Installing HID? Read this first.

[TNRC51]

Here is one more against the garage door this morning. My driveway isn't exactly level it slants very slightly left.

IMG_1306 by 11-Speed, on Flickr

This morning I was following a Mitsubishi Galant to work. The beam cutoff was between the top of the bumper cover and the bottom of their license plate. These are 4300K lamps. Actually, they appear a bit "whiter" than the OEM lights in my wife's car.

 

[dentalpain]

Guys I gotta say those look fantastic. I just about went with the diode dynamics kit myself.

This retro was done by dynamic illu51ons and uses miromoto 3five 5k HIDs.

 

[TNRC51]

Dent,

Mine are 35 watt as well. I can't imagine needing the 50s.

 

[croll326]

Has anyone had issues with their HID's randomly turning off? I have headlights and fogs from Coolbulbs and the headlights keep turning off while driving. The fogs dont. I have replaced the ballasts and they do the same thing. I am working with Andrew to fix it but wanted to see if anyone might have an idea as to why the headlights keep turning off but the fogs are ok.

Note: I do not use the "auto" feature - ever.

 

[skippyp]

well I'm very slowly coming up to speed on HID conversion- I'd like to replace my 2013 xlt's heads and fogs. lots of back and forth here on whether reflectors need replacement but the consensus seems to be no.... but I'm lost on the "auto" feature being so taboo.
I want lights that help me see but I don't want to have to manage them. That is, the auto feature is useful and there for a reason. Does the additional harness eliminate the need to micromanage my headlamp/fog light usage? Or am I misunderstanding the issue here? thanks.

 

[peterk9]

Welcome to the Forum skippyp.:wavey:
If you want to do a proper HID conversion the internal reflector must be changed. As has been mentioned several times, the reflectors for the Halogen and HID bulbs are different. That has been proven. Each is designed specifically for the type of OEM bulb that comes from the factory because each produces light in a different way. Installing a 'kit' will definitely give you more light and is the easiest and least expensive way to go but that light can not be focused 100% because the reflector was not designed for it. I'm also not sure why the 'Auto' is 'taboo' as you stated. I used it 100% in my Explorer and also in my MKT. Both used OEM HID headlamps. Works great.

Peter

 

[skippyp]

Ah yes, I misspoke. Use the kit vs replacing the entire headlight can.
Now to choose a vendor...

 

[midnght69]

I replaced my headlights and my fog lights with the kits from Dynamic Diodes. Worked great and went in easy as can be. I ordered the fog light harness adapter as well, but after it left my fog lights on all night and killed my battery, I removed that and haven't had any problems.

My question though is this. Since I see the comments on the reflectors, do I have to replace the entire headlight assembly itself? I am noticing some dark spots and not a total condensed beam. I am very happy with the brightness and te increased visibility though.

 

[peterk9]

I don't believe it's the entire assembly, just the internal reflector. A member here tonystewart did the replacement by opening the light fixture and confirmed that the reflectors are different.

Peter

 

[Tony407]

Are people here using the term reflector and projector interchangeably?

Because unless I'm mistaken, the two are completely different.

Traditional halogen headlights of yesteryear used a huge reflector housing which focused and reflected (reversed) the light from the halogen bulb down the road.

Many of today's halogen headlights use a projector housing with a semi-spherical lens that focuses and projects the light from the halogen bulb down the road. As you can surmise, projecting is more efficient (e.g., brighter and more focused). The resulting cutoff from this sort of housing gives a defined cutoff pattern very similar (if not downright identical) to newer HID lighting systems which also use a projector housing.

Unless I'm mistaken, all the newer gen Explorers use projectors, whether they're halogen or HID. With the Sport models, as we all know, these are projectors with halogen bulbs.

Many of us have installed HID bulbs/ballasts into these projector systems and have noticed nearly identical beam cutoff patterns to those from HID systems, myself included.

I don't care what physical differences someone has proven to exist in the halogen projector housing vs. HID projector housing. Unless that person has also shown an adverse result (i.e., abnormal beam pattern that interferes/annoys/blinds other drivers compared to an OEM setup) then I call bunk.

Again, if we're talking about halogen reflector housings, then please disregard.

Tony

 

[peterk9]

Thanks Tony407. I believe I was mistaken in referring to them as reflectors when I should have said 'projectors'. The 'projectors' used in the Halogens differ from those used in the HID system. That is because each bulb type produces light in different ways and to properly and accurately focus them the specific projector is required.
If this was not so, there would be no reason to have different projectors.

Peter

 

[Tony407]

Well, again...there may be physical differences between the two but unless someone can show that such differences cause some adverse condition down the road (ha) then the point is moot.

There are tons of aftermarket modifications us car folks do to our automobiles that aren't "meant" to happen for a multitude of reasons. Some are in inadvisable, some are illegal, some are encouraged, some void our warranty, others are covered by them. I tend to agree with opponents of putting HID kits into reflector housings (partly from doing my own research, partly from my own experience installing such kits). However, after having aftermarket HIDs in my halogen projectors and seeing them in action, I dont see a problem (legal issues aside obviously).

Tony

 

[LakersCentral]

agreed. since we dont have a reflector type housing, you can merely put a different bulb in and it will do ok. but it wont look as good as new projectors (obviously depending on what projectors you were to buy... but from all i've read, our stock ones are pretty awful). it all depends on how much money you want to spend. here's what i've seen people do (in increasing level of involvement / cost):

1. different color temperature bulbs: simple swap
2. hid bulbs & ballasts (w/ relay or canbus): req. cutting holes in dust covers
3. + new projectors: req. opening the housing (by far the hardest thing to do)
4. + angel eyes / led drl strips: req. tapping into some stock wiring
5. + complete headlight redesign: req. painting / tinting / modification to housing

very quick estimate on cost- figure $100 to $200 times the # (depending on if you are doing it yourself or paying someone else). i cant think of anything i've seen that wouldn't fit into one of these categories. if you can, let me know. i may add some links later of examples / threads related to each of these. but right now i'm on my phone and its nearly 3am. so hope that helps explain things a little, and good night!

 

[amd2800barton]

Well, again...there may be physical differences between the two but unless someone can show that such differences cause some adverse condition down the road (ha) then the point is moot.

There are tons of aftermarket modifications us car folks do to our automobiles that aren't "meant" to happen for a multitude of reasons. Some are in inadvisable, some are illegal, some are encouraged, some void our warranty, others are covered by them. I tend to agree with opponents of putting HID kits into reflector housings (partly from doing my own research, partly from my own experience installing such kits). However, after having aftermarket HIDs in my halogen projectors and seeing them in action, I dont see a problem (legal issues aside obviously).

Tony

Thank you. I think its also worth noting that the HID bulbs that people are getting in kits are different than the HID bulbs that would go in the Limited. The kits come with an HID bulb that is meant for the same type of housing that the Halogen bulb is meant for (a 9005).

My guess is that Ford engineers tweaked the Halogen projectors and the Limited's HID projectors to have nearly an identical light pattern, despite using different bulbs. When you drop in a 9005 HID bulb to the 9005 Halogen projector, it will put out a similar pattern just brighter, like the Limited HIDs, because the 9005 HID bulb is meant to go in a 9005 housing. Ford just cheaped out and only put a halogen bulb in.

 

[ObsceneJesster]

Hey all. This is my first post here so let me kindly introduce myself. Prior to my Subaru Legacy 3.6R, I had a 2009 Explorer Sport Trac which I loved. Unfortunately, some lady hit me head on and totaled it. I missed it so just this past Friday, I went out and bought myself an early Christmas Present. A 2015 Explorer XLT with Navigation Package and Appearance package which added some 20" wheels, a different grill and some other small options.

Anyway, I really want to add some HID's to it but after reading this thread and others, I am now even more confused. Can I add HID's to my XLT since it has a Halogen housing? Also, will I need to add anything else to the HID's so the auto on feature still works with the headlamps and fog lights?

 

[skippyp]

Anyway, I really want to add some HID's to it but after reading this thread and others, I am now even more confused. Can I add HID's to my XLT since it has a Halogen housing? Also, will I need to add anything else to the HID's so the auto on feature still works with the headlamps and fog lights?

I did and love it. Nothing more than changing the bulb. No projector mods. I got mine from coolbulbs but there r others. Kit came with ballast and igniter.

I used this thread to install. Very easy. Only disclaimer is that my xlt is a 2013

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=397594

 

[peterk9]

Welcome to the Forum ObsceneJesster.:wavey:
To add HID, yes, you can simply change the bulbs. But if you want to do it properly, the internal projectors must be changed so that you can get the optimum performance from them since each bulb type has its own specific projectors due to a different way that the bulbs produce the light.

Peter

 

[midnght69]

Ok. I switched out my bulbs and added the HID bulbs and ballasts. Since I am getting a funky pattern with my bulbs, where do I get these projectors. And are they hard to change out? I know putting in the HID bulbs in my headlights and foglights was a piece of cake.

 

[peterk9]

I don't know if the projectors are the cause for your 'funky pattern' or not. If you want info from one of the members that did the projector change go to;
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=397594 and you can read up on the posts by tonystewart and perhaps send him a PM.

Peter

 

[ezg594]

Here's a real world pic from the roads around my house. This is looking down a level stretch and stationary. First on high...

Here on low.

In driving, the cutoff is below the trunk line of any cars bigger than Miatas. Seriously, a car that sits low enough to have any issue would also have issues with the OEM version.

wow!!!

this is just awesome. what kind are these?
can you give a link on where we may be able to get this?

ed