I'd return those. Yes, they'll work and were state-of-the-art at one point. The slims take 1/2 hour max on the first, 'cuz you're checking the thing out. The next one takes 10 minutes tops.

 

I dunno Keith, not sure if maybe the '96 993, ( like yours for example ) came with the 'grommeted' buckets, perhaps to allow a 'litronics' option, but mine are SOLID plastic, or fibreglass, or whatever it is...but it definitely doesn't have any grommets in it, anywhere. I looked. All over. Everywhere. No grommets.

So maybe I'll just bite the bullet, chalk it up to part of the learning curve, buy the 'slim' ones, and use these $200.00+ units for jacking deer.

Jim

 

Jim:

I got my slim ballasts from Xenon Depot. Maybe they'll let you exchange them.

Got a kit for my R1150RS from them, too.

 

There is a nice grommet in the trunk you can go through (I heated the rubber with a hair dryer which made the job pretty easy) but IIRC there isn't a gromet in the headlight bucket, at least not a big one. Unless you're willing to cut the high voltage lines from the ballast (I wasn't) you need an opening in the bucket big enough for the plug which means a hole about the size of a dime. I just drilled a hole in the center of the light cover and used a grommet I got from my local McParts store so everything is tight and dry. I also put plug connectors on the low voltage lines so if/when I need to remove the bucket I can just unplug everything, pull out the grommet (with HV line still in it) and the bucket is free. I actually kind of like having the near factory setup but if I were doing it now I'd probably use the slim ballasts - less work if nothing else. Also, the kits are so cheap I bought two so I have spare parts in case I ever need them.

 

You probably have figured this out but just in case. You don't need to include the power harness in the install at all. Just create the loop from bulb to ballast and back to the factory power connections(brown, yellow wires). All you need to do is wire a spade connector for the pos. (yellow), and a bullet connector to the neg. (brown). As previously noted, a very small amount of filing is required to insert the bulb. I also had to grind the inner threaded posts of the rear bucket cover to fit all in but no drilling or splicing eas required at all.
For me, just realizing the power harness wasn't needed made the whole process a relative snap. Maybe 30 mins per side. The result: fantastic!

 

DDM had the Slim ballasts as of 2 weeks ago when I got mine. Incredible difference. With the standard bulb in the high beam and the HID I see no real reason to go to HIDs for high beam unless you drive around a lot at 120mph+ in the dark and are worried about overdriving the lights.

As for install, Its just a little filing for the bulbs to get in the hole thats all. Well that and repositioning the slim ballast 10 times until the back can close.

They seem slow to kick on fully. There is a little flash at first, then they get pretty bright in 7-10 seconds and reach full intensity in 12-15.

Does that seem about the standard time?

 

Thanks to all that have contributed and posted RL links. Thinking of doing this upgrade too. Just to summarize, the kit to get is the "DDM" with the small ballast, and 55w H-1 bulbs, correct?

 

Yes, and 4300K is the closest spectrum to white light and the brightest illumination ... anything higher will look 'bluish' ..... 'not that there's anything wrong with that ..'

 

Cool, thanks. I'm actually thinking 5000K. I like the more modern look of the slightly blue tint. But I don't want the blue/purple ricey/ghetto look.

 

Well, even the 4300K's are slightly 'blue' just not as much ... but as long as you don't mind sacrificing some illumination, it's all good

 

I have the DDM kit with 35w, 5000k bulbs. The 35w version seems plenty bright. I'm not sure about the marginal benefit from a 55w bulb. If I had it to do over, I'd get the 4300k bulb. The 5000 is a little more white/blue than I expected.

 

I have the 55w DDM kit in one 993 and I would probably would go with the 35w on the next install on our other 993. The high beam is almost worthless with the 55w. I have 100W H1 high beams it only fills in at the far edge of the light beam.

 

Not sure what the facts are on these but I heard the 55w kit may damage your wiring (melted wires). I have 35w and its plenty bright. Hope that helps.

 

I was wondering about that. It sounds like the 35w are plenty bright and a very noticable upgrade. I'll probably go that route. And It also sounds like the 4300K may be more what I'm looking for. I don't want the full-on blue/purple look. Thanks again to everyone for the input.

 

Yes the slim slim ballast, it will fit inside the bucket with some tucking and cutting off of the grommets included on the wires (they are installed on the kit in case you wanted to drill holes for installation)

The bulb diameter is ever so slightly larger than a part of the stock hole so you need to do just a bit of filing.

I got the 35w. they are really nice, the 55w would be cool, but I already feel like Im annoying people I'm following sometimes with the 35s

I got the 4300k and they are pretty blue, I was surprised, unless they sent me the 5ks accidentally, it wasn't labeled. But they look nice

This is what I ordered (from the invoice):

Item

DDM35W.H1.4500K 1 DDM HID Kit, 35W, H1, 4500K
Total $45.00