ultra-bright cabin light upgrade - and cool video...
11-21-2009, 03:21 PM
#1
Team Owner
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: one thousand, five hundred miles north of Ft. Lauderdale for the summer.
Posts: 28,704
Received 212 Likes
on
153 Posts
ultra-bright cabin light upgrade - and cool video...
the stock setup basically blows... so this upgrade was a no-brainer.
btw guys, i found a KILLER VIDEO on the 993 forum posted by "autobonrun..."
DON'T TRY THIS WITH YOUR PORSCHE ! -- but, please post comments !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQhfcdQf1QA
the individual lights come with adhesive backing... i just stuck [10 of them in all] up against a thin sheet of veneer.
and done in 20 minutes.
the 200 light array measures 8" x 2 1/2" and fits perfectly in between the visors of my 968 with velcro for easy removal/bulb changes.
Uses about as much power as an ant walking up your leg.
i might do them over... orient them 2 by 7 so that i can stack a total of 14 - 20-bulb arrays in a space of 3" x 9" -- making the cabin really light up...
whadaya think ?
http://www.sourcingmap.com/car-auto-...p-p-44471.html
./
btw guys, i found a KILLER VIDEO on the 993 forum posted by "autobonrun..."
DON'T TRY THIS WITH YOUR PORSCHE ! -- but, please post comments !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQhfcdQf1QA
the individual lights come with adhesive backing... i just stuck [10 of them in all] up against a thin sheet of veneer.
and done in 20 minutes.
the 200 light array measures 8" x 2 1/2" and fits perfectly in between the visors of my 968 with velcro for easy removal/bulb changes.
Uses about as much power as an ant walking up your leg.
i might do them over... orient them 2 by 7 so that i can stack a total of 14 - 20-bulb arrays in a space of 3" x 9" -- making the cabin really light up...
whadaya think ?
http://www.sourcingmap.com/car-auto-...p-p-44471.html
./
Last edited by odurandina; 11-22-2009 at 03:09 PM.
11-21-2009, 03:30 PM
#2
Rennlist Member
Are you wanting to tan while driving?! 
Saw some LED arrays at AutoZone that are about 1/4 that size, was thinking of replacing the rear hatch area light. In the link you provided, how do you know which blade in the bulb socket is (+) and (-)?
Over the next 10 yrs, LEDs are going to revolutionize lighting.
Saw some LED arrays at AutoZone that are about 1/4 that size, was thinking of replacing the rear hatch area light. In the link you provided, how do you know which blade in the bulb socket is (+) and (-)?
Over the next 10 yrs, LEDs are going to revolutionize lighting.
11-21-2009, 09:09 PM
#3
Team Owner
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: one thousand, five hundred miles north of Ft. Lauderdale for the summer.
Posts: 28,704
Received 212 Likes
on
153 Posts
don't miss the last link in this post !!
believe it or not, its NOT too bright to have on even while driving... the lights don't get in your eyes at all.
but it does what it needs to do -- LIGHT UP THE CAR when getting in or out or if you're trying to read something.
as to the polarity of the arrays -- they are so lame !! every single light is random !!
as you keep adding them to the circuit, you just need to try and see which wire is the real + / - using a 9 volt battery.
don't worry, you won't blow any of the bulbs... same goes for when you light up the array in your car...
I also have a question;
does anyone know what the deal is on using one of those xenon lamps... for your headlamps ??
http://www.shopxenon.com/vi_60.htm
i like the diamond white 6000 k lights in the photo below.
would anyone using them run into problems with the law ??
what does your particular state do about these headlamps if they are not native to your vehicle ?
./
but it does what it needs to do -- LIGHT UP THE CAR when getting in or out or if you're trying to read something.
as to the polarity of the arrays -- they are so lame !! every single light is random !!
as you keep adding them to the circuit, you just need to try and see which wire is the real + / - using a 9 volt battery.
don't worry, you won't blow any of the bulbs... same goes for when you light up the array in your car...
I also have a question;
does anyone know what the deal is on using one of those xenon lamps... for your headlamps ??
http://www.shopxenon.com/vi_60.htm
i like the diamond white 6000 k lights in the photo below.
would anyone using them run into problems with the law ??
what does your particular state do about these headlamps if they are not native to your vehicle ?
./
Last edited by odurandina; 11-22-2009 at 02:58 PM.
11-22-2009, 03:07 PM
#5
Team Owner
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: one thousand, five hundred miles north of Ft. Lauderdale for the summer.
Posts: 28,704
Received 212 Likes
on
153 Posts
I guess the answer wasn't as hard to find after-all.
from wiki.
True xenon headlights are legal in all 50 states. True xenon lights are sometimes confused with "blue headlights". True xenon lights do give off a very slight, barely noticeable blue tint, but still appear white, which allows it to comply with the white colored headlamp requirement in all 50 states. Many fake or pseudo xenon lights are marketed to unsuspecting buyers. These lights are in fact illegal to put on a public roadway. They are legal to put on your vehicle as long as you don't put the vehicle on the highway. As of 2008 the only factory legal xenon lights come on BMW, Mercedes, and some other high end European sedans. The aftermarket xenon conversion kits being sold are not true xenon lights and are not legal. An easy way to tell if the lights are illegal is if they give off a very noticeable blue color when viewed looking toward the vehicle from outside of it.
In US aftermarket conversion is illegal. Some countries have the law only for OEM (factory fitted) Xenon lights like UK. Other countries have no such law and you can do what ever you want.
As example by the law in UK Xenon lights can be fitted if headlights are with self leveling and washer system installed. Sample: BMW 740 (E38) 1998 have all these features installed means it is legal.
from wiki.
True xenon headlights are legal in all 50 states. True xenon lights are sometimes confused with "blue headlights". True xenon lights do give off a very slight, barely noticeable blue tint, but still appear white, which allows it to comply with the white colored headlamp requirement in all 50 states. Many fake or pseudo xenon lights are marketed to unsuspecting buyers. These lights are in fact illegal to put on a public roadway. They are legal to put on your vehicle as long as you don't put the vehicle on the highway. As of 2008 the only factory legal xenon lights come on BMW, Mercedes, and some other high end European sedans. The aftermarket xenon conversion kits being sold are not true xenon lights and are not legal. An easy way to tell if the lights are illegal is if they give off a very noticeable blue color when viewed looking toward the vehicle from outside of it.
In US aftermarket conversion is illegal. Some countries have the law only for OEM (factory fitted) Xenon lights like UK. Other countries have no such law and you can do what ever you want.
As example by the law in UK Xenon lights can be fitted if headlights are with self leveling and washer system installed. Sample: BMW 740 (E38) 1998 have all these features installed means it is legal.
11-22-2009, 03:14 PM
#6
Rainman
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
i believe the legality issue is due to the dot lenses on standard headlamps being made to cast a certain light pattern from a halogen bulb. a xenon is brighter and when it goes to that casting pattern it can impair vision of oncoming drivers. if you look at bmw headlights they have different lensing to project the light outward rather than cast it out
Trending Topics
05-23-2016, 07:21 PM
#11
Rennlist Member
If you run xenon lamps in a standard bulb housing, you may be in trouble..The reflector shape and lens shaping are totally different for xenons and especially LEDs for headlights. You may get better than stock lighting out of the xenons, but they are not compatible at least in the engineering sense. If you go the xenon route you will need a transformer capable of putting out 60K volts (ballpark) to get them to fire up...very low amps, I'm sure. That's one reason why they are a 1000.00 dollar option on a new car..(ballpark again). Just my .02 cents.
05-23-2016, 10:06 PM
#13
Team Owner
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: one thousand, five hundred miles north of Ft. Lauderdale for the summer.
Posts: 28,704
Received 212 Likes
on
153 Posts
They're bright as hell and obnoxious.
If you run xenon lamps in a standard bulb housing, you may be in trouble..The reflector shape and lens shaping are totally different for xenons and especially LEDs for headlights. You may get better than stock lighting out of the xenons, but they are not compatible at least in the engineering sense. If you go the xenon route you will need a transformer capable of putting out 60K volts (ballpark) to get them to fire up...very low amps, I'm sure. That's one reason why they are a 1000.00 dollar option on a new car..(ballpark again). Just my .02 cents.
.
05-24-2016, 01:59 AM
#14
Advanced
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Indiana
Posts: 64
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I have HID conversion in both my pickup and my car, and at least in Indiana, most police will only have a problem with them if they are NOT in a projector housing.
The projector housing has a small plate inside that causes a very clean and clear "cutoff" line, as to keep the light below fellow drivers eyes and rear windows. My truck is lifted, so I had to use my buddy's SUV as a guide to re-aim the cutoff line. Whenever I am driving down the road, the cutoff never goes above an oncoming hood (unless they are corvette low or lower maybe) or above someone's rear window in front of me.
Most people who are annoyed by the "blue" HID xenon lights are most likely offended by people who cheap out and convert only the bulb and don't also install and properly aim a projector housing. It seems IMO that a projector properly focuses the beam as to eliminate some of the blue tint as well. Another REALLY bad effect is when the vehicle is older and maybe not well cared for, and the headlights are badly fogged over, the fogging and possible hairline cracking "catches" some of the light right at the housing and is blinding, a crystal clear lens allows the light to pass through and looks much cleaner. It's also worth noting that the projector housing also makes much more efficient use of the light than a factory lamp housing.
I'm with odurandina as my color of choice is also 8000K.
The projector housing has a small plate inside that causes a very clean and clear "cutoff" line, as to keep the light below fellow drivers eyes and rear windows. My truck is lifted, so I had to use my buddy's SUV as a guide to re-aim the cutoff line. Whenever I am driving down the road, the cutoff never goes above an oncoming hood (unless they are corvette low or lower maybe) or above someone's rear window in front of me.
Most people who are annoyed by the "blue" HID xenon lights are most likely offended by people who cheap out and convert only the bulb and don't also install and properly aim a projector housing. It seems IMO that a projector properly focuses the beam as to eliminate some of the blue tint as well. Another REALLY bad effect is when the vehicle is older and maybe not well cared for, and the headlights are badly fogged over, the fogging and possible hairline cracking "catches" some of the light right at the housing and is blinding, a crystal clear lens allows the light to pass through and looks much cleaner. It's also worth noting that the projector housing also makes much more efficient use of the light than a factory lamp housing.
I'm with odurandina as my color of choice is also 8000K.
05-24-2016, 09:54 AM
#15
Rainman
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Projectors are the answer yes, but the color temperature is a factor of how the eye sees things...
~4000K color is closest to sunlight which the eye is naturally designed to take in.
"Hotter" than that may look brighter/whiter/bluer but actually makes your eye work harder to see it.
But unless you are going for a really long drive you may never notice.
Personally I have a preference for more yellow-white light over white-blue, optics aside. I have LED offroad bars installed behind the "grille" of my 944 as well as the Euro H4 headlights and so I can see both color ranges at any given time...the H4 halogen is "nicer" to me.
~4000K color is closest to sunlight which the eye is naturally designed to take in.
"Hotter" than that may look brighter/whiter/bluer but actually makes your eye work harder to see it.
But unless you are going for a really long drive you may never notice.
Personally I have a preference for more yellow-white light over white-blue, optics aside. I have LED offroad bars installed behind the "grille" of my 944 as well as the Euro H4 headlights and so I can see both color ranges at any given time...the H4 halogen is "nicer" to me.
