Anyone know much about HID kits?

[Vidal Baboon]

Just having a read through. Thanks

[anonymous-user]

Just make sure you get a kit with a relay harness, just incase the worst should happen and a ballast should short out -

Something like this -

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/HID-Battery-Wiring-Loom-Harn...

[black-k1]

D3fender said:

Just make sure you get a kit with a relay harness, just incase the worst should happen and a ballast should short out -

Something like this -

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/HID-Battery-Wiring-Loom-Harn...

As the HID units use no more than a halogen bulb (35w or 50w for HID vs. 55w for halogen) why would you need an extra relay and harness? If the HID did 'fail' then all it would do is blow the head light fuse.

[catso]

black-k1 said:

D3fender said:

Just make sure you get a kit with a relay harness, just incase the worst should happen and a ballast should short out -

Something like this -

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/HID-Battery-Wiring-Loom-Harn...

As the HID units use no more than a halogen bulb (35w or 50w for HID vs. 55w for halogen) why would you need an extra relay and harness? If the HID did 'fail' then all it would do is blow the head light fuse.

I originally fitted mine without a relay on that basis and also that 'less is more' but I had problems with the light sometimes cutting out which was due to voltage loss through the existing cables (916 lights are switched solely through the switch with no relays) - admittedly this is mainly due to the underspecced wiring that Ducati fit but fitting an extra relay to the high-beam halogen bulb actually made it brighter and faster on than before.

That said if your bike already has headlight relays then they should be sufficient.

[jjones]

some prats locally has got a HID kit fitted to a honda civic, the lenses seem to be completely wrong and coming towards you all you get is a bright blue fuzz, looks complete ste but at least it does not dazzle

[black-k1]

catso said:

black-k1 said:

D3fender said:

Just make sure you get a kit with a relay harness, just incase the worst should happen and a ballast should short out -

Something like this -

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/HID-Battery-Wiring-Loom-Harn...

As the HID units use no more than a halogen bulb (35w or 50w for HID vs. 55w for halogen) why would you need an extra relay and harness? If the HID did 'fail' then all it would do is blow the head light fuse.

I originally fitted mine without a relay on that basis and also that 'less is more' but I had problems with the light sometimes cutting out which was due to voltage loss through the existing cables (916 lights are switched solely through the switch with no relays) - admittedly this is mainly due to the underspecced wiring that Ducati fit but fitting an extra relay to the high-beam halogen bulb actually made it brighter and faster on than before.

That said if your bike already has headlight relays then they should be sufficient.

I can see the point for voltage loss, especially with Italian electrics but I don’t see a need to protect a fuse with a relay. (Especially as the relay circuit should include ..... a fuse!)

Edited by black-k1 on Friday 22 October 18:09

[Silver993tt]

jjones said:

some prats locally has got a HID kit fitted to a honda civic, the lenses seem to be completely wrong and coming towards you all you get is a bright blue fuzz, looks complete ste but at least it does not dazzle

That's because he doesn't have lenses designed for HIDs.

[Scottman]

Echo the positive comments already posted....

Fitted to my GSX1400, no issues with dazzling oncoming road users, great visibility and produces more light, less heat and uses less power than the standard setup. I also replaced the sidelight bulb with a strong (white) LED, and have fitted 'Oberon' LED indicators front and rear (very small and neat, but VERY bright).

Much better than the standard equipment.

Scott

[anonymous-user]

black-k1 said:

but I don’t see a need to protect a fuse with a relay. (Especially as the relay circuit should include ..... a fuse!)

You're not protecting the relay with a fuse, you're protecting the whole new HID circuit with a fuse.

If you think wiring a HID ballast directly to your cars electrical circuit is a good idea then you carry on.

Meanwhile, the safe option is to use a relay harness to protect your vehicle electrics by wiring the ballasts directly to the battery, via a fuse, and the relay will then switch the 12v feed to the ballasts.

A faulty ballast/ignitor/lamp may draw excessive current, the original headlamp fuse may not blow quickly enough and the car electrics may be damaged.

Wiring directly to the battery will isolate the HID kit from the rest of the vehicle electrics and will provide a smooth, steady voltage supply to the ballasts.

Edit - I've just noticed this post is in the bike forum, my advice is for car electrics only, I have no bike experience at all.

The best HID kits here.

Edited by anonymous-user on Friday 22 October 19:11

[Hooli]

D3fender said:

Edit - I've just noticed this post is in the bike forum, my advice is for car electrics only, I have no bike experience at all.

All sounds correct to me buddy. Bike electrics work exactly the same as cars after all. There is just less room to hide wires on a bike.

[Dr Doofenshmirtz]

A typical HID Balast will draw around 6.5 amps/90 watts at cold startup (which is more than a standard 55 watt/4 amp Halogen bulb at +2.5 amps). After about 20 seconds the current will drop to around 3.5 amps/48 watts. Your existing wiring should easily cope. You don't need a relay.

It's only the H4 Bi-xenon kits that require a separate power feed...the other kits take the power directly from the existing lighting wiring (which of course is already fused).

Edited by Dr Doofenshmirtz on Friday 22 October 21:44

[Dr Doofenshmirtz]

D3fender said:

The best HID kits here.

You have got to be kidding right?
Do you work for 'hid-online' or something?

I can only assume (hope) those prices are a typo or something!

[Vidal Baboon]

Anyone got a wiring diagram for the feed to the lights?

[Wedg1e]

The H4 bi-xenon units I fitted were actually sold as car kits, so I had to chop and remake the loom to suit the bike. On a car, the headlights tend to be wide apart but close to the battery whereas on a bike of course the reverse is true. Simple enough: after that effectively there are two connections to make to the bike - an earth, and a fused feed direct from the battery terminal (saves butchering the bike's own loom).
Swap the old halogens for the HID lamp units, connect up the ballasts and plug the original headlamp connectors into the adapters that come ready-wired to the HID control loom.
Then find somewhere to hide it all; not easy, even on a Pan Euro with more hiding places than that beardy bloke with an AK47.

ETA: This is what I came up with...one for each headlamp!

Edited by Wedg1e on Saturday 23 October 01:06

[anonymous-user]

Dr Doofenshmirtz said:

A typical HID Balast will draw around 6.5 amps/90 watts at cold startup (which is more than a standard 55 watt/4 amp Halogen bulb at +2.5 amps). After about 20 seconds the current will drop to around 3.5 amps/48 watts. Your existing wiring should easily cope. You don't need a relay.

It's only the H4 Bi-xenon kits that require a separate power feed...the other kits take the power directly from the existing lighting wiring (which of course is already fused).

Edited by anonymous-user on Friday 22 October 21:44

You're missing the point, it's not the startup draw that's the isssue, if one of the ballasts/ignitors/lamps shorts or if they develop a fault and 20kv's go through your electrical system then you'll wish you had wired directly to the battery and not to the existing wiring.

[anonymous-user]

Dr Doofenshmirtz said:

D3fender said:

The best HID kits here.

You have got to be kidding right?
Do you work for 'hid-online' or something?

I can only assume (hope) those prices are a typo or something!

Why would I be kidding? this is the best aftermarket oem quality kit that you can buy.

Overkill for a bike, but you won't find better components and there's no comparison to the cheap Chinese kits on Ebay.

For what it's worth I have a cheapo (£100ish) Ebay kit on the company workhorse pickup and it's been fine and the beam pattern is actually pretty good, but that's luck more than judgement.

[Wedg1e]

D3fender said:

this is the best aftermarket oem quality kit that you can buy.

Says who? I may as well claim the Honda 90 is the best-handling motorcycle in the world.

[Vidal Baboon]

D3fender said:

Dr Doofenshmirtz said:

A typical HID Balast will draw around 6.5 amps/90 watts at cold startup (which is more than a standard 55 watt/4 amp Halogen bulb at +2.5 amps). After about 20 seconds the current will drop to around 3.5 amps/48 watts. Your existing wiring should easily cope. You don't need a relay.

It's only the H4 Bi-xenon kits that require a separate power feed...the other kits take the power directly from the existing lighting wiring (which of course is already fused).

Edited by Dr Doofenshmirtz on Friday 22 October 21:44

You're missing the point, it's not the startup draw that's the isssue, if one of the ballasts/ignitors/lamps shorts or if they develop a fault and 20kv's go through your electrical system then you'll wish you had wired directly to the battery and not to the existing wiring.

What components are likely to sustain damaged using the existing feed from the headlight wiring? Blown Reg Rec?

So if I was to hack into the headlamp loom:

Remove the permanent live to the HL Relay & rewire directly from the battery with an in-line fuse, that would do it right?

Edited by Vidal Baboon on Saturday 23 October 10:58

[catso]

From what I've seen of HID kits there is very little difference, other than price, between the ebay Chinese specials and the 'prestige' brands - where do you think they are made?...

[defblade]

catso said:

From what I've seen of HID kits there is very little difference, other than price, between the ebay Chinese specials and the 'prestige' brands - where do you think they are made?...

+1