High Tide Aquatics

Aftermarket HIDs

Another to keep in mind is it doesn't add anything to the resale value of the car down the road.

Any modifications done are done because you want to do it for *insert reason here* - not because it adds to resale value
 
After my brother put in the PIAA bulbs, I can tell the difference from the stock bulbs immediately. The stock halogens are a yellow color, while the new bulbs emit a more crystal white color. Looks cool :)
 
IIRC a more yellow/orangish light allows you to see the stripes better (yellow & white stripes) as the blue dulls out the yellow and blue is harder to see further away so the blue cast on white isn't the best either.

I'm trying to get permission to post Luke's HID powered reef tank :) Hopefully I'll be posting a link to this thread@
 
I run "Silver Stars" in my passat, there pure white.

The reason that the HID are illegal to upgrade is because the reflector is built completely different.
A HID "PROJECTOR" housing has a hard edge cutoff at below 50% so your eye never sees the direct bulb intensity, unless your at thy level, or the car goes over a bump ant tilts up.

light passes below the bulb so not even reflected light is allowed up to eye level at any where near full intensity.


where a normal h2 h1 or h5 bulb has its full intensity out where its completely visible, in the center of a parabula, focusing all light, direct or reflected at a forward direction.

so sticking a HID bulb in the stock non projector headlight causes literally blinding to the drivers in front of you.

I hate the guys with the legal HID lights in the Caddy SUV's where they pull up behind me and light up my car like its daylight inside at a stoplight...lolol.
 
Don't forget why they want all outdoor lights to be more yellow, like light posts and porch lights, they want to be able to see the stars with telescopes. I learned that when I went to an observatory.
 
I installed HID lights on my RC51 in both sides. I installed them myself and no problems. Brighter and farther than my old stocks ones. Drove next to plenty of police in front and behind and never got caught. Maybe because im on a bike. They are brighter than any other bulb out there and i feel bad if your driving in front me cause i will blind the crap of you. hehe. Hey if im going to be riding around at night then i want to be seen. The police really dont care about the bikes because they want the bikes to be seen. Cars on the other hand are way different.
 
GreshamH said:
I'm trying to get permission to post Luke's HID powered reef tank :) Hopefully I'll be posting a link to this thread@
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I was just looking at those HID fixtures (if they are the ones I am thinking of) and was wishing there was a 2x HID config for the 36" fixture!
 
He used stock replacements for a BMW IIRC. I forgot to ask yesterday, will go do now.
 
i've got aftermarket HID lights on 07 pontiac G5 GT. I live in Pacifica and not one cop cares. Believe me Pacifica cops are the most anal about crap like this. I had them on my 99 suburban before I traded it in. what it comes down to is the color of the bulbs. if you get the 10k which is a crisp white light it seems to be ok since bmws, mercedes, and expensive cars like that have them as stock on their cars so the cops don't care. I only got pulled over once in my suburban because I had 20k bulbs in there and it was straight up blue. looked real nice and got alot of compliments on them even the cop that pulled me over liked them but said it was the color that made him pull me over. He told me that if it was a white or basic halogen color it was ok. the reason that red or blue lights are not ok is because emergency vehicles use them and it distracts other drivers on the road. neon lights on the bottom of your car are not ok too because it distracts drivers as well. This came right from a motorcycle cop that pulled me over in burlingame. so If he wants the HID aftermarket tell him to go for it but to get the white 10k bulbs any other color would be unexeceptable. as for thhe smoked lenses they are not ok because the light is alot dimmer which makes it harder for the person behind you to see if you are brakeing or turning. Hope this helps. the HID lights help alot if you have trouble seeing at night like I do. But then again it makes your car look better too.
 
Gomer said:
GreshamH said:
I'm trying to get permission to post Luke's HID powered reef tank :) Hopefully I'll be posting a link to this thread@
Click to expand...
I was just looking at those HID fixtures (if they are the ones I am thinking of) and was wishing there was a 2x HID config for the 36" fixture!
Click to expand...

The Aquatic Life on I suppose is what your talking about since their the only ones using HID in aquariums. Those are very sweet :)
 
A_Lee said:
Hm, so even all the smoked tail lights I see on people's cars are also technically illegal?
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That is correct. If the tail, head or turn signal light does not carry the DOT stamp then it's illegal.

The police actually putting in the effort and pulling you over and giving you a fix-it ticket is up to them, however.
 
Sure will but it takes some work...

http://glassbox-design.com/2009/part-1-lfps-xenon-and-led-reef-lighting-system/

http://glassbox-design.com/2009/part-2-lfp%E2%80%99s-xenon-and-led-reef-lighting-system/

http://glassbox-design.com/2009/part-25-lfps-xenon-and-led-reef-lighting-system/

Luke is setting me up with some for my next tank since it's all pinnacles. I'll have a combo of MH, LED and XENON
 
A friend and I were talking yesterday about theoretical projects. One is a high efficiency incandescent bulb...efficient as in 250+lumens/watt for a ~3500k bulb :-D Same idea could possibly be applied to halogens...hmmmm...
 
3500, ah, a light to warm your hands by :lol: What do you call that color in Crayola crayon, camp fire orange :D
 
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