Brightest Headlights
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Brighter can mean a lot of things in this industry full of... for lack of better emphasis... bull crap. This includes the ever-so-popular Sylvania Silverstar bulbs.
Many of these bulbs claim brighter due to change in hue, in which case, what is perceptively brighter is not really brighter at all but just whiter light. Here, you're actually getting less actual light output because the coated bulbs are actually filtering out certain spectrums of light to produce a whiter appearance.
The other conventional method, of parting you from your money, are bulbs that burn hotter (higher wattage) to produce more light output. These, are also a waste of money, because they sacrifice bulb life. You could be driving along for a few months and suddenly one moonless night find yourself with no working headlight(s). No matter how they spin the marketing, the realities of physics and science can't be altered. Hotter bulbs can also wind up scorching a dark spot on the inside of your headlamp lens, permanently.
I've been dealing with lighting issues for decades... for as long as I held a driver's license because headlights from the 80s were horrible. Anyone who's driven one from that era and with sealed beam headlamps knows what I'm talking about. Factory lighting technology has improved greatly since then. Engineering of reflectors and more precise manufacturing have made it possible. I find it hard to believe that a 2015 Renegade has factory headlamps so poor that one feels compelled to "fix" it.
If you are not satisfied with your car's headlights, make sure they are aimed properly before wasting money on snake oil light bulbs that cost you more and do less.
If you insist on spending money on brighter aftarmarket bulbs, keep a spare set in the car and make sure you are able to change them on the side of the road if you ever have to. It's unlikely both headlights will burn out at the same time, but not impossible.
Many of these bulbs claim brighter due to change in hue, in which case, what is perceptively brighter is not really brighter at all but just whiter light. Here, you're actually getting less actual light output because the coated bulbs are actually filtering out certain spectrums of light to produce a whiter appearance.
The other conventional method, of parting you from your money, are bulbs that burn hotter (higher wattage) to produce more light output. These, are also a waste of money, because they sacrifice bulb life. You could be driving along for a few months and suddenly one moonless night find yourself with no working headlight(s). No matter how they spin the marketing, the realities of physics and science can't be altered. Hotter bulbs can also wind up scorching a dark spot on the inside of your headlamp lens, permanently.
I've been dealing with lighting issues for decades... for as long as I held a driver's license because headlights from the 80s were horrible. Anyone who's driven one from that era and with sealed beam headlamps knows what I'm talking about. Factory lighting technology has improved greatly since then. Engineering of reflectors and more precise manufacturing have made it possible. I find it hard to believe that a 2015 Renegade has factory headlamps so poor that one feels compelled to "fix" it.
If you are not satisfied with your car's headlights, make sure they are aimed properly before wasting money on snake oil light bulbs that cost you more and do less.
If you insist on spending money on brighter aftarmarket bulbs, keep a spare set in the car and make sure you are able to change them on the side of the road if you ever have to. It's unlikely both headlights will burn out at the same time, but not impossible.
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105 Posts
I have changes my headlamp bulbs to Osram Night Breaker Unlimited & give significantly improved light output. Also used the same bulbs on my three previous cars & have never had a failure yet. Standard bulbs sacrifice light output for long life, but if you are prepared to change the bulbs a bit more often you can improve visibility at night.
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129 Posts
Missin my HIDs off my srt 
. I'm interested in what others have done as well
. I'm interested in what others have done as well
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15 Posts
One of my only regrets is losing HID's.
I used to be a cop - and I wrote a LOT of tickets for traffic violations in my 10 years.
Not one time did I stop a car for retrofitting HID's. Quite frankly - even if I KNEW FOR A FACT someone retrofit a factory install there is absolutely 0% chance I would have cited them for it.
Not to mention the fact that I'll wager 0% of the 5-0 here have any idea what headlights came on my Rene.
I'm going to absolutely put the euro projector lens HID's in if I can get my hands on them.
I used to be a cop - and I wrote a LOT of tickets for traffic violations in my 10 years.
Not one time did I stop a car for retrofitting HID's. Quite frankly - even if I KNEW FOR A FACT someone retrofit a factory install there is absolutely 0% chance I would have cited them for it.
Not to mention the fact that I'll wager 0% of the 5-0 here have any idea what headlights came on my Rene.
I'm going to absolutely put the euro projector lens HID's in if I can get my hands on them.
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61 Posts
Hid
I actually put HID's in my Renegade Last night, since I am new to the forum I will add some pics or atleast link to a new thread showing the DYI....
I actually put HID's in my Renegade Last night, since I am new to the forum I will add some pics or atleast link to a new thread showing the DYI....
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61 Posts
HID PIcs
Here is the finished product... I'll keep working on the walkthrough
Here is the finished product... I'll keep working on the walkthrough
Attachments
Thanks for the pics, looks great!
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61 Posts
more pics
Here is the link to all the pics
http://www.jeeprenegadeforum.com/fo...hting/25674-anybody-have-hids.html#post274834
Here is the link to all the pics
http://www.jeeprenegadeforum.com/fo...hting/25674-anybody-have-hids.html#post274834
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35 Posts
Hoping to not start a philosophical argument, but I am genuinely curious:
What do the "I need brighter headlights" folks feel that they are accomplishing? For me, if not off-road (when I'd expect to have additional lights for that purpose), I am really only looking to illuminate any reflective paint/markers/signs, not be able to spot a quarter left in the roadway.
I have had to literally turn my head, put up my hand, lower my visor, and otherwise try to block the bright lights of oncoming cars that have replaced their regular headlights with seem to be Death Star Energy Beams. I am not aware of anything going on with my eyes that would indicate that I am overly sensitive. I have a buddy that is in the 'brighter is better' camp, but I have never gotten a real answer as to what it is he thinks he can/will see with them.
What do the "I need brighter headlights" folks feel that they are accomplishing? For me, if not off-road (when I'd expect to have additional lights for that purpose), I am really only looking to illuminate any reflective paint/markers/signs, not be able to spot a quarter left in the roadway.
I have had to literally turn my head, put up my hand, lower my visor, and otherwise try to block the bright lights of oncoming cars that have replaced their regular headlights with seem to be Death Star Energy Beams. I am not aware of anything going on with my eyes that would indicate that I am overly sensitive. I have a buddy that is in the 'brighter is better' camp, but I have never gotten a real answer as to what it is he thinks he can/will see with them.
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61 Posts
hid
Besides being brighter, the shine futher and reflect "animals" eyes better. I drive a lot a night so it is important for me to have these. If I didn't I am not sure I would install them.
Plus, I have had several BMW's with Xenon lights, from the factory, and once you have them, its hard to go back. Yes, they are bright and people flash me, but whats funny is any new SUV, including the Explorer, Grand Cherokee, etc that have them...shine in my eyes too.
It just comes with the territory.
Besides being brighter, the shine futher and reflect "animals" eyes better. I drive a lot a night so it is important for me to have these. If I didn't I am not sure I would install them.
Plus, I have had several BMW's with Xenon lights, from the factory, and once you have them, its hard to go back. Yes, they are bright and people flash me, but whats funny is any new SUV, including the Explorer, Grand Cherokee, etc that have them...shine in my eyes too.
It just comes with the territory.
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471 Posts
I have the same issue. Sometimes they are so bright I don't know if the oncoming car has their brights on or not. Several times I am having to turn my brights on, so I can see until I pass. Those of you with the brighter lights.... If I switch to the brighter lights, do you feel this will eliminate this issue for me? If so, I may just switch so I can see better with the oncoming traffic that have brighter lights.
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119 Posts
The BMWs etc. w/ xenon lights also have a lens designed to properly focus them. I'm in the "leave them alone" category. The worst around my area are mid-nineties Honda owners who drop in HIDs w/o changing the lenses. It's illegal, rude, and dangerous. I take it as "I can see better, and since I'm all that matters in this world, the heck with everyone else". Not aimed at the OP, but those who actually break code.
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61 Posts
We can agree to disagree, my father in law has a prius with factory hid with no specially designed lens...let alone all the late model acura, and infinity models that are all using the same hid set up..from the factory..not illegal. I guess ill just keep the "i can see better" mind frame
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3,718 Posts
We can agree to disagree, my father in law has a prius with factory hid with no specially designed lens...let alone all the late model acura, and infinity models that are all using the same hid set up..from the factory..not illegal. I guess ill just keep the "i can see better" mind frame
They have projector lenses. Inside them as a piece that gives it a razor sharp cut off at a certain height. They are most definitely specially designed specifically for that application. Dropping HIDs into a housing that has not been designed for them creates a hazard.
At least in NJ, you can wind up having your vehicle impounded for it.
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1,613 Posts
I should have mentioned I am having them factory fitted.
That is the result of improperly aimed/installed HIDs lights, not the fault of the lighting technology.
This is why I don't think retrofitting (simply dropping in a HID kits) is the best option. The reflectors were not designed for HID and the HID kits are universal H13 and not designed specifically to the reflectors. The end result is you get a lot of glare above the horizontal cut-off. You can see that in the pictures posted.
HID and projectors made for HID are most ideal. Park a car with OEM HID facing a wall and look at the light pattern. Between the lit and unlit areas of the wall, it should be a night and day difference very very little bleed-over above the cut-off.
Proper aiming, generally your horizontal cut-off shouldn't go above the trunk of the car ahead of you. Even improperly aimed conventional halogen lights can blind other drivers.
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