Sorry to hear the upgrade hasn't given as good a result as you'd like.

Remember that light intensity falls off with the square of distance - you're starting to fight physics. So spots will probably add more light near the car, but won't help you see any farther. Also they would be low down on the car which doesn't help.

Guess you need a night meet some time so you could walk along a line of S2000 with modified headlamps and see who has the best beam for you!

-Brian.

How about a nice set of surplus night vision goggles instead :)

Now why didn't I think of that. Where's my "Innovations" catalogue? :rolleyes: :D

[QUOTE]Originally posted by bmarshall
[B]Sorry to hear the upgrade hasn't given as good a result as you'd like.
Remember that light intensity falls off with the square of distance

Yup. Being a computer game programmer, who used to specialise in graphics I know far too much about light! :p

Funny this is, for computer graphics you normally use a softer falloff - falling off by the square of the distance is physically correct, but doesn't look right for most graphics due to all the other approximations and hacks you have to use!

Pete: I think part of the question is how the 55w real/100w perceived PIAA's are rated. I've not seen them, but assuming it's partially due to the whiteness of the light, it might be an optimistic rating. The only way to tell is to have 2 S2000 with different lights side by side, on the same road, and compare directly.

-Brian.

Here in Oz I experimented with 100W and 130W as well as the 85W PIAAs and while I have no photos I did have two other people who "blind" tested them (made driving interesting as their guide-dogs kept getting in the way of the car...boom, boom).

Bottom line, while the PIAA light was "whiter" the conclusion was that it was no real improvement in normal conditions. But there was the immediate noticeable benefit with the 100W and 130W but I didn't leave either in as I suspect that the heat would damage the reflector.

With regard spots I have two other cars both with Cibie and from experimenting with those if you mount them lower then our existing lights their benefit is severly limited because the slightest rise in the road causes shadows which can be worse then no extra lights as your eyes are adjusted to the brighter portions.

I flirted briefly with the bigger PIAAs mounted in the top of the radiator opening but decided against it due mainly to cost (AUD$1000) but looks also played a part.