Projector HID and reflector HID side by side

[G-MAN]

I parked beside a Lexus RX330 last night at the local Walgreens. We were both facing the brick wall, both with our headlights on. The RX330 had reflector HIDs and with my projectors right beside it you could really see that there is no comparison. The free-form reflectors on the RX330 produce a beam pattern that doesn't look any different from a halogen beam pattern. Not much of a cutoff; very little foreground illumination. Heck, the std OEM halogen lamps that used to be on my 300M had a better beam pattern.

I'm convinced now more than ever that even for OEM applications, projectors are the only way to go for HIDs.

 

[Jonny Z]

Are your projectors E-Code?

Projectors by design have better cut offs, but some North American applications have tiny slots cut in the cut off shield to meet the US spec to, well, light the signs atop, and to annoy the guy coming from the other side.

Also the cleaness of the lenses will affect cut off quality a great deal as well. See the site below, interesting documentation of the guy's coversion project.

http://www.houseofthud.com/cartech/hids/hids-final.html

 

[G-MAN]

My projectors are the OEM Valeo ones that came in the 300M Special. They are DOT, not ECE, but the cutoff is very sharp. They just don't have the right hand flare that an ECE beam pattern has. The DOT beam pattern is like that of the old Cibie Z-Beams, with just a slight rise to the right of the mid-point.

Here's what the beam pattern looks like:

 

[ChrisW]

the 04-06 RX330 equipped with hid/xenon as far as I know came with projectors (similar to the S2000 projectors), the RX300 equip w/hid came with relfectors (D2R bulbs). The RX330 is the newer model. I dont think i've yet seen one RX330 hologen yet, all i've seen are equipped with hid.

 

[ChrisW]

the halogen RX330 are H11 bulbs, one of the higher output halogen bulbs being used by manufacturers. H9 has nearly 85% the lumens as your std 4300k D2S HID capsule.

 

[RFIRE]

And I use an H9 globe mounted on an H7 mount in my German fourth generation Chrysler mini-van lights. They are more than adequate.

Richard.