[Dmitry Generalov]

Hi I recently purchased bix headlights from an eBay seller who claims that his lights are brand new for 250$ each. One headlight has spirals on the projector and the other does not. In addition to some wear on the headlight the seller is very adamant about his light being brand new. That same light now projects all the way up instead of at a normal level and when I try to adjust the beam down it starts to go down then goes back to the top.. my question is if a projector does not have spirals is it fake? And how can I fix the projector adjustment when it's not responding when I twist the dial.

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[rudeney]

I'm not sure what you mean by "fake" - most all of those headlights on eBay are made in China with variable quality. As for the inability to adjust them, that is a common problem with low quality Chinese headlights.

 

[2000 C280 Sport]

I think what you mean is projector lamps that look like bi-xenons?

 

[Dmitry Generalov]

I think what you mean is projector lamps that look like bi-xenons?

Yes

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[rudeney]

Bi-xenon headlights use projector lenses, but not all projector lens headlights are "bi-xenon". Bi-xenon is probably a bit of a misnomer. It is a system where a mechanical shutter is used between the bulb and projector lens. When the shutter is lowered, you get a sharp cut-off of light so that you don't in oncoming traffic. When you switch on the high beams, the shutter is lifted so the full brightness of the bulb is projected. Therefore, only one standard bulb (per side) is needed for both high and low.beam light. Although it was originally sold using HID "xenon" bulbs, it does not have to be and in fact many new cars use this system with plain halogen bulbs.

Because of the extra complexity of the mechanical shutter, most aftermarket Chinese headlights do not use this. Instead, they use a projector lens with a fixed shutter (to create the cut-off pattern) for the low beams and a different lens (often a traditional reflector) for the high beams. There are some (like I had on my CLK ) that also use projector lenses for the high beams. Generally, you should not put an HID bulb into a headlight that uses a reflector lens - projector lenses with the shutter are a better choice for proper beam pattern and focus.

 

[cowboyt]

Dmitry, next time you're going up to the Northeast, let me know, and I can show you what a bi-xenon really looks like. I've got a couple of projects involving them. One is a W211, which will be followed by a W2220 and a Honda Civic.

Can you post a few pix of what you've got?