HOW TO: Install HID Lighting & HID lighting explained

[big mellow]

How do I order this harness or how can I contact you to ,make the purchace .

[VH Coachworks]

Originally Posted by big mellow

How do I order this harness or how can I contact you to ,make the purchace .

PM sent, Thanks

[gmachinz]

Baron, you are right on a lot of points. Everybody wants to "do their own wiring" because people think its simple enough. Well, allow me to add from the perspective of a DIY'er, builder and fabricator, knowledge is the parts you choose to use is key. What most people don't realize are with respect to relays and wiring, commercial grade relays not found in your generic parts stores are rated at far high cycle counts and use various contact materials to aid in resisting extreme heat created from the arcing. Also, wiring must be carefully chosen and I freely explain what I use because it matters. When I hear someone say they built their own harness for $40, I would be curious, is it rated for underhood use? It better be for safetys sake! That means it better be at least j1128 spec. That's just two examples of what seperates a professional product from a junk one.

Nothing wrong with making your own harnesses but be aware of what the differences are in the parts you use. For example, I use Tyco relays, Delphi crosslink GXL or TXL wiring and Delphi connectors and terminals. All parts are USA except for the relays-they are manufactured in Spain. I avoid Chinese built parts at all costs. I used to use Hella relays until my batches started arriving with Chinese 70 AMP relays.....I've switches to Tyco brand relays ever since.

[Sacramento70]

Originally Posted by gmachinz

When I hear someone say they built their own harness for $40, I would be curious, is it rated for underhood use? It better be for safetys sake!

Well since you asked, yes, i use american made Bosch relays and as far as I've seen they have been phenomenal for hid performance...I'm what you would call a diy'er as well as a journeyman electrician, henceforth i thought that i would share my experience with the forums cost free. my lights run smooth, no flickers and are drawing clean power and yes i did assemble the whole thing for under $40 dollars american currency.

[gmachinz]

Cool...let's see some links for cheap ceramic plugs, pics of the install would be nice. What type of wire did you use? A journeyman must know what the differences between SXL or GXL wiring and what spec they rate at.....just call me curious.

[Sacramento70]

Originally Posted by gmachinz

Cool...let's see some links for cheap ceramic plugs, pics of the install would be nice. What type of wire did you use? A journeyman must know what the differences between SXL or GXL wiring and what spec they rate at.....just call me curious.

i would call you curious...someone of your knowledge and talent and you cant figure a way to build a harness for cheap? supply and demand my friend, that's the game we play and i'm not in the business of paying premium prices. lets just say i did figure a way to build my harness cheap and to date no fire! what a surprise right? No, i'm smart enough to avoid hazards and build a quality product. I'm happy for you pal, hope you can make a profit off of others who don't understand electrics.

Cheers, Brandon

[gmachinz]

Ok....so, no links-got it.
Well then allow me:

Using parts store relays, terminals and wire you can put together a headlight relay kit for about $20-25. Does this work? Sure-imo for stock halogens with a noticeable improvement over sending voltage through the factory headlight switch.

Do most people like the option of a headlight kit to allow for higher wattage bulbs or aftermarket housing with H4 or equivalent bulbs? Yes, they do I would say. Well most people such as I and Dave at Hollister suggest using ceramic plugs to withstand the potential of extra heat that the oem's never intended. And, there's an increase in amperage demand consequently.

So, where do you get SXL or GXL rated underhood wiring? Not at a parts store. Where do you find ceramic headlight plugs for both high and low beam? Again not at a parts store.

So even online you'll average $10 apiece for headlight plugs not including shipping and related parts to make it work. So from a shear cost standpoint, I called you out. $20-25 relay kits work, but arent optimal. But if have a source for $2 ceramic plugs, I'm all ears.