Adaptive Headlights
 

I have poor night vision and need all the help I can get. Are adaptive HL
worth it? Are there other accessories that I could get to help like higher
intensity bulbs?

Adaptive Headlights
 

"HGL" > wrote in message ...
>I have poor night vision and need all the help I can get. Are adaptive HL
> worth it? Are there other accessories that I could get to help like higher
> intensity bulbs?

Adaptive headlights pivot the beam slightly for turns and curves. Don't
have them myself, but I'd think they'd be useful. HID low beams are a real
plus.

BMW marketed dual Xenon for awhile in which the HID bulb had a mask that
would rotate around the filament when high beam was selected and allow an
HID high beam (the mask effectively removed the sharp cutoff typical in an
HID low beam). These can be found in the aftermarket. Not sure what wiring
issues would be involved.

You can also install higher output Halogen bulbs (if you don't have or don't
want HID), but if the wattage is too great, you'll risk deforming the
housings and lenses from the extra heat and they also might stress the
electrical wiring.

Beware of the blue tint bulbs. Most tend to put out less light than the
somewhat yellowish halogen units.

R / John

Adaptive Headlights
 

HGL wrote:
> I have poor night vision and need all the help I can get. Are adaptive HL
> worth it? Are there other accessories that I could get to help like higher
> intensity bulbs?

The factory OE Xenon adaptive headlights is an excellent option for
those needing better night vision and at what, about $800, is a
BARGAIN. I pity the fool who passes on this bargain and then later
decide he wants it.

Adaptive Headlights
 

In article .com>,
bfd > wrote:
>
>HGL wrote:
>> I have poor night vision and need all the help I can get. Are adaptive HL
>> worth it? Are there other accessories that I could get to help like higher
>> intensity bulbs?
>
>The factory OE Xenon adaptive headlights is an excellent option for
>those needing better night vision and at what, about $800, is a
>BARGAIN. I pity the fool who passes on this bargain and then later
>decide he wants it.

Well, in all fairness it is possible to install halogen driving lights
that will light up the road better, cost at least half as much, won't
give you nast backdazzzle in inclement weather and aren't as offensive
to oncoming drivers.

Yeah those blue lights sure are purdy and all, but...


--
Need Mercedes parts? http://parts.mbz.org
Richard Sexton | Mercedes stuff: http://mbz.org
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Home pages: http://rs79.vrx.net
633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | http://aquaria.net http://killi.net

Adaptive Headlights
 

In article >,
Richard Sexton > wrote:
> Well, in all fairness it is possible to install halogen driving lights
> that will light up the road better, cost at least half as much, won't
> give you nast backdazzzle in inclement weather and aren't as offensive
> to oncoming drivers.

I'm not quite sure how you'd do this? There's no problem with getting a
main beam to be as bright as you want, but providing a decent dipped one
without dazzle is the difficult one. And in the UK at least you can't use
'driving lamps' to do this.

> Yeah those blue lights sure are purdy and all, but...

Discharge lamps of the type used on cars can be any colour temperature you
want. However, the eye is more sensitive towards the blue end of the
spectrum than it is to the red, so 'red' halogen lamps don't really make
sense. But of course HID lamps *are* brighter so more likely to offend
others.

--
*When companies ship Styrofoam, what do they pack it in? *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Adaptive Headlights
 

In article >,
Dave Plowman (News) > wrote:
>In article >,
> Richard Sexton > wrote:
>> Well, in all fairness it is possible to install halogen driving lights
>> that will light up the road better, cost at least half as much, won't
>> give you nast backdazzzle in inclement weather and aren't as offensive
>> to oncoming drivers.
>
>I'm not quite sure how you'd do this? There's no problem with getting a
>main beam to be as bright as you want, but providing a decent dipped one
>without dazzle is the difficult one. And in the UK at least you can't use
>'driving lamps' to do this.

You can have auxilliary driving lights right? I mean you aren't going to need
them in downtown London at night but in the country you can turn them on
and light up the next three counties.

>> Yeah those blue lights sure are purdy and all, but...
>
>Discharge lamps of the type used on cars can be any colour temperature you

Yeah and everybody wants that damn blue.

>want. However, the eye is more sensitive towards the blue end of the
>spectrum than it is to the red, so 'red' halogen lamps don't really make
>sense. But of course HID lamps *are* brighter so more likely to offend
>others.

"brighter" than what? I've got some Marchals halogens here than will melt
the bumper of the car in front of you if you get too close, to say nothing
of the Cibie CSR's.

Also, blue reflects the short wavelenghts so in cloudy/foggy conditions (how
RARE in merry 'old) they're the last thing you want. Effectove "fog" lamps
are yellow, not blue.

I'm just not sold on HID lamps. Too expensive, too useless around here - which
is almost as foggy as ukkers.




--
Need Mercedes parts? http://parts.mbz.org
Richard Sexton | Mercedes stuff: http://mbz.org
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Home pages: http://rs79.vrx.net
633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | http://aquaria.net http://killi.net

Adaptive Headlights
 

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

> Discharge lamps of the type used on cars can be any colour temperature you
> want. However, the eye is more sensitive towards the blue end of the
> spectrum than it is to the red, so 'red' halogen lamps don't really make
> sense.

Are you sure about that Dave? I thought I had read somewhere that the
eye is *less* responsive to blue light than longer wavelengths,
especially yellow. OTOH, I also know the eye is also not very sensitive
to red light considering that is the color used in "night rigging" ships
to maintain better night vision of the crew. Perhaps the eye's
sensitivity drops off at both ends of the spectrum?

> But of course HID lamps *are* brighter so more likely to offend
> others.
>

Yes, so even if the eye is marginally less sensitive, the increase in
light volume provides both the driver and the oncoming traffic more
signal to the brain.

--
-Fred W

Adaptive Headlights
 

"Fred W" > wrote in message
...
> Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
>
>> Discharge lamps of the type used on cars can be any colour temperature
>> you
>> want. However, the eye is more sensitive towards the blue end of the
>> spectrum than it is to the red, so 'red' halogen lamps don't really make
>> sense.
>
> Are you sure about that Dave? I thought I had read somewhere that the eye
> is *less* responsive to blue light than longer wavelengths, especially
> yellow. OTOH, I also know the eye is also not very sensitive to red light
> considering that is the color used in "night rigging" ships to maintain
> better night vision of the crew. Perhaps the eye's sensitivity drops off
> at both ends of the spectrum?
>
> > But of course HID lamps *are* brighter so more likely to offend
>> others.
>>
>
> Yes, so even if the eye is marginally less sensitive, the increase in
> light volume provides both the driver and the oncoming traffic more signal
> to the brain.
>
> --
> -Fred W
>
No, human eyes are more sensitive to green that to either red or blue.
There are lots and lots of references, but really this newsgroup is about
cars not eyes.
Jim

Adaptive Headlights
 

In article >,
Richard Sexton > wrote:
> >I'm not quite sure how you'd do this? There's no problem with getting a
> >main beam to be as bright as you want, but providing a decent dipped
> >one without dazzle is the difficult one. And in the UK at least you
> >can't use 'driving lamps' to do this.

> You can have auxilliary driving lights right? I mean you aren't going to
> need them in downtown London at night but in the country you can turn
> them on and light up the next three counties.

They can only be used with main beam - and on most cars main beam is
already fine. It's dip that is the difficult one, and in a crowded country
like the UK you spend most of your time using that even on the open road
due to oncoming traffic.

> >> Yeah those blue lights sure are purdy and all, but...
> >
> >Discharge lamps of the type used on cars can be any colour temperature
> >you

> Yeah and everybody wants that damn blue.

Currently, the most efficient HID lamps do look blue compared to halogen.
But are in fact closer to daylight.

> >want. However, the eye is more sensitive towards the blue end of the
> >spectrum than it is to the red, so 'red' halogen lamps don't really
> >make sense. But of course HID lamps *are* brighter so more likely to
> >offend others.

> "brighter" than what? I've got some Marchals halogens here than will
> melt the bumper of the car in front of you if you get too close, to say
> nothing of the Cibie CSR's.

You can have HID lamps of near any power - same as halogens. Film lighting
have been using them for years with sizes in the killowatts.

> Also, blue reflects the short wavelenghts so in cloudy/foggy conditions
> (how RARE in merry 'old) they're the last thing you want. Effectove
> "fog" lamps are yellow, not blue.

You'll find as many opinions on the best colour for fogs as you will fogs
themselves - but most are now just plain old halogen. It's the beam
pattern that gives the best results.

> I'm just not sold on HID lamps. Too expensive, too useless around here -
> which is almost as foggy as ukkers.

Then you really need custom foglamps. Which could use an HID lamp.

--
*Growing old is inevitable, growing up is optional

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Adaptive Headlights
 

Jim wrote:
> "Fred W" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Discharge lamps of the type used on cars can be any colour temperature
>>>you
>>>want. However, the eye is more sensitive towards the blue end of the
>>>spectrum than it is to the red, so 'red' halogen lamps don't really make
>>>sense.
>>
>>Are you sure about that Dave? I thought I had read somewhere that the eye
>>is *less* responsive to blue light than longer wavelengths, especially
>>yellow. OTOH, I also know the eye is also not very sensitive to red light
>>considering that is the color used in "night rigging" ships to maintain
>>better night vision of the crew. Perhaps the eye's sensitivity drops off
>>at both ends of the spectrum?
>>
>>
>>>But of course HID lamps *are* brighter so more likely to offend
>>>others.
>>>
>>
>>Yes, so even if the eye is marginally less sensitive, the increase in
>>light volume provides both the driver and the oncoming traffic more signal
>>to the brain.
>>
>>--
>>-Fred W
>>
>
> No, human eyes are more sensitive to green that to either red or blue.
> There are lots and lots of references, but really this newsgroup is about
> cars not eyes.
> Jim
>
>

Right... and we don't use our eyes when driving cars, do we? And the
disussion is about the color of the light cast by the headlights that
are mounted on our cars. How much more on topic could this be?

--
-Fred W