itted aftermarket HID's - strange fault now!

[HPsauce]

Sorry, being sloppy, I did search for 105C and that's what appeared - didn't check.
They are rarer at that capacity/spec; you'd probably need to go to a "proper" business supplier rather than eBay. Such as RS.

[adjuster]

So, this thread caught my eye.

Here is my plan:

I have currently, 55 watt ballasts for HID retro-fit lights on my wife's KIA Sedona van, daughters Accord and quite a few other vehicles. (Motorcycle, my dad's S500, neighbors F250 Pickup etc.) They work great, and the 55 watt ballasts with 6000 kelvin bulbs put out an amazing amount of light, it makes the stock 35 watt HID's look timid side by side.

So, I have bought a 55 watt kit for the S2R bulbs the 2001 S8 uses here in the States.

I'm wondering if I wire these up, the auto level feature should work, as they are the same form factor, and should mount just like replacing a bulb, the light and level part will not know the difference. The stock ballasts will be removed, and the new ones placed there if possible, if not, I'm going to leave them there, but not have them hooked up. If I get the error effect, adding a set of capacitors will solve the draw issue when they are first turned on right? (I have a brand new battery in this car.)

Also going to add 35 watt HID fog lamps. (The smaller housing of the fog lamp makes using the 55 watt system suspect to melting the fog lamp...)

This will prove to be some serious light from the 2001 S8 indeed. (At least that's my goal.) The cut off and pattern on these lights is very tight, so I don't expect to have any issues with other traffic, and I have found that with my other vehicles, that using high beams is nearly not needed, they just flat out put so much light down the road, but it has to be controled, or you do get flashed. (My wife's Sedona is adjusted for just her as a driver, but if you load the van, it raise the light, and other drivers don't appreciate that she can clearly see the other side of the planet... )

Anyone done this before?

I might have to take some before and after photos of what sort/quality of light we are dealing with. (On my FZ1, the 55 watt high/low setup is AMAZING. Absolutely amazing, and nobody flashes me, as the light pattern is cut off/controlled excellent, and the amount of light is just jaw dropping.)

I've read that the 55 watt HID setup puts out something like 5000 times the light of a standard 55 watt halogen bulb. (The 35 watt HID is about 3000 times more light.)

So, any thoughts, or tips? If my dash goes banana's, I'll get some capacitors.

[Nollywood]

You mention a 2001 S8, which would have as a minimum, Xenon dipped beams. Are you fitting a HID kit to the main beam, as well as the foglamps?

[IT]

Originally Posted by Nollywood

You mention a 2001 S8, which would have as a minimum, Xenon dipped beams.

It defo would in the UK sales spec, but bearing in mind the US FL S8 didnt even have a full screen Sat Nav, and the PF S8 never even made it across the atlantic, its quite possible they were short changed in the light dept too...

[sloss]

I'm told the dazzle problems in fitting aftermarket HIDs is that the existing reflector is designed for an incandescent bulb and the HID does not fit exactly and gives a lot of scatter, hernce dazzle for others.

[ainarssems]

adjuster wants to change stock 35W HID for aftermartket 55W including ballasts to have more light.

I would not bother doing it and it might throw up errors as well. Just get new original bulbs they should be brighter then old aged bulbs.

Also going to add 35 watt HID fog lamps. (The smaller housing of the fog lamp makes using the 55 watt system suspect to melting the fog lamp...)

HID bulbs put out less heat then halogens, they convert more of energy into light that why are so much brighter so no need to worry about melting. If you do put HID's in fogs I recommend going for more yellow colour 4300K or less. 600k does not work that good in fog and 4300K also have the most light output.

I've read that the 55 watt HID setup puts out something like 5000 times the light of a standard 55 watt halogen bulb. (The 35 watt HID is about 3000 times more light.)

35W HID is around 3000-3500 lumens, 55W halogen is 900-1300 lumens so around 3 times.

I'm told the dazzle problems in fitting aftermarket HIDs is that the existing reflector is designed for an incandescent bulb and the HID does not fit exactly and gives a lot of scatter, hernce dazzle for others.

I have only see it happen with H4 lamps, I suppose it might be true with some others. But they work very well in projector type lights.

[adjuster]

Ah, cool responses!

The only reason I'm interested in going with the 55 watt ballasts on the main low beams is the amazing amount of light it produces in all the other vehicles, in cluding my motorcycle that I've put them into. (And so far, no scatter, or problems with other vehicles flashing me if they are set at the right level.)

I got the light kits in, and there is no connection wire from the headlamp supply line, to the ballast for the main low beam light. (I have not looked to see if the plug is the same, but I doubt it.) I might have to get the company to send the harnes/plug, or scavange a set from another kit that my neighbor has and is not using. (We upgraded his ballasts to the 55 watt "raptor" version from the "slim line" that were not always lighting up correctly when hot.)

The adapter to fit the stock low beams on the USDM lights appears very well made, and should locate the bulb exactly like stock.

As for the fog lights, I don't get fog here in Idaho much, if ever, so I only use them for extra fill light, and it's wider, so it aids in turning corners in the dark country roads around here. (And helps to light up that deer standing on the side of the road that's about to jump out and meet you at the last moment...)

I'm looking to wire my fogs so they will remain on when switched on, regardless of high beam use, and be able to put them on when the "running lights" are on, so as Daylight running lights too.

The US version does not have the small lamp, or "park lamp" on the EU version, just the high/low and park/turn signal bulb.

Now, any tips on how to remove the lamps?

Or easy method to remove the fogs? I'd like to remove all the lamps, and clean up the lenses, refinish or polish them to like new condition. (The fogs are very pitted by sand/gravel that is common around here in the winter, and this car started it's life in Maine, so I'm sure they have had snow/gravel/sand on the road there as well as salt. (Dang, it corrodes everything.)

ON a more positive note, my new rims and tires arrived from TireRack! I've put the 20" 5 spoke's with the 275/30 20's on the 2001 S8 that I had on my 2004 A8L before, and it's a tight fit. (And two of them have slight bends in the rim, very minor, can't tell if they are on back, but I know, and I can feel the vibration, and it bugs me, especially if they are up front as I have them now. The tires are more than 70% worn out, and new tires are over 1280.00 alone, and new rims and tires were under 1500.00 so a no brainer! (And I can sell the existing ones to someone for 650.00/550.00 easy as there is at least another summer on these tires.) These new ones are 20" as well, but only 255/35 20's with a 27" diameter, so the speedo should be very close to correct. The 275's are listed at 27.6, so better fuel economy in theory, and lower RPM at speed, but less "go" off the line.

I will miss the extra ground clearance however.

I'll have to throw up some photos when I get a chance.