the e46 is not a bi-zenon. atleast in 2001 it wasnt. maybe the newer are, but my E46 W/ zenon doesnt have the brights too.
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I am probably in the minority when I say this, but why bother with HID lamp retrofits? Without leveling systems and careful adjustment, you run the risk of glaring others. Further, while HIDs do produce much more light output than standard halogen lights, the light from an HID lamp is at a significantly higher color temperature and is heavily weighted in the blue side of the visible light spectrum.
Using light weighted in the blue region is not the optimal thing to do for night illumination. Blue light is much more readily scattered than all other types of light when exposed to water vapor -- the Rayleigh Effect. This does play a factor when dealing with rain, snow, and to a lesser extent fog. It is not conclusive, as there is some debate if the precipitation one is likely to encounter on the road is of the proper size to induce Rayleigh scattering, or if Mie scattering is at hand. Mie scattering is when all wavelengths of light are equally dispersed, leading to the white color we see. In terms of fog, some have postulated that there is a combination of factors at hand of both Rayleigh and Mie scattering.
Further, there is the issue of photopic vision versus scotopic vision. Quick definition [link]. Photopic vision is responsible for how the human eye sees detail and color. Take two head lamps of comparable light output but of different color temperatures. In the lower color temperature lamp, photopic vision is maximized. In the higher color lamp, scotopic vision is maximized. Problem is, photopic vision is what sees color and what sees detail. Scotopic vision will see a sense of illumination and will feed the brain a sensation of illumination where it plays a significant role. This means that light which favors scotopic vision (wavelengths from mid-green to mid-blue) will help you see fog more than it helps you see obstacles through the fog.
Basically it boils down to blue light is not the optimal color to be used when dealing with night time driving in inclement conditions. I am sorry for being so technical, but I do not want to appear to be trolling.
On a more practical note, I believe the best option for a head lamp upgrade would be to use Cibie's new complex surface reflector lights. Think of the improvement going from sealed beam lights to European assemblies. That is roughly the same level of improvement you can expect going from standard European lamps to the new Cibies.
Here is a page detailing the new Cibies:
Latest news coverage, email, free stock quotes, live scores and video are just the beginning. Discover more every day at Yahoo!
For those interested, Daniel Stern of www.danielsternlighting.com is a recommended source. If you are going to Europe, it will be cheaper to just find them there however.looking for an E30 318is
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Originally posted by MystikalOriginally posted by mikeedlerthe e46 is not a bi-zenon. atleast in 2001 it wasnt. maybe the newer are, but my E46 W/ zenon doesnt have the brights too.
go retrofit some '02 headlights into your '01 :P1988 325iC - "Betty" - Daily Driver/Project Car.
1993 318i - "The Golden Dream" - Dad's Car.
1995 318ti - "Hellrot" - R.I.P.
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