Are HID bulbs and ballasts interchangeable?

[BrianDye]

When I get my HIDs from X2, im gonna have an extra (my current) set of 10,000k HIDs, theres a guy on CL selling a brand new pair of 6000k HID bulbs for 20$, id like to buy them to see if theres a noticeable increase in brightness/etc.

My question is that will the bulbs plug right into my ballasts? Or are there like different sockets for different manufacturers?

 

[Bill Kemp]

You should be asking the "guy on CL" what kind of sockets his bulbs have. How do we know what he has?
I know of three different sockets. 1 OEM and 2 kit types.

 

[Jason c]

If they are the aftermarket kits, then they should be the same plugs. You want to make sure the watts are the same on the bulbs and ballasts. 35w on a 35w, and 50w on a 50w.