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Old 26-03-2017, 11:56 AM   #41
paulmac
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: SA
Car: Astina BJ auto
Posts: 38
Headlight Update. One of the last. Its been nearly 2 years since I bought the BA Astina and discovered my headlight problem. And here is the main thing I learned about hid and led globes in projector headlights:

The correct placement of the centre of light emission of the bulb is CRITICAL to the correct functioning of the headlight. H3 globes are not just a type of bulb socket, H3 is a critical specification for the size of the globe and the position of the light emission in the globe. H3 globes sit toward the back of the projector. and so the optics of a H3 projector are set up for that position of the globe and the point from which the light originates. If the source of light is too far inside , toward the front, of the H3 projector, the projector cant work properly, because the globe is out of focus within the projector. The maths is all wrong, it wont work. And here is the problem, with at least cheap chinese hid kits and led kits: They advertise H3 or whatever spec globes and you get em and they turn out to be long bulbs with H3 bases but not H3 spec globe specs. they go in and you find the headlights are still poor. In this case, you can try to move the globe backwards out of the projector by putting spacers between the bulb base and the headlight socket. trial and error until you find the sweet spot. with led globes, especially 2 sided ones, try twisting the globe from side to side to get the best results. but it is crucial to find the correct mounting depth for the globe within the projector. its crucial. absolutely mandatory. Now its been a long since I discarded the stock 2 inch projectors housings, Ive tried a number of different 3 inch projectors mounted in the BA headlight assembly. I get great results with a projector from a 2015 toyota corolla 3 inch projector and the 4 sided led globes Ive described earlier. Great headlights in my experience (previous cars were mainly beetles , comparison with a 12 volt Superbug, not special, but I now have great headlights. imo. ) So I got to thinking, and realised at the time I diced my stock BA projectors I had not learned the critical nature of the mounting depth of the globes within the projectors. And I got to wondering what would happen if 1. I got another stock headlight with stock projector for the BA 2. got a proper H3 spec hid globe 3. fitted my favorite 4 sided led globe to the stock headlight and projector . fitting the hid and the led globes to the correct mounting depth.

Well, the proper H3 hid globes, nice and squat ones, which look h3 and they are not Chinese are on the way. So I dont know yet. (only know that 2 years ago I had no luck with cheap hid kits mounted in my ignorance at that time)

But I did pull my modified headlights out and put 2 stock BA headlights in the car each with the 10,000 lumen (each) 4 sided led globes mounted to the correct depth ( which with leds you can tell is correct as you are spacering the bulbs out as the when you look into the projector you can see the projector reflector turn yellow as the bulb depth hits the sweet spot (lights off, headlight out, held up to the light of day). When shining the headlights against the wall, the mounting depth is correct when you get a nice white half circle with no dark spots and a nice cut off.

In the beginning I knew nothing about correct mounting of the globes to the correct depth. with an led globe at the least, 1/8 th of an inch too far or not far enough into the projector is the difference between great lights and **** ones. You can focus led globes in projectors, but it is a very fine adjustment.

The physical thing I had to do to make the 4 sided led globes fit into the stock projector (and most others) is ream out the globe hole (aperture) in the projector so that the wide stem of the globe can easily go in. Which means flushing out the metal filings from the headlight and letting it dry.

I get better results with 3 inch modern projectors in the ba headlight, but using stock projectors with the 4 sided led globes mounted to the correct depth is fine.

Its only taken 2 years to learn these things. Im a bit slow and obsessed.

When the H3 hids arrive Ill post an update.

Meanwhile the BG astina needed a new water pump and therefore a new timing belt, but the BA has required nothing special though it still needs a new middle rear engine mounts. I just put it into neutral at the lights to stop the vibrations at idle. Both cars are going well. Both are still great cars which I really enjoy.
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Old 26-03-2017, 01:41 PM   #42
paulmac
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: SA
Car: Astina BJ auto
Posts: 38
http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/EVwAAO...2Qu/s-l400.jpg Procedure for fitting the pictured 4 sided 18,000 lumen per pair led globes to standard BA Astina low beam projectors.

1. Remove headlight.
2. Remove the chrome bulb holder and retaining spring by undoing the two screws. Put these in a box in a safe place in case you want to revert to other bulb types.
3. Take a dremel or similar small grinding tool and enlarge the bulb aperture hole at the back of the projector. You may wish to fill the projector and gaps in the headlight plastic with rag to stop metal filings from entering the headlamp assembly, but keep the rag clear of the power tool bit/grinder. Make the hole wide enough so that the 4 sided led globe can easily go into the projector without snagging. This is most important because it does not take much force to rip the led pads from the stem/heat pipe of the globe. Be gentle with the globes. Once you have made the aperture for the led big enough, remove rags and ensure no metal filings remain in the headlight - vacuum or wash the headlight out and let dry or blow dry.
4. Obtain 1 (or more if you want to check what I did) 1/8 inch thick steel washer big enough to fit over the led stem to sit on top of the bulb mounting plate (foot).
5. Try placing this washer over the bulb hole / aperture on the back of the projector. It does not fit flush, so take your grinding tool/ dremel/ etc and file that projection flat so the washer can sit flat.
6. Take some silicone sealant for roof and gutter (slow drying) or window (fasting drying) or high temp gasket silicone and glue the washer in position over the aperture at the rear of the projector. Let silicone set overnight or for 4 hours (or less in hot weather) .
7. Place silicone sealant on the internal surface of the mounting plate/base of the let globe. Do not get any silicone on any other part of the globe. Carefully insert the led globe into the projector so that the globe base and the silicone on it contacts the surface of the washer you previously set in place. Allow the silicone to set. The globe is now seated and glued into position. Drill four holes around the plastic headlight access hole for the globe. (the black plastic backing of the stock headlight. Drill 4 holes, one each at 12 oclock, 3 oclock, 6 oclock and 9 oclock . Obtain plastic zip ties long enough to form a loop like so – from 9 oclock thread one zip tie to 3 oclock with enough zip tie length to come back again. Don’t fasten yet. Do the same from 12 to 6 oclock. With each zip tie going over the base of the globe and back, fasten each zip tie (the zip ties need to be pretty long, they are being used to gently clap the bulb into place (no, they don’t get very hot and they don’t melt). Zip lock the ties so as to place a gentle pressure on the base of the globe. This is insurance to make sure the globes cannot come loose. Take a third plastic tie. Where the two plastic ties form a cross (+) on the base of the bulb, secure the third plastic tie diagonally across the cross (+) so that these main plastic ties cannot slip off the sides of the bulb. The bulb is now secured to the projector at the correct depth (imo).
8. If you want to check my positioning depth of the globe into the projector, before under taking any permanent attachment of the washer or globe, collect the led globe and its ballast to a car battery (do not use an unregulated unfiltered 12 volt power supply as these will wreck the leds, use a lab power supply at 12 volt if you like, but not any old 12 volt power supply) and insert the globe into the headlight. Shine against a wall. While watching the results on the wall, slowly move the globe in and out of the projector in 1/8 inch (or less ) increments until you are familiar with the light field the set up produces. Find the best light field projected against the wall. Not the gap between the globe base and the rear of the projector. That distance is the thickness of washer/spacer which is required to properly locate the globe within the projector.
9. Alternately, with led globes, with the globe off and inserted into the projector but not secured to it, (ie the globe being held in by your hand) move the globe slowly in and out while staring into the projector lens. Get familiar with what you are looking at. You should be to see the light cut out at the base of the projector. Move the globe slowly in and out until you can see yellow. Once you can see yellow through the projector lens, you are near the sweet spot, the correct mounting depth. Once you have found the depth at which the amount of yellow seen through the projector is at its greatest, the globe is correctly located at the correct and focussed mounting depth. Note the gap between the base of the globe and the rear of the projector. That gap is the thickness of shim or spacer (s) required to produce the best result from the globe in that projector. Once you have done this, proceed to permanently mount the washer (s) and globe.

This is what I did. Please do not attempt this if you find these procedures unclear. Do not do things if you are not thinking for yourself and think there must be a better way. There probably is. This is just my way and it works for me. I would expect many people who do this without checking my method, or who have not independently thought for themselves prior to attempting these procedures may have trouble. I take no responsibility for anone’s results. If you consider doing these things, please understand I am happy with my results but you may not be happy with yours. If things fall apart and things don’t work, that is on the operator’s own head . Please do not just copy me without thinking. I am describing what I did that led me to a result I am happy with. I accept no liability for what happens to anyone else.

Fitting hids will be way simpler. I am not a mechanic, not a technician. This is the work of me alone. I have no qualifications for doing it, other than my observations. This is a warning that you may need professional help if you want a professional result. Dont do it if you are not sure about anything, or use you own methods. I cannot guarantee anything. Though if you stuff it up, you may be up for another headlight. I do not take any responsibility for any losses on damage. Im happy with what I did. You may not be. So dont do it. Im just sharing this in case it helps you find a better way of doing it. Yea, dont copy me. You can do a better job. Focus the globe properly within the projector – find the correct mounting depth for the globe in the projector – is the main message.
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