Depo vs Sonar and then some other questions

[chauncey0337]

Most true HID projectors are ECE compatible...the European standard for the way light should be output, cutoff, beam shape, etc. It is stricter than SAE standards, which is the U.S. version, and doesn't allow as much glare or light into on-coming lanes. So, if you throw an HID capsule designed for an ECE projector into an SAE projector approved for halogen...it's going to allow even more glare, extra light, worse cutoff, etc.

It is in essence a limitation of design and the standards which the designs are made for. If you get a true HID projector, the light will be spread and cutoff to ECE standards, thus making glare minimal and insuring the best use of the output light.

Many halogen projectors, especially aftermarket ones, are also made with poor materials and optics. Mine are glass lenses with a specific focus. If you get an aftermarket light, you are most likely not getting something with much R&D behind it, and the lens is probably made of plastic.

The U.S. is really behind in automotive lighting standards.

Thanks, that's good info but still doesn't answer my question. Sorry, I should have been more clear. Robert K and I have the same headlights. He has hids and I have halogens. Why does his output look like pupils of an eye, which is not good output and why do mine look like this, which I think is pretty good output (let me know if it's not). Is it the color, temp, etc? Also, I thought the cutoff was produced by a shield behind the projector?

 

[DenaliAK]

Thanks, that's good info but still doesn't answer my question. Sorry, I should have been more clear. Robert K and I have the same headlights. He has hids and I have halogens. Why does his output look like pupils of an eye, which is not good output and why do mine look like this, which I think is pretty good output (let me know if it's not). Is it the color, temp, etc? Also, I thought the cutoff was produced by a shield behind the projector?

Ahhh, I gotcha now. And you know, I'm not sure why there seems to be such a huge difference. You both have a sharp cutoff, so there is a cutoff shield in there, which is a good sign. Robert.K's lights are hard to judge based on those photos because they are too close. I'd like to see them against a flat wall from 20-30 feet away, but it looks to me like a good example of an HID simply over-powering a halogen projector. There is more light produced, so more to control, and given the optics it just doesn't do it very well.

That's my first guess, anyway. It'd be really interesting to see yours with HID's, because it could just be a quality control issue with his.

(your cutoff is spot-on, btw...no worries there)

 

[Robert.K]

Knowing about the different standards now makes me aware of why I think mine look that way. If it's not the lense it's probally the way I retrofitted my hid in them. They came with the h1 bulb and I cut it out and put in my hids. Didn't know anything about focus so that might be a reason. Out of town now, but as soon as I get back I will take pics of the back. Really need to figure this out. For you all with sonars, what size projectors do you all have?

 

[Tahoewhat]

If you have the sonars, the halos are 85mm.

Thanks, yep i have the sonars halos.

Knowing about the different standards now makes me aware of why I think mine look that way. If it's not the lense it's probally the way I retrofitted my hid in them. They came with the h1 bulb and I cut it out and put in my hids. Didn't know anything about focus so that might be a reason. Out of town now, but as soon as I get back I will take pics of the back. Really need to figure this out. For you all with sonars, what size projectors do you all have?

that is the same thing i had to do. I drilled out the hole wrong, and that is why mine look no so good. But to me, even w/ the factory bulbs in these halo sonar project. of mine, they still were not very good. I think the depos have a better output. Ive seen them w/ hids and its look more crisp to me.

 

[chauncey0337]

That's my first guess, anyway. It'd be really interesting to see yours with HID's, because it could just be a quality control issue with his.

(your cutoff is spot-on, btw...no worries there)

To tell you the truth, after seeing Robert Ks output, I'm kinda inclined to keep mine halogen but I want to go HID so bad. I'm so confused, lol.

 

[DenaliAK]

To tell you the truth, after seeing Robert Ks output, I'm kinda inclined to keep mine halogen but I want to go HID so bad. I'm so confused, lol.

Just get a $30 DDM Tuning HID H1 kit and do a direct bulb swap and see how they do. Cutoff looks good, so that might work fine. If it doesn't, it's not a huge investment. That's what I'd do in your shoes.

 

[chauncey0337]

Just get a $30 DDM Tuning HID H1 kit and do a direct bulb swap and see how they do. Cutoff looks good, so that might work fine. If it doesn't, it's not a huge investment. That's what I'd do in your shoes.

But what if I have to drill out my housings like they did? Will I be able to go back to halogen if I don't like 'em?

 

[DenaliAK]

But what if I have to drill out my housings like they did? Will I be able to go back to halogen if I don't like 'em?

Unless it's a totally screwed up design, you should be able to just turn the bulb a quarter turn and pop it out, then do the reverse for the HID. I honestly can't think of a reason you'd need to cut or modify anything to do this. Easy way to check, though: open your hood and take a peek. The HID's should fit in the existing sockets.

 

[Physh1]

Thanks, that's good info but still doesn't answer my question. Sorry, I should have been more clear. Robert K and I have the same headlights. He has hids and I have halogens. Why does his output look like pupils of an eye, which is not good output and why do mine look like this, which I think is pretty good output (let me know if it's not). Is it the color, temp, etc? Also, I thought the cutoff was produced by a shield behind the projector?

HID bulbs and Halogens have drastically different characteristics with how light is emitted from the bulb. There are even differences in light output characteristics in HID bulbs...example...

D2R & D2S bulbs. Simply, D2R is a HID bulb that was designed for HID reflector housings & the D2S was designed soley for a HID projector applications. The D2R has a painted portion on the bulb itself to block certain areas of the bulb that would cause excessive glare in the housing. A D2S bulb is completely clear and give out the most efficiency of the two.

There are OEM bulbs & blackmarket bulbs. Consistency on OEM bulbs is generally spot on BUT blackmarket bulbs vary heavily in arc chamber shape, arc chamber position, light color, light intensity, etc. and may not be tested at all. If the shape & position of the arc chambers are not in the specified location you get weird looking cut-offs, decreased intensity, difference colors, etc.

Generic aftermarket projector housings for our trucks aren't designed for HID...they are designed (and I use that term loosely) for halogen light patterns & output. Slap a blackmarket HID kit in there & you'll get more light but who knows of the quality.

HID's require design & thought from ballast to optics to cutoff to bulb to the arc characteristics.

In short, yours look better because you're using your housing properly with halogens. It's not an HID setup & who knows what his bulbs are doing. There are halogen housings, halogen projector housings, HID reflector housings, & HID projector housings. With all the bulbs (OEM & blackmarket) with varying quality & all the housings it's not hard to see that incompatibilities are common & results are less than ideal for most people.

Either way, the best way to do HID's is to do a real retro with real OEM HID parts. It's work and a little expensive (mine was $500 total for a DIY) but sooooooo worth it.

Cameron

 

[chauncey0337]

Thanks DenaliAK and Physh1 for shedding some light on my problem, no pun intended, lol.