Xenon arc lamps

[AmuletOfNight]

Hey guys!

So I just installed some HIDS into my car last night, you know, those incredibly bright headlights with the ballast and all (proper mounting of ballast not done yet, but it works rigged up where it is now.). Now I have a few questions, and it concerns just how INCREDIBLY bright these are.

Obviously HID's are very bright, these are 55w lamps, and they are 6000k, diamond white, and it's amazing the light output, but I'm afraid I might blind other drivers. While I did go out for a test ride, and nobody flashed me to let me know I was blinding them, with the sheer amount of light these things produce (I can't even see my high beams when they're on), there has to be someone being blinded.

I haven't adjusted the headlight all the way down, but I want to know what you guys would recommend I do to make sure I stay out of trouble, since I don't have projector housings (and can't find them) for the 1994 GMQ headlight housings.

Anyone else running HIDS in their whales?

[Georges86]

I know you know this, but the only way to run HID's correctly is with projectors. Using them in stock halogen housings, creates a scattered, blinding light pattern.

[AmuletOfNight]

Understood, they're meant to be run with projector housing, otherwise it basically becomes a floodlight. I don't want to blind other people, if need be I will remove them, but I would like to keep them, as they are very useful.

[porschpow]

Do the projectors come with the lights, or do you have to buy them separate, I plead ignorance...

[AmuletOfNight]

Projectors do NOT with the bulbs. You can buy the projector housings for around $200 and then attempt to install them in your own headlight housings.

[porschpow]

ah ha there in lies the challenge lol

[SVT98t]

I took them off my Marauder because of the light spread.
I would love to build a set if projectors for my 93, which is why I may have two spare sets of headlight assemblies laying around.

Also, these are called poverty beams.

-ryan s.

[sly]

Swap they high beams into the low beam holes and put the poverty beams in the high beam holes and rewire accordingly.

Just kidding. get projectors.

[pantera77]

Yep, do a proper retro fit or don't run them at all.

[AmuletOfNight]

Yep, do a proper retro fit or don't run them at all.

Well now you're just raining on my parade I was hoping for some tips on adjusting them for maximum use without projectors! Looks like that's $50, down the drain.

[sly]

Really is no good way to get them to work without projectors. That's the problem.

[LithiumCobalt]

Even if you got projectors for those housings, you still have the fluted design of the lenses to deal with. Not exactly ideal for focusing light. HIDs need a clear/not opaque lense.

[miamibob]

Unless you are having problems that necessitate all these kinds of "un-natural acts", I'd stick with a high quality OEM type bulb/lighting system. So many folks can't drive as it is and I am not going to make it worse by blinding them as they are coming at me!