Selecting projectors

1. Scouting for the correct projectors for my application.

(This includes imagination, visualization of how a particular set of projectors will look my a completed assembly of mine, even before it's finished. Getting hold of the then determined projectors took me atleast 1 year!)




Start by looking at the vehicles around you. Check which vehicles have the most appropriate projectors suitable for your project. Looking at vehicles that've been on the streets for quite sometime will help, because their parts will be available in plenty at the Junkyards compared to the newer vehicles. Always look for the right size projectors. Make sure that the projectors are compact enough to fit in your headlamp housing comfortably.
Various sizes of projectors:



Comparison of reflector, projectors' sizes for making a choice:






Also, check the kind of bulb holders that the projectors you like have. Make your choice based on whether you're going to get a HID or Halogen bulb. Halogen bulbs dont come in all holder types.

Projectors come in single beam projectors as well as dual beam Bi-Xenon projectors. Single beam projectors can throw only short beam, but a Bi-Xenon can throw both low beam as well as high beam from a single lens using a sinle bulb. My advice is that it's better to go for the Bi-Xenon projectors as it makes things very simple, occupies lesser space than 2 seperate projectors. However, if you wish to go for a single beam projector for some reason, it's always adviceable to have an additional reflector based high beam facility alongside. Single beam projectors do not usually throw a good long beam, they spread out light. But if you still use a projector for a high/long beam, it's better to remove the shield that's inside the projector.

Once you've chosen the kind of projector that you want, start hitting the junkyards and auto-garages around you. Try sourcing used projectors from scanvenged parts. The projectors usually aren't damaged in scavenged parts as they're usually protected by outer coverings. Also, it has to be noted that used OEM projectors are always better than cheap unused chinese projectors. This is because the cheaper projectors come with lens made of low quality glass which has lesser light transmittance rating. Also, it's better to not choose projectors that are used as fog-lamp projectors as they're usually polarized and decrease the illumination's brightness

I chose the fog lamp projectors of Skoda Octavia which have a H3 bulb holder. I chose them because compact and apt for my project, and are completely metal and rugged. This is how my projectors look:









Another option to consider is that you can choose even fog lamp projectors and then swap their lenses with good ones. You can buy good quality projector headlamp lenses from websites like " www.theretrofitsource.com "