Hey guys,

 

I am installing an HID kit in my vrs but I had a couple of questions that I hoped you could help me out with, especially if you have done it on your own car.

 

1) Where would you reccomend putting the ballast? There doesn't seem to be much length between the ballast and the bulbs so my options are pretty limited

 

2) Could anybody reccomend the best route to the wire to the positive terminal from the ballast? This is the first bit of electronic kit I've fitted in an engine bay and I'm not sure what I need to be prepared for when it comes to heat from the engine etc.

 

3) Will the plastic covers on the back of the lights still fit back on with all the cabling coming out from the new bulbs? And if so, could I mount the ballast directly to the back of these covers?

 

I appreciate the help and please forgive my lack of knowledge!

Edited 2 January, 201610 yr by Gumble

I've figured most of it out now, I just need some advice on how to place the power cable to the positive terminal safely. Are their parts I need to avoid to protect from heat etc?

 

Thanks!

main lights or for lights?

 

Curious as i'm planning similar on mine with the fogs. I don'y think mounting the ballast on the covers is a good idea, they are snug to remove particularly on the drivers side (behind boost pipe) and with the heat from bulb and ballast, might make the plastic a bit floppy.

 

without looking i had wondered about how much space was under the lamp itself, from memory its fairly open above the intercooler? simple bracket and a smudge of silicon over the edges to keep water out and it might be a better option..

 

Pics during and after install always useful. Good luck!

main lights or for lights?

 

Curious as i'm planning similar on mine with the fogs. I don'y think mounting the ballast on the covers is a good idea, they are snug to remove particularly on the drivers side (behind boost pipe) and with the heat from bulb and ballast, might make the plastic a bit floppy.

 

without looking i had wondered about how much space was under the lamp itself, from memory its fairly open above the intercooler? simple bracket and a smudge of silicon over the edges to keep water out and it might be a better option..

 

Pics during and after install always useful. Good luck!

 

I will take pictures of each step of the install tomorrow I've had to add some extra length to the drivers side earth as it wasn't quite long enough and a little length to the main positive cable as otherwise it won't quite stretch.

 

I am replacing the main h4 hi/lo's with 6000k hid's. The plastic cover idea is a no go for the very reason you mentioned! I saw somebody else post on here with some pictures as to where they mounted theirs. The put the passenger side just under the battery casing and I couldn't really make out where the drivers side was.

 

My only concern is where I can run the cables as I'm not sure where they will be affected by heat? I wanted to run the cables between the two headlamps but I'm not sure how much heat comes up around that area. Definitely not a mechanic!!

Edited 2 January, 201610 yr by Gumble

I would run the shortest route over the radiator, it doesn't melt the bonnet release cable plastic coating, so keeping it in line with that should be fine... run it through some silicon tube if you are worried, fish tank airline from poundstretcher/wilkinsons comes in handy for that type of thing! also good for a bit of padding if it crosses through metal cut outs etc.

 

I'm curious about how you get on with them too, from lots of late night googling, 6000K is the most efficient colour, as the higher you go into the blues, seemingly the less light you will see on the road (having overtaken a BMW not so long ago with almost stupidly dark blue headlights I know this is an issue... he was going slow because he couldn't see sod all!)

I've tried numerous H4 bulbs (cheap blue 100w from china, all weather types, super white etc... best so far were 100w from the range at £4/side!) but i drive unlit dual carriageways, and country roads after work and I need more light. last chance on halogens for me is Osram nightbreaker ultimate (in post now) but i'm considering the next stage.

 

worth noting the 130w fog light bulbs (H3) i had in my projector foglights helped... but the passenger side suffered from the heat - tonight's mission was to remove and glue the lens back in with silicon before going to LED jobbies. 

I would run the shortest route over the radiator, it doesn't melt the bonnet release cable plastic coating, so keeping it in line with that should be fine... run it through some silicon tube if you are worried, fish tank airline from poundstretcher/wilkinsons comes in handy for that type of thing! also good for a bit of padding if it crosses through metal cut outs etc.

 

I'm curious about how you get on with them too, from lots of late night googling, 6000K is the most efficient colour, as the higher you go into the blues, seemingly the less light you will see on the road (having overtaken a BMW not so long ago with almost stupidly dark blue headlights I know this is an issue... he was going slow because he couldn't see sod all!)

I've tried numerous H4 bulbs (cheap blue 100w from china, all weather types, super white etc... best so far were 100w from the range at £4/side!) but i drive unlit dual carriageways, and country roads after work and I need more light. last chance on halogens for me is Osram nightbreaker ultimate (in post now) but i'm considering the next stage.

 

worth noting the 130w fog light bulbs (H3) i had in my projector foglights helped... but the passenger side suffered from the heat - tonight's mission was to remove and glue the lens back in with silicon before going to LED jobbies. 

 

Thank you, thats very helpful.

 

That's the same reason I am upgrading mine. The lights just aren't bright enough and the majority of my driving is done at night on unlight dual carriageways and country roads. I shouldn't be relying on the sat nav to look for the curvature of the road!

 

I'll try and get the install done today if this non stop rain lets up a bit.

the weather wasn't too great up here, so I put my headlight back in (had to re fit the projector lens on the foglight - turns out 130w bulbs get a bit warm for the plastic mounting!) and got soaking wet to try and hopefully cure the stupid clip together boost pipe leek!

 

I did spot the holes and lip on the back of the front panel, which would be an ideal route to run wires along. zip ties and a length of conduit would be perfect.

 

Hope you had better weather!