Whats better than silverstars?

[celly]

what do you consider pretty fast?

Understand one thing about daytime running lights (mandatory in Canada). Your lights are on at all times. If they're running at full brightness during the day (which would be the case as per DD's description), then I would think they might not last as long.

Dirty Dog addressed that concern.

 

[FexplorerV8]

there is no HID kits for explorers right? i have seen some HID 9007 bulbs with the balast and everything, if i remember right they were like $350

 

[DirtyDog]

there is no HID kits for explorers right? i have seen some HID 9007 bulbs with the balast and everything, if i remember right they were like $350

The only way to put HID's in an Explorer is the 9007 retrofit kit 96limitedX did it here

 

[SkanlaxJMO]

if you have a message center thing it will say the bulb is out because of the 35w draw instead of the 55w.

 

[SkanlaxJMO]

If i remember correctly one guy put a second bulb in his HID kit for the high beams and used them as the high beams.

 

[celly]

if you have a message center thing it will say the bulb is out because of the 35w draw instead of the 55w.

That would be annoying. Anyone found a workaround for this?

 

[SkanlaxJMO]

i was thinking about it and why not just cut the wire that goes to the message center for the head lights(that might have an all time light out on though) or maby a reisistor. Maby put a 55w bulb on the line that goes to the message center.......?

 

[96limitedX]

i LOVE my HIDs..i dont have a need for high beams anymore. i was wrong about the message center thing. it doesnt do it when i turn the heads on normaly. if i use the auto headlights it comes on. all said and done. its the best mod i've done. and fopr the price ($250) you cant beat it. only only problem now..i hate drving somthing without HIDs cause it seems so dim.

 

[celly]

i LOVE my HIDs..i dont have a need for high beams anymore. i was wrong about the message center thing. it doesnt do it when i turn the heads on normaly.

That would SUCK. I love the auto-headlight feature. I was stoked when I saw my '00 Sport came with that feature. When I lived in Bermuda I had a POS Hyunadai Scoupe with aftermarket security and it had the auto headlight function. I got so used to it that the one time I put on my headlights manually, I forgot to turn them off and killed the battery.

I'd rather find another workaround. I even considered gassing the message center completely. The info it provides is pretty useless for the most part. I'm a bit tired of the "LOW FUEL" warning coming on well before I actually have low fuel. The "range" functions are completely unreliable too. The fuel gauge light on the dash is much more reliable and comes on well after the message center tells me I'm running out.

Maybe that's the solution...remove the message center.

 

[96limitedX]

well its complacated. i still use the autoheadlights.

the problem is..the autoheadslights come on before the truck is started. so when the truck starts. the voltage drops going to the ballests and then the lights go off. so you have to hit the light switch again and turn them on again. its no big deal..but when that happends the "check headlamp light comes on" . doesnt bother me..cause the light output/color is 1000000X better. so its so well worth it.

only thing i use my MC for is "gallons to empty" and all the lamp out warnings..also for the oil change warning.

i dont think it will even effect you. from what i know they did away with the "lamp out" function and alot more on the later message centers. so i dont think it will be a prob.

 

[celly]

well its complacated. i still use the autoheadlights.

the problem is..the autoheadslights come on before the truck is started. so when the truck starts. the voltage drops going to the ballests and then the lights go off. so you have to hit the light switch again and then them on again. its no big deal..but when that happends the "check headlamp light comes on" . doesnt bother me..cause the light output/color is 1000000X better. so its so well worth it.

My preference would be for a simpler solution. I'm not that much in need for new lighting just yet. Our company owned an Lexus RX330 for a short while (former president leased it before we fired him). Before we sold it I took it out on a dark country road and drove it hard. HIDS/projectors were cool, but not as great as I thought they'd be. I even found them a bit distracting because even though I could see what was in front of me fairly well, with the stark contrast between light and dark it was like a black hole beyond the coverage area. Kind of spooked me a bit. I'm sure I'd get used to it. If I'm going with a set, I'd want my Ex to run as it normally does with new headlights. No message center warnings either. Highbeams are desirable too.

Glad you're enjoying them, but your setup would drive me nuts. I'd want to get in the car, start it up and drive away as always. No warnings and no workarounds each time to get rid of the warnings.

p.s. Good to know about the "lamp out" discontinuation. I don't recall seeing that function in my owner's manual. I don't really pay attention to the oil change thing either. Especially now since I'm running Amsoil and plan to go a lot longer between changes, I can't get a setting in the message center that coincides with extended change intervals.

p.p.s. HID upgrade is a long ways off. I want headers first.

 

[96limitedX]

just thought i'd let you know about the little things. its such a duge differance i cant see ever owning somthing without them now.

i have some comparison pics of silver stars VS HIDs and the SS's look so yellow and dim..lol and the output on the road is night/day. but thats to be expected. so if anyone is interested i'll postthem.

 

[celly]

I've seen your pics on the other sites. Definitely an improvement, but I don't have any issues with Silverstars. I drove through the Rockies last Friday night on a very twisty highway and had no issues with the stars. I could use some focusing tweaks, but that's not a fault of the bulbs.

I'm curious. You have most posts on this site that the others, but not elite yet. What gives Russ?

 

[celly]

Just plug and play. When the DRL's are on, the HID's aren't dim like normal halogens would be. A reduced voltage is what causes the DRL's to be dimmer than normal LO beams and even at the reduced voltage, the HID's burn bright as they normally would.

Gary:

I found this one one of the HID sites out there on their FAQ:

Will DRL (daytime running lights) or Auto Switch On effect the HID kit?

For vehicles with DRL that use the same bulb for both DRL and low beam you will need to deactivate your DRL. DRL operate on reduced wattage or fluctuating current levels. This will cause the HID system to flicker and burn out prematurely. Please ensure that your OEM headlight harness is providing a constant 12V to ensure that no damage will be caused to the HID system.

I'm not so sure a HID conversion would be the way to go with my setup.

 

[DirtyDog]

I know it can cause them to burn out faster but they don't flicker. And at a 2000hr+ lamp life, I'm not too worried about it. Here's the info I got off of Sylvania's website.

If the low beamis driven at a lower voltage to achieve DRL, be aware that the HID low beam will always come on at full power since it is controlled by relay. This is acceptable in terms of specifications as it is acceptable to drive during the day with low beams on –but note that this will add significant hours to the running of the HID. NOTE: It is not possible to dim HID, the ballast serves to keep the lamp running at the same power level from 9-16V, so reducing the voltage to the ballast would only cause it to draw more current to compensate.

 

[celly]

I know it can cause them to burn out faster but they don't flicker. And at a 2000hr+ lamp life, I'm not too worried about it. Here's the info I got off of Sylvania's website.

If the low beamis driven at a lower voltage to achieve DRL, be aware that the HID low beam will always come on at full power since it is controlled by relay. This is acceptable in terms of specifications as it is acceptable to drive during the day with low beams on –but note that this will add significant hours to the running of the HID. NOTE: It is not possible to dim HID, the ballast serves to keep the lamp running at the same power level from 9-16V, so reducing the voltage to the ballast would only cause it to draw more current to compensate.

Interesting. I have come across other sites (other manufacturers discussion boards) where some people have issues with DRL and HID kits. Flickering would suck! I just scoured my Ford DVD and confirmed that the DRL module does reduce voltage to the low beam. If it reduced the high beam I was thinking of one of those dual bulb models (Xenon low, halogen high), but that's moot now.

What's involved with getting the DRL module to light up perhaps the fogs or maybe the corners? That way HID low would only be illuminated when the low beams were on (i.e. DRL would never activate the HIDs at all).

Wiring diagram ('00, I assume it's the same for '99)

That info from Sylvania, is that for their ballasts or ballasts in general?

 

[DirtyDog]

That info is regarding the Xenarc line of HID lights. Other manufacturers may have different specs for their kits.

 

[DirtyDog]

I checked my '99 CD and it's a bit different but if you cut the Red/Black wire coming out of the DRL module and hook it up to the fog light or corner light positive wire you should be set. Make sure you use a diode when you hook it up though otherwise it may cook your DRL module

 

[celly]

I checked my '99 CD and it's a bit different but if you cut the Red/Black wire coming out of the DRL module and hook it up to the fog light or corner light positive wire you should be set. Make sure you use a diode when you hook it up though otherwise it may cook your DRL module

Gary, I may have to try that. What about disabling DRL module altogether? I know they're for safety and all and I'd probably get a ticket if a cop really wanted to be a dick, but what's involved do you think? I've heard of people who disable modules only to have their low beams not work at all.

If I were to go the HID route (and it seems to be that way...tax refund coming and all), then I'd probably just hook it up as is and see what happens and go from there.

 

[DirtyDog]

Try just unpluging your DRL module and throwing some tape over the connector or you can probably cut the Red/Black wire and tape both ends and see if that works. I don't see why unpluging it wouldn't work though.