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Xenon lights
ZEN - 3/12/04 at 11:46 PM

Hello girls and guys
I'm planing to build a locost with a fouristic twist desing like the http://www.toniqr.co.uk/ inspiration.
I realy fancy the Xenon lights (i know they are a bit expensive).
Maybe any one of you have an opinion on them or even better expirience (i hope good)?
Please let me konw.


marshall - 4/12/04 at 09:41 AM

i think it is not a good thing as your car sits only 5inc from the ground. unless you
no of some were else to put them good luck


Hellfire - 4/12/04 at 10:11 AM

Depends on what you mean by Xenon... the only difference between a Xenon and a standard bulb is the gas which surrounds the filament. The Xenon bulb is 20% brighter (allegedly) but filament life varies wildly from bulb to bulb due to purity of Xenon in the manufacturing stage.

However, I think to what you are referring maybe the Gas Discharge type lights... which give off the very bright clean/blue beam. These are typically seen on high range vehicles. Apparently they take a lot of setting up and create very hot working temperatures compared to conventional lamps. As far as I know they are up to 5 times the price of a conventional incandescent lamp.

Interesting article: HERE

Very overkill if you ask me. But seeing as you didn't, you probably won't care!

[Edited on 4-12-04 by Hellfire]


krlthms - 4/12/04 at 05:54 PM

If you look at the site detailing the Toniq development you will find somewhere a thank you note to Jamguar techs for machining the light enclosures, so the "lights" are one-off, and I doubt if they will appear on "production" Toniqs; I am not even sure they are functional.
As for the Xenon arc lamps that are becoming a "must have" in hicost cars, my opinion is that they are not worth the money or the extra effort. I have used similar lamps in scientific applications where we needed a particular spectrum in the blue-uv range. The lamps needed to be ignited with a large discharge of several kilovolts and quite a bit of current. We had to turn-off all other electronic equipment in the lab when doing this, otherwise we risked frying up other equipment, and the risk was real! Also, as the lamps get older they must be replaced; letting a lamp go beyond the recommended lifespan risks explosion and, in our case, having mercury vapor all over the setup.
So, my unsloicited advice, is that it is probably premature to think about these types of lamps in a locost.
Cheers
KT


phelpsa - 4/12/04 at 07:45 PM

With HID lighting you must have a headlamp cleaning system (like wipers or washers). That is why when Jap import impreza STIs come over the HID lights are replaced with UK spec lights.

Adam


ZEN - 5/12/04 at 12:09 AM

@Hellfire
i'm refering to the gas discharge sistem

@krlthms
i mentioned the Toniq only for the futuristic design and i am aware that the lights on the prototype are probably dummy


Browser - 5/12/04 at 10:55 AM

quote:
Originally posted by phelpsa
With HID lighting you must have a headlamp cleaning system (like wipers or washers). That is why when Jap import impreza STIs come over the HID lights are replaced with UK spec lights.

Adam


Whyzat Adam? Is it the aforementioned heat buildup and muck covered headlamps preventing radiation of said warmth, or something else?


kaymar - 8/12/04 at 10:41 PM

bware believe these are capacitor dischage fed lights you will need really good earth/ground if fitted or you may suffer from a nasty shock but good luck


splitrivet - 9/12/04 at 01:05 PM

Saw the Toniqr at Donnington Nice twist but aint it an MK with different clothes.

When I was asking the guy on the stand various questions he hadnt got a clue.
Cheers,
Bob


timf - 9/12/04 at 01:19 PM

have a close look at the toniq lights.
they are house hold 12v halogen spots in a niclyu machined housing. looks good the the proper production ones will be nothing like them


ned - 9/12/04 at 01:42 PM

the toniq-r is a rebodied stuart taylor iirc...


phelpsa - 9/12/04 at 10:26 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Browser
quote:
Originally posted by phelpsa
With HID lighting you must have a headlamp cleaning system (like wipers or washers). That is why when Jap import impreza STIs come over the HID lights are replaced with UK spec lights.

Adam


Whyzat Adam? Is it the aforementioned heat buildup and muck covered headlamps preventing radiation of said warmth, or something else?


Something to do with muck distorting the direction of the light, meaning that it may dazzle the driver coming the other way. This happens a lot with normal lights but with HID lighting being that much brighter ..........

Ned, you are right.

Adam