HID headlights on 2003 Explorer, need anything?

[gsmaclean]

Nice post gmca, thanks for the assistance. Is there any way you could post a pic of the highs vs the new lows? In your opinion is it worth the money?

I'll try tonight and see if I can get a picture that shows the difference. I'd definitely say it's worth the $40 - a pair of new decent halogen bulbs are almost that much anyway.

 

[billb1981]

Thanks. Yeah I've got some good halogen in there now, so I'm just wondering if I make the jump for the HID's

 

[4FordFamily]

absolutely make the plunge.

Nice write-up!

 

[gsmaclean]

OK, here's a pictures. I dialed the exposure on my camera way down so that the brightness of the lights didn't overwhelm the camera, and so you could get an idea of the color differences between my high beams, my driving lights, and the HID headlights.

 

[gsmaclean]

I did notice one problem tonight: When it's dark out, and I have the automatic headlights turned on, as soon as I start my truck, WHILE the truck is cranking, it attempts to turn the headlights on. However, there isn't enough current to strike the arc properly while it's cranking, and when the truck does start, the lights don't come on. If I turn the lights off and then back on by hand, they light up properly.

I think I will put a relay in, so that when the starter is engaged, it disconnects the headlights. That should solve the problem.

 

[billb1981]

Great, thanks for the pictures, nice work there. Appreciate the help in deciding, now it's just on to what gives me the brightest white light....Did you buy a harness of ebay?

 

[gsmaclean]

Great, thanks for the pictures, nice work there. Appreciate the help in deciding, now it's just on to what gives me the brightest white light....Did you buy a harness of ebay?

No, the kit comes with everything you need. Just unplug the old light, plug in the kit, and it works (except unless you have to reverse the power leads, like I did).

 

[4FordFamily]

No, the kit comes with everything you need. Just unplug the old light, plug in the kit, and it works (except unless you have to reverse the power leads, like I did).

yeah, but you don't want all that power being drawn from your stock wiring harness, I have a thread on chargerforums explaining that and a lot more

http://www.chargerforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=99047

been doing HID's for YEARS

 

[gsmaclean]

yeah, but you don't want all that power being drawn from your stock wiring harness, I have a thread on chargerforums explaining that and a lot more

http://www.chargerforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=99047

been doing HID's for YEARS

I think you need to re-examine what you're talking about.

Standard stock halogen bulbs consume 55 watts, which draws about 4.6 amps. The fuses on the headlight circuits in the Explorer are 10 amps for each headlight. The wiring running from the fuses in the BJB (battery junction box) to the headlights is 18 gauge (red with black stripe, in case you care to check), which in automotive applications is rated for 16 amps continuous usage (reference AWG chart).

The HID ballasts are stated to consume 35 watts each, which is a current draw of 2.9 amps. This is less than the 4.6 amp draw of the factory halogen lights.

However, at startup, the ballasts do draw quite a bit more current. Immediately at startup, each ballast draws 7.2 amps, or 86 watts. This increases rapidly until it peaks at about 8.6 amps 5 seconds after startup. At this point it rapidly decreases over the next 20-25 seconds, until it stabilizes at around 3.4 amps, which is 40 watts. This is a bit more than the 35 watts they claim, but considerably less than the 55 watts the factory system is designed to supply.

At no time do the ballasts draw more than the factory headlight wiring is designed to supply. The simple fact that the fuses do not blow when the lights are used is proof of this.

If you'd like to see an actual demonstration of HID ballast current draw, have a look at this video.

 

[gsmaclean]

I did notice one problem tonight: When it's dark out, and I have the automatic headlights turned on, as soon as I start my truck, WHILE the truck is cranking, it attempts to turn the headlights on. However, there isn't enough current to strike the arc properly while it's cranking, and when the truck does start, the lights don't come on. If I turn the lights off and then back on by hand, they light up properly.

I think I will put a relay in, so that when the starter is engaged, it disconnects the headlights. That should solve the problem.

I tried doing this today. I pulled apart my battery junction box and wired an SPDT relay as a bypass across the headlight wires, so that this bypass relay causes the lights to be energized at all times (when they are turned on), unless the starter is engaged, in which case the relay shuts the lights off, for as long as the starter is cranking.

I figured this would solve the problem, because when you started the car, the lights wouldn't come on until after you finished cranking. But I was wrong.

Apparently there is a tiny spike of power just before the starter engages and the relay pulls in, just long enough to get the ballasts to start powering up. Even though the engine cranks for a second or two, wherein the ballasts have no power, when the engine starts, the starter is released and the ballasts are re-powered, they do not start up. Experimenting, I have discovered that if the ballasts are powered off for about 6-7 seconds after that initial spike before they are re-powered, they come back on consistently.

I'm going to sit down and design a modification to my relay circuit, putting in a 555 timer in monostable configuration, so that when the truck starts up, and the lights are on, it keeps the lights turned off (for 10 seconds before bypass relay is de-energized and re-powers the ballasts).

Of course, I could just not use my automatic headlights, and do it the old-fashioned way, so that I didn't have any of these problems - but where's the fun in that?

 

[billb1981]

Well when you get it figured out, why don't you come to Kansas city and install one for me? Hah....question....did you find the 4300 a little yellow on the road? I'm wanting the pure white, was wondering if I should jump up to the 6000's..

 

[gsmaclean]

The 4300's are very white, they make the halogens look positively yellow in comparison - check out the pictures I posted a bit earlier, and you'll see the color difference.

 

[billb1981]

The 4300's are very white, they make the halogens look positively yellow in comparison - check out the pictures I posted a bit earlier, and you'll see the color difference.

Did you ever have silverstars or anything in there before?

 

[billb1981]

Hey guys, just to play both sides here.....I'm doing a lot of reading about illegal hid kits, etc. Something about the light scattering and blinding other drivers, and these are designed for vehicles with projector lenses....anybody have info on that?

In addition, I read that no kit is street legal unless installed by factory? If having lights that allow me to see is breaking the law, I'll take the risk, but is it going to increase my visits with the local police?

 

[limit]

also your day time running light (drl) causes problems, what i did was pull the drl fuse and was able to use hid without any problems.

 

[ummduh]

I tried doing this today. I pulled apart my battery junction box and wired an SPDT relay as a bypass across the headlight wires, so that this bypass relay causes the lights to be energized at all times (when they are turned on), unless the starter is engaged, in which case the relay shuts the lights off, for as long as the starter is cranking.

I figured this would solve the problem, because when you started the car, the lights wouldn't come on until after you finished cranking. But I was wrong.

Apparently there is a tiny spike of power just before the starter engages and the relay pulls in, just long enough to get the ballasts to start powering up. Even though the engine cranks for a second or two, wherein the ballasts have no power, when the engine starts, the starter is released and the ballasts are re-powered, they do not start up. Experimenting, I have discovered that if the ballasts are powered off for about 6-7 seconds after that initial spike before they are re-powered, they come back on consistently.

I'm going to sit down and design a modification to my relay circuit, putting in a 555 timer in monostable configuration, so that when the truck starts up, and the lights are on, it keeps the lights turned off (for 10 seconds before bypass relay is de-energized and re-powers the ballasts).

Of course, I could just not use my automatic headlights, and do it the old-fashioned way, so that I didn't have any of these problems - but where's the fun in that?

Why waste the time doing all that? In my car (a 05 focus), I had to adjust my habits when starting the car. Due to some design/comp issue, you need to turn the key on and let the fuel pump prime all the way before you start the car. (otherwise it cranks excessively sometimes)
So i got in the habit of getting in the car, turning this ignition to "run" but not "start", THEN putting on my seatbelt, hooking up the ipod, etc..

Sounds like a little behavior modification would work just as well. Now it's just second nature..

 

[gsmaclean]

Why waste the time doing all that? In my car (a 05 focus), I had to adjust my habits when starting the car. Due to some design/comp issue, you need to turn the key on and let the fuel pump prime all the way before you start the car. (otherwise it cranks excessively sometimes)
So i got in the habit of getting in the car, turning this ignition to "run" but not "start", THEN putting on my seatbelt, hooking up the ipod, etc..

Sounds like a little behavior modification would work just as well. Now it's just second nature..

I did some more tests today. It turns out it's not the voltage spike - it's the fact that if the ballasts do not have a full 12 volts when they are first turned on, they will not start up. When the starter is released and the engine starts, the battery has not recovered from the starting, and the alternator has not come up yet. This is the point at which the lights are turned on, so they don't strike an arc. If I wait to turn the lights on until 1 second AFTER the truck starts, they start up, every time.

I'm going to abandon my 555 timer plan, and put a simple diode and capacitor on my relay coil. This will keep the relay energized for a second or two after the starter has released, and will keep the lights from firing up until there is enough voltage to fuel them.

However it's 7 degrees out right now, so I'll leave it for another day.

 

[4FordFamily]

I think you need to re-examine what you're talking about.

Standard stock halogen bulbs consume 55 watts, which draws about 4.6 amps. The fuses on the headlight circuits in the Explorer are 10 amps for each headlight. The wiring running from the fuses in the BJB (battery junction box) to the headlights is 18 gauge (red with black stripe, in case you care to check), which in automotive applications is rated for 16 amps continuous usage (reference AWG chart).

The HID ballasts are stated to consume 35 watts each, which is a current draw of 2.9 amps. This is less than the 4.6 amp draw of the factory halogen lights.

However, at startup, the ballasts do draw quite a bit more current. Immediately at startup, each ballast draws 7.2 amps, or 86 watts. This increases rapidly until it peaks at about 8.6 amps 5 seconds after startup. At this point it rapidly decreases over the next 20-25 seconds, until it stabilizes at around 3.4 amps, which is 40 watts. This is a bit more than the 35 watts they claim, but considerably less than the 55 watts the factory system is designed to supply.

At no time do the ballasts draw more than the factory headlight wiring is designed to supply. The simple fact that the fuses do not blow when the lights are used is proof of this.

If you'd like to see an actual demonstration of HID ballast current draw, have a look at this video.

even if you are right, (and you probably are) that doesn't prevent flickering from excessive draw, such as stereos that will cause flickering.

 

[gsmaclean]

even if you are right, (and you probably are) that doesn't prevent flickering from excessive draw, such as stereos that will cause flickering.

That's true. Anything that draws more than the electrical system (alternator, mostly) can supply, such as a large aftermarket stereo, will end up drawing down from the battery, which will cause its voltage to drop - which will cause anything else in the car (i.e. headlights) that are sensitive to voltage drop, to be affected. A capacitor on the headlights would help smooth this out.

 

[DMacLennan14]

even if you are right, (and you probably are) that doesn't prevent flickering from excessive draw, such as stereos that will cause flickering.

my headlights used to dim when my bass would hit, but after i installed hid's, they no longer dim. i know of other people that have installed hid's and they still dim, but i got lucky with mine. by the way, that is not the reason i installed the hid's, i wanted to see better, which it is a world of difference!