I got my HIDextra kit in yesterday and going to install it this weekend. (basic 5000K 35w kit) Looked it over last night and doesn't look too difficult, but the instructions were kind of basic. And, of course I've read on here.

If I have to run a new power supply wit a relay, what amperage relay do I need? Which wire do I hook up to to trip the relay?

Since the new ballasts are supposed to be waterproof, I don't need to seal the little drain hole on bottom of headlight housing, right?

Any tips on where/how to mount the ballasts?

Any other problems I'm likely to encounter? I've had the bumper cover on & off several times, but this is first time to have to mess with the lights.

 

ok to leave old parts in place if lazy

leave the hole on bottem of housing open to vent heat-(hid gets HOT)-and moisture if needed
remote mount the ballast with its bracket to frame rail
secure extra wire with zip ties

no relay needed,,you are tapping in to stock main power lead to lights with a same power needs as stock unit..car already has relays for each light

buy a 2$ box of #14-16 connectors to match the ones on new ballast wiring
cut off old connector at light- attach new connectors to end of wire you cut
Use shrink wrap to waterproof--or wrap in electrical tape,,
not duct/gorilla tape which are not electric proof
put wires together
test lights after both installed- before putting housings and bumper cover on
just in case..

note# new bulbs need 50 hours use time to get fully bright and colorful

 

good idea to apply a thin coat of silicone seal to junction of housing cover to lens-
cuts down on potential leaks,,which we all suffer eventually

 

Well, I already installed it this past Sunday. Pretty easy, just cut the original power supply plugs off and solder female blade end connectors to match the flat blades on the HIDextra wiring. Used double-side tape to stick the ballasts on the sides of the frame rail.

I ran the igniter cables through the big hole on the bottom into the housing. I was nervous about leaving that large of hole open, even if it was on the bottom of the housing. I used duct tape to cover most of it and left a little opening around the cables for a little venting. I left it to where I can pull the tape off without disassembly if I need more venting. Or the duct tape may melt from the heat, I may need to figure out something else, but for now, everything seems good. The HID bulbs were 5000K and I also installed Nokya Stage 2 5000K 80W high beam bulbs, so the highs and lows match in color.

 

I got the HID Extra kit. Not clear on which wires to connect on kit to which on car. Any help would be appreciated.

 

If you plug the igniter into the ballast there are only two wires left to connect.

I mounted my ballast in the same location as the factory and used some 3M auto caulk strips to seal the connection over a year now with no issues.

 

Had one side stop working, would flicker a few times and go out. Switched parts around and determined it was a bad igniter. Called HIDextra this morning and they are shipping out a replacement today-no hassle.

And the duct tape I sealed the hole with on working side showed no signs of being hot, and no leaking or condensation problems in the housings.

 

Anyone have pics of the connection of the new wires to the existing wires? I just ordered the HID kit today. Do the new wires splice into the igniter wires?

I took the bumper off twice to try to fix my issues:

Many times only one light works and varies from passenger to driver side.
If I try to turn the switch off and back on both lights stay off for a period of time.

This is extremely frustrating and it seems many people are having similar issues. I thought it was a loose connection but I will try the new kit and see what happens.

 

Take some time and read through the numerous threads posted previously on this subject.
Try the site's "Search" feature.

 

Here's a good idea. Make sure you mount the ballasts with the connections pointing down. The connectors look waterproof, but they are not. I keep forgetting to tell this to HIDxtra. They were nice enough to warranty the ballasts that I had go bad for this reason. It should be in the instructions, which I'm sure we wouldn't have looked at anyway.

 

when you look at the headlight housing it all becomes clear to you
Oh the oe wire is here for ballast and clip that off- cut the connector- install new blade connectors to match the ones on the new ballast, assemble

MAKE SURE new bulbs go in with the external rod facing down- same as it came out
DO NOT twist bulb as it goes to its mounting point or rod will break!!!

Visually inspect all parts including that external rod for being attached and looks right - before install!

tip on making connections really waterproof- get shrink wrap sleeves at parts store or harbor freight tools, use as directed

ck the very active thread with title -condensation in headlight--it has link to youtube vid
plus we have a few diys on here

 

I got everything installed today. It took longer than planned but it seems to always turn out that way.

I used heat shrink wrap over the splice to protect from corrosion and covered the whole in the headlight with duct and electrical tape.

The lights immediately came on when I originally plugged them in. However when I turned them off and back on again the same problem presented itself, only one light was on. After turning off and on again the one light switched from driver to passenger, then both came back on, etc. etc. Maybe it needs time to warm up before it is working at it's best but for some reason I think I still have an issue, hopefully not.

I chased down the ground on the driver's side headlight. The ground is in a difficult to reach location (near the top right corner of the engine area). I had to remove the filter and plastic duct to find it. There were three wires connected to this ground and they were full of mud and corrosion. Being that I was losing light and out of resources I sprayed carb cleaner on it and sprayed it with battery protector.

One concern I have is the wires that come off the back of the ballast are hitting part of the frame. Should I go back and notch it out so the wires don't get frayed from vibration?

 

I forgot to mention that I mounted the new HID ballasts to the bottom of the headlight assembly in the same location as the old ballasts. I just cut the plastic brackets down some to allow the new ballast to line up with the existing holes. This is what is creating the issue of the wires pushing up against the frame.

 

that's why the rest of us mount it away from the housing
you may have already pinched a wire

go back to the ground wire set you found and remove its bolt- clean with sandpaper and CRC electrical spray contact cleaner

there is a very short bulb warm-up time and they will get better as you get 50 hours use on them

Turning the lights on and off then back on is really hard on them
Gasses are involved as well as 20,000 Volts shot thru them to ignite the gas

If cleaning all grounds and cking your relays- make sure high beams are separated from lows= with the extra power you are pulling thru wires never meant for that!

all inspections and fixes done and still an issue- call hid- one kit in several thousands has a glitch, and a no hassle immediate shipment of new parts is their policy

 

So I found the issue. I rotated the plug 180 degrees and the issue is gone. I also went back and cut some of the frame so the wires do not rub. The lights work great and this was an excellent investment. These lights are very bright and no more intermittent weird issues! I wish I would have done this a couple years ago when it started.

 

good job finding the problem! this tight fit issue is why many prefer to remote mount the ballast away from housing, and loop extra wire under the housing

remember it takes approx. 50 hours of use for the lights to gain full brightness and color stability = they will get better every day/week for a few months,,if you can imagine that!

Drive with the low beams on all the time to get some hours built up
Then drive with them on all the time for safety! They average 3000 hours to replacement- oe was 2500 hours,,the new bulbs may outlive the car,, and you!

 

I saw quite a few people recommending to mount them away from the housing. I had fears of mounting them in the wrong place. It would help if someone posted a picture in lieu of the written description of where to locate the ballasts.

 

there are a few install threads with pics of different choices
Its up to the installer to look and decide- good examples are back of front bumper, frame rails on their side
even one ziner went to the wheel housings- I think inside the removable fender liner

 

Here is where I put mine... Inside the fenderwells...

Just installed them 2-3 weeks ago... I am very happy with where I ended up mounting them...

I like that my ballasts are mounted sideways with the connectors pointing down to minimize any standing moisture... I like that they are out of the way AND away from heat... You can see the cable dangling below, with easy access to the underside of the headlight housing (once installed)...

The only thing you need to feel comfortable with is drilling a single hole where the ballast will be held at the top... As requested, here's a photo of my installation location. The only mistake I made was over-tightening the bolt and crushing the mounting hole...I didn't realize it was made of plastic... Just get it snug and you'll avoid my error... I'll probably yank my bumper in a few weeks and install some Sugru to strengthen the mount point... But for now, it seems to be holding just fine (if you look closely, you can see a single black tie wrap that I used for just a little extra support)...

 

If you don't seal the bottom moisture will be able to enter in heavy rain. When I installed an aftermarket HID kit I had the same issue. If you dip, you're in luck. If not, find someone who does or buy 2x cans of Copenhagen Wintergreen (other cans may work but I used these specifically). Obviously empty them out.
Cut a half circle big enough for the HID wire to sit in. If you have your old ballasts you can remove the gasket from the under side and apply them to the headlight hole.If not, fup it. If you cut the wire hole to size right the can will fit PERFECTLY SNUG onto the rim of the headlight hole. Secure it with a hot glue gun and when dry you can RTV Seal the wazoo out of it. Custom fabbed son!

If you want you can paint the cans to be more sightly when people remove your bumper and inspect the underside of your headlights.

 

let us know how the heat does inside lens = with the vent hole covered

 

I just covered the opening with duct tape as someone in another thread suggested...

I might go back in and do something more permanent, but for now, I have the confidence that the hole is at least covered with a "band-aid" solution... But anyone who has ever solved something in the short term with a band-aid solution knows that it quickly becomes the permanent solution!!!