Converting Lightforce XGT's to HID?

[davez104]

Hi all,
Checked out a website that is selling instructions to convert XGT's to run HID globes. http://www.angelfire.com/on4/bushy5551/xgt.html Just wondering if anyone here has done this and how much work is involved. I'm not real keen on taking to my lights with a 19mm drill bit and siliconing up the mess. Sounds good though having the HID's, maybe even the 50 watters.

Thanks.
Dave.

[bogged]

http://carl.outerlimits4x4.com/search.php

[Mulisha]

http://carl.outerlimits4x4.com/search.php

Does that come with instructions?

[davez104]

Didn't need instructions, worked the search bit out for myself. Still can't seem to find anyone that has done the conversion themselves, to get an opinion. I don't want to end up with a light that looks dodgey, lets moisture in etc etc, they are pretty good as they are. Also, is the reflector on an XGT plastic and would a high wattage HID nuke em??

Thanks.
Dave.

[GQ4.8coilcab]

Didn't need instructions, worked the search bit out for myself. Still can't seem to find anyone that has done the conversion themselves, to get an opinion. I don't want to end up with a light that looks dodgey, lets moisture in etc etc, they are pretty good as they are. Also, is the reflector on an XGT plastic and would a high wattage HID nuke em??

Thanks.
Dave.

bushy555 (i think thats his username) has spent thousands on research and different HID kits. His kits are top quality. Send him a PM if you have any questions

[amtravic1]

Yes,
give Dave, Bushy555 a pm. He is very helpfull and has done the conversion and makes kits to change lightforce lights to HID.

[eliteforce32]

hi guys i brought a 45watt kit of Bushy555 from the board... could not be more impressed with the help this bloke gives, lights are unreal.... now they are worth having on in the bush.


conversertion simple and effective, only took me day to get every thing done.... beers in between of course

cheers
simon

[bogged]

and a search would have got any of these answers 12049823 times...

[davez104]

Simon, how much did you have to modify your lights? Do you think your lights will still seal water/dust out? And does the finished light look professional or does it end up looking like it has been hacked at? Some photos of the finished product would be awesome.

Bogged,
Mate, I did the search, found heaps of threads, but mostly from people who were selling the kits, ie bushy555. I wanted a bit of info from people who had done this themselves, where they happy with both the performance of the lights after mods, and also the look of the finished product. That was the info that I could not find with the search. Thankyou for directing me to the search, I should have done that first, but would still have started the thread anyway.

Thanks.
Dave.

[eliteforce32]

Dave, yeah mate i brought my xgt's brand new, i had been watching this hid conversion for a while. iwas very worried like u on finish etc.

Don't be, inregards to dust water ingress, its only as good as u seal ur lights , i used some after market gromets for the new wiring exiting the lights and i have duncked them and they have not had any water, condensation build up etc, same as dust.

and just to i no some will say.... im not a paid person to say, related to Bushy555 off this board, just a happy customer.

inregards to instructions, they are clear and consise (sp?) on what to do and they are complete... i will endever to get some pictures tomorrow for all to see.

i have many friends that have the normal XGT's with the cyrstal blue lens (read blue) and some with the just the clear combo filters but these xgt kits the 45watt kit poos over them something cronic as well as Amperege use is cut by over half... got to be goog for the batteries.

anyway my 2c i hope this helps simon

[davez104]

Thanks heaps simon, I'll send him a PM and give them a shot. The XGT's are probably the best lights I've ever owned, but if they can be made better, I'm keen.

Thanks.
Dave.

[bushy555]

Was gonna just send a PM, but I typed a bunch of stuff that I thought peeps should know (UV light etc), and also I wanted to upset Bogged even more so.

Copied and pasted.

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I can fully understand you not wanting to take a thumper 3/4" drill bit to your $500.00 lights! I didn't want to have to do this either, but I have yet to find a nicer way. The original lightforce 12v pins are unfortuntaly too close together to use --- if you do use these, the high voltage at startup shorts between the two pins at the plug, and the bulb never fires up. Or at least is not reliable, which really really sucks. That would have been a very nice way to do it.
Using a proper sized grommet in the hole, does make it look like a factory fit. And yes, I do agree, that silion'ing the hole is indeed dodgey, but again, I have yet to find a nicer and better method.

The XGT's dont require an adapter, just the removal of the original ceramic base, then a decent sized hole in the aluminium heat sink to house the H3 HID bulb. The choice of the H3 bulb was the closest to the original dimension specs of the halogen bi-pin bulb. So that the arc of the HID bulb is in the same offset position as the original --- so the end resulted beam pattern is near identical. A single mm either way, and this would change the pattern.

As for effects of the HID bulb on the housing --- there is no heat issue at all. Halogens run at around 450 to 500 degree's centigrade. 45 watt metal halide (HID) run at around 120 to 150 degrees. HOWEVER, if you were to use low quality metal halide bulbs with little UV protection on the bulb itself, there is quite the possibility of detrimental effects of the UV light on the shiny surface given a few years. Hence, buy a decent known branded HID kit.

I imported a bunch of 45watt cheap chinese HID kits back in November and they sold fairly quickly. However, unfortunately their quality assurance was pretty lousy (even though at the time I thought that they were awesome), and I now advise everyone to stay away from made-in-china HID kits, however Im still guarantee'ing their 12 month warranty. Their UV protection on the bulbs is unknown, I have been running four of these bulbs since beginning of November with no bad effects yet.


Your best bet is to jump on to ebay and go searching for a week or two, make some notes and then decide to go for it. Any of the Japan or German kits are fine, and are usually around the same sort of dollars as well. (Borsch and Xtec for example)
50 watters (Xtec) are available from BitDistribution (www.bitdistribution.com.au) and you pay quite a bit for them.
However they are awesome!

55 watters (brand unknown, dunno country of origin) are available from www.brightlightautoparts.com.au at a fairly decent price. - however, they may be chinese. And I havent had a set to test.

close-up pics of rear of lights:







dave.

[davez104]

Thanks bushy,
That info is very helpful. I'll send you the 10 bucks later today for the instructions. I'll make my final decision after I read them. I saw the 55W kit on ebay, reckon they would be pretty awesome, I'll see if I can find out a bit more about them.

Thanks again.
Dave.

[Big Red Toy]

I purchased the instructions off bushy but then i took another look at my waterproof $495 XGT's & couldn't bring myself to cut the shit out of the back of them so i just grab a pair of Narva 175's & put my 45watt hid kit in them.

They are great instructions if your willing to put a hole in the back of your XGT's.

I would be keen on converting some Blitz's however as still seems to retain its seal

Andrew