Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[manny]

Whats the difference between hid and projector head lights.They look the same from the outside.

[JonArgraig]

HID Head lamps 6500k



Normal Foglamps



Full Beam


I have mini facelift projectors, the pictures where taken on a unlit road under 3/4 moonlight

[Andy B]

Whats the difference between hid and projector head lights.They look the same from the outside.

Projector lights still use incandecant lamps in them. HID are High Intensity Discharge & use a struck arc within the 'bulb' and use 35A
clicky

[manny]

The reason i ask is SEVS post about his head lamps look like HID,s but there not???

[MutantCav]

Headlamp units look the same from the front...but different wiring, different connectors and a large silver box on the bottom with a thick wire running out of it to the HID bulb which is VERY different

[manny]

So just because its got that large looking bulb in it doesnt mean its HID?

[Entwood]

That "bulb" is just actually a lens to shape the beam .. projectors and HIDS use the same lens ... so many folks confuse the two .. internaly the bulbs/wiring is very very different

[ngrainqey]

no thats just like a "projector" that magnifies the beam or some rubbish like that.
better than the horrible 94/5 headlamps that go yellow lol!
the hid lamps are just a projector unit with a ballast pack under which is actually a transformer or something similar and then has the high intensity discharge bulb in

[MutantCav]

Will try get a pic sorted of HID unit tomorrow mate so you can see the rather obvious differences

[manny]

Now i understand.Thanks lads

[Andy B]

Now i understand.Thanks lads

The differences are best observed from behind the steering wheel. You can actually see where yu're going with HID's

[manny]

In the vaux hand book it says that there only to be replaced by a stealer?Is that true or just a way of getting money out of your pocket?

[murse]

The 'dealer only' bit is due to much bigger voltages kicking about than in normal headlights.  As long as you know what you are doing (Haynes manual/FAQs) it is perfectly possible to do them yourself.