Frequently Asked Questions
WHAT IS A HEADLIGHT PROJECTOR RETROFIT?
A xenon HID projector retrofit consists of converting a halogen/reflector headlight into one that utilizes a projector. The process involves precision cutting of the original headlamp components and custom-mounting the projector in its place, securing it with a very strong epoxy. Rotational alignment of the new projector must be manually set to ensure that the beam pattern is as straight as possible when complete.
WHAT IS THE BENEFIT?
There are a handful of benefits HID projector lighting will give you over conventional halogen/reflector type lighting:
1. Focused output beam, no glare (safety)
2. Wider coverage area while also brighter (performance)
3. Bi-xenon capabilities (utility)
4. Color flicker effect (aesthetics)
Focused output beam:
With projector lighting, a metal shield inside the projector creates a uniform focused beam of light that does not allow any stray light (glare) to come above this cutoff shield. This beam line that is formed by the light is called the "cutoff".
Wider and further coverage area:
HID projectors give much greater beam dispersion and width, the outputted light not only travels much further directly in front of you, but stretches out much further to the left and right of the vehicle, giving you ample side-lighting.
Bi-xenon capabilities:
With a bixenon projector retrofit, you have the capability of running low and high beams all in one unit. High beams are instantaneous as there is no secondary bulb to be fired up. When high beams are engaged, a solenoid is energized inside the projector which drops the cutoff shield and lets light escape above the cutoff, giving you high beams. The original factory halogen bulbs can be left wired up for 4 (quad) high beams (2 bixenon projectors, 2 oem halogen), which is essentially doubling the high beam output performance.
Color flicker effect:
Lastly, with a retrofitted lighting system, a clear lens swap will yield "color flicker" at the cutoff line. This color ranges from light blue to purple and is formed by the bending of light past the cutoff shield. Oncoming drivers will be greeted with a colorful "wink" from retrofitted headlights as the colorband passes between their eyes. This exotic color flicker effect is found stock on many Porsche, BMW, and Audi vehicles that come equipped with factory-xenon headlights. With a clear lens swap, this color is intensified as well as the clarity and sharpness of the beam and cutoff line. See the color flicker effect.
AIMING AND ADJUSTMENT
The aiming of a retrofit is very important and should not be overlooked. Improper aiming will blind oncoming drivers and is a safety issue as projector lighting is very bright in comparison to halogen.
All of our retrofit headlights retain all factory adjustment and can be adjusted with the dials found on the backside of the headlight. You will be able to lower and raise the beam and adjust the beams left and right if your headlights allow for that adjustment.
To properly aim retrofitted headlights, please follow this simple guide:
1) Park vehicle on level ground at least 25-35ft away from a flat wall
2) Measure the height from ground level to the center of projector lens
3) Adjust cutoff of both headlights on the wall to 2-3in below the measured value in Step 2
Your headlights are now properly aimed and will not blind oncoming traffic.
PLUG-AND-PLAY HID KITS
If your vehicle already has a working HID kit installed in the vehicle, you can re-use some or all of your existing equipment, depending on your application and chosen headlight package. Please Contact Us if you have any questions.
COLOR TEMPERATURE VS COLOR FLICKER
HID bulbs come in a multitude of ranging Kelvin temperatures. The bulb Kelvin temperature is the color of light being emitted by the bulb. Color flicker is seen due to the diffraction of light at the cutoff shield in the projector and is very intense. Many confuse these two, they are not the same. Puttiing "bluer" bulbs in your headlights will not give you any more color flicker.
About Bulb Kelvin: the further up the Kelvin scale your bulb is, the less light (lumens) it is actually outputting. We stock various brands of HID bulbs in different color temperatures.
LOW-BEAM VS BIXENON
A low beam projector only outputs light in one mode, low-beams.
A bixenon projector operates in two-modes, as demonstrated above.
Bixenon projectors have an electronic solenoid that actuates when the high beams are activated and drops the cutoff shield inside, exposing more light upwards above the low beam cutoff, giving the driver instant high beams.
To see the mechanics of the bixenon projector in action, watch this video.
