Austin Schmidt

Hey guys,

My passenger HID bulb is going bad. I am looking at replacement bulbs online, rather than going to the dealer and giving them $300 to do a job that I can easily do myself, and I was wondering whether or not I needed to put the stock OEM HID bulb. If so, does anyone know the stock Kelvin? I am looking at a chart and I cannot tell whether or not mine are 4300K, 6000K, or 8000K.

My other question is that if I were to guess wrongly and insert a different Kelvin, would they work just the same, or would I need to get a converter kit of some sort to output the different Kelvin?

Thank you

Austin Schmidt

Here is the link to the chart I am looking at:

http://www.diodedynamics.com/store/i...hid-bulbs.html

oo7spy

Stock HID is 4300K. 5000 is considered pure white, and anything over begins to get blue.

While the light output is the same (lumens) for various color temperatures, the amount of visible light (light that humans can see) is maximized between 4000k-5000k. Beyond 5000k, you will start to lose visibility. Below 4000k, you will run into yellow light which is useful in fog lights because the yellow light does not reflect off of moisture as much as white or blue light but is not recommended for headlights.

If you want the cheapest option that is closest to stock, get some Phillips 85122 bulbs.
If you want the most lumens and usable light, get OSRAM 66240 CBI. http://www.theretrofitsource.com/pro...ducts_id=10591

Here is what 6000k looks like from my experience. I have other photos that don't appear as blue, but this is the best representation of what I was getting.


Here is a toned down picture, but the light was not the white portrayed here.

oo7spy

Here is Carbon Legend's (our community light guru) setup with the OSRAM CBI for reference. It's worth noting that his setup is modified, but you get an idea about the light color. https://acurazine.com/forums/2g-rl-photograph-gallery-91/headlight-teaser-finally-close-890642/

Austin Schmidt

Great response! That was awesome!

I found these bulbs online. Can you let me know what you think, please?

http://www.hiddepo.com/p8/D2S/D2R-OE...Fc4WMgodJBQAAg

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

I get all my HID needs from Theretrofitsource.com

the morimoto 5K bulbs are great! ive bought some for my Kia Sportage!

350

iTrader: (4)

OEM is typically 4200-4300. Stick with theretrofitsource.com if buying online cause there's a ton of fakes out there. You can get cheapies on ebay for $10 if you're in a pinch, they'll work but don't put out as much light and the color will probably be too blue. Osram CBI or SVS are the best on the market now but cost twice as much as Philips 85122+ which are comparable but not as white of an output.

tc5280

I have the cbi's as well and love them.

Austin Schmidt

I found these online. What do you guys think?

http://www.hiddepo.com/p8/D2S/D2R-OE...duct_info.html

350

iTrader: (4)

Junk, you can get those on ebay for $10. I wouldn't buy those unless you're in a real pinch. See how they base is all plastic, they're basically the cheap plug and play bulbs with a D2S base and not an actual D2S bulb. If that's your budget go with Morimoto from theretrofitsource.com for $45.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

as, 350 and I both said, we like www.theretrofitsource.com

anything else from other websites maybe cheap bulbs that might die an early death.
if you dont mind taking a gamble, go ahead and purchase them

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

LOL, I thought we were both VERY clear on what we thought...

Austin Schmidt

I will definitely use www.theretrofitsource.com. Now I can see how cheap those are, especially with the plastic base.

Austin Schmidt

Which ones would be a better choice?

http://www.theretrofitsource.com/pro...roducts_id=148

http://www.theretrofitsource.com/pro...ducts_id=19311

350

iTrader: (4)

They should be about the same but I believe the Osram is more likely to color shift whiter over time, the Philips bulbs are known for being a little on the yellow side. Realistically you won't notice much of a difference but over time the Philips bulb will look like new where as the Osram changes color a bit. Both are excellent choices and basically the go to OEM bulbs these days.

oo7spy

For 5 dollars, get the OSRAM. Also, see my PM response which pretty much repeats justin and 350 except I trust the Amazon Phillips bulbs linked earlier too.

Austin Schmidt

Decided to go with these:

http://www.theretrofitsource.com/pro...ducts_id=19311

Thank you very much for all of the help.

oo7spy, disregard BOTH pm messages I sent to you. haha

Austin Schmidt

Those will fit my 2005 RL, right?

350

iTrader: (4)

Yeah those will fit anything D2S. Good choice, honestly the CBI and SVS version of that bulb isn't worth the extra money unless you just wanna have the best for the sake of having the best, the SVS would be the same color and 300 lumens brighter, CBI the same but a hair whiter. I only bought the CBI's cause I got them on sale for $140 or so, no way I was paying almost $200 when my stock bulbs were good.

Jah08RL

Hi, hope all is well. I want to know if you could help me out. My plan/objective is to replace my factory fog lights on my 2008 RL with ones of matching colour to the HID Xeneon headlights.

Do you know what colour and where I could purchase them? Thanx, in advance.

Jah08RL

P.S.
Are your fog lights on independently? and if they are, can you say how I could achieve that?

oo7spy

Go to TheRetrofitSource, and get a Moromoto 35W kit with 4300 bulbs if you want to match the low beams.

My fogs were turned on via the DRL signal through a switch I designed myself. Info is linked below, but it did have one bug in the design. I think o have a better design but no RL to build it for.
https://acurazine.com/forums/second-...switch-838082/

rlerman

My passenger bulb started going off today, had been flickering a while. Turn lights off and it comes back on, but flickers sporadically. Ordered the morimoto for $50. Am only replacing one right now. Hoping it's not the ballast. Not looking forward to this, hate tight spaces and dropping things.

Anyone know if their ballast is a direct fit?

oo7spy

They would know, but I highly doubt it. OEM ballasts should last a lot longer though.

rlerman

Does anyone know where in the shop manual the headlight system is discussed. there are no obvious categories and I tried to look throughout it, but cannot seem to locate it. thanks.

oo7spy

Which function are you looking for?

rlerman

Replacing the low beam bulb. Just wanted to see how it describes the process.

oo7spy

From all anecdotal evidence, the service manual says to pull the bumper and remove the whole assembly. If I had my computer, I would take a shot at finding it for you.

rlerman

I keep seeing stuff about pulling the bumper to change it, but that makes no sense. I think pulling the bumper is only needed if you want to change the entire housing, not a single bulb. Haven't done it yet, but it looks fairly accessible through the top, just needing to move the ww filler neck out of the way, cap is right there. Not sure why you would even need to go through tire well, which I keep reading about people doing. Seems through the well, visibility would be pretty poor, but not sure. Unfortunately, my bulb didn't arrive yesterday because the post office sucks, so I won't get to it til next weekend. I'll report back on how I did it.

oo7spy

It can be done through the top, but space is very tight. The battery and intake are on the driver's side, and the washer fluid is on the passenger side. Going though the wheel well puts you directly behind the assembly. This is the standard procedure for a 350Z. A flashlight will help.

I believe the factory recommendation is to remove the bumper and entire assembly so you have all the space and light you need. Pick your poison.

rlerman

Well, just finished doing the passenger side. I could not do it from the top so had to go through the wheel well. Access is pretty easy, just a little awkward...so many damn clips and screws to get that liner out.

1. Remove tire and wheel well
2. Turn cap with warning on it and pull it off (I disconnected battery)
3. Turn ignitor and it will come off, move it to the side
4. You will see a metal clip. From the top where the two circles are on each side, push the circles to the side to free the clip and slide it back toward you, it will remain secured to the bottom. I had a lot of trouble with this step as I had no idea how the clip worked. I pryed from the bottom and the entire clip came off. Took me 20 minutes to figure out how it went back on.
5. Pull the bulb out
6. Insert new bulb with proper orientation, can only go in one way, just turn it until it seats
7. Push clip back up and secure the metal circles at the tope.
8. Put igniter back on
8. Put cover back on
9. Put wheel well cover and tire back on.
10. Turn on the headlights and they should be lit.
11. Re-enter nav and radio codes if you unhooked battery.

Took me about an hour and 15 minutes. If I had to do it again, probably 20-30 from start to finish.

I got the bulbs from retrofit as noted by many on this board. I paid $50 for two of them. D2S: Morimoto XB HID. When I ordered, thought i was only getting one, but it came as a set. It matches very well with the stock bulb. I am not replacing the driver side as it is only a few years old and works fine.

6socio6path6

I'm new to this forum and I must say, after 👻 for a bit, reading and learning, you're a bloody genius!
so, my question... Is it possible to get the fogs and drl to both run the same time? That would be fantastic. I read the link to your coversion... Don't understand any of it. But if I have to teach myself electrical that would be wicked; I could help others... Just changed my high beams and fogs for the first time to some 9005 Sylvia's hid attitude, h11 I got from autozone and frankly they look the same. But if I convert them to hid hence the recommended site in this thread stated to purchase, it's be truly brilliant. Anyway, I now know how to change 2 lights on my baby without disconnecting battery. I know I'll have to when I finally do the HIDs. Instead of switching the bulbs, due to flickering and constantly going out... Hoping that it's NOT the ballast, I'll get new bulbs and if the issue persist order a new set of ballasts. Based on the level of difficulty in taking out the high beams, both we bloody stuck to the connector, it's safe to assume they weren't changed in a very long time... It felt so awesome to do something that only requires a bit of patience, effort and persistence. Next will be an oil change, of which, I'll need a better jack... And so forth hence all else..
so, mate, is it possible?
cheers

RL09

Hi guys.

Ok. Figured it out. So my car has conjunctivitis in its left. Seems it means bulb change.

I'm wondering if I get the 5500 K, would it differ much from the fog lights? The 50$ Morimoto XB seem good, but i can get 4300 or 5500 or 6500K .

Which to buy?

thoiboi

Go 5500

RL09

Yea it's spy's reply above that made me go the 5500 way. I wasn't clear on whether if my fogs are stock, and I go up from 4300k to 5500k on low beam, if the fogs would become too different. They are yellowish as is it. (can't go white or blue fogs in my arctic weather like he did). And it's 35W for the RL or 55W? I think i must choose on that site.


The Philips ones Spy links up there, Amazon marks them as fitting to the 2005-2008 RL, but say they DO NOT fit the 2009-2012 RL.

Thought I'd point it out, others need to double check that before buying.

thoiboi

Stick with 35W.

projektvertx

iTrader: (2)

Stick with 35W or risk burning your reflector bowl... Morimoto bulbs loose brightness very quickly in my experience, if you can afford Osram product, I'd sink the extra money towards those. If you order from TRS, they have a coupon that knocks 10% off: TRSHJ

RL09

No way. that's more than double the price...

Hmmm.. Is Osram as in sylbania or all brands can have osram?

If I want 5000+, that's 110$. But a pair.

I found today locally sylvania osram 6000k for 95 loonies a piece! Thieves?

projektvertx

iTrader: (2)

95 loonies is about 74 USD, I think that's a pretty good price actually!

thoiboi

He said each

Def overpriced That's CBI pricing, i Wouldn't pay that for OEM bulbs