If he is using projectors then why is the light output so different with no clean line?

 

Because not all projectors are created equal.

The cutoff you see in the image I posted is created by a metal shutter placed inside the projector's optical path. In OEM applications, that shutter defines the beam pattern, and moves up and down to switch from lo-beam to hi-beam.

The vast majority of the projector headlights which one sees in the aftermarket have little in the way of internal pattern-control, having been designed for use with halogen rather than Xenon lamps. Commonly, an HID capsule is fitted into them using the base of a halogen lamp such as an H4, along with a moving cylindrical shield intended to emulate the behavior of the aforementioned shutter, with the result being a beam-pattern comparable to that shown in post #13.

 

These seem pretty cost effective to me..

I have Hella e-codes with Sylvania Silvers which throw a really nice white light. Only downside I'm told is they burn out quicker and they cost more (no issues after 2 years for me, and I run them in the northwest rain a lot), but it's nice to see the road at night vs the stock headlights.

Here's a tip that's probably obvious, but if you ever drive through rain it's a good idea to take a rag and wipe off the headlights. It's amazing how much dirt they collect.

 

Yeah, a high-quality reflector system is definitely going to be better engineered than a cheap projector system. Not nearly as good an an actual OEM-grade Xenon projector, but definitely a step up.

I've never personally used the DOT-style Bosch housings that FM sells, but I do have the Euro-style Hella H4 reflectors on my car, and they're an excellent unit as well.

 

Here's the update! I flipped it around yet I still haven't adjusted to my liking yet.

 

Now that looks a lot better..... pretty crisp line

 

It way better than t he stock lights. Love it when I hit the hill at night.

 

I mean the light output is amazing. it's just so god dman ugly, and I couldn't have them stuck up like that.

 

I think the photos are deceptive.

The shutters are doing a good job of producing a tight cutoff at the top, but the light from the lamp isn't being diffused all that well across the pattern. I see two extremely bright spots near the center, surrounded by a field of perhaps 20% brightness.

 

actually the second picture suggests you need to swap the lights around, the cutoff is incorrect...but then so is the aiming.

 

The pattern is definitely reversed, though merely swapping the lights isn't going to fix it. Can't say with certainty not knowing what the inside of the housing looks like, but it appears that the shutter needs to be taken out and flipped left-to-right.

In other words, that notch on the right side of the lo-beam pattern should be on the left side (assuming you live in a country with right-hand traffic) and aligned to block the beam headed out into the oncoming traffic lane.


I really wish that someone would produce a proper HID package that drops right into a Miata, uses high-quality optics, and requires no fiddling around to make it work right.

Of course, it would probably have to be priced such that it would cost nearly as much an an average '90-'93 Miata these days...

 

Just wanted to clear up some uncertainty about the kit.

The 2nd pic is of high beams so it looks like the cutoff is incorrect.

It would be way too expensive to use an OEM pro installed into a manufactured housing. Not enough people would buy it to justify those costs. (Why no one has done it yet).

 

but is the high beam in this lens just more wattage, or is a flapper moving?

 

Flap. It's an H1 bulb not a dual filament bulb.

 

I can't speak with absolute authority here, but I am fairly certain that no HID system (at least none which I've yet encountered) can vary the power delivered to the lamp.

The selection of lo vs. hi beam on HIDs tends to fall into four categories:

1: A moving flat shutter, placed between the lamp and the lens, which moves up and down. This is the most common style in OEM projector applications.





2: A moving cylindrical shutter, wrapped around the bulb, which moves fore and aft. This is common in aftermarket applications intended to fit into reflector-style housings designed for dual-filament lamps such as H4.





3: An assembly consisting of two elements- one for lo-beam, the other for hi-beam. This is also common in the aftermarket for use in reflector-style housings designed for dual-filament lamps such as H4. The second element is often halogen rather than xenon.





4: Two completely separate assemblies, often a projector for lo-beam and a reflector for hi-beam. This is also common in OEM designs, however its use is declining. The third-gen Integra would be an example of this layout.

 

Yeah I wasn't sure if this was a fully legit HID setup is why I asked.

 

^Great information. I've seen ballasts in which the power could be "turned up or down" but I'm skeptical of its effectiveness and safety.

No worries. I've run the kit in my Z for the last 4 years.

 

Light spread is "meh" at best. Too many hot spots. I'd be inclined to find a way to aim them through the turn signal holes and ditch the barn doors completely.

I need not even start on the asthetics of the lights and the ghetto-style front license plate mounting....

 

 

Joe, is that supposed to indicate the color, pattern, or both? "Spectrum" suggests color, but I've seen mis-used words in cartoons before.