to halogen head lights u cant see anything,
hence y i went to hid head lights also

[Gwagensteve]

That's all true, but when I'm dazzled by a HID conversion in a badly aimed headlight I don't care whether the rest of the car is legal or not, the headlights are a direct threat to other road users.

If you have a HID kit in regular inserts, at least have the decency to ensure you headlights are well aimed and not a danger to other road users.

Steve.