HID conversions too bright?

[normcloutier]

There are several comments throughout the forum where people who have installed the 55 watt HID conversion kits say the lights are too bright. Could anyone who believes so comment as to what exactly is the concern? Are other drivers flashing you thinking you are on high beam? I can't imagine ever having lights that are too bright when driving down the highway at night where deer and wildlife can jump out onto the road. Does anyone know the values for the factory installed HID's? 35 or 55 watt? Color temp?

[Dingo]

Factory is 35W, 4300K.

[mmcclure]

I installed 55W 6000K and they were a bit blue. Changed them out for 55W 5000 and they are good. Close to the Benz crisp lights and no complaints from on coming traffic.

[dr.edge]

I installed the 55W 6000k and while they had a bit of a blue tinge, that was the effect I was looking for. So far they've been great and no indication from any oncoming drivers that they were too bright.

 

The key is to make sure that they're aimed correctly after swapping out the bulbs.

Edited April 10, 2012 by dr.edge

[wlepse]

I had 55W 5k in my last ride..properly aimed in projectors you shouldn't have a problem with blinding on coming vehicles. I did find they were very bright, so much so I never used high beams. I had tons of light a useable distance down the road and a lot of spread on the sides looking for deer and bear. But with that said some do say they have issues with so much light up close that the eye adjusts and doesn't let you see long distances as well. I didn't really notice this but to be honest the roads by me are pretty twisty so you don't have long stretches of flat road to notice this effect.

[c_bova]

35w 4500k look really good on mine. a lot better than stock but not over whelming for oncoming traffic. they are pretty white.

[exodus]

I have 55w 6K bulbs they have a touch of blue. But that's what I was looking for. As for being to bright I don't think there is such thing. You install HID's for brightness the brighter they are the more you see on the road. If anyone is concerned for the other drivers don't be. They will see you. Better to be brighter then not.

[c_bova]

it's not that they can't see you, it's the fact that you blind them from being able to see anything else. if there is one thing i hate is when the car coming towards me blinds me and you can't really see anything. yeah you can look at the lines and be fine, but my biggest fear is a deer jumping out at that moment and not being able to see ahead of me to stop for it.

[The Outrage]

The additional illumination from higher wattage lighting causes your pupils to constrict to compensate for the increased incoming light. The side effect of this constriction is that areas outside the direct illumination zone will be more difficult to see (think beyond the range of the headlights, the sides of the road, the view out of the side windows, and visibility out of the rear). The increase in forward illumination will come at the expense of visibility every other direction due the way the human eye works. It is too slow to respond the constantly varying light levels it is subjected to during night time driving. Stock levels of illumination attempt to strike a balance between sufficient forward illumination and sufficient visibility in other directions.

Edited April 11, 2012 by The Outrage

[Edgieguy]

I have 55w 5000 and re-aimed my lamps as soon as i installed the HID bulbs. Never had anyone hi-beam me thinking that my brights were on.