Anyone else install an HID kit?

[laborsmith]

I have posted this link before. They have a harness explicitly for the problem being described. No, I do not have HID lights, but it seems this is a continuing problem for many who make this conversion.

theretrofitsource.com

Hope this helps. I have not heard that they have not been able to help per my other posts on this topic.

Laborsmith

 

[Gimpster]

I bet someone enterprising could use a similar harness except add a PIC with some logic. The DRL's are basically just reduced voltage headlights, so you could turn that relay on/off based on input voltage.

Maybe a lil project I'll have to dink with this winter.

 

[laborsmith]

I believe that is what the harness I referenced does.

On the other hand, my tendency if is a headlight burns out I trade it in so I can buy a new car.

I think a harness would be cheaper,

But not as much fun.


Laborsmith

 

[Gimpster]

Which harness exactly are you referencing on their page? The ones I looked at basically use the headlight power (voltage irrelevant) as a positive trigger for their relays which then applies full voltage. So they would be always on with full voltage. It would solve the issue, but some folks might not want their lights on 24/7.

I believe that is what the harness I referenced does.

On the other hand, my tendency if is a headlight burns out I trade it in so I can buy a new car.

I think a harness would be cheaper,

But not as much fun.


Laborsmith

 

[laborsmith]

Pwe my memory, admittedly sometimes imperfect, they have a harness specifically designed to be used with not their own kits and the harness is to let the light system work as designed.

I will be spending most of tomorrow at Rodgers Chevrolet, but once the work there is done I will look for the specific harness.

For now, I am somnolent.

Laborsmith

 

[fisherman1109]

I am very interested to see what you guys figure out as I am wanting to put HID's on my sonic, but after reading this I don't want to till that issue is resolved. Hope you guys find a "simple" fix

 

[pawntec]

i had the same problem when my hid's started to burn out my bulbs and it was my newer slim ballast and it only lasted a year(from overheating, so go with the regular ballast, they don't look as nice and are bigger but it's a price to pay for longevity) and then so i went back to my original ballast that are 6 year old aftermarket and never had an issue since then. :-D in my 2006 cobalt ls L61MT

 

[d.p]

You do know you can pull the DRL fuse in the cobalt... You shouldn't have any problems with any kit on the balt.. I did plenty of write ups on CSS on how to not have problems with HIDs... My HID's in the Cobalt lasted longer than my first L61 lol.

 

[laborsmith]

It must be the Can-Bus harness. I had not noticed that part about the DRLs needing the low beams to be turned on.

Rodgers gave me a car while they are installing the lowering coils, thus I got to do the hid search quicker than I anticipated.

Laborsmith

 

[d.p]

Just FYI Can-Bus wont solve our problem... They will fix the HID Fogs though...

Unless we can trick the DRL's to always be on...

 

[XgovernmentAgent]

What is the issue with HIDs and the Fogs?

 

[d.p]

The issue with the HID Lo Beams:

DRL has too low of voltage and normal running lights are too high Voltage for a Ballast...

Current idea for solution. Resistor to keep DRL on and run can-bus harness/inline ignitor.


Issue with HID Fog Lights:

Fog voltage is too low...

Current Solution, run HID fogs with inline igniter/Can-bus harness

 

[fisherman1109]

any new insight on this issue, or a one post sum up of the fix for the problem?

 

[sonic007]

Has anyone tried just running 2 relays? One for each headlight? That would solve the over voltage issue and let you still use the headlight switch.

 

[Nolabowler]

Hope someone gets a good grasp on the situation and gets a fix/tut on it. I'm dieing to put some 8000k in.

 

[FIMS]

Ran mine off of a separate wiring harness, used the drivers side headlight power wire as my switch, to a relay run straight from the battery (fused of course) to both ballasts and I don't have an issue...

 

[Out1aw]

Ran mine off of a separate wiring harness, used the drivers side headlight power wire as my switch, to a relay run straight from the battery (fused of course) to both ballasts and I don't have an issue...

Can you explain this further? Or possibly provide pics?

 

[sonic007]

Thats how I typically have to do hids in dodges. Use 2 relays, one for each side. Use the divers headlight turn on for your relay turn on. Then wire the other side to 12 volts. So when the relays kick on the hids get 12 volts. Any MECP certified installer or tech can do this with their eyes closed.

 

[FIMS]

Can you explain this further? Or possibly provide pics?

Not a problem...

Thats how I typically have to do hids in dodges. Use 2 relays, one for each side. Use the divers headlight turn on for your relay turn on. Then wire the other side to 12 volts. So when the relays kick on the hids get 12 volts. Any MECP certified installer or tech can do this with their eyes closed.

^ Truer words have yet to be spoken

For the Sonic though, you dont have to use 2 relays, 1 is far plenty enough...

Relay is mounted to the car near the battery tray

As you can see there are 4 sets of wires that come off, the one with the textured surround goes across the car and is for the passenger ballast, but both operate off the same relay (follow the blue zipties)...{and before I go too far in with this, the warning is I have, over my years I have procured several thousands connectors from junk yards to make sure I can build any harness I could ever think of}

(Pic 1)Power comes from bulb socket in the headlight (H11 male to 9006 male) to the relay to provide our switch to open the relay, (pic 2) which is fed straight from the battery...

 

[ChevyST_12]

Just making sure

Not a problem...



^ Truer words have yet to be spoken

For the Sonic though, you dont have to use 2 relays, 1 is far plenty enough...

Relay is mounted to the car near the battery tray

As you can see there are 4 sets of wires that come off, the one with the textured surround goes across the car and is for the passenger ballast, but both operate off the same relay (follow the blue zipties)...{and before I go too far in with this, the warning is I have, over my years I have procured several thousands connectors from junk yards to make sure I can build any harness I could ever think of}

(Pic 1)Power comes from bulb socket in the headlight (H11 male to 9006 male) to the relay to provide our switch to open the relay, (pic 2) which is fed straight from the battery...

So running this set up using a relay harness works? For the lows???? And what's the bulb size for the lows H11!! I was gonna do this set up anyways. Every time I add HIDS- to almost every vehicle I've owned. I always use a relay do you have any pictures of the headlights on. And one more question you aren't having any issues with that setup!