35W vs 55W HID Kit Question/Experiences
06-14-2012, 11:17 AM
#1
Advanced
Thread Starter
35W vs 55W HID Kit Question/Experiences
for the most part, lighting is personal opinion plus the understanding of form and function. let me put this succintly, and hopefully not rudely, keep in mind, i am 18, so i likely have a similar perspective if not worse in terms of ricing stuff up, though i try to stay classy.
4300K is stock, and considered the best output with lights which are pretty close to white. the color is relative though, as when paired with 3000K fogs, the illusion is that the low beams are extremely white or even blueish, because they are not yellow at all compared to the fogs. with 6000K fogs, as i have, they are white but appear slightly more yellow, because my foglights are white with a tinge of blue, so relatively, the lowbeams are not as white/blue. by changing the lowbeams to 4500 or even 5000K, they will appear more white compared to 5000 or 6000K foglights. there may be a slight loss of output, but nothing significant. i would never go above 6000K for either, as beside loss of output, blue lights are also illegal unless you are a firehouse or ambulance corp volunteer. also, driving with your foglights on, despite what color they are, reduces visibility simply because of how your eyes work. foglights produce light that goes more to hte sides and directly infront of your car instead of for distance. this increases the brightness directly infront of your car, which dilates your pupils, and further activates the cones in your eyes. this in turn reduces the active rods in your eye, and reduces ability to see in the dark. i don't need to see 5 miles in front of my car, so i don't mind the slight loss in visibility. i drive with my 6000K fogs on at all times, i prefer the "form" of them, and after weighing the pro's and cons, decided that the slight loss in function is not a hindrance. that is personal opinion, and what i prefer, and it harms no one else on the road. many prefer the JDM look of 3000K foglights, this is the "form" they prefer, and is also very "function" in the fog, this is their right to have as a preference. i live in North Jersey across the bridge from NYC. i get fog maybe 3 times a year, it doesn't matter much to me.
now wattage is another story. 35W is more than enough to light up your path, and is low enough to minimize blinding of not only oncoming drivers and traffic, but also the vehicles which are infront of you. 55W may provide a better white color, but that is simply because it washes the color out. you will blind the drivers infront of you, and oncoming drivers. i would probably brake check you if i saw that behind me, because you know what? fuck you. thats why. if i were a cop, i would impound your car because you are a danger on the road. if an ambulance corp that i was with ever responded to a call of an accident, and i noticed that you had 55W HID's, i would make sure you are claimed at fault, because you literally may have temporarily blinded the other driver. this is why i am so against bulbs with a wattage this high. i don't care if you go 12000K and drive around with barney bulbs like an imbecile, but if you blind people, your an asshole.
if you have an eye condition, i am sorry. i have a very strong astigmatism and can't see to well at night either. i wear glasses. i use rhoto's artic eye drops because they provide the best lubrication for me. i do not increase the light output of my car and blind others, just so i can see. i occasionally use my high beams at night, but that is in wooded area's, and i turn them off when i see the headlights of another car, and i hope that anyone else would do the same for me. because if you don't, and i can't see for a second because i had a light aura in my eyes ffrom a dick who high beamed me, and i don't see the deer that runs infront of my car, trust me, if the car is driveable, im turning around, and reaming you in the ass.
i hope you don't take offense to what i say, but it is simply the truth. don't take away others ability to drive so that you can drive. beside that, do what you want to your car as long as it doesn't significantly detract from your ability to operate a vehicle. if its illegal, i don't care, like window tints, just be prepared to deal with the consequences like a ticket.
TL;DR (Fuck you, read it lmfao)
4300K is stock, and considered the best output with lights which are pretty close to white. the color is relative though, as when paired with 3000K fogs, the illusion is that the low beams are extremely white or even blueish, because they are not yellow at all compared to the fogs. with 6000K fogs, as i have, they are white but appear slightly more yellow, because my foglights are white with a tinge of blue, so relatively, the lowbeams are not as white/blue. by changing the lowbeams to 4500 or even 5000K, they will appear more white compared to 5000 or 6000K foglights. there may be a slight loss of output, but nothing significant. i would never go above 6000K for either, as beside loss of output, blue lights are also illegal unless you are a firehouse or ambulance corp volunteer. also, driving with your foglights on, despite what color they are, reduces visibility simply because of how your eyes work. foglights produce light that goes more to hte sides and directly infront of your car instead of for distance. this increases the brightness directly infront of your car, which dilates your pupils, and further activates the cones in your eyes. this in turn reduces the active rods in your eye, and reduces ability to see in the dark. i don't need to see 5 miles in front of my car, so i don't mind the slight loss in visibility. i drive with my 6000K fogs on at all times, i prefer the "form" of them, and after weighing the pro's and cons, decided that the slight loss in function is not a hindrance. that is personal opinion, and what i prefer, and it harms no one else on the road. many prefer the JDM look of 3000K foglights, this is the "form" they prefer, and is also very "function" in the fog, this is their right to have as a preference. i live in North Jersey across the bridge from NYC. i get fog maybe 3 times a year, it doesn't matter much to me.
now wattage is another story. 35W is more than enough to light up your path, and is low enough to minimize blinding of not only oncoming drivers and traffic, but also the vehicles which are infront of you. 55W may provide a better white color, but that is simply because it washes the color out. you will blind the drivers infront of you, and oncoming drivers. i would probably brake check you if i saw that behind me, because you know what? fuck you. thats why. if i were a cop, i would impound your car because you are a danger on the road. if an ambulance corp that i was with ever responded to a call of an accident, and i noticed that you had 55W HID's, i would make sure you are claimed at fault, because you literally may have temporarily blinded the other driver. this is why i am so against bulbs with a wattage this high. i don't care if you go 12000K and drive around with barney bulbs like an imbecile, but if you blind people, your an asshole.
if you have an eye condition, i am sorry. i have a very strong astigmatism and can't see to well at night either. i wear glasses. i use rhoto's artic eye drops because they provide the best lubrication for me. i do not increase the light output of my car and blind others, just so i can see. i occasionally use my high beams at night, but that is in wooded area's, and i turn them off when i see the headlights of another car, and i hope that anyone else would do the same for me. because if you don't, and i can't see for a second because i had a light aura in my eyes ffrom a dick who high beamed me, and i don't see the deer that runs infront of my car, trust me, if the car is driveable, im turning around, and reaming you in the ass.
i hope you don't take offense to what i say, but it is simply the truth. don't take away others ability to drive so that you can drive. beside that, do what you want to your car as long as it doesn't significantly detract from your ability to operate a vehicle. if its illegal, i don't care, like window tints, just be prepared to deal with the consequences like a ticket.
TL;DR (Fuck you, read it lmfao)
I purchased a 35W Slim kit and was very happy with the kit for about the first week. After about a week the color of the bulbs started washing out in blue so I contacted the seller and got replacement bulbs free of charge (yay me). Problem is, the replacements were listed as being 4300K but when I put them in you could easily see in the day time that they were VERY blue, like get pulled over and get a ticket blue and I felt like they were actually 8000K. Again contacted the seller and recieved replacements and again they were VERY blue.
Decided to purchase a set of replacements from DDMTuning because I felt as though a lot of you have had good experiences with them, bought the 4500K bulbs and put them in last night and again VERY blue, not quite as much as the previous 3 sets but they are noticeably blue.
My question is, do you think this is a perception issue because I have not done anything to the headlights and they are 'yellow' in comparison and only make the fogs appear to be blue or could this have something to do with the fact that Im using a 35W ballast. I've made sure each and every set of bulbs that I've bought have been for the 35W ballast.
Maybe I need to get a 55W set and see if that helps but I'm under the impression the 55W sets a 'blinding' and thats not the look Im going for. I'd like to have a white/white look with the headlights/foglights similar to that of the newer BMW's but would be happy with a 'stock' look as well where the lights appear less than white but not exactly yellow.
Hope this all makes sense, also here is a YouTube video I found of a guy kinda showing what Im seeing but my supposed 4500k bulbs look bluer than his 6000k bulbs as you can see from the photo.
Stock vs HID
First set of 4300K HID's
The above photo's do NOT even come close to how blue they actually are at night, I'll try to get a night shot tonight to show the blueness.
TYIAIA
06-14-2012, 12:55 PM
#2
first off, thanks for searching, i feel a bit honored to be quoted in the first post =P
anyway, thats really weird, i think you may be getting really shitty luck. don't go 55W, it will wash out the color to be more white, but it will BLIND people, as i said in my post. seems like you understand and agree with that. you may wanna send a pic to DDM, ask whats goin on, they actually have a store or two(HQ probably) in cali, but idk where, so maybe go in.
i bought 6000K HID's from DDMTuning, here are mine, they are SLIGHTLY blue, but not more than a tinge off from my 4300K stock bulbs, heres a few pics of mine, with the bottom being my iPhone making them more blue
anyway, thats really weird, i think you may be getting really shitty luck. don't go 55W, it will wash out the color to be more white, but it will BLIND people, as i said in my post. seems like you understand and agree with that. you may wanna send a pic to DDM, ask whats goin on, they actually have a store or two(HQ probably) in cali, but idk where, so maybe go in.
i bought 6000K HID's from DDMTuning, here are mine, they are SLIGHTLY blue, but not more than a tinge off from my 4300K stock bulbs, heres a few pics of mine, with the bottom being my iPhone making them more blue
06-14-2012, 12:56 PM
#3
Lol I think that was the agrument that I had with another member concerning the 55w ballast.
But anywho, have you tried changing the ballast? a 4300k bulb should not have any blue whatsoever. I having a similar problem as you, I got a pair of 3000k bulb and they are green instead of yellow. The person i bough it from told to me use them for 20hrs to see if they swift to yellow. Another vendor told me to try a different ballast as it can affect the color output.
In your case the color difference shouldn't be that drastic. I bought many kit from DDM and rarely do I have any problem with any of them.
But anywho, have you tried changing the ballast? a 4300k bulb should not have any blue whatsoever. I having a similar problem as you, I got a pair of 3000k bulb and they are green instead of yellow. The person i bough it from told to me use them for 20hrs to see if they swift to yellow. Another vendor told me to try a different ballast as it can affect the color output.
In your case the color difference shouldn't be that drastic. I bought many kit from DDM and rarely do I have any problem with any of them.
06-14-2012, 01:13 PM
#4
WOW that is blue...abnormally blue. I ordered 6000K led turn signals and they are about 75% white with 25% blue. These are not HID's though, but LED's. So, I changed my stock low beams HID bulbs to 6000K hoping they would color match better, since I had pure white coming out of my low beams but light blue in my parking light.
The 6000K bulbs that I bought look very white. Maybe 85% white and 15% blue. I expected them to be a bit bluer actually. They may even be 90% white and 10% blue, but in any case my new 6000K HID bulbs are pretty damn white. Sounds like your getting bad luck? they look like 8000K to me.
The 6000K bulbs that I bought look very white. Maybe 85% white and 15% blue. I expected them to be a bit bluer actually. They may even be 90% white and 10% blue, but in any case my new 6000K HID bulbs are pretty damn white. Sounds like your getting bad luck? they look like 8000K to me.
06-14-2012, 01:35 PM
#6
Looks to me like the place you are getting your bulbs from is very low quality. 4300K is what the stock HID bulbs look like, 6000K is slightly more blue but still pretty white and is what I have in my fogs. Even the 8000K on my Tiburon arent' that blue. The picture you are showing looks like 10K.
I will say, however, that the color will ALWAYS look more blue upon startup, and then will fade to white within minutes.
55W is a bad idea, along with all of the blinding issues, you also risk melting the housing...something that most likely won't happen, but has happened on some cars.
Try different sites like Diode Dynamics or DDM.
I will say, however, that the color will ALWAYS look more blue upon startup, and then will fade to white within minutes.
55W is a bad idea, along with all of the blinding issues, you also risk melting the housing...something that most likely won't happen, but has happened on some cars.
Try different sites like Diode Dynamics or DDM.
06-14-2012, 02:17 PM
#7
Looks to me like the place you are getting your bulbs from is very low quality. 4300K is what the stock HID bulbs look like, 6000K is slightly more blue but still pretty white and is what I have in my fogs. Even the 8000K on my Tiburon arent' that blue. The picture you are showing looks like 10K.
I will say, however, that the color will ALWAYS look more blue upon startup, and then will fade to white within minutes.
55W is a bad idea, along with all of the blinding issues, you also risk melting the housing...something that most likely won't happen, but has happened on some cars.
Try different sites like Diode Dynamics or DDM.
I will say, however, that the color will ALWAYS look more blue upon startup, and then will fade to white within minutes.
55W is a bad idea, along with all of the blinding issues, you also risk melting the housing...something that most likely won't happen, but has happened on some cars.
Try different sites like Diode Dynamics or DDM.
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06-14-2012, 05:15 PM
#9
Not going to judge you, but did you buy a cheap HID kit? Not price wise, but quality wise?
06-14-2012, 05:38 PM
#10
Advanced
Thread Starter
But anywho, have you tried changing the ballast? a 4300k bulb should not have any blue whatsoever. I having a similar problem as you, I got a pair of 3000k bulb and they are green instead of yellow. The person i bough it from told to me use them for 20hrs to see if they swift to yellow. Another vendor told me to try a different ballast as it can affect the color output.
In your case the color difference shouldn't be that drastic. I bought many kit from DDM and rarely do I have any problem with any of them.
Thanks guys, appreciate the insight
06-20-2012, 01:20 PM
#11
Instructor
ddm tuning
First ive heard that 35w is better than 55w for our cars. Also if your using a diff ballast other than H8 this could cause an issue. Also diff vendors have diff out puts. DDM I guess really only has 3 light colors even through they say more. Diff vendor ballast could cause it too. I ordered a 35w harness kit with 3k bulb and ballast for 71 shipped. Even through I waited 2 weeks to get a defective ballast out of the box. Just sharing my exp. Hope it helps.
06-20-2012, 08:03 PM
#12
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Thread Starter
Well, I'll be ording new ballast on Friday and we'll find out, thank you all for your input.
Photos of the 'new' 4500k bulbs
Photos of the 'new' 4500k bulbs
Last edited by mR742; 06-20-2012 at 08:12 PM.
06-27-2012, 03:21 AM
#13
Unregistered Member
The main function of the ballast is to provide the initial surge of electricity to the bulbs to "start" them, then provides continuous power to keep them on, so the ballast shouldn't be causing the blue color. I'd recommend trying bulbs from theretrofitsource, as they're generally of higher quality, and have a metal flange compared to cheap plastic which makes them easier to install.
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