[TheDarkKnight]

If you swap for non-OEM HIDS, you will get error messages and your self-levelling system may not work (and fail the MOT).

Rather than do surgery on perfectly fine bulbs, have a go at polishing up the headlamp exterior from 10 years worth of road grime etc as it does build up and fade/impact the plastic lens.

 

[Smokingman]

@TheDarkKnight the lens's are fine with no yellowing. It was just the bulbs i'm looking at changing not the whole HID unit.

 

[TheDarkKnight]

Yes I know what you said - but my point was, that swapping out perfectly working OEM HIDS for non-OEM HIDS just to get a brighter light will cause issues

 

[Smokingman]

How so? if at the end of the day its a quality bulb ie Phillips, Osram etc. Yes if you were changing the control unit i can see you may get issues, but just changing a bulb!

 

[TheDarkKnight]

Compatibility - the Honda OEM ballasts are designed to work with whatever rated HID bulbs installed from new (4300K). More powerful bulbs (6000K or above) could cause heat and/or electrical issues.

Thats the point I was trying to make 👍

 

[Smokingman]

Ah, I see. However the only way I can see an issue occurring is if the wattage changes as this could lead to electrical issues, as for the colour temp I don't know.

 

[TheDarkKnight]

As with all things electrical, its not solely about wattage.

Higher Kelvin HID light will produce more heat.

 

[mrtn]

I changed HID bulbs in my Mk3 and picked "Osram OEM" something. The clerk suggested these due to the same exact reason. Were noticeably more expensive than generic ones of the same form factor (still much cheaper than from the Honda dealer). Also several year warranty IIRC.

 

[UK-Kev]

For Information
The links below gives a good indication of the headlight bulb brightness in the UK – My understanding is that 5000k (kelvin) bulbs is the maximum LED and all bulbs MUST carry the “E” certification mark. If the bulbs are rated at 6000k and over they are classed as off-road and MUST not be used on any UK roads.

The MOT test was amended when the UK left the European Union on 1 January 2021. The section for testers around bulbs now reads: “Existing halogen headlamp units should not be converted to be used with High Intensity Discharge (HID) or Light Emitting Diode (LED) bulbs. If such a conversion has been done, you must fail the headlamp.

LINK

GOV

MOT

 

[Smokingman]

Read the techy stuff 6000k and E marked/road legal. D4S OSRAM Cool Blue Intense Xenarc Next Gen 35W 6200K Xenon HID Bulbs (Pair)

At the end of the day i was asking has anyone actually changed a HID bulb? for a whiter bulb.