Everyones favorite! another thread on HID's!!!

[mattman]

So i'm upgrading to OEM DOT xenon housings...but i'm in need of bulbs and ballasts. I'm aware of the kit from HIDconcepts....but before I spend 300$ on a set of used ballasts (and new bulbs), i want to see if theres an alternative.

I found these ballasts on ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.ca/D1R-D1S-D1C-OEM-X...QQcmdZViewItem

sounds too good to be true....anybody ever bought these before?

If I were to use ballasts from an aftermarket HID kit (usually 55w), would they work with the D1S bulbs?

[AudiA4Turbo22]

thanx for posting, i'm in the market for these 2.

[mattman]

oh and one more question.
Regarding the Vagcom settings--do i just have to change it to the xenon settings?

[Carlitos]

oh and one more question.
Regarding the Vagcom settings--do i just have to change it to the xenon settings?

I went from Halogen to OEM S4 Headlights (Xenon) and I didn't change anything via vagcom at all.

[bigbro]

hids are 35w

[Carlitos]

oh and one more question.
Regarding the Vagcom settings--do i just have to change it to the xenon settings?

I went from Halogen to OEM S4 Headlights (Xenon) and I didn't change anything via vagcom at all.

[mattman]

I went from Halogen to OEM S4 Headlights (Xenon) and I didn't change anything via vagcom at all.

really? and there's no autolevel error or anythinig?

[mattman]

hids are 35w

but a lot of aftermarket kits (i.e.: H7, H11 kits) come with a 55w ballast.

[diagnosticator]

Don't get the referenced eBay ballasts. Use the OEM Valeo ballasts. They fit the headlights, mounted to the housings on the mounting flanges provided, with a gasket.
The needed wiring harness connectors that fit the Valeo ballasts are already present in the housings. Besides the ballasts and D1S lamps, a pair of ballast > D1S connecting cables should be included with the HIDConcepts kit. As an alternative, you can source the kit components separately, and will take longer etc. No VAG-COM coding needed. Because there is nothing to code. There is no auto range/leveling so, there is no range / level error to deal with. There is a coding option for the Central Electric Control Module, for Halogen or Xenon, but that is not relevant if there is no auto range level controller present.

[mattman]

Don't get the referenced eBay ballasts. Use the OEM Valeo ballasts. They fit the headlights, mounted to the housings on the mounting flanges provided, with a gasket.
The needed wiring harness connectors that fit the Valeo ballasts are already present in the housings. Besides the ballasts and D1S lamps, a pair of ballast > D1S connecting cables should be included with the HIDConcepts kit. As an alternative, you can source the kit components separately, and will take longer etc. No VAG-COM coding needed. Because there is nothing to code. There is no auto range/leveling so, there is no range / level error to deal with. There is a coding option for the Central Electric Control Module, for Halogen or Xenon, but that is not relevant if there is no auto range level controller present.

thank you for your input. so if i understood this right (about the VAGcom), I do not need to because the actual Autoleveling wont work without that sensor?

[diagnosticator]

thank you for your input. so if i understood this right (about the VAGcom), I do not need to because the actual Autoleveling wont work without that sensor?

Correct. OEM HID retrofitted to OE Halogen, there is no autoleveling contorller or sensors. The headlights will NOT have the leveling motors either. (EDITED)
As always, be sure you aim you HID lamps properly after install. And, if you add a load of PAX after dark, be aware that you should lower you beam aim manually.

[mattman]

Correct. OEM HID retrofitted to OE Halogen, there is no autoleveling contorller or sensors. The headlights will have the leveling motors, but they won't be connected or active.

As always, be sure you aim you HID lamps properly after install. And, if you add a load of PAX after dark, be aware that you should lower you beam aim manually.

is there a way to retrofit the sensor? or is it just not worth it?

[AudiA4Turbo22]

^^he's back yes!

[04QuattroTurbo]

I thought Rim threads were everyone's favorite?

[mattman]

I thought Rim threads were everyone's favorite?

touché

[FourRings80]

This auto leveling mod could work.
http://www.audiworld.com/tech/elec161.shtml

[pyro]

seriously...all of these questions have been answered so many times before.
if you have oem housings, stick with oem stuff.
55w HID kits are all aftermarket and trash. HIDs are OEM 35w for a reason.
you do not need to change anything in vagcom to switch to HIDs, and autolevel is a PITA to install, and you dont need it for anything. just aim them like normal and you will be fine.

[mattman]

HIDs are OEM 35w for a reason.

...thats great but when i was searching i've herd of people 'modifying' their OEM ballasts to produce 55w (which supposedly makes it brighter) but no other information provided. This is one of the reasons i ask about the aftermarket ballasts.

[diagnosticator]

is there a way to retrofit the sensor? or is it just not worth it?

Retrofitting the auto leveling requires the controller, 1ea front and rear suspension sensor assemblies, and the wiring harness connecting the components to each other and to the headlight servo motors. Not worth the expense and hassle, IMO. Provided that the beam aim is lowered as needed manually if the car is loaded up in the rear seats or trunk, or not driven loaded up at night. Remember the auto leveling only compensates for load, not bumps in the road.

[04QuattroTurbo]

...thats great but when i was searching i've herd of people 'modifying' their OEM ballasts to produce 55w (which supposedly makes it brighter) but no other information provided. This is one of the reasons i ask about the aftermarket ballasts.

Why would you want the stock HIDs for the brighter than they already are. With my headlights on I can see everything just fine. I think brighter would just make things too bright for the oncoming driver or will have the effect like brights on a foggy day. It is not like horsepower where you want more and more. There is such a thing as too bright.

[diagnosticator]

...thats great but when i was searching i've herd of people 'modifying' their OEM ballasts to produce 55w (which supposedly makes it brighter) but no other information provided. This is one of the reasons i ask about the aftermarket ballasts.

Tests on driving 35 watt HID burners with higher wattage ballasts, on other HID forums, shows that the lamps burn with a yellower light than at the design rating of ~35 watts, and have a very limited life span. Not to mention the possible housing damage from the higher heat at 55 watts.

[04QuattroTurbo]

Tests on driving 35 watt HID burners with higher wattage ballasts, on other HID forums, shows that the lamps burn with a yellower light than at the design rating of ~35 watts, and have a very limited life span. Not to mention the possible housing damage from the higher heat at 55 watts.

So, again, why do it?

[diagnosticator]

Why would you want the stock HIDs for the brighter than they already are. With my headlights on I can see everything just fine. I think brighter would just make things too bright for the oncoming driver or will have the effect like brights on a foggy day. It is not like horsepower where you want more and more. There is such a thing as too bright.

Another important factor seldom realized, concerns excessive Foreground light intensity. When this is allowed, the road directly in front of the car, out to about 30 feet or so, is over illuminated and causes the reflection from the road to cause the drivers eyes to constrict in response. The effect is that the drivers field of vision and distance visual sensitivity is reduced a lot, compared to the same lighting performance using lower foreground luminosity.

[04QuattroTurbo]

Another important factor seldom realized, concerns excessive Foreground light intensity. When this is allowed, the road directly in front of the car, out to about 30 feet or so, is over illuminated and causes the reflection from the road to cause the drivers eyes to constrict in response. The effect is that the drivers field of vision and distance visual sensitivity is reduced a lot, compared to the same lighting performance using lower foreground luminosity.

What I know about light is from photography, and you can definitely have too much light.

[AudiA4Turbo22]

^^post whore/smartass lol j/k Garret is kool.

[mattman]

Why would you want the stock HIDs for the brighter than they already are. With my headlights on I can see everything just fine. I think brighter would just make things too bright for the oncoming driver or will have the effect like brights on a foggy day. It is not like horsepower where you want more and more. There is such a thing as too bright.

don't really WANT it....was just curious.....
doesn't sound like such a great idea anymore.

[mattman]

Another important factor seldom realized, concerns excessive Foreground light intensity. When this is allowed, the road directly in front of the car, out to about 30 feet or so, is over illuminated and causes the reflection from the road to cause the drivers eyes to constrict in response. The effect is that the drivers field of vision and distance visual sensitivity is reduced a lot, compared to the same lighting performance using lower foreground luminosity.

is this why some people run 3000k foglights (besides the look)....reduce this reflection?

[initiala4]

pleh...DOT approved...

[diagnosticator]

pleh...DOT approved...

Yeah, a lot of the DOT regs are antiquated and irrelevant, and just don't mean much anymore. The ECE regs are much more current.
One confounding US rule, is that ECE lighting is not legal, regardless of the fact that the ECU lighting specs are technically superior to the US specs. Go figure.

BTW, there is no "DOT Aproved" lighting, DOT does not provide approvals. That is the manufacturers job, to submit only lighting that conforms to the existing regs. and requirements.

[diagnosticator]

is this why some people run 3000k foglights (besides the look)....reduce this reflection?

I can't say, other than when used to help cut reflection from snow or fog, I don't know of any reason to run with the yellow fog lamps on.

[mattman]

Thnanks diagnosticator.
and thanks to eveyone else who had helpful inpuit. guess i'm going OEM everything.

[A4 KiDD 810]

So i'm upgrading to OEM DOT xenon housings...but i'm in need of bulbs and ballasts. I'm aware of the kit from HIDconcepts....but before I spend 300$ on a set of used ballasts (and new bulbs), i want to see if theres an alternative.

I found these ballasts on ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.ca/D1R-D1S-D1C-OEM-X...QQcmdZViewItem

sounds too good to be true....anybody ever bought these before?

If I were to use ballasts from an aftermarket HID kit (usually 55w), would they work with the D1S bulbs?

There's a groupbuy going on right now for HID fogs but I think Alex@GMS will do headlights too, and I just ordered some from DDMtuning.com. Someone in the B7 thread recommended them, said they're real popular with the BMW forums. They are really good priced ($110 shipped), new generation balasts, lifetime warranty and 35 or 55 watt HIDs in alot of color ranges, and plug and play.

[Tgr_Clw]

Thnanks diagnosticator.
and thanks to eveyone else who had helpful inpuit. guess i'm going OEM everything.

That's the proper way to do it.

[04QuattroTurbo]

^^post whore/smartass lol j/k Garret is kool.

Yep, we are birds of a feather, Kirk...we are both post whores, it keeps my work day flowing! LOL