Re: Lights / Lumens

[QSHIPQ@aol.com]

In a message dated 97-01-11 13:30:01 EST, you write:

<< 	I don't know the science behind lights.  Lumens, whatever.  What 
 I do know is this:  The lights on my 89 200tqw suck.  The "quad" setup on 
 one of the family cars is better, to an extent.  When I rode in Eric's 
 car, I was so impressed at the difference [over both of the above], that 
 I ordered a set, not from Eric, but from Phillipe Sabot @ Metrix sp?.  
 Something like $420 USD.  Haven't received them yet.
>>>>   And there is no disagreement anywhere yet that, 1) US lights suck, or
2) euros are better....  Now that you've ordered your euros, why not do the
quad conversion on the "other" car and compare....  I do know some of the
science behind lights, and no doubt, euros are an acceptable alternative...
 My knowledge of lighting systems and available lense patterns is that
acceptable and better are terms I have little problem assimilating...  BEST
and SUSPERIOR is what is being proffered by most, and with THAT I can easily
take exception....  So can the science.....

 
>>>>>>>> 	Now, I understand why this can't be done on US roads, but if less 
 [wattage] is indeed more, why does race car technology not follow this 
 route?  I just keep thinking of Baja setups, etc.  I know the pencil 
 beams, etc., are used, but, what the hell am I missing here?  
>>>>  RACE CAR TECHNOLOGY DOES FOLLOW THIS ROUTE, Bruce...  Lots of rallye
cars run 55w in the pencils (in fact anything more in a pencil will give a
hot spot like you wouldn't believe) and 55w in the drivings, in fact, most
off road cars don'
t use H4, but a dedicated 7" round fog or z-beam low, the rest are high beams
only (ProRally is the exception, cuz since transitions are on public roads H4
must be used, but notice on the rallye quattros for instance, the DELETION of
the h2 high all together)....  100w is usually the upper limit, to run more
than that really dictates a different lense/light/driver, not the need for
more wattage....  Understand that halogen is a very "white" light, in other
words, reflectance is high with a halogen bulb....  I've run 100w H2 bulbs in
my Rallye 2000 before and literally was blinded by a reflective sign on the
highway....  Reflectance also applies to the humidity or dust in the air....
 As you increase the humidity, your reflectance of said is higher with
increased wattage, decreasing effective visibility.   As well, high wattage
tends to "wash" depth perception.  And the contrast between staring at that
wash and a 3w lit oil pressure guage becomes exponentially tougher for the
pupils..  This reflectance doesn't apply to "dry" areas such as say phoenix
or the desert dry areas, but given most racing has one in front, and the rest
following, not sure I'd assume to be the front guy when choosing my
lighting......  It does apply to Chicago, Indy, St. Louis, Detroit, and most
of the NE/NW tho, for example....  Fog, by definition is high reflectance
conditions, and H3 bulb is not the best of contolled lighting for a hibeam
(that E/W bulb is used in the driving/fogs audi sells in the "Autobahns"),
neither is it's "shared" housing with the H4 that resides next to it....
 None of this is opinion, there is science behind it.....
>>>
>Also, 
 >doesn't the "quad" setup on older Audi's require the sealed lights , ie., 
 >no interchanging of bulbs, but entire lights?  As for me, the $400 seemed 
 >cheap---I will finally see the road again:)  Isn't that a good thing?
No, not exactly (hertz pun intended)....  Euro/Z-beam conversions are
available for the audi quads, using the exact same interchangeable H4 bulb
the euros use, and a more "correct" H2 or H1 bulb in the high beam....  I
assure you Bruce, and Eric et. al. that the euros are an improvement over the
stock US lights...  At the price that Igor's recommended Matrix contact (more
in the 500USD delivered range tho isn't it) one hardly needs any post
cognitive disonance theory applied, IT"S A GREAT DEAL for the money....  Is
it the BEST, absolutely not, period.  SUPERIOR?, that's pretty subjective,
compared to what would be my rebuttal....  Are the compromises acceptable
compared to a US light, YOU BET.....  My exact point is that euro
conversions, though impressive as they are, are still a compromise to proper
lighting....  My posts have never said anything but this, and science, btdt,
and hella/cibie, night racers too,  hardly disagree, in theory or
practice.....  

I can get REALLY nerdy on this stuff for whomever is interested in private
e-mail....  My posts in recent months are for education, not to tell you what
you do is wrong, cuz it's not...  The mere fact that you are addressing the
lighting equation at all makes what you do right in direction....  I went
thru this whole thing 20 years ago with an 78 scirocco (and I paid BIG USD
then for the aero slick euro conversion, before I was educated by a
ProRallyist who convinced me to swap back to the quads), and understand
compromises, relay matricies, and lense patterns since that would defy
logical reasoning, and spent a summer installing them for spare $....   I did
the euro conversion (with the UK/EC swap) on my Crown Vic wagon tow vehicle
(relays in cockpit, 10guage wire abounded), and found the spread between the
bulb centers acceptable to run them....  I wanted the z-beams, couldn't find
them at the time, so I swapped  the euros.....  Most acceptable, except in
fog, heavy snow, heavy rain, they just plain fell short.....  No, they
sucked, certainly compared to a fog or even the XLs (55w).....   

Cellular Science applies, as much does vanity and post cognitive disonance
theory...   Run what you brung, be objective on the compromises of that
decision...  BTW, I have the latest Cibie listings patterns and apps, the
Hella stuff is on it's way....  The new toys in lighting are phenomenal,
thanks to this thread I'm back on the lighting tweeks again......   As always
with this tweeker, more will follow....  And, btw, there will be a 5ktq here
for tweeks with the covetted Cibie conversion...   Won't post my address
tho..... :*)

Enjoy the euros Bruce, you've waited long enough for the "alternative" to
come to fruition......

Pocket protector in, illuminating the projectiles, as always...
Scott