[DML] Re: Who wants "TRUE" HID headlights???

["endotex23" <endotex23@xxxxxxxxx>]

--- In dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "turbodelorean" <dmcfan@xxxx> wrote:

> These kits should be available in the very near future, around
March. This kit is the true way to get HID lighting. This is not like
the Xenarc kit or any other Xenon headlights that are available for
the DeLorean.<


Huh? "True" HID doesn't have to be projector based. I'll admit that
projection based systems give better beam quality but to say reflector
based systems are not true HID is incorrect. And no offense but your
post sounds like a marketing ploy, one that needs a little more study
(and a signature to boot).

The Xenarcs are true HID but there is no question they're junk in both
design and build quality. I feel bad for anyone who bought into their
hype without doing some basic research. As long as these projectors
are specifically match to the HID sources it'll work out. If not
they'll look good but will be near worthless as lighting. One thing
you're right about is any lighting upgrade that is done to a Delorean
requires separate wiring directly from the battery with new relays.
Use your old healight circuit to power the new relay's coils (located
behind the grill) or remove the stock relays/sockets and jumper the
wiring.

Even good HID isn't all it's cracked up to be. They have multiple
disadvantages (aside from the cost) with the worst being color
rendition. The human eye's color perception and differentiation is far
better under halogen lighting. Simply because HID's color temperature
is closer to daylight isn't meaningful because there is evidence
daylight is the wrong spectrum to use for night driving. Due to the
way the eye works HID can also provide a false sense of security, an
"illusion" of better sight.

I'm no expert on this stuff but I know someone who is. For those
interested you might want to take a look at here and poke around his
technical pages: 

http://www.danielsternlighting.com

I've known this guy for some time, he is one of the leading automotive
lighting experts in North America and knows his business. He's
testified in Congress on automotive lighting issues. If you don't want
HID you could do far worse than consult with him on halogen products.
There is a lot to know about HID and lighting in general. Installing
HID simply because it looks "brighter" and whiter doesn't mean you'll
see better. I know this from the many studies done on vision in the
aerospace industry.

I personally wouldn't pay for HID at half the price mentioned unless
the sources and projectors were designed together as a set by
experienced engineers of HID lighting. Even then they'll lack
performance over a properly designed halogen system in some aspects.
Beam quality and design is far more important than the type of light
source employed. The Xenarcs were done by supposedly knowledgable
people and they still turned out to be junk. It'd be nice to have more
details but if this is a kit being assembled by a vendor from mixed
parts I'd still run away from it at half the price. Any such system
would also be illegal for use in the US without DOT approval and it
won't be easy to obtain unless things are done right.

Greg








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