This forum is for discussion of topics relating to MX-3 lighting such as Headlights, Tail lights, Accessory Lights, Interior Lights, Etc. For example, Rear Euro Altezza Style Tail lights, Headlight units, LED's, HID's, Bulbs, Interior lights, Neons, Strobes, Auxillary Lights/Fogs or anything filament and gas discharge related.
Also anything dealing with the elctrical system.
MarkMoore wrote:
went to that site, and i don't really know a lot about lighting unlike taras, so my questions may seem quite elementary...
-are 'driving lamps' just another term for headlights? because if not, it seems that the driving lamps far out-perform the fog lamps from what i'm seeing on that hella site... how do i know what i want? i'm confused!!
-also, what's the difference between 'xenon' and 'halogen'? now before you start yelling at me to read the site before asking questions, i did read the info on both halogen and xenon, but i didn't really get a clear answer... it appears (from taras' link) that xenon far out-performs halogen?
-how come fog lamps only come as halogen and not xenon?
-are 'HID' and 'xenon' basically synonymous, or is there such a thing as 'HID halogen' too?
I'll be like John and write in different colour......
Driving Light-term is pretty deceiving and that is why you see bunch of yahoos on the road with these "bright fog lights". Driving Lights are HIGH BEAMS. That is why they outperform fog lights. You can only use them off road or as a supplementary high beam. The beam of the driving light is a full on, unshielded beam that comes in a variety of beam angles that could quite narrow, such as spot lights to a wider ones, that are really what your high beams should produce. Definitely do not drive with high beams or driving lights in the fog, or it will reflect back into your eyes and blind you.
Why they do not make fog lights as HID? Because you do not need to see fog better do you. With the fog you need a real balance of beam distribution and light intensity and colour. So the beam is short, low and wide. A really bright fog beam will actually reflect back into the fog and will backdazzle. That is also why a lot of fog lights are yellow or orange in colour. Yellow has a better colour rendering index and defines shapes better, unlike HID, that is actually worse in foul weather. Why do you think Lexii come with yellow fogs?
MarkMoore wrote:
went to that site, and i don't really know a lot about lighting unlike taras, so my questions may seem quite elementary...
-are 'driving lamps' just another term for headlights? because if not, it seems that the driving lamps far out-perform the fog lamps from what i'm seeing on that hella site... how do i know what i want? i'm confused!!
-also, what's the difference between 'xenon' and 'halogen'? now before you start yelling at me to read the site before asking questions, i did read the info on both halogen and xenon, but i didn't really get a clear answer... it appears (from taras' link) that xenon far out-performs halogen?
-how come fog lamps only come as halogen and not xenon?
-are 'HID' and 'xenon' basically synonymous, or is there such a thing as 'HID halogen' too?
I'll be like John and write in different colour......
Driving Light-term is pretty deceiving and that is why you see bunch of yahoos on the road with these "bright fog lights". Driving Lights are HIGH BEAMS. That is why they outperform fog lights. You can only use them off road or as a supplementary high beam. The beam of the driving light is a full on, unshielded beam that comes in a variety of beam angles that could quite narrow, such as spot lights to a wider ones, that are really what your high beams should produce. Definitely do not drive with high beams or driving lights in the fog, or it will reflect back into your eyes and blind you.
Why they do not make fog lights as HID? Because you do not need to see fog better do you. With the fog you need a real balance of beam distribution and light intensity and colour. So the beam is short, low and wide. A really bright fog beam will actually reflect back into the fog and will backdazzle. That is also why a lot of fog lights are yellow or orange in colour. Yellow has a better colour rendering index and defines shapes better, unlike HID, that is actually worse in foul weather. Why do you think Lexii come with yellow fogs?
Cheers.
i'll just stick w/ white text on this one...
ohhhhhhhh, i always wondered y lexus' had yellow fogs.... very interesting... and thanks for clarifying the 'driving lamp' question... knowing me, i'd be driving around w/ my driving lights on all the time blinding every one and getting tickets right and left and then wonder why... thanks for saving me all of that
Xenon actually refers to the gas used in most High Intensity Discharge capsules, so technically, no, HID and Xenon are not the same thing. In practice, though, the terms are used pretty much interchangeably in the auto enthusiast world...
Halogen is the gas too, so is Krypton and Xenon as well. All three could be used in a filament based light bulbs.
HID capsules use Xenon, but no actual filaments. Hense is a confusion, and of course marketing types love to label all kind of filament bulbs as Xenon, which they could be with Xenon inside, but not real HID.
HID is known in North America for the modern bright lights.
Xenon is in Europe.
Yes the term really refers to the same thing, except as explained above.
No thing such as HID Halogen, umm, may be on eBay
There is such thing as HIR, comes in stock Viper lights, but we will not get into that right now.
ahhhhh, everything's becoming so much clearer, i really appreciate all the help from everyone
one last question taras, what in the heck kind of headlights do you have? something custom??? why don't you produce these!!!! you'd make a killing!!!! hop on that!
MarkMoore wrote:fine, be selfish with your awesome custom projectors... this community never really liked you anyway....
That's funny, I have missed this post somehow. I wish I would have the time to make more sets and then there is the liability factor. But to answer your question, yes they are custom made. If you read the link a bit more in detail, you will actually figure out what they are made of.
jschrauwen wrote:Mark, try this site as far as description, type, differences and of course prices. Taras is a preferred customer there...LOL
what site?
taras wrote:That's funny, I have missed this post somehow. I wish I would have the time to make more sets and then there is the liability factor. But to answer your question, yes they are custom made. If you read the link a bit more in detail, you will actually figure out what they are made of.
again, which link are u referring to? the one i posted earlier? all i found in there was that they were custom made w/ hellas powerin' 'em
jschrauwen wrote:Mark, try this site as far as description, type, differences and of course prices. Taras is a preferred customer there...LOL
what site?
taras wrote:That's funny, I have missed this post somehow. I wish I would have the time to make more sets and then there is the liability factor. But to answer your question, yes they are custom made. If you read the link a bit more in detail, you will actually figure out what they are made of.
again, which link are u referring to? the one i posted earlier? all i found in there was that they were custom made w/ hellas powerin' 'em
MarkMoore wrote:
again, which link are u referring to? the one i posted earlier? all i found in there was that they were custom made w/ hellas powerin' 'em
Your question was:
MarkMoore wrote:
one last question taras, what in the heck kind of headlights do you have? something custom??? why don't you produce these!!!! you'd make a killing!!!! hop on that!
Mark, some of it is just hit and miss, but take a look at some of the members car domains/sites. For example, try looking at Sam Baker's, (hope you don't mind Sam) although he says they're not quite done yet, you'll be able to get going on your hunt. Trying searching archives, they'll explain about the "baking process" of the headlights to remove the lense and about grinding down the internal ribbing of the lense or adapting a GTS clear cover to the shell. As far as the set-up of components inside is concerned, that's usually an individual preference, budget providing of course. There's also the info on the group buy proposal for projector units. So the info is there Mark. When and if you take this to the next stage, contact an individual personnally for specifics. To be viable, this is not a project for a severely under-funded budget. FWIW
MarkMoore wrote:how did u get clear lenses? how did u do the housing? did u use fiberglass?
I guess, the first thing I will say, is that if you search on this forum, you will find the answers. But we all know, it's a tedious process sorting through junk.
Factory clenses, sanded from the inside. Lots of work, beacuse you can't use any mechanical tools, just good old elbow grease. If I would do it the second time, it would be a Clear GTS cover adapted to the factory housing.
Factory housing. Just sanded all the chrome oout, painted from the inside black high-heat BBQ paint. How you cut up housing will depend on what you are fitting in there. I had to cut-off the back ofcourse to fit the projector. Where the high beam unit sits, I also had to hack bunch of parts off. I have not used fiberglass because it is not structurally strong. You can use it inside for decorative purposes. I used aluminum sheeting with JBWeld epoxy to reinforce and build back the holes and cracks, etc. Here is the picture of the back, it will give you an idea of what was done in terms of housing.
