Just picked up a set of CTR headlights (99-00) and got into a debate with my friend about the no shield / glare. When I searched around for info, it mainly said that you'd blind the **** out of people with HIDS / CTRs not so much with the regular bulbs. I know the light output is a little different with the CTRs, but the question is, with OEM bulbs and CTR headlamps, is the light output blinding?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by sk8shorty012 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Just picked up a set of CTR headlights (99-00) and got into a debate with my friend about the no shield / glare. When I searched around for info, it mainly said that you'd blind the **** out of people with HIDS / CTRs not so much with the regular bulbs. I know the light output is a little different with the CTRs, but the question is, with OEM bulbs and CTR headlamps, is the light output blinding?</TD></TR></TABLE>

i am only aware of this on HID setups. i've seen a couple of real CTR headlights and they didn't seem to be blinding or need any cut-off.

 

CTR headlights blind people in America because they are aimed the opposite of USDM headlamps. CTR headlights, from the drivers seat aim flat and up to the left. USDM headlamps aim flat and up to the right. So on our roads, our USDM headlamps light off the road more but dont blind the person in oncoming traffic (our left.) In Japan, our cars would be just as blinding as a JDM car is in america where we drive on the right.

ANY hid setup in a halogen projector will likely have blinding problems.

This is because HID bulbs do not have a short filament like halogen bulbs, its closer to a point of light output and the reflector (or reflector inside the projector) is designed for that. If anyone would like to post pictures of how a parabola is generated, it will help you get a feel of how the projection is made. An HID light reflector will look more like a parabola where a Halogen reflector output will want a reflector more shaped like part of an ellipse. (point verse line segment) Note that a reflector meant for an HID in a projector may not be the same shape as its reflector meant for just a big reflector (like comparing an 05 TL to an 01 TL, 01 TL has HIDs but no projectors.)

IF you wanted to use like 01 TL HIDs in your EK, it would be wise to fit the projector and HID bulb in your EK headlamp unit.

An HID bulb in a halogen reflector scatters light in a way that Honda did not account for and will likely blind oncoming traffic.


SEARCH. This has been covered dude.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Redline57 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">CTR headlights blind people in America because they are aimed the opposite of USDM headlamps. CTR headlights, from the drivers seat aim flat and up to the left. USDM headlamps aim flat and up to the right. So on our roads, our USDM headlamps light off the road more but dont blind the person in oncoming traffic (our left.) In Japan, our cars would be just as blinding as a JDM car is in america where we drive on the right.

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trying to understand your post, but what? so you are saying that my jdm eg headlights are facing to the left and are blinding people? i have never been told that. and there are height adjusters to adjust the headlight beam up and down, left and right, wouldn't this solve the problem?

 

see if this image helps. I have HIDs in a 99 civic front end conversion. up close it's not blinding unless your in the beam's way, from far away yes it does get kinda blinding. Having new clean headlight to direct the light more then old fogged ones helps a bit. I am now deeply looking into TL projector retro fitting soon as i have time and money, seems like with HID retro is the only real way to go and stock housings are for fun. Wish there was a DIY thread for 99 civic headlights though.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by philosofy1 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

trying to understand your post, but what? so you are saying that my jdm eg headlights are facing to the left and are blinding people? i have never been told that. and there are height adjusters to adjust the headlight beam up and down, left and right, wouldn't this solve the problem?</TD></TR></TABLE>

just simply adjusting your headlights don't help much because light is still going to the eye level of other drivers that's why you need retro fitting because real HID projectors not ebay projector headlights, have a shield to block pretty much all light from going past a point, hence making a almost perfect line of light and dark. OEM lights don't blind people because they aren't really that bright, but if you going to put something brighter in then it will.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by dad0c402 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

just simply adjusting your headlights don't help much because light is still going to the eye level of other drivers that's why you need retro fitting because real HID projectors not ebay projector headlights, have a shield to block pretty much all light from going past a point, hence making a almost perfect line of light and dark. OEM lights don't blind people because they aren't really that bright, but if you going to put something brighter in then it will.</TD></TR></TABLE>

So, trying to preserve the OP, OEM bulbs in my CTR headlights will be fine and wont blind the **** out of people?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by dad0c402 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

just simply adjusting your headlights don't help much because light is still going to the eye level of other drivers that's why you need retro fitting because real HID projectors not ebay projector headlights, have a shield to block pretty much all light from going past a point, hence making a almost perfect line of light and dark. OEM lights don't blind people because they aren't really that bright, but if you going to put something brighter in then it will.</TD></TR></TABLE>

i understand HID, but that's not what the OP is asking, or what i was saying.

 

Actually yes. Let me try and explain.

If you look at a beam pattern on a wall...Youll see it is not a straight line. Its like an obtuse angle, about 150 degrees. From straight ahead, left of the center of the car the beam makes a flat line, it should be parallel to the ground and 12" off the ground at 25ft away. to the right of the center of the car, this line goes upward at somewhere around a 30 degree angle upward. This lights more of the right side of the road. Since there are no cars there, you can light it up no problem. JDM headlamps, being on the opposite side of the road, do the same thing but in reverse. They have a flat line on the right and light up more of the left of the road. So these lights would, in America, make a flat line to the right (less light off the road on the trees and stuff) and more light towards the left, where oncoming traffic is.

The adjusters can make that parallel line to up and down (note that BOTH projectors have this angle in them) and the left/right adjustment is so that at 25ft, both headlamp patterns overlay.

Someone with an EK post a closeup. You will see that line in the reflector is not totally level.
You have something like this _/ _/ but with a less agressive upward slope in BOTH headlamps. but you cannot rotate the reflectors.
JDM headlamp reflectors are going to be like \_ \_ so the unlit space is on the right, not the left.

Am I being clear for everyone?

 

kind of, so its almost like the issue with the power folding mirrors and how the glass is reversed?

 

dont know what you mean by power folding mirrors.

If you were to put JDM mirrors on your car, similar problem. you then convex mirror on the drivers side and a flat one on the passengers side, which would suck.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Redline57 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">dont know what you mean by power folding mirrors.

If you were to put JDM mirrors on your car, similar problem. you then convex mirror on the drivers side and a flat one on the passengers side, which would suck.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Well, so, its not even just the shield thats an issue when referring to the CTR lights? They are just set up a different way regardless?