FL Xenon high beam

[Ca-raae]

Hi all,

In an attempt to improve my full beam i got a Xenon kit to replace the halogen bulbs, anyone here done such an upgrade? I can't find a proper way to get the wires to and from the ballast inside the lamp housing. The kit is delivered with a kind of rubber gland supposed to be mounted in the plastic cap directly behind the bulb, the issue is that there is no such cap on my lamp, behind the high beam there is some kind of a control module with a bunch of wires in it and behind the low beam there is the ballast for the original xenon.

Anyone solved this?

I tried to connect for a function test and it seemed to be working fine with no flickering neither in the original xenon or the new one and no fault warnings in the dash. The kit is a 55W Canbus kit for the H1 high beam.

[abarth_1200]

You should have researched before purchasing, its just not going to happen.

Just wait and see the next spew of replies, in the mean time have a search yourself.

[Ca-raae]

I did read through the whole web regarding xenon upgrade for octavia, i have noticed people have struggled get them to work, with or without vcds, blown wiper motors, flickering, alarms etc. But i have not seen one single thread saying that it is hard to get wires through. Maybe there is most common to retrofit xenon on low beam, i believe it is different on the lamps without original xenon.

When you say it is not going to happen, are you meaning installation or function? Regarding function i have tested the kit and it seems to be working fine. Just need to sort out the installation.

[nickguzzi]

Are you saying you already have factory fitted single beam, non shuttered xenons?

ps. the whole web is a big place.

[Ca-raae]

Are you saying you already have factory fitted single beam, non shuttered xenons?

ps. the whole web is a big place.

Yes, i have factoryfitted xenon on low beam (no shutters) and halogen on high beam, wich i think is the case for all octavias with factory xenon, at least in Norway.

Edited 9 January, 2013 by Ca-raae

[abarth_1200]

Same here, xenon projector for low beam and H1 halogen for high beam.

When i say its not going to work, i mean you will find it difficult and possibly costly to get to where you want and even then you might not be able to.

So inside your plastic cover you have another module already, not just 2 wires and clip holding the original bulb in place, if so it sounds like somebody has already retrofitted some other bulb.

Have you tried them with the engine running?

[nickguzzi]

Are you trying to fit a projector type HID into your hi beam, or use the halogen reflector? I don't think the latter would pass our MOT as there would be too much uncontrolled glare. The light scattering may not provide you with any better illumination on your reflective snow. I have seen similar setups in 7" bike reflectors and the glare from anything reflective was horrendous, road signs, white walls etc, like driving into a searchlight.

http://www.danielste...onversions.html

http://www.my-gti.com/734/retrofitting-xenons-hid-lighting-to-reflector-housings

It is not as clear as it could be, but I think he is talking only about HIDs in reflector type lamps.

I did ponder this because my standard halogen lamps were total rubbish. The after market HIDs +nightbreakers provided sufficient illumination.

I have considered getting new lightunits from ebay and converting them using decent shuttered projectors. In your place, this would be the first thing I would look into, an upgrade of your projectors to the shuttered type.

http://www.hidretrofits.com/

http://www.theretrofitsource.com/

As far as you question, I can sort of vizualise your problem, but I would be very careful of any ballast/exciter wiring ++++++ve! Is there not space to the side, behind the hi beam reflector?

Edited 9 January, 2013 by nickguzzi

[Ca-raae]

Same here, xenon projector for low beam and H1 halogen for high beam.

When i say its not going to work, i mean you will find it difficult and possibly costly to get to where you want and even then you might not be able to.

So inside your plastic cover you have another module already, not just 2 wires and clip holding the original bulb in place, if so it sounds like somebody has already retrofitted some other bulb.

Have you tried them with the engine running?

The cover behind the high beam bulb is in fact a control module, or some kind of a junction box, at least there is a lot of wires going in to that cover. I'm pretty sure this is the original setup, so i can't just drill a hole in it. Probably the same at your car?

I did start the engine with the xenon kit connected, no problem that i could notice, but i only connected the right side tough, if it should make any differense with both sides connected i am in for a surprise:)

[Ca-raae]

Are you trying to fit a projector type HID into your hi beam, or use the halogen reflector? I don't think the latter would pass our MOT as there would be too much uncontrolled glare. The light scattering may not provide you with any better illumination on your reflective snow. I have seen similar setups in 7" bike reflectors and the glare from anything reflective was horrendous, road signs, white walls etc, like driving into a searchlight.

http://www.danielste...onversions.html

http://www.my-gti.co...lector-housings

It is not as clear as it could be, but I think he is talking only about HIDs in reflector type lamps.

I did ponder this because my standard halogen lamps were total rubbish. The after market HIDs +nightbreakers provided sufficient illumination.

I have considered getting new lightunits from ebay and converting them using decent shuttered projectors. In your place, this would be the first thing I would look into, an upgrade of your projectors to the shuttered type.

http://www.hidretrofits.com/

http://www.theretrofitsource.com/

As far as you question, I can sort of vizualise your problem, but I would be very careful of any ballast/exciter wiring ++++++ve! Is there not space to the side, behind the hi beam reflector?

Yes, i will replace the halogen bulb in the same reflector, i know the professionals say that this a no go and that xenons shall be only in lens projector or in xenon projectors. I have a H4 hi/low kit installed on my other car ('09 Berlingo) and this kit have been working flawlessly for over 3 years and 35000km now, with same bulbs and ballasts. I am happy with the light an it does not dazzle other drivers, in 3 years i have never gotten any reactions from other drivers.

There might be room for the ballast inside the lamp itself, the problem is getting it in there, maybe it is possible to demount the lamp, haven't looked into that yet but will do.

[nickguzzi]

No mine was a standard all halogen setup. But with a projector for low beam, which is where my HID's are fitted. Ordinary reflector mainbeam.

I guess Norway has far fewer oncoming motorists than here.

The headlamp unit itself comes off very easily. Sounds like you will have fun.

[reverse]

Out of curiosity - how do you get rid of the xenon bulb brightness delay? I mean if you turn on your car it takes time for Xenons to reach their full brightness - that will also happen when you switch between high/low beams, rendering the "upgrade" to somewhat useless and even dangerous. Or am I missing the point here?

[Ca-raae]

Out of curiosity - how do you get rid of the xenon bulb brightness delay? I mean if you turn on your car it takes time for Xenons to reach their full brightness - that will also happen when you switch between high/low beams, rendering the "upgrade" to somewhat useless and even dangerous. Or am I missing the point here?

That is one drawback and i just have to test if it works good enough, as you say the bulbs need a few seconds to reach maximum, but it's not completely dark while that happens, there will be some light in the high beam and the low beam is on all the time so i am not sure it will be that big of a problem. When the high beam is on you can turn them off for a short period and on again without the delay, i am not sure what the time period is though.

[Jockdooshbag]

Out of curiosity - how do you get rid of the xenon bulb brightness delay? I mean if you turn on your car it takes time for Xenons to reach their full brightness - that will also happen when you switch between high/low beams, rendering the "upgrade" to somewhat useless and even dangerous. Or am I missing the point here?

This is what i was thinking. Might cause problems when trhying to "flash" other motorists etc. Was this not the reason that bi-xenons have a shuttered system?? Would upgraded halogen bulbs not have been simpler and probably more effective due to lack of delay?

[Perc]

Out of curiosity - how do you get rid of the xenon bulb brightness delay? I mean if you turn on your car it takes time for Xenons to reach their full brightness - that will also happen when you switch between high/low beams, rendering the "upgrade" to somewhat useless and even dangerous. Or am I missing the point here?

I've had xenons in my high beams before (in other cars) and the delay is a non-issue as far as I'm concerned. The light output directly after a cold start is comparable to crappy halogens, and it only takes a couple of seconds for full brightness.

Flashing is an issue, but constant light output is far more important, at least to me.

Edited 9 January, 2013 by Perc

[reverse]

Yeah the shuttered system is because of the delay and also according to some data saves bulb life.

[Ca-raae]

Light output is most important for me aswell, but i still haven't solved the ballast placement. Anyone know if there is possible to open the lamp? It should be possible to replace eg. a reflector? If i got to open it i think there should be enough space inside. Think i have to look more into it in the weekend.

Have also bought a Defa 1204 charger kit, need to find a sensible location for this charger.