HID lamps and ballast

[Lotobear 8]

Hi there, first real post on here as an Evora owner - I hope someone can help with my query

I collected my 2010 NA Evora last week and am bowled over with it. However, slight glitch is the nearside headlamp has stopped working. I've removed the burner/lamp unit and the small capsule with the electrodes in the middle of the tube is very grey and milky with black spots on the glass so I assume this does indicate a dead lamp? So I've ordered a pair of new Osram lamps on the basis that I'll change both sides to ensure even brightness/colour.

This then got me wondering why the lamp went (the car has only done 23k miles and my guess is most of them were done in daylight) and I now wonder if the ballast has gone too or that is caused the lamp to burn out - can anyone say whether lamps can and do go often on these cars on their own without the ballast being suspect/the actual cause? The reason for asking is I don't want to plug in a new £35 lamp for that to go immediatley as a result of a faulty ballast unit.

So I'm now thinking that perhaps I should change both ballast units as well as the lamps on the basis that they are now 9 years old - is this a sensible move do you think?

Ebay is awash with outright fakes of genuine Valeo ballast units (I don't know how they get away with it) and whilst the real things can be obtained from Germany for around £65 they quote a 2-3 week delivery. Are there any UK suppliers even if they cost a little more?

Also, one headlamp unit has started to peel - what's the recommended fix here? Is it possible to have the lacquer removed and then film applied or is re lacquering the answer? Does the lacquer need to be a certain type, ie. UV protective?

So many questions (sorry!) and thanks in anticipation

 

[Lotobear 8]

I was thinking someone might have been able to comment?

Anyhow having done some Internet 'research' is seems that a sudden lamp failure goes 9 times out of 10 with a simultaneous ballast failure. Also, it's the bulbs (when old) that tend to kill ballast rather than the other way around

So I've ordered two new genuine Valeo ballast units from Germany and will be fitting both new ballast and Osram lamps to each headlight so hopefully I'll now be future proof and able to continue enjoying my Evora as the nights draw in

[Alfa2Evora 696]

I don't know what the answer is to the lacquer-peel on the headlights.

Mine got really bad about 3 years back..........

and I went the sand-back, polish and re-lacquer route which looked spot-on when it was newly done...............

That 'repair' lasted about 2 years until they were almost as bad again. This time after the old lacquer was sanded-back and buffed, I had protective film applied instead of the lacquer layer. Unfortunately, that idea doesn't seem to have worked either as the edges of the film are already (barely 12 months later) starting to lift from the surface, allowing water to penetrate underneath,  .............

[Lotobear 8]

Fantastic service from these guys in Germany - ordered 2 new ballast units on Wednesday and they have just arrived:

https://www.lichtex.de/

and around £65 each (did I see somewhere that Lotus want something like £380 a pop)

 

[mik 373]

Good luck, and good to know ballasts are available for £notmental.

if you are changing both bulbs I recommend upgrading for a few who’d more. Osram now sell an even brighter version.

see here for info

Edited September 7, 2019 by mik