hi Martin
yep did the relay on my xant then upgraded to 100w as well.. it was getting there!
(cant remember if I just beefed up the pos wires though)
Who's fitted hid's to thier 01-05 c5
Moderator: RichardW
Re: Who's fitted hid's to thier 01-05 c5
I know, I was shocked when I got my first Xantia, a Mk1.5, and the lights on the Mk2 I had after that were even worse. The galling thing about the C5 is that the headlamp unit is enormous but only a tiny part of it is functional.lurchy666 wrote:reblack68 wrote:I'm thinking of a more drastic solution to the dreadful lights on my C5. I'm planning to remove the entire headlamp unit and put something less useless in the hole. I'm not sure what yet but it will have a patterned glass lens and large reflector- as seen on page 1 of the, sadly out of print since the 1990s, "How to Design a Headlight" book.
seriously 1990's xantias are 90's cars and there headlights are terrable, much rather have something 80's with a massive lamp than theres tiny things on new cars
Richard
No French cars of my own at present.
Care of a 1994 205 D.
No French cars of my own at present.
Care of a 1994 205 D.
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- Posts: 276
- Joined: 22 Jun 2005, 17:26
- Location: wisbech near peterborough
- My Cars: citroen c5 hdi 2.2 auto estate
- x 1
Re: Who's fitted hid's to thier 01-05 c5
Personally for me. The old sealed beams on my old mini were a lot better that anything ive had since. And that is a long list of cars ranging from metros through escorts/mondeos 3 xantias and my huge granadas usually with 100 watt bulbs in them all. and my volvo and frontera with hids. And id still rather have the old sealed beams. Just can see so much more with them compared to modern cars. Or maybe its my eyes.
c5 2.2 auto hdi estate 52 reg
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- Moderating Team
- Posts: 11577
- Joined: 02 Apr 2005, 16:11
- Location: Charmouth,Dorset
- My Cars: Currently:
C5 X7 VTR + Satnav Hdi estate Silver
C5 X7 VTR + Hdi Estate 2008 Red
In the past: 3, CX td Safaris and about 7, XM td estates. Lovely cars. - x 1206
Re: Who's fitted hid's to thier 01-05 c5
I find the headlights on my C5s pretty good, streets ahead of the XM although the 2.0 is better than the 2.2 for some reason. You could try running a wire from the battery to one lamp when they are on and see if it makes it brighter.
Peter
Peter
Re: Who's fitted hid's to thier 01-05 c5
Correct me if I am wrong but this is what I know ...
If the clouding happens from the outside of the lights ... like it happens on my Lexus ie ... it has nothing to do with the light bulbs, but purely to the sun light.
I have cleaned with the machine polisher and some medium grade cream and the lights come up as new ..., it will last for a few months but it is only a process of 10-15mins per light max!
(I know Toyota's suffer with this, I have seen citroen Xsara and C3 have the same problem, Audi A6, VW Passat and a few other makes) All these 9 out of 10 cases is solved with a machine polish, it can be done by hand as well... but will not last as long.
If you put HID's in a Halogen light, it will fail the MOT if not this month ... it will surely do fail in 2013.
If the clouding happens from the outside of the lights ... like it happens on my Lexus ie ... it has nothing to do with the light bulbs, but purely to the sun light.
I have cleaned with the machine polisher and some medium grade cream and the lights come up as new ..., it will last for a few months but it is only a process of 10-15mins per light max!
(I know Toyota's suffer with this, I have seen citroen Xsara and C3 have the same problem, Audi A6, VW Passat and a few other makes) All these 9 out of 10 cases is solved with a machine polish, it can be done by hand as well... but will not last as long.
If you put HID's in a Halogen light, it will fail the MOT if not this month ... it will surely do fail in 2013.
Current Cars:
Citroen Xantia 3.0 V6 Exclusive ('98)
Alfa Romeo 166 2.0TS ('03)
Audi A6 C6 2.4 V6 SE ('05)
BMW 735i Individual M-Pack ('00)
Lexus GS300SE Navigator ('98)
Toyota Prius T-Spirit ('04)
Citroen Xantia 3.0 V6 Exclusive ('98)
Alfa Romeo 166 2.0TS ('03)
Audi A6 C6 2.4 V6 SE ('05)
BMW 735i Individual M-Pack ('00)
Lexus GS300SE Navigator ('98)
Toyota Prius T-Spirit ('04)
-
- Moderating Team
- Posts: 11577
- Joined: 02 Apr 2005, 16:11
- Location: Charmouth,Dorset
- My Cars: Currently:
C5 X7 VTR + Satnav Hdi estate Silver
C5 X7 VTR + Hdi Estate 2008 Red
In the past: 3, CX td Safaris and about 7, XM td estates. Lovely cars. - x 1206
Re: Who's fitted hid's to thier 01-05 c5
I think all cars with plastic lenses suffer with this problem, I had a BMW 5 series with very cloudy headlights but the problem was the outside of the lens, it looked as though a combination of traffic grime and uV light had done the damage, it also looked as though it would polish put with the appropriate equipment.
Strangely though my 11 year old C5s both have nice clear lenses and my 406 has brilliant lights, I thought at first they were glass but they aren't.
Peter
Strangely though my 11 year old C5s both have nice clear lenses and my 406 has brilliant lights, I thought at first they were glass but they aren't.
Peter
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- (Donor 2021)
- Posts: 4625
- Joined: 27 Nov 2005, 19:07
- Location: Kent / Susssex
- My Cars: 2010 C5 X7 2.0 hdi 160 exc auto
MG TF 135
Boxer II 2.2 camper conversion
BMW R1200RT
BMW K1300 R
Honda V F R 800 5thG / MT500 Armstrong - x 39
Re: Who's fitted hid's to thier 01-05 c5
just checked my 110 voltage.
14.5 at battery (engine on, dipped on)
14.3 " " (including main)
13.8 at main beam + ve
'alf a volt... but I cant be bothered to work out how many watts that is
14.5 at battery (engine on, dipped on)
14.3 " " (including main)
13.8 at main beam + ve
'alf a volt... but I cant be bothered to work out how many watts that is
Re: Who's fitted hid's to thier 01-05 c5
Conventional wisdom has 7" sealed beams as the worst headlights ever but I'd be inclined to agree with you. If they were getting full power and they were pointing the right way, neither of which you could take for granted on the cars that had them, sealed beams were pretty good- and on 40/45W too. Once lights get too bright they kill your night sight so you can only see what's within the beam.lurchy666 wrote:Personally for me. The old sealed beams on my old mini were a lot better that anything ive had since. And that is a long list of cars ranging from metros through escorts/mondeos 3 xantias and my huge granadas usually with 100 watt bulbs in them all. and my volvo and frontera with hids. And id still rather have the old sealed beams. Just can see so much more with them compared to modern cars. Or maybe its my eyes.
Richard
No French cars of my own at present.
Care of a 1994 205 D.
No French cars of my own at present.
Care of a 1994 205 D.
- uhn113x
- Posts: 1161
- Joined: 06 Jan 2004, 22:06
- Location: Near Leeds, United Kingdom
- My Cars: 1981 Dyane - on road all year round.
1982 GSA Pallas - on road April - September.
1997 ZX 1.9D Dimension. - x 1
Re: Who's fitted hid's to thier 01-05 c5
Agree! Best lights I have ever had are on my GSA. Nothing "terrable" [sic] about them at all. It's an 80's car.
The other march of progress has replaced proper glass lenses with plastic (cheaper) and the fact that it probably takes you half a day to replace bulbs, witness all the newish cars with one headlight, others pointing to Betelgeuse or tarmac and some so dim that the light is sort of brown.
The other march of progress has replaced proper glass lenses with plastic (cheaper) and the fact that it probably takes you half a day to replace bulbs, witness all the newish cars with one headlight, others pointing to Betelgeuse or tarmac and some so dim that the light is sort of brown.
Mike in West Yorks
1982 GSA Pallas
1982 Dyane
1997 ZX Dimension
1982 GSA Pallas
1982 Dyane
1997 ZX Dimension
Re: Who's fitted hid's to thier 01-05 c5
The lights on my RR are great for night driving BUT they are suffering with dirt and general MUCK ingress due to their poor breathing design. To replace the bulbs on them its easier to take the grille off the car, then the unit. Take about 10mins all in to get off, swap bulb and then back on