DOT ON ACA?? Yes, I have had two of the original HID sets(still have the ACA HID)

The current Ebay $200 are setup for halogen, and most likely it's a copy of ACA and they just molded the DOT onto lens

I haven't searched, but pretty sure the DOT stamping is just that; not valid.

But.............will this get you through an inspection? Maybe

ACA's are part of the offshore production market, little to zero regulation

note:...ACA OWNERS, PLEASE READ PATCHES WRITEUP ON THE ORIGINAL FIX FOR THE BULB CHATTER, it's annoying unless corrected

 

True... but 4300K is way too yellow for me. I put 5000K in my daily driver when its OEM 4300 HID burnt out. It was a fantastic improvement over the 4300K.

I have 6000K in my Z06 Fogs, and Low beans. They are pure white, but just a 1% hint of blue. They look great. I would not change them for anything.

I agree that the 8000K and above are just ridiculous.

Toque

 

You probably already know this, so it's just for those unfamiliar with HID - the 4300K temp HID's give the maximum visible light output. The higher the bulb temp color above 4300K, the less light output they generate. I installed the HID's in my wife's C5 years ago when she started having problems driving at night with the stock halogen setup in her C5. She refused to drive at dusk or later due to not being able to see comfortably with the halogens. I installed the 4300K ACA's and she has not had a problem or complaint since. The 4300K bulbs put out the max light so, for maximum lighting performance, I left those in rather than swapping in a whiter/bluer bulb for esthetic reasons.

I also put in one of the first sets of JWM Sun Guns HID's in my C5 and also ordered the 4300K setup for those as I don't feel the esthetic difference is worth the compromise in light output - after all, I did this mod primarily to improve the performance of the system so why compromise it for looks at night. To me, it's like installing heads/cam and tuning for sound and leaving some hp on the table for the sake of esthetics. I understand looks are important for us here and I've done my share of waxer mods but night-driving is too dangerous an activity (to me) to compromise it in favor of looks. To each, his own.

 

i will check on my sisters CTS caddy ..as she has OEM hid headlights.and get back to you with any pics or info that i can find

 

You are correct. I have found the "bluest" projectors are S2000 and certain BMWs. That being said, 6000k look fine to me while 12000k look ridiculous.

 

His write up only applies to the original ACA design/bulbs and the not the new H9 HIDs, like those sold by JW Motoring. Those twist in and lock into the redesigned ACA housing so no jiggle. Still a little vibration however, but that cannot be corrected due to the pop up design.

 

I have 4300 temp in my ACA HID lows as well as my fogs.

I drive a lot of 2-lane suburban/country roads and light output was my primary concern.

Regarding Toque's original concern, I applaud the cop for addressing the HID in halogen light housings as I see of lot of those cheap mods on jacked up pick up trucks on the streets where I drive. HIDs in stock halogen housings blind on-coming traffic. The purple lights in particular scream "aftermarket" and owners should not be suprised if they get pulled over and ticketed.

 

Agreed. I hate being blinded by those lights. Here is my bi-xenon retrofit w/ 4300K bulbs and regular halogen fog lights. Looks clean and stock with no glare at all.



Here is right at the colorband where you get a lot of the color flicker

 

And this is my next project...

Toque

 

Same reason they want wheels that spin on the outside.

 

Here are the Bi-Xenon HID's on my dd MINI Cooper S. These are awesome lights. I drive 30 miles of the Ortega Hwy. to work and home and these are definitely ticket for all that canyon-carving I have to do every day.

 

Im pretty sure any modification to the OEM lighting on a car is technicaly no longer legal. You can take DOT headlights ( the whole unit, or tail lights, or whatever you pick) off a Cadillac and install them in a Ford and they cease to be "legal" because they were "approved" by DOT in the original desgin for that specific vehicle.

Also, any light that isnt "white or yellow" is usualy not allowed to be visible from the front of a vehicle in motion.

So... any selection of HID's outside straight white towards the blue end of the spectrum would be in violation based on the color of the light it emits as well as for the fact that it wasnt "approved" in the original OEM design of that vehicle.

Not an LEO, not a legal expert in any sense of the term, just someone who has HID's in projectors and has researched a bit.

 

I think you are exactly correct. I live in Florida and I went online and checked the statutes and the language indicated that any modification or altering of factory installed lighting is in violation of the statute.

With that said, I enjoy modifying and improving my Corvette C5 as much as anyone on this forum, however I try to stick with modifications that don't scream aftermarket. LED halos vs. blackouts. ACA projector HIDs vs. purple HID temp bulbs in stock housings. IMO, it all depends on how much attention you attract. I highly doubt a non Corvette person would even notice my lighting mods. Heck, most people think my 2004 convertible is a new Corvette!

 

Whole-heartedly

I try not to be the nail that sticks up

 

They tried to give HID tickets here but the DA said they were legal. I hate cops somtimes HID's never killed anyone I have them in all my cars. They have saved my cars twice and 3 friends and my own life once when a large tree was across the entire road and the speed limit was 65 in that area. If it hadn't been for HID's I wouldn't have seen the tree in time to stop I would be dead and so would 3 others.

 

My aca kit came with a card that makes them "legal" I guess. Ill post it up when I find it.

 

Yea please do !!!

Thanks !
Toque

 

I have one too, but I have no idea where it is or the original carton.

 

Dont mind my chicken scratch signature lol

 

I've got to get a set of the black lights for the JCW clubman. Those look awesome. I was about to look at mine for the DOT # then ran across your post.