Another Xenon thread

[JasonBB]

I was looking at HSV's site and found this
"HSV Xenon Performance driving lamps bring new-age lighting performance to match the on-road performance of GTS models and enable drivers to detect potential hazards earlier during night driving. These are true driving lights, not fog-lights, and work only when high beam is selected."

Whats the point if they only work in high beam?
I would like to convert to real xenon's, can it be done? I have read all the other threads but the only option for better light seams to be the phillips plus 50's, since the Calais has the projector lights no one seams to have made a globe to fit.
I wonder if they are coming......

[C4B]

Driving lights (ie. spotties) have to be wired in so they can only be illuminated when the high beam is on.

[XLR8 V8]

Whats the point if they only work in high beam?



Because xenon driving lights are too damn bright for you to be driving around with them on permanently with your low beams, dazzling other drivers. They are a lot brighter than the foggies.

[JasonBB]

I miss read it, I thought they where the head lights not the spotties. :o
Can you buy them? At the moment I dont use the spotties much as they only really light up the very front of the car.

[C4B]

I miss read it, I thought they where the head lights not the spotties. :o
Can you buy them? At the moment I dont use the spotties much as they only really light up the very front of the car.

You can buy ones that will fit your car almost perfectly. They are called Hella Micro DE Xenon Driving Lamps and they look like this:

http://www.hella.com.au/images/1302.jpg

I've got a set on my statesman (mounted in the fog light recesses) and they are unbelievable. You can't use them around town (they are blinding) but if you do any country driving, they are worth their weight in gold.

Unfortunately they almost cost their weight in gold...... I got mine about 18months ago and they were around the $1300mark. They've probably come down in price now, but don't expect them to be much under 1K.

If you can afford it, get them, you won't be sorry!

[clixanup]

At the moment I dont use the spotties much as they only really light up the very front of the car.

They're fog lights, not driving lights. This explains why they are a short-but-bright beam.

[Phido]

They are driving lights. Xenons are not used for Fog lights because they are not particularly good for that (the colour output isn't right for a start and they will just blind you). These driving lights are obviously to be used with Hi-Beam headlights, to provide more light for out of the city driving.

They mount in where your foggies might go, but they aren't for driving in fog, on clear nights on country roads.

If you wish to upgrade your low beam lighting there are some options, but xenon is still up in the air, you might be able to adapt a globe to fit the headlight, and a ballast, but you have no auto leveling + water jets, which means it may or may not be legal. There is a extensive thread at FordXR6Turbo forums. And then it would cost you $1300 for globes + required bits for them to work..

[clixanup]

The factory lights in a Calais are fogs. Not driving lights. That applies to SS as well.

[Ricko]

What HSV are referring to as "driving lamps" are the second bulb inside your headlights that comes on only when high beam is on. In exec to SS its a single filament 55w H1? i think, in the GTS this bulb and that side of the headlight assembly has been replaced by a proper Xenon lamp and reflector.

A recent review in Motor stated that although nice, it was a bit strange that you only had HID's on high beam, and dipping your lights loses quality if light as well as throw. The other light remains the standard "projector" lamp ala calais/berlina. I think at near 100k, a half/half solution is pretty weak, when cars coming in at near half that price have full HID lamps.

[muzza]

The euro cars generally have HID low beam which HAVE to have levelling to avoid blinding other drivers.

Because HID is not instant-on they prefer to use conventional QH globes for high beam.

[C4B]

What HSV are referring to as "driving lamps" are the second bulb inside your headlights that comes on only when high beam is on. In exec to SS its a single filament 55w H1? i think, in the GTS this bulb and that side of the headlight assembly has been replaced by a proper Xenon lamp and reflector.



Thats incorrect. The main headlights haven't been altered at all from the other models. The only thing they have done on the GTS is they have removed the standard Fog Lights and fitted the HID lights in their place.

Go to the HSV website, and look under "Multimedia" and then "HSV Experience" and they do a demo of them at night.

[seldo]

Thats incorrect. The main headlights haven't been altered at all from the other models. The only thing they have done on the GTS is they have removed the standard Fog Lights and fitted the HID lights in their place.

Go to the HSV website, and look under "Multimedia" and then "HSV Experience" and they do a demo of them at night.
I'm with him :yup:

[Ricko]

Thats incorrect. The main headlights haven't been altered at all from the other models. The only thing they have done on the GTS is they have removed the standard Fog Lights and fitted the HID lights in their place.

Go to the HSV website, and look under "Multimedia" and then "HSV Experience" and they do a demo of them at night.

Will have a gander when i get home and at a broadband connection. That would make them even more futile if they only come on with high beam. Whats the point of a light that gives no more throw than lows if they come on with highs?? Mixed in amongst all that standard type of lighting power and throwing less distance doesnt make much sense to me.

[seldo]

Will have a gander when i get home and at a broadband connection. That would make them even more futile if they only come on with high beam. Whats the point of a light that gives no more throw than lows if they come on with highs?? Mixed in amongst all that standard type of lighting power and throwing less distance doesnt make much sense to me.
I think you are missing the point. The HIDs are only the little spotties set at the corners of the "grille". They are not a fog lense or a low-beam lense but are designed to give long distance penetration ...with the normal hi-beam as well, and can be additional to the Hi-beam but not instead of it.

[Ricko]

I think you are missing the point. The HIDs are only the little spotties set at the corners of the "grille". They are not a fog lense or a low-beam lense but are designed to give long distance penetration ...with the normal hi-beam as well, and can be additional to the Hi-beam but not instead of it.
I dont know how where they are is the grill, but i watched the vid, and theyre in much the same position as the lights which cause all the driving light/fog light discussion (id call em driving lights), and from the movie they throw 100 metres further than highs, and only come on with them on. I dont think id really like such expensive lights sitting down there myself, very prone to damage.

[seldo]

As C4b suggested Hella make some after-market ones for about $1300, but if you want the real McCoy, the genuine article is an $1800 option :shock: on most of the HSV range but standard on the GTS

[RichardM]

I dont know how where they are is the grill, but i watched the vid, and theyre in much the same position as the lights which cause all the driving light/fog light discussion (id call em driving lights),...And you'd be wrong, :D 'cause in the non-HID case they are FOG LIGHTS. They are wired as such and they perform (all-be-it poorly) as such.

[Ricko]

And you'd be wrong, :D 'cause in the non-HID case they are FOG LIGHTS. They are wired as such and they perform (all-be-it poorly) as such.
yes, i do realise that, but i call em how i see em used, and it aint in fog. :p

[RichardM]

yes, i do realise that, but i call em how i see em used,.......Then you should call them wanker lights. :lol:

Opps, better hide. :hide:

[Ricko]

Any room behind that wall???

[RichardM]

Any room behind that wall???Can't talk...hiding