HID CONVERSION

    One of the first things you see when a vehicle is heading your way is the headlights. This being said they're also the brightest part of your car, and have the ability to make the biggest impression. So why cruise around with dull headlights, poor visibility, and that stock look? Grab a set of HIDs and we’ll show you the rest.

   Let’s talk a little history about HIDs, for those of you who don’t know. HIDs or High Intensity Discharge are a replacement bulb and ballast system for your stock headlight bulb, that come in all the needed bulb designs (H11, 9006, or H3 for example) and a variety of “colours” or light spectrum, measured in thousands of Kelvin or K. These bulbs create this ultra bright light by converting your vehicles low voltage DC current, through a ballast, into high voltage AC current. Keeping it simple, the high voltage arc ionizes the gas in the bulb and creates a conducting medium between the electrodes bringing the bulb up to temperature, vaporising the metallic salts and giving the bulb its particular Kelvin or colour temperature.

As a basic guide 3000K= Yellow-ish, 6000K= White-ish, and 10000K= Blue-ish. 

Now to the mod!

   Once you grab yourself a set of HIDs from a local auto shop, e-bay or however else you may come upon them, work your way through the following steps:

1.  Open your hood and check for room to work behind your headlights. Depending on the model of vehicle you own, you may or not be able to access your headlight bulbs without removing your headlights, or other parts of your vehicle for that matter.

   In our case, our Chevy Colorado had ample room, since we were working behind the taillights. Yup here's a teaser of the custom mounted HID reverse lights. It's necessary with double limo tints.But we will continue on with the mod as if we are dealing with our headlights.




2.  Next, use a multi-meter to check the voltage at the bulb, to insure you have a full 12 Volts.  If you do not your ballast’s may not turn on, or stay on, and could just flicker.
                                

Multi-Meter Tips

• Use DCV setting at 20V, this will make sure the voltage appear with the decimal in the right place
• Place the positive and negative ends of the meter in the respective prongs of the wiring harness to get your reading.
• If your meter shows 12Volts, go ahead and continue with your modification.
• If you do not have a constant 12 Volts you might get lucky but, more than likely u will need a relay, but that’s a topic for another day.

3.  From here on in, it’s plug and play. Disconnect you factory bulb by removing the factory harness.

4.  Now, remove your factory bulbs and replace them (careful not to touch the actual bulb) with your new HID bulbs. You may want to keep these in a safe place just in case you ever swap them back to stock.

HID's up front as well.  Fogs and low beams

5.  Connect your HID bulb to the ballast, and from there the ballast to your factory bulb harness. Now try them out!

Yah, it’s that simple, the connectors only work one way, and are of course colour coordinated, so you really can’t do any wrong. If the particular kit you are using is not colour coordinated, or universal clips, be sure to take your time to read the directions and make good use of that multi-meter!

Remember, this is our taillight install.

   Now take the time to neatly mount your ballasts, zip tie your loose wires, and grab some of your left over wire loom from last weeks post and tidy it up even more.

   So, your HIDs are successfully installed, take a minute, take a step back, and enjoy that new impression and added sense of style your vehicle just gained.

Oh, and we promise you will never drive with ordinary bulbs ever again!

photos done by Justin - DIY Car Modifications