A factor to consider when upgrading to HID, or in any case using a different lamp than what the housing was designed for is the distance difference between the two types of lamp.

This may or may not come into play with certain lamps, but a lamp housing/reflector of any kind is designed to have the center point of emission (the place in the lamp where the light is coming from) at a certain point. If you change the location of that point of light, you'll be decreasing the output efficiency of the whole assembly (lamp, reflector, and lens). As a result, an "upgrade" kit may appear brighter, probably due to a different color temperature, but may actually be less efficient projecting less total light, and/or direct the light in directions it wasn't intended to go.

This may be less of an issue with high-beams, as you want more light everywhere in front of the car, but it's the reason why low-beam HID upgrades are not-legal in the united states.

 

^care for a cookie?

I think anyone with any sort of smarts or common knowledge of lighting knows that. But, point proven.

 

It happens to AP1 headlights if you run a higher wattage high beam aftermarket bulb. And it's not actual cracks THROUGH the lens plastic, but rather stress lines from the heat.

 

I think that's pretty presumptuous of you. I don't know what you do, but I'm a theatrical lighting designer, and while something so rudimentary might be obvious to me, I don't assume everyone else in the world cares so much to know such a thing.

 

Yet again: references please. I want pictures or at least one post.

 

Agreed.

Plastic is pretty resilient, and I think it would begin to melt before cracking. Baking your headlights to paint or swap lenses would cause the same damage heat buildup from a hotter lamp would cause..

 

I will post pictures of mine tomorrow morning.