Careful if you have HID lights

[obi_waynne]

I've had a couple of occasions recently where drivers who have cars fitted with HID lights have flashed me to go by but the lights never even flickered.

HID lights take a moment or two to get up to intensity and if drivers don't take this into account then a flash of their lights is completely pointelss.

So if you have HID flash slowly. If you are wondering why a newish car is just sitting there waiting for you then chances are he thinks he's flashed you.

 

[pgarner]

i thought mot cars with HIDs as standard had Halogen full beam and only HID low beam for this reason

 

[obi_waynne]

It sounds sensible to me but from my experience this does not seem to be the case. How long to halogens take to build up a pulse? As they are filament based it should be fairly instantaneous.

I doubt these drivers were just sitting there, but I can't rule it it out I suppose.

 

[HDi fun]

Most do have incandescent (filament) main beams. Some now do have HIDs for main beams as well. Filament lamps only have to heat up the filament, couple of tenths of a second to reach full brightness.

HIDs need to strike an arc so they are slower and don't reach full brightness for 304 seconds.

I think the latest bi-xenon equipment gets around some of this by pre-heating the xenon enclosure (bulb) for the main beams lamps. They probably also use a preset minimum flash duration to make sure the message gets across eventually.

 

[geraint13]

or just be ignorant and dont flash any1 !!!!! problem solved !!!!

 

[pgarner]

I think the latest bi-xenon equipment gets around some of this by pre-heating the xenon enclosure (bulb) for the main beams lamps. They probably also use a preset minimum flash duration to make sure the message gets across eventually.

the bi xenon ones i had looked at ages ago used a slider arrangement to go between high and low beam rather than having to seperate filaments for it. what worried me was if the slider failed and stuck on full beam the whole time

 

[HDi fun]

the bi xenon ones i had looked at ages ago used a slider arrangement to go between high and low beam rather than having to seperate filaments for it. what worried me was if the slider failed and stuck on full beam the whole time

And I can confirm that these are absolutely not lawful for road use. Apart from all the washer, levelling and E marking stuff it's mandatory for the HID dipped beam to stay on when the high beam is in use.

 

[Dan2587]

I have HIDs on my laguna II but they have seperate H1 bulbs for high beam so dont have that problem.

 

[HDi fun]

My Laguna II had the same arrangement. But the pop-up washer jets used to get stuck in the up position thus totally negating their purpose by blocking and scattering light all over the place. This was one of many reasons I rejected the car after 8 days.

 

[lutonmatt]

i have hid's in my landrover most of the time if i need flash i use the lights i have on the roof

 

[Dan2587]

I have the same problem on my laguna with pop up washers lol i just push them down when they pop up i dont understand why they needed to pop up.

 

[HDi fun]

I have the same problem on my laguna with pop up washers lol i just push them down when they pop up i dont understand why they needed to pop up.

Probably so the whole lens is cleaned. But the ones on the BMW work well enough and they are fixed in position. As were the ones on the 406

 

[geraint13]

Probably so the whole lens is cleaned. But the ones on the BMW work well enough and they are fixed in position. As were the ones on the 406

mine are fixed aswell, dont work though. somthing else on my to do list lol.

 

[HDi fun]

I need to sort out the secondary pump for the intensive wash system at some point. Not really crucial in Britain but for the £15 or so the pump costs I'll get it seen to.

 

[geraint13]

have you got a seperate bottle on yours paul for lights and then windscreen ?

 

[HDi fun]

have you got a seperate bottle on yours paul for lights and then windscreen ?

No - it's the same tank for both, mounted I think in the lower part of the driver's side wing. Two pumps - one for screen ,other for lamps The screen and lights both wash correctly. The lights only wash when they're on and even then only every fifth application of the screen washers.

There is a separate 1.5 litre tank under the bonnet for the intensive wash and the pump on that is not working.

 

[geraint13]

maybe mine are working and just havent noticed then. will try em tomorrow after i do mams golf. ta paul.