PigSti
Guest
OEM SG9 Bi-Xenon HID 35W Cross Sport
I have OEM SG9 35W Cross Sport reflector Bi-Xenon HID manufactured exclusively by Subaru for the '04 2.0ℓ SG9 Cross Sport early shape. These are not the STi ones but are very similar shaped and identical technically.
The most obvious difference is the greater number of reflective surface elements on the main reflector, 23 as opposed to 10 in the common halogen. This is because the reflector is specifically tuned to the different shape position of the xenon plasma arc as opposed to the position of the normal halogen incandescent filament. These lights are specifically optically tuned only for a bi-xenon light so that the light pattern is very accurate with zero stray refractive light beams (glare). Here is a link to the type of OEM xenon bulb sold on ebay!
https://www.ebay.com/itm/OSRAM-SYLV...ENUINE-HID-XENON-OE-PACKAGE-DOT-/130588573900
Also the bi-xenon part means that the bulb does not move and is fixed in place! So when hi beam is needed a solenoid 'shutter' actuator moves a bulb cover away from the bulb to expose a greater xenon arc area to the reflector resulting in the hi-beam spread. So there is no change in light output, just as the high beam area of the bulb is covered over to only allow a low beam spread, smart eh!
My XS has self leveller struts on the back and the lights have a 6 stage roller switch on the dash to electrically adjust the light's angle at 2° steps up or down over 0-6 step levels by way of an in light stepper motor. This stepper motor can be connected to an active system controlled by sensors on the suspension arms replacing the dash control.
If anyone seriously thinks that the active electric self levelling suspension controlled lights are actually rapid in their responses to road bumps then you're kidding yourself! They are basically there to compensate for load levelling due to rear axle loads and are painfully slow at doing it. Most suspension mounted actuators usually rust away in the first few years rendering them 'dead' for the rest of the life of the car anyway!
In the city I have never had any need to use hi beam and while the dash roller switch at '0' has the lights aimed at the perfect beam cut off for either hi or low beam, I always in the city run them at step level '3' which is angled down by 6° below the horizon to eliminate any possible flashes due to undulations in the road surface. Only on dark nights in the country do they go back up to step '0'.
I got this picture (below) from another forum and it really does show just how good these lights are for country night drives! Note the sharp horizon cut off and the extreme long distance and wide spread. And this is low beam set at roller switch level '0'. When hi beam is on, it fills the dark area above the cut off line lighting up all the tree tops. In winter I fit polarized lens covers over the lights. This stops most of the the low beam light bounce reflecting off any water on the road onto oncoming traffic, it works quite well in reducing oncoming driver glare from my lights to that of typical halogen light outputs.
I have had the lenses professionally polished so there can be no glare off surface imperfections or UV matting of the polycarbonate plastic. These lights produce a light very similar to 4000k or slightly whiter than halogen. It's just that there is 5x as much light output! Ever heard of an SG with good headlights?
Well these are it..
:biggrin:
I have OEM SG9 35W Cross Sport reflector Bi-Xenon HID manufactured exclusively by Subaru for the '04 2.0ℓ SG9 Cross Sport early shape. These are not the STi ones but are very similar shaped and identical technically.
The most obvious difference is the greater number of reflective surface elements on the main reflector, 23 as opposed to 10 in the common halogen. This is because the reflector is specifically tuned to the different shape position of the xenon plasma arc as opposed to the position of the normal halogen incandescent filament. These lights are specifically optically tuned only for a bi-xenon light so that the light pattern is very accurate with zero stray refractive light beams (glare). Here is a link to the type of OEM xenon bulb sold on ebay!
https://www.ebay.com/itm/OSRAM-SYLV...ENUINE-HID-XENON-OE-PACKAGE-DOT-/130588573900
Also the bi-xenon part means that the bulb does not move and is fixed in place! So when hi beam is needed a solenoid 'shutter' actuator moves a bulb cover away from the bulb to expose a greater xenon arc area to the reflector resulting in the hi-beam spread. So there is no change in light output, just as the high beam area of the bulb is covered over to only allow a low beam spread, smart eh!
My XS has self leveller struts on the back and the lights have a 6 stage roller switch on the dash to electrically adjust the light's angle at 2° steps up or down over 0-6 step levels by way of an in light stepper motor. This stepper motor can be connected to an active system controlled by sensors on the suspension arms replacing the dash control.
If anyone seriously thinks that the active electric self levelling suspension controlled lights are actually rapid in their responses to road bumps then you're kidding yourself! They are basically there to compensate for load levelling due to rear axle loads and are painfully slow at doing it. Most suspension mounted actuators usually rust away in the first few years rendering them 'dead' for the rest of the life of the car anyway!
In the city I have never had any need to use hi beam and while the dash roller switch at '0' has the lights aimed at the perfect beam cut off for either hi or low beam, I always in the city run them at step level '3' which is angled down by 6° below the horizon to eliminate any possible flashes due to undulations in the road surface. Only on dark nights in the country do they go back up to step '0'.
I got this picture (below) from another forum and it really does show just how good these lights are for country night drives! Note the sharp horizon cut off and the extreme long distance and wide spread. And this is low beam set at roller switch level '0'. When hi beam is on, it fills the dark area above the cut off line lighting up all the tree tops. In winter I fit polarized lens covers over the lights. This stops most of the the low beam light bounce reflecting off any water on the road onto oncoming traffic, it works quite well in reducing oncoming driver glare from my lights to that of typical halogen light outputs.
I have had the lenses professionally polished so there can be no glare off surface imperfections or UV matting of the polycarbonate plastic. These lights produce a light very similar to 4000k or slightly whiter than halogen. It's just that there is 5x as much light output! Ever heard of an SG with good headlights?
Well these are it..
:biggrin:
Last edited:
