HID conversion kit

[IRONMAN]

Hi all, I am considering installing a 5000k hid dipped beam kit, and possibly a foglight kit, but I believe they can put pressure on the wiring and fry my fuses or fuse box. Any thoughts on the matter would be a great help also any recomended (not too expensive) brands? Cheers

[Ryan_Tango]

Unless you have projectors in your headlights don't bother even the reflector based HID kits are awful and blind everybody on the road, as for the wiring I've heard of the HID unit frying but not the wiring that comes standard with the car.

[MikesFocusZS]

I know a few people who have installed these hid kits onto there cars. Paying 100 pound on a set and then a couple of months down the line, to find out its buggered all there headlight loom up. 

One was a golf gt tdi and the others I know about are the fiesta mk6 and focus mk1.

MOT failure without project headlights and your beam pattern will be everywhere just doesnt look good. Dont get me wrong the colour is ten times better and looks brighter but not worth the risks involved.

Buy yourself the projectort xenon headlights for your model. Look on eBay. It will save you so money in the future.

[IRONMAN]

Thanks for the help Guys, I think I'll give the HID's a miss. Cheers

p.s. any ideas for bright white T10 parking light bulbs most seem to have a blue glow even 6000k cree

[MikesFocusZS]

There is a thread about bulbs. Some people showing pics may help you decide. I think the ones i got for my side lights where 5400 colour. A really nice white colour. No yellow and no blue tint. 👍

[IRONMAN]

5 minutes ago, MikesFocusZS said:

There is a thread about bulbs. Some people showing pics may help you decide. I think the ones i got for my side lights where 5400 colour. A really nice white colour. No yellow and no blue tint. 👍

Cheers Mike 

[IRONMAN]

4 hours ago, Ryan_Tango said:

Unless you have projectors in your headlights don't bother even the reflector based HID kits are awful and blind everybody on the road, as for the wiring I've heard of the HID unit frying but not the wiring that comes standard with the car.

Thanks Ryan

[JW1982]

I use afermarket HID lights in combination with projector headlights for about 12 Years now without any major problems. I used them on my focus MK1, Focus MK2 and Focus MK3. The only problems I ever had in 12 Years were 2x a defective HID ballast and 2X a defective HID bulb.

 

I currently use a set of 35 Watt 4300K aftermarket HID lights in combination with a set of aftermarket Sky-Wing headlights.

 

These headlights have H7 projectors which are prepared for H7 HID bulbs. These headlights are not cheap but in my opinion definetely worth every penny. The light output and beam pattern of these projector headlights can be compared with OEM HID lights.

My headlight setup is fully legal. I live in the Netherlands and the Dutch law does not require automatic headlight height adjustment or headlight washers. The only regulation is that the beam pattern must comply to the applicable standard and the lights are not allowed to blind other traffic. Correctly installed/adjusted projector headlights with HID bulbs fully comply to these regulations.

 

About 99% of all aftermarket HID bulbs and ballasts that are sold in Europe and the UK are made in Asia. These are often just Chinese or Korean products that ere rebranded with a European/UK brand name. Because of this I decided to buy my HID ballasts and bulbs from eBay instead of an expensive European seller. I only use H7 HID bulbs with a metal base. These are generally higher quality and easier to install than the H7 HID bulbs with a plastic base. I always have 2 spare ballasts and 2 spare H7 HID bulbs on stock. This way I can replace a defective ballast or bulb immediately.

[DJ_Andy_M]

I don't know how the laws differ in Ireland, but in the UK including NI, HID conversion kits are illegal without washers, and auto leveling, and will effectively render your insurance policy void.

There are plenty of threads about explaining this :)

This is a very detailed and useful thread: 

 

[IRONMAN]

7 hours ago, JW1982 said:

 

 

[IRONMAN]

Thanks for the info. I think I'll stick with the slightly green "Philips 130 plus " for now . Good light and distance, just a bit green. Vision over vanity ha ha

[IRONMAN]

1 hour ago, DJ_Andy_M said:

I don't know how the laws differ in Ireland, but in the UK including NI, HID conversion kits are illegal without washers, and auto leveling, and will effectively render your insurance policy void.

There are plenty of threads about explaining this :)

This is a very detailed and useful thread: 

 

 

[IRONMAN]

Thanks for all the info, it seems a good quality white bulb is a bit like the holy grail. I'll have to keep searching.

[IRONMAN]

Still haven't found the bulb upgrade thread, any ideas? 

[Ryan_Tango]

On 31/12/2016 at 5:16 PM, IRONMAN said:

Still haven't found the bulb upgrade thread, any ideas? 

If you want legal HID's installed go to http://www.headlightretrofits.org.uk/ they will convert your headlights to projectors with HID for £280 but as mentioned you will also need to fit headlight washers. They can retrofitted as far I know.

[Dee_82]

the washers and levellers "law" in England Scotland and wales isn't strictly speaking true.  since there are cars out there with factory xenon's and no levellers and washers it would be a bit harsh to make them illegal. the MOT guide lines state that IF the car has levellers and washers then they must be working, it doesn't say they must have them.  The biggest problem is those stupid reflector kits which will fail an MOT and blind the buggery out of other cars.  But my retro fitted morimoto mini H1s with 4300k bulbs have a fantastic beam pattern, they look OEM and the beam is sport on, no problems yes.

I suspect the wiring fails are more to do with 55w HIDs, the current draw on those are pretty high as is the heat they generate. 35w HIDs shouldn't cause you any bother and if you do it right, then you should only use the headlight harness to power a relay and not the blubs, the blubs get powered directly from the battery with a separate inline fuse and controlled via the relay.

basically, if someone has melted a harness or fuse box, they did it wrong.

 

[DJ_Andy_M]

11 hours ago, Dee_82 said:

the washers and levellers "law" in England Scotland and wales isn't strictly speaking true.  since there are cars out there with factory xenon's and no levellers and washers it would be a bit harsh to make them illegal. the MOT guide lines state that IF the car has levellers and washers then they must be working, it doesn't say they must have them.  The biggest problem is those stupid reflector kits which will fail an MOT and blind the buggery out of other cars.  But my retro fitted morimoto mini H1s with 4300k bulbs have a fantastic beam pattern, they look OEM and the beam is sport on, no problems yes.

I suspect the wiring fails are more to do with 55w HIDs, the current draw on those are pretty high as is the heat they generate. 35w HIDs shouldn't cause you any bother and if you do it right, then you should only use the headlight harness to power a relay and not the blubs, the blubs get powered directly from the battery with a separate inline fuse and controlled via the relay.

basically, if someone has melted a harness or fuse box, they did it wrong.

 

Are you sure? I had considered importing a Ford Taurus with HID from factory, and was instructed that for it to pass the IVA and future MOT's it would need to have washers fitted.

Also there is this official word from the Department of Transport:

For the aftermarket, a used vehicle cannot obtain type approval because this only applies to new vehicles. However DfT does not think it reasonable simply to ban HID in the aftermarket. Instead the Department makes analogies with new vehicles. It seems reasonable to require HID in the aftermarket to meet the same safety standards as those for new vehicles. The same level of safety should apply. Therefore a HID headlamp unit sold in the aftermarket should: 1. be type approved to ECE Regulation 98 as a component; 2. when fitted to the vehicle should enable ECE Regulation 48 to be complied with (although no government inspection will take place); and 3. comply with RVLR as far as "use" is concerned. In practice this means: 1. The headlamp unit (outer lens, reflector, bulb) shall be type approved to ECE 98 and be "e-marked" to demonstrate this. That can only be done by the headlamp supplier - Hella, Valeo etc. - who must test the headlamp in an independent laboratory. 2. Once fitted to the vehicle it must have headlamp cleaning and selflevelling (which can be for the headlamp or can be in the vehicle suspension - some expensive estate cars have "self-levelling suspension" and that is adequate). Also the dipped beam must stay on with the main beam. 3. The headlamp must be maintained in good working order, kept clean, and aligned/adjusted correctly in the same way as any other headlamp. Under the Road Traffic Act 1988 it is an offence to supply, fit or use vehicle parts which are not legal.

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20120606172804/http://assets.dft.gov.uk/publications/dft-information-sheets/aftermarket-hid-headlamps.pdf

[Dee_82]

That maybe so, but the MOT is a little less black and white....

"Vehicles equipped with High Intensity Discharge (HID) or LED dipped beam headlamps may be fitted with headlamp washers and a suspension or headlamp self levelling system.  
 Where such systems are fitted, they must work; however, it is accepted that it may not be possible to readily determine the functioning of self levelling systems.  In such cases, the benefit of the doubt must be given.

 Headlamp washers may work in conjunction with the windscreen washers (when the dipped beam headlamps are switched on) or by a separate switch"

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/518634/mot-inspection-manual-for-class-3-4-5-and-7-vehicles.pdf

and is nicely summarised in this article....

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-news/consumer-news/35636/watchdog-unfair-mot-failures

the whole thing is as clear as mud but I suspect the spirit of the law is as Autoexpress depicts.  Reflector HIDs = Bad, Projector HIDs with correct pattern = Fine, Projected HIDs on cars after 2010 = Should have working levellers and washers.

Interestingly my local garage was telling me that there isn't any guidelines at all of what constitutes as "working" he reckons you could tape up some silicone hose to the outside of the car with a squeezy bottle in the car and it would constitute as a washer system and they cant test for the levellers properly either.

 

[DJ_Andy_M]

I think you missed the piece in the link that I supplied from the government that says   2. Once fitted to the vehicle it must have headlamp cleaning and selflevelling (which can be for the headlamp or can be in the vehicle suspension - some expensive estate cars have "self-levelling suspension" and that is adequate). 

[IRONMAN]

Loads of info guys, it was a big help, thanks 

[Bruceysamsquatch]

On 12/30/2016 at 11:54 AM, IRONMAN said:

Hi all, I am considering installing a 5000k hid dipped beam kit, and possibly a foglight kit, but I believe they can put pressure on the wiring and fry my fuses or fuse box. Any thoughts on the matter would be a great help also any recomended (not too expensive) brands? Cheers

What kid did you get ? I've been looking for a set as the ones a bought didn't fit the housing or mounts

[Pabz0804]

Hay @JW1982 I like what you did with your headlights and want to do the same. However, I can only find the sky wing headlights for LHD, can these be switched over for RHD or anyone know of a decent aftermarket set for UK.

Regards

[JW1982]

As far as I know the Sky-Wing headlights that are produced by Eagle Eyes are LHD only. RHD versions are produced on request but do usually require a minimum of 50 sets.

The LHD Sky-Wing headlights have a projector with a fixed LHD cutoff plate and can not be changed to RHD without modifications to the actual projector.

 

I used HID bulbs for quite some Years in combination with the Sky-Wing headlights. I Always was very happy with both the light pattern and light output of these lights. However within the last Year the development of LED technology made great progress. Apart from the many rubbish cheap Chinese LED Bulbs that are available there are also a few really good ones available.

After one of my HID bulbs started flickering ocasionally I decided to do some extensive research and buy myself a set of H7 LED Bulbs. Based on several reviews I ordered a set of H7 F3 LED Bulbs from a Chinese seller.

The LED bulbs arrived within a week. After I unboxed the LED bulbs I must say that I am quite impressed with the quality of these LED bulbs. All major parts are made of painted alumium and feel really solid. The F3 bulbs have a small fan cooled heatsink at the back of the bulb. The LED's itself are mounted on a special PCB (liquid heat-pipe) that is connected with the heatsink at the back of the bulb. The LED bulbs habe a small LED controller that should fit in about every headlight. 

The bulbs have a detachable socket plate. The socket plate can easily be installed into the H7 headlight socket. Next the bulb can easily be inserted and locked into the socket plate. The manufacturer of the bulbs prescribes to install the bulbs with the LED's horizontally. To achieve this the socket plate is adjustable and the bulb can be rotated inside the socket plate to obtain the correct position.

 

Installation was very easy. There is more than enough space inside the headlights for the heatsink and the LED controller. No more hassle with wiring and HID ballasts outside the headlights. It took me less than 15 minutes to remove the headlights from the car, remove the HID Kit, install the LED bulbs and install the headlights back into the car.

Because my car is configured for "aftermarket HID" (which basically means that the lights are controlled by a steady battery voltage and the bulb check system of the dipped beam is switched off) there are no errors or warning messages. I must say that I am really impressed by the light output of the LED bulbs. Compared to the HID lights the light output of the LED bulbs is even better. The color of the LED light is bright white and very similar to the 5000K HID light is had before.

 

The beam pattern of the LED lights is very good and very similar to the HID beam pattern.

Be aware that in the Netherlands where I live HID / LED conversions are fully legal as long as the beam pattern is correct, the lights are correctly adjusted and the lights do not blind other traffic.

 

 

[Guy Heaton]

Yes, not making a judgement as I have used them myself but in the UK the law has been tightened so that it is illegal to retrofit them and a proper MOt place would fail the car even if beam pattern is ok

In practice like many things, if you don't take the ***** and ride around with 12000k 55w jobs the police will likely neither notice nor care.

 

[FocusRS098]

Hi guys I have a focus rs mk2 2010 with xenon projectors but wanted to change the bulb to LED but I can’t seem to find the wire harness to go from the LED bulb with a built in ballest to the main cable in the headlight ford use some stupid connectors just can’t seem to find a male to fit the female as I do not wanna cut and cables

The connector circled off I need it to connect to that any ideas cheers guys.


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