Canbus or regular harness for HID?

[Canuckguy]

TRS recommends a canbus, but I believe some of you used a regular harness on your 2014 model.

To confirm, those of you using a harness have no issues?

 

[vteckiller2000]

No issues with my TRS kit and regular harness except for the junk recalled ballasts I have. New ones should be here tomorrow.

 

[13Sport]

TRS recommends a canbus, but I believe some of you used a regular harness on your 2014 model.

To confirm, those of you using a harness have no issues?

regular harness is fine, the only issue that you may encounter is flicker when starting the vehicle. If you have push button start, when you press the start button the car turns on (turning on the lights), then starts the engine (turning off the lights to attain the most amps for cranking, and then turning them back on). I found that my cheaper ballasts sometimes wouldn't come back on after the crank, leaving me with one headlight, or none. The fix was to turn the lights off and back on to re-fire the ballast.

I resolved this issue by replacing the relay in my harness with a 10 second delay relay. It fires the lights 10 seconds after the initial "ON". Everything works as expected now.

Even if you have higher quality ballasts, the delay relay can extend their life and eliminate unnecessary firing. It can be purchased from the link below. You should check the polarity of your harness wiring (+ and -), but it should just drop in to most of the aftermarket HID harnesses. My harness was from ddmtuning and the relay was a straight drop in.


Retro Solutions HID Time Delay Relay

 

[Canuckguy]

Will flickering be an issue if I don't have the remote or push start?

Vehicle is also being delivered with the parking lamps as DRL (law in Canada) as opposed to lower wattage use of the headlights.

 

[13Sport]

Will flickering be an issue if I don't have the remote or push start?

Vehicle is also being delivered with the parking lamps as DRL (law in Canada) as opposed to lower wattage use of the headlights.

I don't know, but I would assume your key passes the on position before getting to the start position, so based on that I would say it's a good chance it will trigger the lights before cranking just like remote start.

I recommend the 10 second delay relay regardless... it's an inexpensive way to make sure there isn't unnecessary firing of the ballasts. I'd be interested in others opinions here. I assume most don't even realize this is happening.

 

[Sgt1411]

Hey 13SPORT

What's your opinion of the DDMTuning HID product, Im still researching so just looking for another actual user experience.

 

[Canuckguy]

Hey 13SPORT

What's your opinion of the DDMTuning HID product, Im still researching so just looking for another actual user experience.

Not sure if you're aware of it, but hid planet is quite good for researching.

 

[Sgt1411]

Not sure if you're aware of it, but hid planet is quite good for researching.

Thanks will hit that site now......I just like hearing experiences from people who bought and installed the product to make sure its consistent with the marketing.

Im still really interested in the member who is researching the OEM HID conversion.

 

[Lenny H]

For the wife's Sport I ordered Innovited Kits from Amazon. I actual order 2 sets since my Fusion takes the same #s . Order 55 watt kits for the Headlights and 35 watt kits for the Fog lights. The only issue I had is the flange were the o-ring sits was .015" bigger than the oem 9006 bulb, just had to file it down a bit. 2 or 3 quick swipes around the base with a mill file and they fit like a glove.



Actually kind of lucked out here as one side would not light, I found the lead from the OEM Plug to the ballast had a bad crimp and had no continuity on the ground side. Emailed Amazon and the vendor sent a pair of replacement bulbs. So I have spare.



Seems to me there is a lot of rumor and innuendo around HID Kits,It appears to me that all these kits are very similar.We have a vendor in Tampa here that markets kits on ebay. They have boxes of harness and ballast sourced from all over stacked thought the business. The Ballast is the biggest part of the kit. I would recommend starting, there find a kit with a quality slim ballast.



The kits i got were $40ea. So much cheaper than some of the other "High End" kits yet I have 55watt slim ballast. I figured if there was truly a reliability issue I would hold off putting the second set in the Fusion. Plus they are a nightmare to do. I should have done 55watt in the fogs also, but listen to all the rumors about excessive heat. That is plain false.... the 55 watts in the headlights run at least 30 degrees cooler than the OEM bulb after 15 minutes of running. I have checked it with a thermal gun on the front, the side and the rear of the assembles.



Also the AMP draw thing is just false...The stock 9006 Draw around 4.5 amps each, the 55 HIDs draw 3.7 amps after about a 10 second 9 amp draw during start up.

So in then end I would buy the Inovated kit again! We live in a rural area and my wife says with the hi-beams on it like driving in a "tunnel of light from god"

 

[Riley]

I don't know, but I would assume your key passes the on position before getting to the start position, so based on that I would say it's a good chance it will trigger the lights before cranking just like remote start.

I recommend the 10 second delay relay regardless... it's an inexpensive way to make sure there isn't unnecessary firing of the ballasts. I'd be interested in others opinions here. I assume most don't even realize this is happening.

Or just don't leave the headlight switch in Auto.

 

[Lenny H]

Yep, no relays, no canbus and no issues. The wife leaves it in AUTO

 

[13Sport]

Hey 13SPORT

What's your opinion of the DDMTuning HID product, Im still researching so just looking for another actual user experience.

I love the kit. I have the 55w 6k lights. The quality of light output over stock halogens is amazing. We do a lot of drives in mountain roads and the brights are highly illuminating now. Have had the kit for over a year, other than the firing issue above there have been no problems with the kit

 

[mctee]

I had Nmotion in Burnaby, BC install their name brand HID Canbus Digital Kit last week.
Definitely need the canbus.
35W; 6000K Bulbs; 2x Digital CAN bus ballasts; connectors; installed (looked neat and tidy) with 1 yr parts and labour warranty for CDN$240.00

http://nmotionauto.com/product/hid-9005-canbus-kit/

This kit uses made in China parts but I think the TRS Morimoto stuff may be the only non-Chinese parts I have seen (may just be the name, tho! Sounds like vteckiller2000 had his Morimoto ballasts pack it in!).

I dropped into Service at my Ford dealer yesterday to inquire about changing the DRL's to the amber marker lights. I had low expectations but they said "sure. want to wait?" I was out in less than 25 minutes! Painless! (Other than the $61.04 charge, but, cannot complain!)

 

[Canuckguy]

Based on TRS feedback, replies to this thread (and other threads) lots of different experiences.

Seems a relay will work error free i.e., no error codes in the dashboard, as will a canbus off stock wiring.

 

[vteckiller2000]

This kit uses made in China parts but I think the TRS Morimoto stuff may be the only non-Chinese parts I have seen (may just be the name, tho! Sounds like vteckiller2000 had his Morimoto ballasts pack it in!).

I may be wrong, but I think they are still China made. They are warrantied though, and apparently there was a large batch which are failing in the wicked cold temps we have been having. Mine have been flickering and failing to light since it dropped below zero but were fine prior to the temp drop.

 

[Canuckguy]

Yep, no relays, no canbus and no issues. The wife leaves it in AUTO

So which one do you use? Canbus or harness (relay)?

 

[Lenny H]

Used just the 55 Mini ballast, no relays or Canbus.... You can find it on Amazon search "Innovited 55w Ac HID Xenon Conversion Kit 9006 6000k Slim Ballast" They work great in my wifes car and she loves them.


I can not prove it but with globalization if is very common for 1 or 2 companies to be making most of the components!! I know of vendors going right to oem manufactures and having stuff manufactured to the exact same spec in the oem supplier Chinese factory and able to sell the product at 25% of the list dealer price. Then the dealers will tell you that Chinese stuff is crap.....

You want to no how wrong that is. Went to Ford to get rotors for an Expedition, they bring out Motorcraft rotors and they say made in china on the box. I asked for "Ford" rotor and they bring them out and they say made in USA and they weight more.

My best advice is use common sense anybody can write anything they want on the Internet and most manufactures ( including the OEMs) will claim "We have never heard of the issue" when a problem occurs

 

[davlee88]

lenny, how are the hid holding up?

Used just the 55 Mini ballast, no relays or Canbus.... You can find it on Amazon search "Innovited 55w Ac HID Xenon Conversion Kit 9006 6000k Slim Ballast" They work great in my wifes car and she loves them.


I can not prove it but with globalization if is very common for 1 or 2 companies to be making most of the components!! I know of vendors going right to oem manufactures and having stuff manufactured to the exact same spec in the oem supplier Chinese factory and able to sell the product at 25% of the list dealer price. Then the dealers will tell you that Chinese stuff is crap.....

You want to no how wrong that is. Went to Ford to get rotors for an Expedition, they bring out Motorcraft rotors and they say made in china on the box. I asked for "Ford" rotor and they bring them out and they say made in USA and they weight more.

My best advice is use common sense and body can write anything they want on the Internet and most manufactures ( including the OEMs) will claim "We have never heard of the issue" when a problem occurs

 

[Lenny H]

Lights are still working great!!!! We have had some freezing temps in Tampa recently so if i were to have an issue of a ballast not firing due to low voltage at start up and the auto headlights trying to fire the ballast at the same i think it would have had happened by now!

No issues what so ever with no Canbus or relays!!!

 

[kennybahr]

TRS recommends a canbus, but I believe some of you used a regular harness on your 2014 model.

To confirm, those of you using a harness have no issues?

Diode Dynamics recommends Canbus
All right guys, here are a few pictures of the Explorer! I installed 4300k HID kit from Diode Dynamics...I believe they are they BEST in the business, they are extremely accommodating, very knowledgeable, and just all around GREAT!!!! I went back out there today, because I bent the bar on one of the bulbs, they replaced it with NO hesitations whatsoever, they even re-installed the new bulb. I would Highly recommend buying any HID or LED lights from these guys!!! Here is a link to their website...at least check it out if you're in the market www.diodedynamics.com also check out my website too www.kfbphotography.com