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Tutorial : How to install HID lights with a relay harness and capacitor.

217K views 23 replies 23 participants last post by  Mozella 
#1 · (Edited)
I know there's already other threads like this, I just tried to make it easier to understand for others who feel nervous about doing the installation.

This is a step by step. I am not a professional installer, so I'm putting this up with many pictures in hopes of helping someone with their installation.

You will need the following, in order of use:
1. Camera
2. HID Kit (2 ballasts and 2 HID bulbs)
3. Wire cutters
4. Pliers
5. Zip ties
6. Relay Harness (see Step 7 for purchasing info)
7. 470µF 35V capacitor (see Steo 8 for purchasing info)
8. Electrical tape
9. TORX #20 driver

Level of difficulty: Beginner
The installation will take an average of about 1 hour to 1.5 hours without being rushed.

STEP 1:
Find a wall at night time and take a picture of your stock lighting against a wall. Remember the distance and place, so you can come back when you're done to adjust your HID's.



STEP 2:
You will receive two ballasts and two bulbs. Here's a picture of one of the bulbs.



Cut the grommet off, but be very careful not to cut the wires.



You will be left with just the bulb and the two wires. You will not be using the grommet or the other wires that were removed.



At this point in time, you may want to jump to Step 7-9 and complete those first before you continue to STEP 3.

STEP 3:
On an SXT, disconnect the tube with the arrow by just pulling it off and remove the screw the other arrow is pointing to.





Step 4:
Pull up the filter box carefully, but with a bit of force and set it aside.



Step 5:
You may not have to do this step if the bulbs in your kit fit the housing correctly. Remove the original bulbs by turning them counter-clockwise with your hand and pulling them out. Test fit your bulbs and they might not fit. I trimmed the "small tab" on my bulbs like shown in the picture so they would fit.



Step 6:
Find a place where you want to mount your ballasts. I placed mine behind the headlight housing as shown in the picture. I put 3M double sided tape on the bottom and held it with zip ties. Make sure it's not loose.



Step 7:
You will need a relay harness to keep the lights from flashing like disco strobe lights. Your HID kit might have already come with one or not need it. If you would like this same relay harness I purchased, you can get it from Ebay by searching for "HID Fuse Relay Wiring Harness High Quality Kit". Price is $23 shipped. Seller name is "hid4today". Here's a picture of the relay harness and their wiring diagram. Note that you will not be using connectors "F" and "G" since you already removed these from the bulbs previously.





Step 8:
You will need to add a capacitor to the relay harness, to prevent the lights from flashing like disco strobe lights. Its a 470µF 35V capacitor. You can find it at any RadioShack store for $1.29 each, their catalog # is 272-1030. I recommend you getting two just in case you plug it in backwards and it pops. Theirs is black, but I used a blue one. Note that one side of the capacitor has a stripe, this side is the negative (-) side. The side without the stripe is the positive (+) side.



Step 9:
Remove the relay from the harness by simply pulling it off, don't worry about orientation, it only goes in one way. Install the capacitor as shown in the picture. Notice what side the stripe is on.



Re-install the relay like shown in the picture. I recommend wrapping the relay and capacitor with black electrical tape to keep it in place and prevent moisture and water from reaching it.



Step 10:
Find a place where you would like to place the relay. I slid mine under the fuse box by where the jump starting cables are like shown in the picture. Zip tie the harness down, but do not include the black ground wire from the harness.



Step 11:
Pass the ground (black) wire through this slot and pull it out from the other side.



Step 12:
Attach the ground wire to the chassis ground wire as shown.



Step 13:
Open the small red (+) box next to the fuse box. Slide the power (red) wire UNDER the box and onto the post. Bolt it back up and close the box.





Step 14:
Slide the red cable and fuse under the fuse box. You may want to wrap the fuse with electrical tape.





Step 15:
Zip tie the long black plastic cable across to the other side and connect the relay harness to both ballasts, then connect both ballasts to both bulbs.



Step 16:
Finally, connect the relay harness to the factory car light bulb plug. You will only connect it to the passenger's side. You can wrap the driver's side OEM plug with electrical tape if you wish. BEWARE not to connect it wrong. Notice that RED goes to WHITE, and Black to Black. My connector didn't "click" together, so I had to wrap it with electrical tape.



Step 17:
Test your lights. Make sure they don't flash when you turn on the car.





Step 18:
Go back to the place where you took the picture of your original lights so you can adjust your new HID's. You will need a TORX #20 driver. Adjust the lights like shown in the picture. I recommend trying to aim them as low as possible.





Step 19:
Walk towards the fridge. Open door using primary hand. Take out six pack of beer and enjoy. Just don't go driving after that.

-Danny
 
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#2 ·
I have to give it to you i been having problems with my hids flickering and one side coming on for like 2 or 3 months. But when i came across these instructions on yesterday man i have to hand it to you it SOLVED my problem no more flickering they come on as if the where install from the factory thanks a lot. i do have one question if you can answer it for me. how long does those capicitors last i did pick up 4 more extras for the price of them and i did like you said have the first one to pop LOL kinda of scared me but when i turn it around i was already and set. but anyways back to my question i do have extra fuses and capictors on hand but my question is how long does they last and how often to your experience that they blow i see now that they are quiet simple to install and you know all of the heat under the engine bay from that hemi in my dodge charger r/t. when you get a chance please email me at (lecarlos@bellsouth.net) back or post online the answer to my question.
 
#6 ·
As far as i know, unless i'm very mistaking, the DRL's(9005) are running on the high beams bulbs, this should'nt interfere with the night lights(9006). If you have everything set up correctly, they should turn on with the light switch on the dashboard...
 
#8 ·
if you guys just order a pair of can bus ballast you wont even need the rely kit. It will be a straight plug and play and it will cancel out your DRL. I had the flickering occur on my 2010 300 but I spoke to my local auto shop they advise me to just get a pair of can bus ballast.
 
#9 · (Edited)
I know there's already other threads like this, I just tried to make it easier to understand for others who feel nervous about doing the installation.

This is a step by step. I am not a professional installer, so I'm putting this up with many pictures in hopes of helping someone with their installation.

You will need the following, in order of use:
1. Camera
2. HID Kit (2 ballasts and 2 HID bulbs)
3. Wire cutters
4. Pliers
5. Zip ties
6. Relay Harness (see Step 7 for purchasing info)
7. 470µF 35V capacitor (see Steo 8 for purchasing info)
8. Electrical tape
9. TORX #20 driver

Level of difficulty: Beginner
The installation will take an average of about 1 hour to 1.5 hours without being rushed.

Walk towards the fridge. Open door using primary hand. Take out six pack of beer and enjoy. Just don't go driving after that.

-Danny
Hi Danny,

I am just trying to understand, what is the wire connected directly to the battery for ? how much current does it draw from the battery ? Is it possible that the car fitted with a similarly connected slim ballast kit is parked for 8 days and the battery goes totally dead just because one of the wires from the relay harness is connected to the battery directly ?
I am telling my experience here which I had yesterday only.

Would appreciate if you can reply at the earliest.

Regards,
Rahul
 
#10 ·
AFAIK, there is NO current draw until the the lights are turned on.
When you turn on the lights, voltage is sent to the relay and it closes a contact switch located within the relay.
 
#13 ·
DO NOT USE relay and cap! ****ty quality relay is not good and they may even damage your TIPM module!

Use CANBus error eliminator. One for each ballast. Reverse polarity before input side of the error eliminator.

This is thread is way too old the OP didnt even know what he was doing.....
 
#14 ·
Can you give a link on where you get this error eliminator? And can you take a picture or describe what you mean by reverse polarity before input side or error eliminator?
 
#15 ·
LED Flashers Blinkers Resistors Load Equalizers for Turn Signal Replacement Bulbs Rapid Flashing Fix

Scroll down to CANBus warning cancellers. They are the ones we need on our LX.

You need the 7.99 dollar ones. One for each ballast.

I cant take a pic of the connection right now so I will try to describe it for you:

The connector has a clip on it so normally you just clip on and it will interlock. You need to plug it in the opposite direction from your car's headlight harness to the error eliminator's harness.

You will know it when you plug it in since the interlock position will not power-up your headlight. You flip it and plug it in the other way and it will come on.
 
#18 ·
LED Flashers Blinkers Resistors Load Equalizers for Turn Signal Replacement Bulbs Rapid Flashing Fix

Scroll down to CANBus warning cancellers. They are the ones we need on our LX.

You need the 7.99 dollar ones. One for each ballast.

I cant take a pic of the connection right now so I will try to describe it for you:

The connector has a clip on it so normally you just clip on and it will interlock. You need to plug it in the opposite direction from your car's headlight harness to the error eliminator's harness.

You will know it when you plug it in since the interlock position will not power-up your headlight. You flip it and plug it in the other way and it will come on.
Update for a Pic?
 
#19 · (Edited)
The advantages of car light are numerous. LED car lights have the advantage of immediate start-up, and very long lifespan.What you have to pay attention to when you apply after-market LED car lights is that LEDs are sensitive to heat, and operation in a high temperature can shorten their lifespan. Therefore it is not advised to use them next to a headlight for instance, which emits a large amount of heat.




 
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