DisTorTed_1

Hey guys, I got a 02' TL and I recently swapped out my 4300k bulbs for 10,000K bulbs but they aren't as blue as I thought they would be. My boy got a 99 TL and he put 10,000k on his and they look really bright and blue. They are noticeably brighter on my car but they look like shit and look nothing like his..any reasons to why???????

LIPPSTUH

iTrader: (2)

okay...

first off, 4300k has the best light output and that's why it comes stock. going higher will result in lower output and more color. it goes from yellow to white to blue to purple...

as bulbs age through usage, there is a "color shift" this is because the chemicals aren't as balanced. thus when a bulb is at the end of its life, the color is purple/pink meaning higher temperature rating. so as u use ur bulbs more the color temp goes higher. so ur friend's bulbs are bluer is most likely from color shift... so his bulbs are rated a bit more than 10k.

as for ur observation of more output, i doubt it, but it can be because ur old bulbs were used a lot. or u just think so.

DisTorTed_1

thanks..I guess that makes sense..so do you think my bulbs will get more like his as they get older?

fsttyms1

get rid of them and get 6k. Have something you can actually see with if you want "Blue" looking lights. But be warned, none will have more light output than 4300

LIPPSTUH

iTrader: (2)

i have 6k, and honestly i'm not liking them as i thought i would. i rather have stock 4300k

6000k is white with a tint of blue
8000k has a lot of blue in it already
10000k is just too blue for me, its screaming HID, and you can get pulled over for that. its illegal to put HID in a halogen housing. okay for projectors. yeah i know that tl/cl came with it stock, so u have to prove it i guess..

keep em if u want blue.

fsttyms1

Ditto. They are a little too blue and i know there is a reduction in usable light. Im probably going to go to 4300-5k max

bibledriver

I am loving my 5000K. There is a VERY slight sense of blue, but SUPER white with no yellow.

It is only legal to put same bulb designed for housing. Putting a projector fitted into a DOT halogen setup is illegal. On the same token, putting a projector into a designed reflector setup is also illegal. You have modified the approved DOT setup. There are color standards but the police don't run around w/spectrometers, so. . . You aren't going to get pulled over no matter unless, like you say, you are "screaming HID," 8k, 10k, 12k are loud color and also less light output and harder on your eyes.

I researched color temp quite a bit prior to retrofitting an old accord and found that the light lost (lumen values) from 4300 to 5000 was indeed a loss, but not large (and in my opinion worth it for the pure white look). From 5000 to 6000 was where the loss was actually quite large (in lumens).

dnd2984

iTrader: (6)

DisTorTed_1

Kkkk...but can any of u tell me why his 10000k looks better than mines? Is it because hid headlight are the 99 and mines are the 02-03 model or could it be because his hids are xenon and mines are JDM karamoto? does brand matter?

MurdaZ

iTrader: (1)

4300k ftw, got fogs in those too

his probs looks better cause he doesnt have 10k

bibledriver

The reality is that a lot of these aftermarket bulb sellers are marketing bulbs at diff color temps than they really are just to get a better market share. Many have some of the major color temps and use one for a few different marketed colors. Yours possibly is not true to waht you think, or his may be this way, or both.

Go with a known brand and remember that blue looks a certain way, but for safety, driver's vision at night, actual light output, the farther you are from 4300k, the worse off you will be.

bibledriver

As requested here are the pics at night: I followed the format you used one on then off.

notice cutoff



here is light on gravel



here they are on a white door



and here is the difference of 4300k on left, 5000k on right (the wall is a very light tan)



hope that helps. There is noticeable diff between 4300k and 5000k. I am sure the diff between 6000k and 5000k would also be noticeable.

loksmith

Is this a retrofit's output? If so, what kind of projectors were used?

02type-s

x2, my cutoff is nowhere near that sharp

Napsoner

I think it depends on the bulb also. I purchased a pair of phillips 6000k and they looked good @ startup, but when they were fully warm I couldn't see nothing driving @ night or in the rain. I have McCulloch 6000k hid's and they look great @ night and driving in the rain. Even oncoming they are bright, but not too bright to kill drivers ahead.

loksmith

Well I'm sure bulb quality matters quite a bit for light output. But what I'm asking is in regards to the concentration and cutoff of projectors. Projectors, apparently, look like they make a big difference from just having a reflective housing. They also look good for oncoming traffic too

Sorry if I'm threadjacking haha.

seanmcd

Both you and your boy need to spend your money on other things. Anything above 5K for HID bulbs is a complete waste. The 4300K stock bulbs are perfect anyways. While we're on the subject - stay away from the majority of 9005/9006 bulbs on ebay - especially the ones that are painted a very deep blue - total waste of money as the light output is absolutely horrible.

bibledriver

The output from the pictures is not projectors. These are KAIXEN 5000k HIDs in the original reflective housing. I would love to get some projectors to retrofit, but then i would love a tein ss, tb spacer, sc etc. . . so anyway, I did notice a better contrast at the cutoff line once I put in the new bulbs (notice the cutoff on the right compared to cutoff on left; no projector).

The bottom pic is at install, all of the ones above it are with about 150 hours of burn time on the bulbs. As somebody noted above, there is a little more glare probably, but nothing like an idiot with his lights aimed way high. Also, take into consideration cameras are not the best representation as to your eyes perception with HID, as you know if you've tried taking pics of them.

KnighTL

I Love My 8k

MurdaZ

iTrader: (1)

my cutoff is close to those pics, phillips 4300k bulbs...

bibledriver

nice ride!

farrock02@msn.com

what fog bulbs should I use to closely match to the factory bulbs without putting in a hid kit? or should I just use a diff color?

bibledriver

Silverstars will be much closer, but not quite a match. Close though.

I have mixed feelings on diff. colors. Preference really. I have some strange phobia of being mistake for a lexus (although I secretly like the way it looks )

Just whatever you like!

farrock02@msn.com

are you talk about the sylvania silverstar? if so the reg. or ultra silverstars?

Napsoner

I had lunics JDM Yellow for the fogs b4 I switched to HID's. They shined very bright.....

farrock02@msn.com

can anybody else back luminics products? and if so which are the best ones to match the factory hid without adding a kit?

http://www.luminicsusa.com/

seanmcd

I haven't tried them - but some of the photos look like the horrible Ebay 9005 bulbs I got for the high beams - that bascially had the worst light output i've ever seen. The deeper the blue coating, the worse they are going to be.

Here's my take on the fogs:
Why worry about the fogs looking like the low beams? You shouldn't be using them unless it's foggy/rainy anyways. (it's ilegal in a lot of countries to run them otherwise, and for very good reason).

The BEST choice for fog lamps is an amber or yellow color so less light is reflected back at you, the driver. I bought some ~3000K 9006 bulbs on ebay that were pretty good, and most recently I bought some yellow/amber "rock blocker" style protection for the foglights. These look great during the daytime (I think) - and when I actually use the foglights in the rain or fog at night - I see the road very well, and the contrast in color stands out for drivers needing to see me. And, no worries about matching the color!

VoLLy

iTrader: (8)

I cant wait till my 5000k burn in a little more to color shift, 100hrs +! I just installed them last week sat.

bibledriver

02ACTcLean

iTrader: (3)

I just purchased Luminics 9006 "JDM Yellow" bulbs for my fogs. They are sick. they glow a bright yellow...looking nice around dusk. as for rain/fog driving..havent had any since installed. ill post a pic tomarrow. got em from automotivelighting.com

Gee-TR

I have some Piaa hyper whites in my fogs and they seem to match well to the headlights, not as yellow as stock bulbs in the daytime, but who turns their lights on in the day time? night driving, there is a gain in visibility and the color closely matches the headlights

02ACTcLean

iTrader: (3)

Luminics JDM Yellow fogs. Blurry as F*@k, I know.

AZP-TL

5000K offers the best light output at the whitest color. They are equivalent to mid day sunlight.

FL3.2TL

I have 10,000K, and to be honest they have a very nice deep blue shade. Catches alot of attention on the road, bothers some drivers ahead, and light up signs pretty well , but honestly it isn't worth it, and I'm going to switch back to 6000K or 5000K. Mind you though, I have enough lights within my city, that light up the street pretty well, but overall, I'm switching back. I will try to get pictures for you.