Theory: Chrome vs Blacked Eagle Eye Headlights - which are brighter?

[Deathmage]

Hi Guys,

I have a theory here and I'm thinking that if I got a set of Eagle Eyes with the plastic Chrome housing vs the existing non-chrome black plastic housing Eagle Eyes the light output would be brighter. My theory is simple when the light from the projector hit the plastic housing of the headlights the light reflects onto the black and the black absorbs some of the light; if it was chrome it would be reflect outward towards the road which in-turn would make the light output slightly brighter....

What do you guys think?

[D0M1NIX]

Re: Theory: Chrome vs Blacked Eagle Eye Headlights - which are brighter?

You're completely forgetting the way the projector distributes the light. The projector absorbs the all the light being produced by the bulb through its reflector bowl and projects it out onto the surface it's aimed at via its lens. The way light works in these housings doesn't agree with your theory in my opinion.

[ckeelan2087]

Re: Theory: Chrome vs Blacked Eagle Eye Headlights - which are brighter?

What Dom1nix said. I dont seeing it make any difference, and if it did, i dont think the naked eye would see any difference.

the black looks so much better on a black car IMO, that alone makes it worth it.

[Bosspackfan4]

Re: Theory: Chrome vs Blacked Eagle Eye Headlights - which are brighter?

Even if your theory is true you won't be able to see your halo's as well at night because of the light interference. You'd see more of the light output than the actual halo's themselves..

[cmessick]

Re: Theory: Chrome vs Blacked Eagle Eye Headlights - which are brighter?

Hi Guys,

I have a theory here and I'm thinking that if I got a set of Eagle Eyes with the plastic Chrome housing vs the existing non-chrome black plastic housing Eagle Eyes the light output would be brighter. My theory is simple when the light from the projector hit the plastic housing of the headlights the light reflects onto the black and the black absorbs some of the light; if it was chrome it would be reflect outward towards the road which in-turn would make the light output slightly brighter....

What do you guys think?

you are correct in your assumption.. however.. i am not 100% convinced you'll see the difference..

the projector bowl DOES reflect light if its NOT black.. all OEM projector bowls are chrome lined. they do this for just the reason you mentioned. its the same reason we don't want to paint our stock reflectors.. even if it was a mirror like surface, any color will absorb light, and keep it from being reflected as well.. ESPECIALLY black

[Deathmage]

Re: Theory: Chrome vs Blacked Eagle Eye Headlights - which are brighter?

you are correct in your assumption.. however.. i am not 100% convinced you'll see the difference..

the projector bowl DOES reflect light if its NOT black.. all OEM projector bowls are chrome lined. they do this for just the reason you mentioned. its the same reason we don't want to paint our stock reflectors.. even if it was a mirror like surface, any color will absorb light, and keep it from being reflected as well.. ESPECIALLY black

Hmmm so technically the theory is plausible just not conclusive. Only reason I ask I will most likely be buying another set, the screw thing that goes up and down seem to have broken and now the right projector is in a curvy mustache pattern instead of the distinctive ______\------- pattern.

So Since I'm now using the stock headlights with Sylvania's best halogen bulbs the light output is much brighter even with the HID bulbs in the stock housing. it just seem that with the chrome housing the light is much brighter. Now I know this is in-conclusion of the EE projectors but the chrome reflectors on the EE would help, in my mind, it deflects the light that is reflected off the headlight housing before it shines on the highway. It's not that the lights need to be any brighter but still it's something I'm contemplating.

Exactly, in my mind black is the worst culprit when it comes to light reflection since it's the one color that absorbs light the most...

[D0M1NIX]

Re: Theory: Chrome vs Blacked Eagle Eye Headlights - which are brighter?

Okay, you're completely missing something here. You're forgetting how the projector in the EE housing distributes light. It's a direct beam of light, so none of it bounces onto the plastic inside the housing. The way you're going about your theory might apply to reflector-based housings, such as the GM stockers, but that just simply isn't the case with the EE's. The way the light is distributed is key.

[cmessick]

Re: Theory: Chrome vs Blacked Eagle Eye Headlights - which are brighter?

have you taken the headlight apart? but of course you have!! there is a reflector BOWL behind the projector lens.. without the bowl you wouldn't get all of your emitted light to pass thru the lens. the biggest difference between reflector units, and projector units is the the size of the reflector and the crucial lens. but they BOTH utilize a reflector bowl.. you have to get your light to go in the direction you want..


i am very aware of the way the light is distributed in a projector as i am in the process of a mini H1 retrofit.. just like you.. i have been inside of the EEs and know far too well how they function.. the only thing i forget is what the reflector bowl looks like inside the black units.. but IIRC it may be chromed as well..



but in reponse to the OPs original thought.. no.. the chrome EE will not produce more light than the black ones..

[D0M1NIX]

Re: Theory: Chrome vs Blacked Eagle Eye Headlights - which are brighter?

have you taken the headlight apart? but of course you have!! there is a reflector BOWL behind the projector lens.. without the bowl you wouldn't get all of your emitted light to pass thru the lens. the biggest difference between reflector units, and projector units is the the size of the reflector and the crucial lens. but they BOTH utilize a reflector bowl.. you have to get your light to go in the direction you want..


i am very aware of the way the light is distributed in a projector as i am in the process of a mini H1 retrofit.. just like you.. i have been inside of the EEs and know far too well how they function.. the only thing i forget is what the reflector bowl looks like inside the black units.. but IIRC it may be chromed as well..



but in reponse to the OPs original thought.. no.. the chrome EE will not produce more light than the black ones..

I don't know why you were rudely direct towards me, but I'll just forget about that.

Yes, the projector inside the EE's has a reflector bowl, that's a no brainer, but the way it directs the light makes it ONLY go through the lens, no where else. It doesn't scatter any light whatsoever. There's no light that can bounce around the housing, and if there even was stray light bouncing around, it would only bounce between the black plastic piece and the main plastic piece of the housing.

[cmessick]

Re: Theory: Chrome vs Blacked Eagle Eye Headlights - which are brighter?

I don't know why you were rudely direct towards me, but I'll just forget about that.

I don't think any of us have been on the right page.. I apologize if it came across rudely.

but despite our misunderstanding.. i think we are both arguing to the same point

[D0M1NIX]

Re: Theory: Chrome vs Blacked Eagle Eye Headlights - which are brighter?

I don't think any of us have been on the right page.. I apologize if it came across rudely.

but despite our misunderstanding.. i think we are both arguing to the same point

Yeah, I think we are as well.

[Drakon543]

Re: Theory: Chrome vs Blacked Eagle Eye Headlights - which are brighter?

I think one of you is thinking black housing while the other is thinking black reflector bowl.