DOHCtorEK

Hey so i am about to buy some 12k hids for my hatch. My friend told me that i had to get something done to my housing or it will melt after time? is this true? i have em1 headlights. thanks.

mattyfo0z

No, it won't melt your housing. But please, for the sake of the the people who drive on the same roads as you, atleast get 5000k/6000k HIDs instead of 12000k. Not only will they actually put more light on the road (albeit scattered and without definition), but you won't endanger other drivers around you.

Oh, and you won't look like such a ricer.

lovelove

True, anything more than 6000k is for off-road use only.

Matt93eg

You might want to research more about HIDs before you get them for your Civic. I didn't do this so when I got my "PNP" HID kit I was all excited. Hooked everything up and the beam is scattered. After doing research after the fact of buying the HIDs I found out you need to Retrofit the stock headlight housings, this will throw out a phenomenal beam pattern and more importantly won't blind others on the road that are either coming towards you or that are driving in front of you.

I can't afford a Retrofit right now, But had I done the "research" and found this out I wouldn't have bought that HID kit. I would have waited and retrofited my headlights and used the Ballast, etc out of an OEM vehicle.

Jimster480

I have a set of HID's that dont blind people and my set it no retrofit. The bulb design is different and it supports high and low beam.

XenonDepot

HID bulbs don't put out significantly more heat than a 55W halogen bulbs. They do however put out a lot of UV. Our HID bulbs use proper anti-uv quartz glass to ensure no damage is done to your headlights. Lower quality HID bulbs that do not use proper material can cause your headlights lens to "yellow" and your reflective inside to tarnish.

Steve

Matt93eg

After I bought my kit I saw they had some kits with a Low/High beam option. This would have probably been the better way to go without a retrofit for sure. I don't think mine blind people really bad, I have worked alot with the angle of the lights to try and help as much as possible. Every now and then I will get someone that throws there high beams on at me but it doesn't happen often.

Theres no doubt though that a retrofit is the best way to go about it. I have seen the writeups and outcomes and its just simply hands down better. I have actually had cars with OEM HIDs pass me on a highway and you can tell how much better there output and beam pattern is.

Jimster480

oh I know it has a better light output, but I think that retrofit looks ricey as ****, especially on EK's. So I would never have it on my car, thats why I like the HID's I have now.

TunerN00b

How is something that actually improves night vision "ricey"?

"Ricey" is making something look different without actually accomplishing anything meaningful (body kits, wings, LEDs, stickers, etc...).

(Sorry, just a PNP HID kit hater here. Been blinded way too many times by them, from all makes and models.)

ryanNoob

troof. especially the SUV's with the HIDs >_>

Jimster480

idk because it just looks like absolute ****ing ****, especially on EK's. And Ricer stuff usually looks like ****, which Is why I put it in the same category. And because Ricers also tend to put ebay projector headlights on their cars.

alphalanos

I actually just got done aiming my HID retro fit a few minutes ago. The only way to do it is to get some projectors off another car, ballasts/igniters, and wire harness. The Retro Fit Source is a great place to get stuff, also ebay is good. I used TSX projectors for the small size and good quality.

Anyway, I would suggest not using 12K, go with something closer to 4500K- 5000K. The light output dimishes severely at anything higher. A good HID retro is costly, but the outcome it totally worth it.

crappy pic showing cutoff. it looks a bit glarey because of the cell phone, but its a pretty good sharp cut. (only one side is on)

D3vin

Right now I have a set of 55w 5000k Hi/Lo HID kit in my car. I'm using the stock housing and it works perfectly fine. It depends on how you aim it. I want go retrofit projectors on my EJ8 because projectors projects the light very dense and has a cut off, but right now it's costing a bit too much and the Ebay projectors with the halo rings are ugly....

4100k - 4300k = OEM spec (Color of our solar system's sun)
5000k = Flat out white
8000k = Blueish white.

In California, anything over 8000k for your headlight will get you a fit it ticket so take that into consideration.

Here a chart for you.

yellow_s2k

6k is good enough and yes it will light up pretty nice in those headlights, and yes all hid kits without projectors will blind other drivers up.

itsnotfast

I have a PNP HID kit in my car and I would much rather have a retrofit. Mine I think are are like 8000k or 9000k and they do light EVERYTHING up. I don't get many people flashing me because I do think about other drivers lol. I aimed mine straight at the ground and the "scattered" light lights up about as much as my stock bulbs did. I didn't do any research before I got these but it was an unbeatable deal. They just set my car off and I love they way it looks.

TylerB

I disagree, I have several friends with un projected hid kits (Including myself). Trucks and suv's with oem projected hid's blind me 10 times more than they do.

Jimster480

true that.

alphalanos

depends on the height of the vehicles too. I get blinded by all trucks, suvs, even some midsize cars. The problem with PNP HID kits is that the HID bulb doesnt have any of the light blocking parts that most halogens do. Like the paint on the tips of halogen bulbs. So its just throwing light everywhere. The projector has the metal shield that provides the cutoff. and a more focused reflector bowl. I agree some OEM HID setups have tons of flicker coming at you, but many are using the fresnel or fogged lenses to cut down on that.

Jimster480

ah see, my HID's have those things.

B20EJ9

i agree that 6000k is perfect, thats what i drive with..and no your housing is fine.

D3vin

Omfg, don't you hate it when a SUV with HIDs stop behind you and it shine exactly into your mirrors? =/

XenonDepot

Ha, thats our old chromaticity diagram! I guess someone saved the image. Our watermark is still on there

Jimster480

its just wonderful