My HID Retrofit project
02-19-2006, 02:06 AM
#1
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My HID Retrofit project
Well you have all heard me bash on the EBAY, HALO, and all "plug and play" HID kits that are sold on the internet. Now is my room to talk. I am hoping to have this project finished by spring time. As I progress through this project I will post more and more pictures as I go. Also when I am all said and done, I will take tons of comparison photos of "HID kits" and my True HID Retrofit and show you the light. 
Ahh yes I have recieved my extra lights in the mail!
I drew up every little detail of the housing on the lamp. I will be designing and experimenting with mounting locations.
It took me about 40 minutes just to get one headlamp apart. I had to heat where the cover met the backing with a hair dryer to heat up the sealant. I got the assembly seperated in about 30 minutes. The chrome shroud came off easily but the reflector itself was held to the frame pretty well. It took lots of prying and precision but I finally got it off. I have more than enough space to place any Xenon projector I can find here.
As I said before, I will update as I progress, with tons of pictures!
Ahh yes I have recieved my extra lights in the mail!
I drew up every little detail of the housing on the lamp. I will be designing and experimenting with mounting locations.
It took me about 40 minutes just to get one headlamp apart. I had to heat where the cover met the backing with a hair dryer to heat up the sealant. I got the assembly seperated in about 30 minutes. The chrome shroud came off easily but the reflector itself was held to the frame pretty well. It took lots of prying and precision but I finally got it off. I have more than enough space to place any Xenon projector I can find here.
As I said before, I will update as I progress, with tons of pictures!
I am looking forward to the finished product 
02-19-2006, 03:01 AM
#6
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Jimmy that is the funniest pic ever! i thought you had a angel eye around you head lol ended up being your hat 
GL bro we can compare once they are done! by then ill have my spoiler 
and some new goodies
GL bro we can compare once they are done! by then ill have my spoiler and some new goodies
02-19-2006, 03:45 AM
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Originally Posted by memphisr24
I can't wait either. How much did those lights cost you?
02-19-2006, 02:19 PM
#10
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I got the headlamps for 50 dollars on ebay.
I have decided the projectors I will be using are the Hella E55 3 inch Projectors. (Audi A6/RS6 BMW 5 series)
This is a picture of the Projectors.
I have decided the projectors I will be using are the Hella E55 3 inch Projectors. (Audi A6/RS6 BMW 5 series)
This is a picture of the Projectors.
Last edited by Mercury; 02-19-2006 at 08:45 PM.
02-19-2006, 08:40 PM
#15
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Originally Posted by Cobalt_Supercharged
Are you gonna use 2 sets of projectors for high and low or are you just gonna do lows?
The projectors I will be using are bi-xenon. That means they will do low beam and high beam. There is a solenoid that will retract the cutoff shield when i switch to high beams and will project all light. (high beam)
02-20-2006, 12:37 AM
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I think that this is the best project that i have seen anyone try. Merc you are a true pioneer and i cant wait to see the finished product.
I always pictured the cobalt with projector headlights.
I always pictured the cobalt with projector headlights.
02-20-2006, 05:47 AM
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Originally Posted by Mercury
Well you have all heard me bash on the EBAY, HALO, and all "plug and play" HID kits that are sold on the internet. Now is my room to talk. I am hoping to have this project finished by spring time. As I progress through this project I will post more and more pictures as I go. Also when I am all said and done, I will take tons of comparison photos of "HID kits" and my True HID Retrofit and show you the light.
Ahh yes I have recieved my extra lights in the mail!
I drew up every little detail of the housing on the lamp. I will be designing and experimenting with mounting locations.
It took me about 40 minutes just to get one headlamp apart. I had to heat where the cover met the backing with a hair dryer to heat up the sealant. I got the assembly seperated in about 30 minutes. The chrome shroud came off easily but the reflector itself was held to the frame pretty well. It took lots of prying and precision but I finally got it off. I have more than enough space to place any Xenon projector I can find here.
As I said before, I will update as I progress, with tons of pictures!
Ahh yes I have recieved my extra lights in the mail!
I drew up every little detail of the housing on the lamp. I will be designing and experimenting with mounting locations.
It took me about 40 minutes just to get one headlamp apart. I had to heat where the cover met the backing with a hair dryer to heat up the sealant. I got the assembly seperated in about 30 minutes. The chrome shroud came off easily but the reflector itself was held to the frame pretty well. It took lots of prying and precision but I finally got it off. I have more than enough space to place any Xenon projector I can find here.
As I said before, I will update as I progress, with tons of pictures!
whats wrong with the halo hid kits? just wondering cuz wannted to buy them!
02-20-2006, 02:56 PM
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Merc your a DORK....
With that asside....
Halo kit is awesome, but they are not projectors. Ive heard projectors make more light, and look better, but if your on a budget, or dont want to do the extra work, a strait halo kit is fine.
Merc, you better not be painting those things yet, cuase you suppose to help me do that too!
With that asside....
Halo kit is awesome, but they are not projectors. Ive heard projectors make more light, and look better, but if your on a budget, or dont want to do the extra work, a strait halo kit is fine.
Merc, you better not be painting those things yet, cuase you suppose to help me do that too!
02-20-2006, 10:43 PM
#23
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Originally Posted by Xenozx
Halo kit is awesome, but they are not projectors. Ive heard projectors make more light, and look better, but if your on a budget, or dont want to do the extra work, a strait halo kit is fine.
HID kits aren't "fine" in my opinion as well as many others. Let me educate everyone for one last time.
The stock Cobalt headlamp is a single reflector style lamp. It uses a 9007 bulb which is a highbeam/lowbeam bulb. This means when you switch to your high beams another coil inside the bulb lights up a different part of the reflector which is your high beam. These "HID Kits" Use a rebased Xenon D2R or D2S bulb which is meant for an HID housing. There is no such thing as a highbeam/lowbeam Xenon bulb. So therefore these hid kits are lighting up your entire halogen reflector. Yes that means your high beam and low beam.
As far as Kelvin goes... (i.e. 6000k) People think they are so awesome with their 7000k, 12000k HIDs etc.... But infact they aren't as cool as they think they are. The higher the Kelvin, the less lumens and light you will have. The best kelvin bulbs to have are between 4100k and 4300k. Anything above that and your light output is decreasing drastically. All OEM Hid like you see on BMW's, Evo's, STi's, Audi's, etc are all between 4100k and 4300k because that is the optimal kelvin for optimal light output. They have the most lumens out of all the Xenon HID bulbs made.
Here is a chart to show you the light spectrum in regaurds to Kevlin.
Yellowish
3000k is around that of an OEM Halogen bulb.
White
4100k is True HID color
Blue
5400k and up is your hardcore bluish tint bulbs.
Now for the "Plug and Play" part of those "HID Kits"
You are supposed to plug those HID Kits into your stock 9007 (or what have you) connector and your set right? WRONG Your OEM wires are designed for a standard 55w halogen bulb. Now you may say "wait but my HID's use only 35w!" This is true, but upon ignition of the Xenon HID bulb, the ballast will use up to 3 times that amount of power which can fry your entire wiring for your car which can be a very costly repair. (Believe me it has happened numerous times and isn't something you want to risk!) This can result in huge damage to ECU's, Fuse boxes, or even worse, fires.
Quote from HIDPLANET
The reason why is, that when the ballast "demand" power, your car has to supply it from somewhere. Lets say its tapped into your oem headlight wire ok. Now you power up the ballasts, they draw current from your wiring, your wiring might not be up to the task so its needs help, it searches for a source and before you know it, you've now weakend not only one source but two now just to try and supply the ballast good clean power. This is why a relay harness is needed. A relay harness gets its power straight from the battery via relays. These relays are then wired to go to your ballasts now.
Also I am not bashing on anybody or hating on whomever sells the "HALO" hid kits. I am just sharing my knowledge.
So do it right, take the time and retrofit!
02-20-2006, 11:47 PM
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Originally Posted by Mercury
HID kits aren't "fine" in my opinion as well as many others. Let me educate everyone for one last time.
The stock Cobalt headlamp is a single reflector style lamp. It uses a 9007 bulb which is a highbeam/lowbeam bulb. This means when you switch to your high beams another coil inside the bulb lights up a different part of the reflector which is your high beam. These "HID Kits" Use a rebased Xenon D2R or D2S bulb which is meant for an HID housing. There is no such thing as a highbeam/lowbeam Xenon bulb. So therefore these hid kits are lighting up your entire halogen reflector. Yes that means your high beam and low beam.
As far as Kelvin goes... (i.e. 6000k) People think they are so awesome with their 7000k, 12000k HIDs etc.... But infact they aren't as cool as they think they are. The higher the Kelvin, the less lumens and light you will have. The best kelvin bulbs to have are between 4100k and 4300k. Anything above that and your light output is decreasing drastically. All OEM Hid like you see on BMW's, Evo's, STi's, Audi's, etc are all between 4100k and 4300k because that is the optimal kelvin for optimal light output. They have the most lumens out of all the Xenon HID bulbs made.
Here is a chart to show you the light spectrum in regaurds to Kevlin.
Yellowish
3000k is around that of an OEM Halogen bulb.
White
4100k is True HID color
Blue
5400k and up is your hardcore bluish tint bulbs.
Now for the "Plug and Play" part of those "HID Kits"
You are supposed to plug those HID Kits into your stock 9007 (or what have you) connector and your set right? WRONG Your OEM wires are designed for a standard 55w halogen bulb. Now you may say "wait but my HID's use only 35w!" This is true, but upon ignition of the Xenon HID bulb, the ballast will use up to 3 times that amount of power which can fry your entire wiring for your car which can be a very costly repair. (Believe me it has happened numerous times and isn't something you want to risk!) This can result in huge damage to ECU's, Fuse boxes, or even worse, fires.
Quote from HIDPLANET
Basically what a relay will do in this HID situation is that your power going to your halogen bulb would turn a "Relay switch" on which would complete a circuit of a power line going from your battery to your Ballast. There for it will not have any direct connection to your OEM wiring.
Also I am not bashing on anybody or hating on whomever sells the "HALO" hid kits. I am just sharing my knowledge.
So do it right, take the time and retrofit!
The stock Cobalt headlamp is a single reflector style lamp. It uses a 9007 bulb which is a highbeam/lowbeam bulb. This means when you switch to your high beams another coil inside the bulb lights up a different part of the reflector which is your high beam. These "HID Kits" Use a rebased Xenon D2R or D2S bulb which is meant for an HID housing. There is no such thing as a highbeam/lowbeam Xenon bulb. So therefore these hid kits are lighting up your entire halogen reflector. Yes that means your high beam and low beam.
As far as Kelvin goes... (i.e. 6000k) People think they are so awesome with their 7000k, 12000k HIDs etc.... But infact they aren't as cool as they think they are. The higher the Kelvin, the less lumens and light you will have. The best kelvin bulbs to have are between 4100k and 4300k. Anything above that and your light output is decreasing drastically. All OEM Hid like you see on BMW's, Evo's, STi's, Audi's, etc are all between 4100k and 4300k because that is the optimal kelvin for optimal light output. They have the most lumens out of all the Xenon HID bulbs made.
Here is a chart to show you the light spectrum in regaurds to Kevlin.
Yellowish
3000k is around that of an OEM Halogen bulb.
White
4100k is True HID color
Blue
5400k and up is your hardcore bluish tint bulbs.
Now for the "Plug and Play" part of those "HID Kits"
You are supposed to plug those HID Kits into your stock 9007 (or what have you) connector and your set right? WRONG Your OEM wires are designed for a standard 55w halogen bulb. Now you may say "wait but my HID's use only 35w!" This is true, but upon ignition of the Xenon HID bulb, the ballast will use up to 3 times that amount of power which can fry your entire wiring for your car which can be a very costly repair. (Believe me it has happened numerous times and isn't something you want to risk!) This can result in huge damage to ECU's, Fuse boxes, or even worse, fires.
Quote from HIDPLANET
Basically what a relay will do in this HID situation is that your power going to your halogen bulb would turn a "Relay switch" on which would complete a circuit of a power line going from your battery to your Ballast. There for it will not have any direct connection to your OEM wiring.
Also I am not bashing on anybody or hating on whomever sells the "HALO" hid kits. I am just sharing my knowledge.
So do it right, take the time and retrofit!