Date:         Tue, 16 Dec 2003 22:01:53 +1300
Reply-To:     Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject:      Re: Xenon kit from Sylvania
Comments: To: "Brian T." <nobleman36@yahoo.com>
In-Reply-To:  <20031215171552.77799.qmail@web60501.mail.yahoo.com>
Content-type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset=us-ascii

>LHD low-beam ?
>I am mechanically pretty sound, but lighting
>technology is a new forum for me, please let me know
>what this is.

Lefthand-drive. The low-beam cutoff is on the left; in New Zealand we
drive on the left, so the cutoff needs to be on the right. i once
bought a Stanley QH for my Honda CBX without looking closely at it.
Illegally, the Honda dealer was stocking LHD lights!

If you look at an H4 headlight lens, you will see that below the
centerline there is an asymmetric pattern from the center to one side
of the glass; this is the cutoff. It makes a horizontal upper margin
to the low beam, as can be seen by shining the ;light onto a wall at
rightangles. On one side the beam extends above the car's height; on
the other (which SHOULD be on the driver's side) the beam is cut-off
horizontally. correctly aligned, the beam cutoff should be JUST below
the bottom edge of the rear window of a car you're following.

>PS
>In a non-HID situation what are you recommendations?
>As I wrote I am running the orginal cut of the 7"
>round Hella (flat with a distinct demarkation of
>lighting boundaries and are sold for "off road use" in
>the states).

If the lenses are marked H4 you have standard QH (quartz-halogen)
hi/lo headlight units. They are not LEGAL is USA, but  they are
everywhere else.

>  I have Piaa Ultrawhites in them now and
>it's better, but not as "fleshed out" as I would like.

QHs vary, both the bulbs & lens-reflector units, from poor to very
good. But no light will be perfect, including HID.

>Again my intent is to see, not roast oncoming traffic
>:-)

You CAN do both...

--
Regards
Andrew