Member Since: 05 Dec 2017
Location: Ingatestone
Posts: 266
Is it worth upgrading HID bulbs?
I have a pair of HSE HID units arriving this week, while they’re out is it worth upgrading the bulbs?
There are lots of upgrade bulbs available for Halogen units but I can’t recall seeing any for HID units, is it just something that you don’t bother upgrading???
Thanks
9th Jan 2018 11:09 pm
discoteca
Member Since: 08 Mar 2010
Location: Warwickshire
Posts: 1477
I did, Nightbreaker Unlimited D3S. Much improved.
9th Jan 2018 11:30 pm
Space Cadet
Member Since: 05 Dec 2017
Location: Ingatestone
Posts: 266
Thanks mate, holy they’re expensive though! Circa £150 for a pair!!
I will try the new HID lights out as they are first, hopefully they’ll be a noticeable improvement on my halogens as it is, if not then can try your better HID bulbss.
Don't bother with upgrade bulbs - you get a shorter life and there's negligible difference in performance, because the standard bulbs (reputable ones, that is) already meet the legal limit of 3200lm.
HID bulbs do deteriorate considerably with age however, so if the bulbs are old, replacing them will make a real difference. Using the money you save from not buying upgrade bulbs to replace your bulbs more often is a better way to maximise performance.
https://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/d3s-osra...-bulb.htmlCurrent: Discovery 3 06MY (55 reg) HSE Auto Zambezi Silver Allisport Fast Road Intercooler, V8 Brakes, Silicone IC Hoses, EGRs Blanked, Remapped, De-Cat pipe, FBHIC
Freelander 2 2007 HSE Manual Tambora Flame
Previous: FL2 56 reg SE Manual Black (written off )
Disco 3 06 reg B7S Manual Rimini Red
Disco 2 TD5 Y reg ES Manual Blue - Chipped
Several Discovery 300 TDis
10th Jan 2018 11:05 am
Space Cadet
Member Since: 05 Dec 2017
Location: Ingatestone
Posts: 266
Hi again LFW, thanks for all your help and previous help!
As a rough rule of thumb, how often should they be replaced? Every x-months?? I appreciate that one may have a 12 month old car that is used for 10 hours every night, or a 60 month car that’s never used at night, but just a rough idea please?
As far as I am aware my new HID headlights have come from a low-milage 2015 HSE that was sent to Kahn (the car ‘stylists’), therefore it’s probably lead a ‘normal’ family-car life.
Really depends. The Osram bulbs linked have official figures of 2000 hours B3 (97% still working) and 4000 hours TC (Two-thirds have failed) - but they will be very poor by the time it comes to actually blowing.
I tend to think of them as great for a year, OK for two, and with a maximum life of three (though my Disco 3 bulbs are D2S rather than the second generation D3S which have a slightly longer life), but as you say, it depends greatly on how long they are used for (and fewer startup cycles will improve the life too). How frequently you want to change them then depends on performance vs budget. Anything more than annually is probably excessive unless they are used a huge amount. And of course, the usage is seasonal so you'll make the most of them if you change them in autumn.
A rough judgement can be made by trial and error by observing the difference when you do change the bulbs, but it's quite hard to tell before you actually change them. The easiest way to notice the deterioration is that you'll find it harder to see on dipped beam with oncomming vehicles; but they can get very bad until you notice, at which point you change them and wonder how you ever managed before!
Hope that helps. Current: Discovery 3 06MY (55 reg) HSE Auto Zambezi Silver Allisport Fast Road Intercooler, V8 Brakes, Silicone IC Hoses, EGRs Blanked, Remapped, De-Cat pipe, FBHIC
Freelander 2 2007 HSE Manual Tambora Flame
Previous: FL2 56 reg SE Manual Black (written off )
Disco 3 06 reg B7S Manual Rimini Red
Disco 2 TD5 Y reg ES Manual Blue - Chipped
Several Discovery 300 TDis
10th Jan 2018 1:02 pm
dgardel
Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: Greater Venice
Posts: 2025
discoteca wrote:
I did, Nightbreaker Unlimited D3S. Much improved.
+ 1 ! and LED H7 bulbs on high beam lights (on pre MY2014 MY)Discovery 5 tdv6 HSE Corris Gray Outback Engineering Limited Edition IID Pro MV License
10th Jan 2018 1:07 pm
Space Cadet
Member Since: 05 Dec 2017
Location: Ingatestone
Posts: 266
Thanks all
I've founds some on Amazon for £55 each, so I might just bite the bullet and fit them at the same time as the units.
Please excuse my ignorance, but are all HID bulbs the same fitment (eg Halogens come in H1 or H7 etc etc), do I literally just order "OSRAM XENARC NIGHT BREAKER UNLIMITED D3S"?
There doesn't look to be any different fitments..??
Be very careful that they're not counterfeit - there are huge numbers of Osram fakes floating around, and you certainly don't want them failing on you.
The first generation of HID bulbs are D1S/D1R and D2S/D2R. The S and R denotes their suitability for projector (S) or reflector (R) systems. The R bulbs have an anti-glare strip on them and a lower output of 2800lm. The second generation are just the same, in D3S/R and D4S/R formats, but they are mercury-free and run at a lower voltage of 42V (vs 85V). The D1x and D3x bulbs have built in ignitors (the square box), and the D2x and D4x don't.
There are more bulbs (D5 & 6) etc. rated at 25W too...
So yes, there are various formats and you're looking for D3S. Current: Discovery 3 06MY (55 reg) HSE Auto Zambezi Silver Allisport Fast Road Intercooler, V8 Brakes, Silicone IC Hoses, EGRs Blanked, Remapped, De-Cat pipe, FBHIC
Freelander 2 2007 HSE Manual Tambora Flame
Previous: FL2 56 reg SE Manual Black (written off )
Disco 3 06 reg B7S Manual Rimini Red
Disco 2 TD5 Y reg ES Manual Blue - Chipped
Several Discovery 300 TDis
10th Jan 2018 2:18 pm
dgardel
Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: Greater Venice
Posts: 2025
Space Cadet wrote:
Thanks all
I've founds some on Amazon for £55 each, so I might just bite the bullet and fit them at the same time as the units.
Please excuse my ignorance, but are all HID bulbs the same fitment (eg Halogens come in H1 or H7 etc etc), do I literally just order "OSRAM XENARC NIGHT BREAKER UNLIMITED D3S"?
There doesn't look to be any different fitments..??
Member Since: 05 Dec 2017
Location: Ingatestone
Posts: 266
Thanks all
I’ve ordered a pair of D3S’ from Amazon, they’re sold by Amazon themselves and there is a dedicated page to them therefore you would assume all was legitimate, but I will check once they arrive as there is apparently a ‘trust program code sticker’ on the box that you use to check the authenticity.
10th Jan 2018 3:27 pm
discoteca
Member Since: 08 Mar 2010
Location: Warwickshire
Posts: 1477
They're to fit, need little fingers
10th Jan 2018 7:17 pm
Space Cadet
Member Since: 05 Dec 2017
Location: Ingatestone
Posts: 266
The bulbs arrived today, I followed the Q-Code link and filled in the details and all is legit.
So all I have to do now is fit them to the units and then the units themselves to the car and then enable it all on using the IID Tool.........................!!
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they’re expensive though! Circa £150 for a pair!!
Allisport Fast Road Intercooler, V8 Brakes, Silicone IC Hoses, EGRs Blanked, Remapped, De-Cat pipe, FBHIC
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