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HID replacment advice #1404108
16/01/2013 09:54
16/01/2013 09:54
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 8,925
Lightwater, Surrey
DaveG Offline OP
Club Treasurer Member 311
DaveG  Offline OP
Club Treasurer Member 311
Je suis un Coupé

Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 8,925
Lightwater, Surrey
I bought 2 sets of HID's from a seller on here a while back, and one of the ballasts packed up just over a year after purchase, so I wil not be buying from them again. I bought another ballast from China to match the original, but now another ballast (on the other car) has gone and I need another.

The ballasts I have are the big old chunky ones that take a large starting current and are slow to start up.

I've seen mention of "slim" and "digital" but there's also A/C and D/C confused

The HID kits I have are the ones where no relays are needed, and you just cut a little hole in the rubber cap at the rear to pass the cables through. Although the ballasts have been changing over the years, how about the bulbs? I'm noticing that some are now turning slightly yellow, should I replace them?

Given the low cost that some of these HID kits have fallen to, is it worth getting just new ballasts (I assume connectors will still be the same?)

Can all new slim/digital ballasts be use with older bulbs?

Is it the ballast that datermines how quickly the bulb gets to full brightness, or is it the bulb?

What's with A/C vs D/C?

Note: I won't need any CAN-bus stuff, my cars are too old for that!


1996 Portofino 20vt & 2000 Pearl White Plus
2008 Ferrari F430 & 2017 Fiat 124 Spider
Re: HID replacment advice [Re: DaveG] #1404111
16/01/2013 10:03
16/01/2013 10:03
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 5,207
ation
szkom Offline
Club member 2000
szkom  Offline
Club member 2000
Forum is my life

Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 5,207
ation
For the price of the kits I'd just buy a new kit. No problems with connections/differing bulb colour.

Can't help with which kit to buy. Always had the large packs, but haven't been bothered by the bulb warming up.

Re: HID replacment advice [Re: DaveG] #1404157
16/01/2013 11:58
16/01/2013 11:58

N
nismo
Unregistered
nismo
Unregistered
N



here you go , they are in the uk so should only take a couple of days to get to you , slim ballasts and only £15 delivered -

35w 8000k kit -

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NIB-High-...cles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3f1ec83632

35w 6000k kit -

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NIB-High-...cles_CarParts_SM&hash=item416e0cf5a8

Re: HID replacment advice [Re: DaveG] #1404158
16/01/2013 11:58
16/01/2013 11:58
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 21,083
Chertsey in the Thames
bockers Offline
Hon Club Member 007
bockers  Offline
Hon Club Member 007
Forum Fossil

Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 21,083
Chertsey in the Thames
Yep, I am with szkom, get a complete kit and for more light go for 55w and 4300k light temp

Re: HID replacment advice [Re: ] #1404181
16/01/2013 13:27
16/01/2013 13:27
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 4,839
Haslemere, Surrey
M
Mark_S Offline
Forum is my job
Mark_S  Offline
Forum is my job
M

Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 4,839
Haslemere, Surrey
Originally Posted by nismo
here you go , they are in the uk so should only take a couple of days to get to you , slim ballasts and only £15 delivered -

35w 8000k kit -

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NIB-High-...cles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3f1ec83632

35w 6000k kit -

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NIB-High-...cles_CarParts_SM&hash=item416e0cf5a8


Only £15 that is cheap! I had a failutre on my Stilo and purchased a complete kit, so on strip out I knew I'd have what I neeeded (bulb or transformer)to hand.. Personnaly I'd go with the 6000k to have the white colour, above or below is tinted yellow or blue


997 C4S
Re: HID replacment advice [Re: Mark_S] #1404302
16/01/2013 20:06
16/01/2013 20:06

S
Steamer
Unregistered
Steamer
Unregistered
S



Are these Hids any good at this price?
Seem too good to be true

Re: HID replacment advice [Re: DaveG] #1404339
16/01/2013 22:39
16/01/2013 22:39
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 8,925
Lightwater, Surrey
DaveG Offline OP
Club Treasurer Member 311
DaveG  Offline OP
Club Treasurer Member 311
Je suis un Coupé

Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 8,925
Lightwater, Surrey
I need H7's for non-Coupe cars, they seem more expensive for some reason, but it's all relative I guess, the first set I fitted to the Coupe some 10 years ago or so with separate relays and all (not plug n play like now) cost over £200 in a group buy from the US...

So are all early/old ballasts A/C and only the cheap as chips new ones D/C? Or is A/C just the latest innovation? Do all the A/C ones come with a separate inverter (easy to spot extra little box 'twixt ballast and bilb) ordo some have the inverter inside the ballast casing?


1996 Portofino 20vt & 2000 Pearl White Plus
2008 Ferrari F430 & 2017 Fiat 124 Spider
Re: HID replacment advice [Re: ] #1404350
16/01/2013 23:07
16/01/2013 23:07

M
MiniMan64
Unregistered
MiniMan64
Unregistered
M



Originally Posted by nismo
here you go , they are in the uk so should only take a couple of days to get to you , slim ballasts and only £15 delivered -

35w 8000k kit -

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NIB-High-...cles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3f1ec83632

35w 6000k kit -

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NIB-High-...cles_CarParts_SM&hash=item416e0cf5a8


How much difference do they make? How easy to fit?

As a new owner I'm already a bit bored of the pitful lights

Re: HID replacment advice [Re: DaveG] #1404383
17/01/2013 00:43
17/01/2013 00:43
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 22,313
Aldershot
PeteP Offline
Hon Club Member 005, Membership Secretary
PeteP  Offline
Hon Club Member 005, Membership Secretary
Forum Fossil

Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 22,313
Aldershot
Those examples above are being sent from Shanghai, so they could be picked up for duty and VAT by HMRC when they come into the country.

They will take several days to get here, more if they get picked up by customs.


16VT and X1/9 1500 + e208 Peugeot

We must all do our part for the planet.
I unplugged a row of electric cars that nobody was using.
I even unplugged my own.
Re: HID replacment advice [Re: DaveG] #1404847
19/01/2013 00:37
19/01/2013 00:37

N
nismo
Unregistered
nismo
Unregistered
N



They are in the UK Pete if you check the shipping for the item.

MiniMan64 , yes hids make a big difference over the standard coupe lights . Easy to fit and should only take you 30mins to do , they are just plug and play units , I think there is a how too guide on installing them .

how too guide - http://www.fiatcoupeclub.org/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=457043#Post457043

Re: HID replacment advice [Re: DaveG] #1404888
19/01/2013 11:51
19/01/2013 11:51

N
nismo
Unregistered
nismo
Unregistered
N



DaveG , found these on ebay for you . ( not for the coupe )

H7 35w 6000k , £18 delivered -

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Car-Xenon...cles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3f1ed7c368

H7 55w 8000k , £20 delivered -

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Xenon-HID...cles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3f1e0c0b77

Re: HID replacment advice [Re: DaveG] #1404996
19/01/2013 17:46
19/01/2013 17:46

M
mrvandango
Unregistered
mrvandango
Unregistered
M



Great link nismo, just ordered a set. Top man! That's cheaper than a decent set of standard lamps yipee

Re: HID replacment advice [Re: DaveG] #1404999
19/01/2013 17:49
19/01/2013 17:49

N
nismo
Unregistered
nismo
Unregistered
N



thumb

Re: HID replacment advice [Re: DaveG] #1405014
19/01/2013 19:28
19/01/2013 19:28
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 820
Trowbridge,Wiltshire
jon13 Offline
Enjoying the ride
jon13  Offline
Enjoying the ride

Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 820
Trowbridge,Wiltshire
So how comes there are AC/DC variants? Does this matter?Which is best if so?


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