UUC * First ever DOT-compliant LED headlight system - installed.

[Rob@UUC]

I understand, but looking at their website, they rate it as 1050 lumens vs HID kits listed at 1300. Im looking to learn, should lumens be the desiding factor or is there more to it?

There is actually a lot more to it.

The JWS rating of "effective" lumens is what you are actually experiencing on the road.

Typically, HID and various bulb suppliers advertise "raw" lumens, which does not translate directly. There are significant losses within the headlight housing and lens.

Just talking about brightness, I can say that these LEDs are blowing away my E30 ellipsoids with HIDs. Okay, one can argue that 20+ year old ellipsoids may not be a fair comparison. But they also blow away my ~2 year old E36 Euro ellipsoids (ZKW) with 4300K HIDs, and our 2004 Jaguar S-Type with brand-new projector headlights (thanks to a light front tap) with HIDs.

Beyond brightness, the beam pattern and dispersion is just as important, if not even more important. I can't explain this properly in writing as it must be seen to be understood... but the difference between a reflectorized housing (such as the OE headlights) and a pure projector (the LEDs) in terms of direct, crisp lighting without dispersion is very impressive.

Here's a very interesting picture from the JWS website comparing the LEDs to sealed beam halogens:



- Rob

[QBANG]

I went over that on the previous page.

I understand, but looking at their website, they rate it as 1050 lumens vs HID kits listed at 1300. Im looking to learn, should lumens be the desiding factor or is there more to it?

[reelizmpro]

This is what I dislike about forums the most...a WELL RESPECTED vendor brings a new product to our attention and it's met with such resistance from people who are stuck in their ways and only respect things they like themselves. Really if you don't like it then there really is no need to comment. If you find something technically wrong, then I agree as it may benefit a potential buyer. Other wise there is no need for tons of people to chime in and say they think it's ugly...

I disagree. Feedback on such a product is critical. "We" are the market for which these lights are aimed at. While the looks don't bother Rob, they bother a good number of people in the market. He's not making the lights for him, he's making them for us. It's constructive criticism so let's not sugarcoat anything. Everyone is entitled to their opinion.

[Wh33lhop]

I went over that on the previous page.

[QBANG]

What is the light output of this system vs a good HID system?

[JoeyBones]

This is what I dislike about forums the most...a WELL RESPECTED vendor brings a new product to our attention and it's met with such resistance from people who are stuck in their ways and only respect things they like themselves. Really if you don't like it then there really is no need to comment. If you find something technically wrong, then I agree as it may benefit a potential buyer. Other wise there is no need for tons of people to chime in and say they think it's ugly...

[Wh33lhop]

and dot or not-- the pattern is BACKWARDS-- you are blinding every oncoming car that approaches you.

No, it's not, and no he isn't. In fact he's blinding LESS people when his lights are properly aimed than most with HID projectors, as the cutoff flare on 99% of projectors extends to the right edge whereas the flare on these is just ahead and extends a tiny bit to the right.

[Rob@UUC]

and dot or not-- the pattern is BACKWARDS-- you are blinding every oncoming car that approaches you. look at the angle of the cutoff on the euro elip compared to the leds????

Perhaps it is not clear that the pics on the wall are of just one side, not both together. I have no idea what you are talking about, the cutoff is close to horizontal:



If you are talking about the height, I clearly wrote that I know the low beam needs to be adjusted lower - just was set a little high for the pic. The pic is to illustrate the difference in brightness and color.

hideous, put the low beams in oem housings then we'll talk

If you think that's possible, you are misunderstanding how the technology works. It's not just a "bulb"... it's a complete system with specialized lenses, necessary as LEDs emit light in a different pattern than a conventional bulb. They look the way they do because they have to, form follows function.

[NC325iC]

hideous, put the low beams in oem housings then we'll talk

[mikeedler]

I think they are terrible. can't get any uglier!!!!
and dot or not-- the pattern is BACKWARDS-- you are blinding every oncoming car that approaches you. look at the angle of the cutoff on the euro elip compared to the leds???? and of course the lighting is better- by the looks of it the lights are aimed up in the trees.
sorry to be a hater but some things should just be left the way they were made.

[Kershaw]

it looks like it belongs on a newer japanese car.

make these for rx8s. :)

[fiftytakedowns]

pretty wicked!

[E30Nova]

I would kill for these.

Matt

[Fidhle007]

Hellas are smooth too, they just have pained lines that are easily removable.

[Van Westervelt]

The problem with retrofitting projectors into an E30 housing, though, is that you still have to project through the E30 lens (or you can get a clear lens that looks like anus), meaning there's thick glass with patterns molded into it that softens your cutoff and in general screws up the attractive sharpness and color pattern of a good HID projector.

Bosch lenses arent fluted in the middle like US and all Hella Ellip lenses. Bosch are smooth in the center in front of the projector.