Headlight HID lamp comparison.

[Corned]

DY2 - great comparison photos above. That mirrors exactly my findings.

When I changed to the 5000Ks after the 6000Ks, I thought they looked really quite yellow, and noticeably different from my LED sidelamps too. However, as the sidelamps are literally only for show, and the mains are for business, I'll leave it as it is!

Quite a while ago now, when I fitted the LED sides, I also fitted 100W 'xenon' H7 full beam lamps. Although they are a result in terms of being a similar colour to the HIDs, I can't say the extra 45W is noticeable. I was also concerned that the extra current might cause issues, but I'm happy to say that has not proved to be the case.

 

[Frontstep]

Yes... when i was in the dealers a few days ago, i asked how much they sold them for..... £107 per bulb. Silly prices.

Yes silly and as silly as that much repeated comment
"you get what you pay for"
with MB you clearly often don't.

 

[Spannaz]

all fitted, took about 5 mins start to finish for both sides.........simple and no skin lost!

 

[Frontstep]

No skin lost, isn't that half the fun ?

 

[Ben Longden]

I'm a lighting engineer by trade, so I could bore you all to death with such rivetting topics as photopic and scotopic sensitivity, light wavelengths, lumens and pupil lumens. But I won't...

I'll let you know how the night driving fares after the weekend! A late-night return trip from the outlaws down the M1 is the acid test.

There are some blokes like me who are really interested in this, and the best advice for what colour temp globe to use.
Likewise advice on all the +60 to +120% globes on the market... and just how the heck do they make these globes do what is claimed..

 

[Ben Longden]

Lol! My recommendation would be 5000Ks. OEM 4300s are a safe bet, and as previously stated give the best lighting in most conditions.

Any higher than 5000K and you are not going to see the light. Well, not much, anyway.

Ive noticed this in filming concerts lit by LED spotlights.
The colour temp is 9000 degrees Kelvin, and they are so dim they might as well not be used.

But the camera I use (Digital betacam) has no trouble whatsoever....

 

[Corned]

A good CCD can find an incredible amount of light which is not apparent to the eye!

On the other hand, LEDs are currently a huge white elephant, in almost any market they are trying to get into. Everyone is trying to convince everyone that they are great, but when you actually try them, invariably they are a huge (and expensive) disappoiintment.

Their day will come. It's just that it's a few years off yet...

 

[DY2]

Yes... when i was in the dealers a few days ago, i asked how much they sold them for..... £107 per bulb. Silly prices.

While, I was happier with the 5000k bulbs I had bought, I was curious of how better the 4300k standard OEM bulbs were.

I wasnt going to pay the dealer prices, nor could I find any Osram bulbs for any less... usually around £99 mark... However on Amazon, i found on ebay Germany, a seller, who was selling D2S Osram bulbs for £43 each (against the £107 per bulb from a dealer).

So, curiousity got the better of me, and while still expensive for the bulbs, yet alot cheaper than I could find, I bought a pair.

Took for a test drive down the unlit part of the M25 and A21 again... the brightness was a lot improved over the 5000k bulbs. I have also took out the LED side lights, as these now looked too white against 4300k bulbs.

 

[brandwooddixon]

So for better visibility stick the advice is to stick to 4300K bulbs?
I guess all that MB R&D budget wasn't wasted then.

 

[Frontstep]

I have I presume the original xenons and compared to a new xenon equipped E-Class they are not as bright but still pretty good.
The clear lens and reflectors of the new car must have some effect.
So unless they fail I shall keep them.

 

[Still Learning]

I'm pleased people have found this thread useful.

For the record, I bought my lamps from here. And they're cheap - £10 for the pair at the time. Anyone who spends dealer prices for a headlight lamp must be completely hat stand!

Arse! I bought mine for £55 :Oops:

Is the hype about 'chinese' bulbs being no good unjustified?

Actually I think you have answered that. Double arse! :Oops:

So for better visibility stick the advice is to stick to 4300K bulbs?
I guess all that MB R&D budget wasn't wasted then.

Triple arse! :Oops:
Out they come again then...

 

[Corned]

I have I presume the original xenons and compared to a new xenon equipped E-Class they are not as bright but still pretty good.
The clear lens and reflectors of the new car must have some effect.
So unless they fail I shall keep them.

One of the points I was trying to get across with this thread is how much old HID lamps fade over time.

New lamps in your car would narrow that gap to a new car (with new lamps) considerably. OK they are probably not going to equal them, but they will get an awful lot closer.

BD - I very much doubt MB assisted Osram or Philips with the development costs of their (generic) HID lamps.

 

[Frontstep]

Now you have me weakening, should I get some 4300 or 5000's and are the EBAY cheaper ones worth trying ?

 

[Corned]

Now you have me weakening, should I get some 4300 or 5000's and are the EBAY cheaper ones worth trying ?

Hmm - I don't know. Someone posted a thread on here recently about this very subject...

:lol:

 

[DY2]

These are the 4200k Osram bulbs i got from Amazon:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B003VNP4WM/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00

Or this is where I got my 5000k bulbs from:

http://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/HID-D2S-Gas-Discharge-Bulbs-5000K-Upgrade-pair.html

 

[bigasotonuk]

Hi,
I bought a pair of D2S's from a UK based E-bay seller recently, perfectly OK.
Though I will say that it was my second set, the first set lasted approx. 35,000 miles/ 4 years, with 95% of driving done at night or with my headlights on.

 

[V6Matty]

OK going to be doing mine very shortly as from what i can see they have never been replaced, cars only 9 years old :lol:

anyway, what would your thoughs be on these from ebay?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/D2S-XENON-HID-BULBS-OEM-4300K-5000K-6000K-8000K-/300841379538?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&var=&hash=item460b8b26d2

 

[DY2]

they should be fine, depends on what your willing to pay. It is your money after all

From my experiementation and my 2 pence opinion, I would go for either the 4300k or the 5000k.

 

[V6Matty]

i like to spend as little as possible, but will it mean i will have to replace them more often making the price false economy?

 

[DY2]

I have not seen or read that others have not needed to replace them frequently.

For £14, for the pair, its at least worth giving them one try.