Quote:
Originally Posted by shivik
Is it legal to alter your directional and stop lights?
|
Clearly there are legal LED turn signal and brake light modules out there in many cars/trucks. In fact, I see them all the time (especially on semis). As to "conversions" to LEDs, I think it's more a YMMV thing. Clearly if you aren't producing enough light (or the light is all aimed wrong) due to cheap/inappropriate LED modules, you can expect hassles from the cops. But beyond that, who knows?
I do know that many places (including many of the companies selling the conversions) admit that HID headlight conversions are mostly just legal for "off road" (track, etc) use in the USA. However, unlike the HID conversions, I've yet to find any official source (or anyone selling LEDs for that matter) that says that the LED conversions aren't legal for "on road" cars (which doesn't necessarily mean they are legal, just that I haven't found any official source that says they aren't). And furthermore, my LED conversion was done so nicely IMHO, it would be hard to tell "at a distance" (i.e. without going into the car and physically looking at the "bulb") that it wasn't an OEM job (or even that I had LEDs in there, vs normal lights). So until I hear something different from a cop, I'll leave my LED modules in (as they produce good light, at a fraction of the watts the bulbs I replaced used, and they should last practically "forever").
NOTE: If you replace your turn signal lights with LEDs (as I have), you may also have to upgrade your light "flasher" unit. The reason for this, is that many cheap OEM "flashers" are designed to expect the current draw of the normal incandescent lights in the car. But since LEDs take so much less power, the flasher gets confused and flashes the lights at the wrong rate. But thats easily fixed by replacing the stock flasher with a new "electronic" flasher that doesn't care what your light current load is. I think it cost me about $13/each for the newer flashers I put in both mine and my wife's cars.
Quote:
Originally Posted by shivik
It will be good for cars with DRL's I think.
|
I think not.
If I'm not mistaking, the arc-lamp nature of HID bulbs, means that there is no real practical way to "dim" them. So they are either "off", "warming up" (they take a few seconds to get to full light output), or "on". So if you think HIDs will help you with your DRLs, you are very likely mistaken.
OTOH there are LED DRL replacements out on the market now. For example, if your car uses it's own HB4 bulb as a DRL, you can just buy a LED HB4 module and pop it in. And even if you have one of those stupid designs that runs the main lights on low (as your DRL), you could still convert your DRL over to LEDs (however in the latter case it would be more work, as you would have to wire in your own LED lens assembly for your DRL, and bypass your existing "normal lights" wiring).
NOTE: My old CRX has something very much like a DRL, in that there are front facing WHITE secondary lights that come on either when I use my full headlights, or when I just flip the switch to the 1st position (what would be the "parking lights" on some American cars). Naturally I replaced the bulbs in these white (non-headlight) front facing lights with high powered LED modules. And yes, I do turn on those secondary lights (without the full power of the headlights) when I want to be easier to be seen (for example, on heavily overcast days)...
Quote:
Originally Posted by shivik
Any comments on the spark thingy?
|
The physics of HID lamps is sound, if a little exotic.
Basically, HIDs are fancy versions of an "arc lamp" (i.e. essentially a high powered halogen bulb WITHOUT any light filament in it, that actually gets its light by a spark/arc of electricity in the bulb). This technology is more energy efficient than normal halogen technology for HIGH light output (arc lamps aren't very energy efficient at the low end of things, which is why extra bright headlights is about as dim as HIDs come), but there are lot of electrical (not to mentioned light aiming) "gotchas" to get it all to work smoothly. As just one example, you need a special electrical circuit to properly adjust the electrical properties when you turn the bulb on, or it won't properly "spark" (or will blow the bulb by sparking too hard). Which means that HIDs are more costly (and more of a PITA) to install than just replacing a bulb, as you essentially have to give them their own custom electrical controller. Furthermore, the light aiming properties of HIDs are different than normal bulbs, which means that you have to aim them significantly differently (than you would a normal bulb) or you will blind the oncoming drivers (by blasting bright light into their eyes).
None of this means that HIDs can't be usefully used in cars. In fact, if the car came (from the factory) with HIDs, and the auto-maker had the proper testing of those lights done, they are even legal to use on USA streets. However, due to the difficulties of "getting it right", after market "HID conversions" are apparently not legal (for USA "on road" use) in much of the country...
) set on ebay though.
Linear Mode
