I havean '03 jag xtype and installed an8000k xenonlink.com HID kit, the install was done right but i have one question, after i start my car and turn the lights on, the HIDS are super bright, then about 15 seconds after the car is on i can notice that the HIDs dim a bit , almost like a light switch loosing a little but of brightness,

is this normal?? i have a solid ground for the negative off the HID kit on each side..


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sounds weird. should be the other way around.

 

Are you referring to the amount of light cast on the road surface?

I am speculating here but I think it could be do to the fact that the 8000k kits emit less lumens than a lesser Kelvin scale and since the HID's go through the stages of different Kelvintempsthus emitting different wavelengths of lightwhen turned ontill the reach the final 8000k range.

Think of it as your lights brightness in terms of a guy walking up a hill, at about 4300K (the top of the hill) you can see a good view, guy continue to walk no slightly down hill now going through the 5500 and 6000k ranges, then the hill starts to get steeper downward passing through the 8000k, 10000k and 12000k ranges where the view and (light in this case) is less.

Anyone else have any thoughts on this?

 

Sorry for the confusion, I was pretty tired when I wrote all that.

I was referring to the fact that the as the Kelvin temp (4300k, 6000k, 8000k) goes up numerically the amount of "useable light" goes down.

Color Temperature is a measurement in Degrees Kelvin that indicates the hue of a specific type of light source. Many people believe the misconception that colour temperature is a rating of the brightness of the bulb orHid kit. This belief is completely false. The reality of the matter is that the higher the colour temperature, the less useable light output you will obtain. A perfect example would be a black light. This light has a colour temperature of approx 14,000k and has almost no useable light or lumens output. Higher K kits such as 12,000k, 14000k, etc. have been manufactured for individuals that are more concerned about the actual colour output of their lights as opposed to the actual useable light output.

And when a HID turns on and the plasma arc starts the arc gets hotter and hotter(in Kevlin) till it reaches its temperature that it was manufactured to have (the 4300k, 6000k, or 8000k, etc) and as the arc temp rises through all of these different degrees of Kelvin the amount of useable light therefore changes. This is where I was talking about as the guy walking down the hill represents the amount of useable light yet still the degrees in Kelvin continues to rise.

Hope that helps [sm=smiley20.gif]

 

That does make some sense, color temperature going to 8000 kelvin. If you like the immediate brightness when you started the ballasts, swap them out for 4300 K bulbs. You may try a different ballast also, those things are the key to the whole system. Is the dimming in both headlights? I went for the extra cost and got German ballasts...after all, they were the first to manufacture them.

 

2nd that . about the germans.

 

I have been looking at getting a HID kit from here: http://www.dxhid.com/exesdigitalhidkits.htm

They have digital circuitry in the ballasts andlow start-up voltages. They are not the cheapest out there but their group buys shave some bucks off.

They also offer a 55w HID kit as well. I was thinking of getting that kit to replace the Halogen Hi-beams. I do 90% of my driving at night on dark country roads so I really want some light cannons.

 

or maybe go to a 6000k. I think they give a good balance of color and light.

 

Hey tants I know what you speak of about the lights shining extremely bright when you start you car up the initial surge of the lights are extremely bright and than dim a bit and than once they warm up a few seconds they get brighter. The surge I'd imagine is from the lights initially turning on...

As for that nearly $300 hid kit I'd rather buy 4 of the depots lights that I have than buy one set of those! You'd have enough kits to put one in every year...

 

Chas, +1 on AQ's suggestion. HID kits are not worth $300 these days. Maybe a few years back the good ones were expensive, but you should find a good quality kit for around $100 shipped. Lots to choose from. Get the kits that have the ballast mounting brackets, not just 'double sided tape'. It works better when you find a place to secure them.