Aftermarket HIDs
09-25-2007, 03:51 PM
#46
you mention " did modify the ballast connectors to use a bullet-style plug for connecting to the headlight housing. That way I didn't have to cut/splice the factory wiring."
I thought they were plug and play. I have to do some wiring mods? I am electrically cripled!
I thought they were plug and play. I have to do some wiring mods? I am electrically cripled!
09-25-2007, 05:44 PM
#47
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The kit comes with blue splice connectors (you can see what one looks like in the third picture of grmnxtc's post #6 on page 1 of this thread) to allow you to tap into the car's wiring harness. I didn't want to use those, so I modified the connectors on the end of the ballast to match up with the factory wires. It's not necessary; just something I chose to do.
Best,
Chris
Best,
Chris
09-25-2007, 05:45 PM
#48
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If ordeering these, do I have to specify H1 (I think thats what we need), and temperature did u opt for?
Yellow (hot) and brown (ground) wires are the OEM wiring. The brown doesn't unplug. The yellow (female spade connector) was plugged into the original bulb (male spade connector).
To install the kit, I just pluged the red wire (male spade connector) into the OEM plug on the yellow wire. I cut off the male spade connector on the kit and used the tap in connector to attach the ground. Then just stuff all the crap back into the headlight assembly and you're good to go. If I want to use my old lights, i just unplug the HIDs, take out the bulb and plug the old bulbs back in, leaving the long red and black wires that came with the kit in the housing.
09-25-2007, 06:04 PM
#49
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As a follow-up to my last reply about modifying the ballast connectors, here's basically how that works (thanks richardew for the pic I could easily reference):
The brown OEM wire (circled in red below) can be unplugged from the metal headlight bulb housing. It has what's called a "barrel connector" on the end of it.
If you put a "bullet connector" on the black HID kit wire (red arrow points to it in the photo below), you can plug the black HID kit wire directly into the brown OEM wire's barrel connector.
That allows you to remove the "tap in connector" shown in the photo below. It's only purpose is to connect the black HID kit wire to the brown OEM wire.
The end result of this small change is you don't have to put any splices into your OEM wiring harness. Later, if you want to switch back, you simply unplug the black HID kit wire from the brown OEM wire, and plug the brown OEM wire back into the headlight bulb housing as it originally was.
For those of you who are inclined to go the same route I did, you'll probably find that the bullet connectors sold at your local hardware store are not large enough to fit snugly into the brown OEM wire's barrel connector. Not to worry; just take a small screwdriver or pocketknife and you can spread the bullet connector tip out a bit so that it fits properly.
Hope this helps...
Best,
Chris
The brown OEM wire (circled in red below) can be unplugged from the metal headlight bulb housing. It has what's called a "barrel connector" on the end of it.
If you put a "bullet connector" on the black HID kit wire (red arrow points to it in the photo below), you can plug the black HID kit wire directly into the brown OEM wire's barrel connector.
That allows you to remove the "tap in connector" shown in the photo below. It's only purpose is to connect the black HID kit wire to the brown OEM wire.
The end result of this small change is you don't have to put any splices into your OEM wiring harness. Later, if you want to switch back, you simply unplug the black HID kit wire from the brown OEM wire, and plug the brown OEM wire back into the headlight bulb housing as it originally was.
For those of you who are inclined to go the same route I did, you'll probably find that the bullet connectors sold at your local hardware store are not large enough to fit snugly into the brown OEM wire's barrel connector. Not to worry; just take a small screwdriver or pocketknife and you can spread the bullet connector tip out a bit so that it fits properly.
Hope this helps...
Best,
Chris
09-25-2007, 09:36 PM
#52
Nordschleife Master
Thread Starter
As an added precaution, I also added a 10Amp inline fuse on the positive side between the factory harness and the HID kit. Power is current times voltage. Power is 35W actually closer to 42W or so as some is dissapated as heat. voltage is ~13.7 or so. So current works out to 3 or 4 amps. If it every reaches double that and a little more, the fuse should blow protecting the HIDs and the innards of the headlight.
09-25-2007, 10:49 PM
#53
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The brown OEM wire (circled in red below) can be unplugged from the metal headlight bulb housing. It has what's called a "barrel connector" on the end of it.
09-25-2007, 11:15 PM
#54
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09-25-2007, 11:22 PM
#55
richardew and chris w...that is a sick explanation. I will tackle this DIY over the winter and will definately resort to this thread...thanks a lot. This is a great place!
10-05-2007, 12:31 PM
#56
As a follow-up to my last reply about modifying the ballast connectors, here's basically how that works (thanks richardew for the pic I could easily reference):
The brown OEM wire (circled in red below) can be unplugged from the metal headlight bulb housing. It has what's called a "barrel connector" on the end of it.
If you put a "bullet connector" on the black HID kit wire (red arrow points to it in the photo below), you can plug the black HID kit wire directly into the brown OEM wire's barrel connector.
That allows you to remove the "tap in connector" shown in the photo below. It's only purpose is to connect the black HID kit wire to the brown OEM wire.
The end result of this small change is you don't have to put any splices into your OEM wiring harness. Later, if you want to switch back, you simply unplug the black HID kit wire from the brown OEM wire, and plug the brown OEM wire back into the headlight bulb housing as it originally was.
For those of you who are inclined to go the same route I did, you'll probably find that the bullet connectors sold at your local hardware store are not large enough to fit snugly into the brown OEM wire's barrel connector. Not to worry; just take a small screwdriver or pocketknife and you can spread the bullet connector tip out a bit so that it fits properly.
Hope this helps...
Best,
Chris
The brown OEM wire (circled in red below) can be unplugged from the metal headlight bulb housing. It has what's called a "barrel connector" on the end of it.
If you put a "bullet connector" on the black HID kit wire (red arrow points to it in the photo below), you can plug the black HID kit wire directly into the brown OEM wire's barrel connector.
That allows you to remove the "tap in connector" shown in the photo below. It's only purpose is to connect the black HID kit wire to the brown OEM wire.
The end result of this small change is you don't have to put any splices into your OEM wiring harness. Later, if you want to switch back, you simply unplug the black HID kit wire from the brown OEM wire, and plug the brown OEM wire back into the headlight bulb housing as it originally was.
For those of you who are inclined to go the same route I did, you'll probably find that the bullet connectors sold at your local hardware store are not large enough to fit snugly into the brown OEM wire's barrel connector. Not to worry; just take a small screwdriver or pocketknife and you can spread the bullet connector tip out a bit so that it fits properly.
Hope this helps...
Best,
Chris
I have labelled the different parts 1- 4. please refer to these numbers when helping.
1) you say:
If you put a "bullet connector" on the black HID kit wire (red arrow points to it in the photo below), you can plug the black HID kit wire directly into the brown OEM wire's barrel connector.
Q. which black HID wire are you referring to? 3, the one that has a red and black wire coming out of it? if so, where does the red wire from that cable go and how?
2) do i need that wire labelled #4?
thanks,
sam
10-05-2007, 12:58 PM
#57
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ok, some questions before I tackle this DIY...
I have labelled the different parts 1- 4. please refer to these numbers when helping.
1) you say:
If you put a "bullet connector" on the black HID kit wire (red arrow points to it in the photo below), you can plug the black HID kit wire directly into the brown OEM wire's barrel connector.
Q. which black HID wire are you referring to? 3, the one that has a red and black wire coming out of it? if so, where does the red wire from that cable go and how?
2) do i need that wire labelled #4?
thanks,
sam
I have labelled the different parts 1- 4. please refer to these numbers when helping.
1) you say:
If you put a "bullet connector" on the black HID kit wire (red arrow points to it in the photo below), you can plug the black HID kit wire directly into the brown OEM wire's barrel connector.
Q. which black HID wire are you referring to? 3, the one that has a red and black wire coming out of it? if so, where does the red wire from that cable go and how?
2) do i need that wire labelled #4?
thanks,
sam
Using your picture and number labels, here's how things connect together from an electrical perspective:
- The HID bulb's red/blue wires (#2) plugs into the corresponding red/blue wires for the ballast/igniter (#1).
- In your picture, (#3) has two sets of wires, both the same (one for each headlight). One of the sets of wires in (#3) plugs into the red connector for the ballast (#1).
- This leaves only two wires unconnected for the HID kit: the black and red wires in (#3). Here's how they connect:
- The black wire in (#3) gets the bullet connector attached to its end. This is then plugged into the barrel connector on the brown wire from your factory wiring harness. (In electrical terminology, this is the ground wire for the light circuit.)
- The existing spade connector on the red wire in (#3) plugs into the yellow wire from the factory wiring harness. This yellow wire is the one that originally plugged directly onto the end of the old halogen bulb. You just put the spade connector from the red wire right into the factory connector on the yellow wire. (In electrical terminology, the yellow wire is the +12V power source for the light circuit.)
- The wires in (#4) are not used.
That's it. The rest is just packaging -- getting everything to fit into the headlight bucket.
-Chris
10-05-2007, 01:09 PM
#58
Weathergirl
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Wow--nice photos and clear explanation! Someone should distill this down for a DIY here or on p-car.com.
The compact ballast/ignitors have certainly revolutionized and simplified this mod.
The compact ballast/ignitors have certainly revolutionized and simplified this mod.
10-05-2007, 02:14 PM
#59
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Apparently, there are some quailty problems with some of the the less-expensive slim ballast kits, especially the older ones; I have just ordered a set with some new digital thin ballasts (he's the only dealer in the US with them, he says), I can post later and tell you how it went.
I ordered a kit for my Mercedes from this individual; most kits will set off an error on that car, but his kit (Siemens) was not a problem, as he said.
I ordered a kit for my Mercedes from this individual; most kits will set off an error on that car, but his kit (Siemens) was not a problem, as he said.