mblouir
I need a hobby.
Yep XenonLinks are good ones, too. I was tossed up on several brands.
HID kit + glare = find a solution
- Thread starter mblouir
- Start date
mblouir
I need a hobby.
First update:
Got the HIDs installed. The kit they provide is much easier to work with than the last one I had. More room for positioning the ballasts and wiring harness controller. Also more length of the wires.
I'll likely start on a design tomorrow and see what I can do. For now I aimed them down quite far. First design will come from a NOS energy drink can. It's thicker than a regular soda can but thinner than other options. It will make a good starting point for fabrication---the easier it is to bend the easier I can make small changes. Once (or should I say, IF) I get a design finalized I will get a thicker can to make it out of.
I don't want to speak too soon, but I almost want to say these have less glare than the last set I had. It was daylight in these pics so maybe the glare wasn't showing up, so I'll take a few more pics tonight. I did notice some very faint.....not really flickering....but pulsating of the bulbs. I am thinking it's just me looking too close, but I'll check that tonight, too.
(White balance must have been off in this pic....that's why the light looks greenish--I hope
)
Got the HIDs installed. The kit they provide is much easier to work with than the last one I had. More room for positioning the ballasts and wiring harness controller. Also more length of the wires.
I'll likely start on a design tomorrow and see what I can do. For now I aimed them down quite far. First design will come from a NOS energy drink can. It's thicker than a regular soda can but thinner than other options. It will make a good starting point for fabrication---the easier it is to bend the easier I can make small changes. Once (or should I say, IF) I get a design finalized I will get a thicker can to make it out of.
I don't want to speak too soon, but I almost want to say these have less glare than the last set I had. It was daylight in these pics so maybe the glare wasn't showing up, so I'll take a few more pics tonight. I did notice some very faint.....not really flickering....but pulsating of the bulbs. I am thinking it's just me looking too close, but I'll check that tonight, too.
(White balance must have been off in this pic....that's why the light looks greenish--I hope
)
Shanks12
Will You Join My WolfPack?
looks good man, looking forward to seeing this through!
mblouir
I need a hobby.
Thanks Mark, I am too!
Update 2: Night Pics
As you can see, the color is also where it should be. Both of these are 35w 5000K.....which should be pure white. The DDMs are in the fogs and are quite blue in comparison. Oh well.
Glare is still there, just not visible in the daytime. I still feel it's not as bad as the DDMs were, but I could be wrong. Looks like this will be a project after all. My goal will be to fab something that will cover the bottom portion of the bulb, as that's where the glare comes from. Whatever hits the lower half of the round reflector is bounced upward.
Update 2: Night Pics
As you can see, the color is also where it should be. Both of these are 35w 5000K.....which should be pure white. The DDMs are in the fogs and are quite blue in comparison. Oh well.
Glare is still there, just not visible in the daytime. I still feel it's not as bad as the DDMs were, but I could be wrong. Looks like this will be a project after all. My goal will be to fab something that will cover the bottom portion of the bulb, as that's where the glare comes from. Whatever hits the lower half of the round reflector is bounced upward.
Shanks12
Will You Join My WolfPack?
better be ready to mass produce these once you get it to work!
I know when I get some HID's i'll be needing a set haha
I know when I get some HID's i'll be needing a set haha
mblouir
I need a hobby.
I am contemplating.
mblouir
I need a hobby.
Update 3: First Try
This may be easier than I thought. The way this bulb is set up all I have to do is stick a piece of curved foil in. Hopefully that's all it takes and I just have to play with the sizing and position. Here are a few shots of the setup I just tried. The pics don't quite do it justice---it definitely helps. Driver's side is done. You can see the difference it makes in the housing. I'm about to make a bigger one and see if that helps.
The worst part about this is that on our F150s we can't remove the bulb without removing the headlight housing....so that has to go on and off every time.
This may just work.
This may be easier than I thought. The way this bulb is set up all I have to do is stick a piece of curved foil in. Hopefully that's all it takes and I just have to play with the sizing and position. Here are a few shots of the setup I just tried. The pics don't quite do it justice---it definitely helps. Driver's side is done. You can see the difference it makes in the housing. I'm about to make a bigger one and see if that helps.
The worst part about this is that on our F150s we can't remove the bulb without removing the headlight housing....so that has to go on and off every time.
This may just work.
mblouir
I need a hobby.
Update 4: Almost Done
This has worked rather well....better than I expected it would. I'm going to call it a night and pick it up at a later time. What I'll do to improve on this design is make it sturdier (thicker can) and preferably give it a permanent attachment rather than a spot of super glue.
Again the pics don't do it justice, but the cutoff is amazing. Glare is essentially gone. The ambient light above the headlight spots is coming from the sidewalk (bouncing up). I'm parked pretty close to the building, so everything is magnified. If I go out tonight I'll take some pictures from a distance off a building. So far so good.
Best part is there's no complicated design. A rectangle of aluminum.
First shot is looking directly at the headlight (left side is passenger light before). You can even tell from the picture that it's easier on the eyes. Second shot is glare comparison.
This has worked rather well....better than I expected it would. I'm going to call it a night and pick it up at a later time. What I'll do to improve on this design is make it sturdier (thicker can) and preferably give it a permanent attachment rather than a spot of super glue.
Again the pics don't do it justice, but the cutoff is amazing. Glare is essentially gone. The ambient light above the headlight spots is coming from the sidewalk (bouncing up). I'm parked pretty close to the building, so everything is magnified. If I go out tonight I'll take some pictures from a distance off a building. So far so good.
Best part is there's no complicated design. A rectangle of aluminum.
First shot is looking directly at the headlight (left side is passenger light before). You can even tell from the picture that it's easier on the eyes. Second shot is glare comparison.
Looks like you're making progress Matt.
Shanks12
Will You Join My WolfPack?
yep, looks good Matt... To think.. something so simple that makes such a big difference
