Xenon - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

JackG · #1 02-28-2007, 08:39 AM

who here has done the conversion? How hard was it and are you happy with the change?

babymog · #2 02-28-2007, 10:25 AM

If you're contemplating putting HID lights in a standard housing, it doesn't work.

It puts out light, plenty of it, but not in the right places. The HID light comes from the entire volume of the arc-tube, which is a much larger area than the filament on a tungsten / Quartz-Halogen bulb, the reflector and lense in your car is designed to collect and direct the light from that filament, not a large arc-tube.

Save your money and the retinas of other drivers and either buy a good silverstar bulb and put in relays to get full-voltage to your lights, add good fog or driving lights, or look for a complete HID light that is actually designed as a unit with proper ray-tracing software etc. so that the light goes to the right place.

No, I haven't done a conversion, just have been in automotive engineering and lighting for most of my career.

greasybenz · #3 02-28-2007, 11:34 AM

Ive installed HID's in both my cars.

Youll have to modify the reflector of the W124 headlights to cut out the glare.
There is a cutoff and it wont glare other drivers but the light produced on the ground isnt as great as the W140's lenses, but its still better then halogen.

From inspection of both real HID lenses and halogen lenses for the W140's the etched pattern on the glass are identical. So that leads me to believe they were originally inteded for HID use. The sharp cutoff remains, and the light is spread wide and far on the road.

Dont get that silverstar garbage, its actually worse then your standard halogen bulb because it has a tint film that gives it a blueish hue. Which leads to poor lighting.

Here are my threads.

HID W124
http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w124-e-ce-d-td-class/1296005-hids-my-w124.html?highlight=hid

HID W140
http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w140-s-class/1306971-6500k-hids-installed.html

JackG · #4 02-28-2007, 01:32 PM

but I was interested in it for a w123. Do they make the whole unit for it?

bgkast · #5 02-28-2007, 01:46 PM

I have looked into it briefly and not found anything. There are some HID like round lights available to replace the sealed beams, but they are more of a standard reflector that has a fake lens in it. Some BMWs had round HIDs, but they are smaller in diameter.

vstech · #6 02-28-2007, 02:45 PM

look on JC Whitney's site, search for sealed beam upgrade or something.
they sell reflectors that fit our cars that take standard halogen bulbs like modern cars do.
John
here
http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/Browse/tf-Browse/s-10101/N-111+10201+600002824/c-10101

greasybenz · #7 03-01-2007, 01:14 AM

They have sealed beam headlights that you can order in 7in round size and put them in your W123.....but they arent cheap!

http://www.brightheadlights-hid.com/Headlights-x6024.htm

deerefanatic · #8 03-01-2007, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vstech

look on JC Whitney's site, search for sealed beam upgrade or something.
they sell reflectors that fit our cars that take standard halogen bulbs like modern cars do.
John
here
http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/Browse/tf-Browse/s-10101/N-111+10201+600002824/c-10101

I used the 4x6 inch rectangular ones from JC Whitney with their "Xenon Blue" conventional bulbs........ All around, I recommend it. I have even forgot and left em on hi beams several times with on-coming traffic and have never been flashed.

I like em.