Headlight Testing

[Imp558]

Tonight I did the comparative test between the Monte Carlo's Halogen headlights and the Regal's HID headlights. The tool used is a fairly cheap import Lux meter so while I will post the actual numbers the numbers really don't amount to anything to me. What I was looking for was the comparison between the two so even a cheap meter just has to be repeatable.

 

For a mobile stand I chose the most accurate thing I could find, an Iroquois HS Marching Band Saxophone player, my son Drew. Marching band kids have very specific steps so they can add up to a certain amount of steps in a certain amount of yards. Since we would be in yards we decided upon divisible numbers for test distances. The test was conducted at 90, 60, and 30 feet and the sensor for the Lux meter would be at a 14 year old Boy's waist for each measurement.

 

We took a test measurement before each reading and fortunately the light level was at 0 every time despite the full moon tonight so we didn't have to tear ambient light from any of our results.

 

Drew took several seconds on each measurement moving the sensor through different angles to obtain the highest reading each time though we could have held it to a bubble level and read it at a perfect 90* off the ground. This test didn't have accurate enough variables to bother.

 

So while our readings may have been fair clearly our test subjects were not as even a match as I would have hoped for.

 

Monte Carlo:

1) Number of hours of use on the headlights unknown.

2) Headlight alignment unverified

3) Maximum of 2 lights during high beam test.

 

Regal:

1) Number of hours of use on the headlights unknown.

2) Headlight alignment unverified

3) Noticeably yellowed headlight housings on both low beams.

4) HID bulbs in factory housings with improper reflectors.

5) Ability to enable all 4 lights during high beam test (all 35W, 6000K)

 

 

Clearly the test subjects are an uneven match so to really do this correctly it would have to be 2 identical cars with properly outfitted and aligned headlights with brand new bulbs and brand new housings.

 I expected the Halogens to outperform the HID lights at closer range but it was a bludgeoning across the board.

 

 

Halogen Low beams:

 

90' - 2 Lux

60' - 3 Lux

30' - 5 Lux

 

HID 35W 6000K Low beams (1 light per side):

 

90' - 12 Lux   500% Increase

60' - 17 Lux   466.66% Increase

30' - 46 Lux   819.9% Increase

 

Halogen High beams:

 

90' - 19 Lux

60' - 37 Lux

30' - 53 Lux

 

HID 35W 6000K High beams (2 light per side):

 

90' - 33 Lux   73.68% Increase

60' - 66 Lux   78.37% Increase

30' - 115 Lux   116.98% Increase

 

 

Clearly Halogen High beams are brighter than 35W HIDs, I had twice as many bulbs in the Regal as Highs but let's also remember the 35W are essentially the Low beams of the HID world, the 55W would produce significantly more light. I just keep 35W so I always have a couple of spare ballasts.

 

So in conclusion after taking the time to read this it really doesn't mean anything but the HIDs in the Regal cast noticeably more light than the Halogens in the Monte. It would be nice to repeat this test as the Monte gets converted and with 55W High beams.

 

 

[digitaloutsider]

It's important to note that nearly all of the 55w plug-and-play HID "kits" that exist are not actually 55w. Most of them barely spit out over 40w. This is because, well, they're nearly universally Chinese garbage with zero quality control. Here's a test with that exact finding: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?202976-55W-HID-4300K-Kit-Test-Results&p=2560927&viewfull=1#post2560927

 

But again, we come back to beam pattern and optics. For example, Lightwerkz measured a Morimoto XB4500K bulb in a D2S 4.0 projector in LOW beam mode and it averaged 341 lux @ 32'. In high beam mode, it's about 570 lux. You're simply never going to achieve this sort of intensity out of a HID-in-halogen housing setup.

 

HIDs are also not intended to be switched on and off in a high/low beam configuration. Ballasts aren't designed to do that. Hence bi-xenon projectors. And in cars that have only HID lows, they always have halogen highs (e.g. the 2005-2006 Nissan Altima). 

 

This also does not cover beam pattern and cutoff which are the actual safety issues with illegal HID kits. There is no beam pattern or appreciable cutoff with a halogen housing, and there's no way to achieve one.

[Imp558]

What is cutoff?

[digitaloutsider]

 

"Cutoff" is related to the beam pattern. Unlike your headlights, these projectors have a sharp "horizon" the light does not go above. This is how proper HIDs/projectors don't blind oncoming drivers. 

 

Halogen bulbs in a standard halogen reflector housing will actually have a cutoff too, but it won't be as sharp or defined as a projector. Halogen housings do this by directing the reflector around the brightest portion of the bulb, the very middle. Putting the wrong bulb in the wrong housing defeats this purpose since the entire bulb is bright and reflects off of everything inside the housing and creates glare, throwing light in every which direction.

[Imp558]

So then a proper retrofit is really only necessary on low beams? Probably would be a nice touch on driving lights though they technically are only supposed to be on with high beams.

[digitaloutsider]

No, a proper retrofit would include a bi-xenon projector which would give you both highs and lows out of the same bulb.

[Grandprix1]

No, a proper retrofit would include a bi-xenon projector which would give you both highs and lows out of the same bulb.

Is that what the 2nd gen Grand Prixs have? It's 1 bulb for running lights which are lows and then highs?

[digitaloutsider]

2G GPs have fucking awful 9007 dual-filament halogen bulbs which are barely adequate for a bicycle, let alone a motor vehicle. How those things passed any sort of DOT certification blows my mind.

 

Same for late Crown Victoria headlights. Seriously some of the worst factory lighting I've ever seen on a vehicle.

[Grandprix1]

2G GPs have fucking awful 9007 dual-filament halogen bulbs which are barely adequate for a bicycle, let alone a motor vehicle. How those things passed any sort of DOT certification blows my mind.

 

Same for late Crown Victoria headlights. Seriously some of the worst factory lighting I've ever seen on a vehicle.

That I do agree with! I always use my fog lights with the head lights. I upgraded to Silverstars and that helped a little bit but yes they are bad. So its a dual filament that allows them to use 1 bulb for High and Low beams? That would be a good test as well to see if theres really any difference between basic 9007 and Silverstar 9007s.

[digitaloutsider]

US Silverstars are junk, there's nothing really to be gained from them. They are just overdriven filaments in a tinted glass housing to give the effect of a different color. You never want tinted glass on a bulb. Unfortunately, 9007/HB5 is really a North American-only bulb, so you can't get anything great for it as there is not much aftermarket.

 

The best 9007 bulb is the Philips XtremeVision, hands down. If you can still find one, the GE Nighthawks were also good. They have overdriven filaments too, but at least it's clear glass and you actually get something out of the reduced lifespan.

[Imp558]

There HAS TO be a cost effective projector out there, I need 16 of them to do the fleet and I still plan on buying a Savanna van soon.

[digitaloutsider]

I really wish you had FB so you could join that Headlight Junkies group. There is so much good info there, I can't find elsewhere. Sometimes people on there discuss which junkyard cars to rip projectors out of.

[Imp558]

Technically I really only need 6 to do all the lows. The Driving lights could be rewired to enable only with High beams. I saw the DIY reflectors but they all take H1 bulbs, also I like having dedicated highs so the bi lights don't appeal to me. It takes about 4 seconds for initial warm up but it's outstanding on a gloomy night.

[suitercrew]

Seriously you want good headlights go on the retrofit source and buy their morimoto mini h1 kit with 50watt ballasts. 270$ later and you have headlights that aren't even comparable to plug and play hids or halogens. Your talking about quadruplulying light output and actually putting the light where it is most usefull (on the road). Rather then scattered everywhere including oncoming traffic eyes.

 

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[suitercrew]

If your having to do multiple vehichles and want to go the cheap route I would reccomend the acme projectors. They are cheaper and not quite as good as morimoto but still a billion times better then halogen or plug and play hids.

 

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[Imp558]

This is interesting:

https://www.hidplanet.com/forums/

[digitaloutsider]

Lots of good guys over on HP.