LED VS HID

[nags]

Morimoto Bulbs w/DDM Tuning Ballasts. Total Cost: $64 a set.

• Morimoto Fog-Light Bulb (3000K)
• Morimoto Low-Beam Bulb (5500K)
• DDM Tuning 35W Ballast

Thanks for the info. That looks great. However, if I'm reading this correctly the bulbs are $40 each totaling $80 for the pair and then $25 for the pair of ballasts bringing the total to just over $100 (before shipping). How do you get to $64? If I'm missing something let me know and I'll change my order right now for sure.

EDIT: I'll go F myself. If I scrolled further down I'd have seen it was a pair of bulbs. My bad.

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[joeyfan]

I don't recall what I originally paid for them (they are $140 now after 10% off with code READY10) but just last weekend I installed an Extreme HID kit on my '17 Civic Sport. I like the look quite well and they're definitely bright enough without much glare.

Back story: I originally bought the kit for Wifey's FatPig ('11 GMC Acadia) but she didn't like them so I had to revert to halogen. Going through my basement I found the box and was delighted to find that the Civic has an H11 plug just like the Acadia. First chance I got I threw them in and I'm SO much happier to have matching white headlights to go with the DRLs and the switchback turn signal LEDs and LED fog lights I also installed.

 

[Snoopyslr]

Setup looks amazing. Any risk of frying the stock harness with this setup? If not I may pull the trigger and ditch my LED setup.

Yes. Install the relay kit. If you can put a bulb in the headlight, you can install the relay kit. It's simple.

 

[Snoopyslr]

Morimoto Bulbs w/DDM Tuning Ballasts. Total Cost: $64 a set.

• Morimoto Fog-Light Bulb (3000K)
• Morimoto Low-Beam Bulb (5500K)
• DDM Tuning 35W Ballast

That does look amazing. I have the exact setup in my WRX, but I have 6500k low beams.

 

[NoKz]

Setup looks amazing. Any risk of frying the stock harness with this setup? If not I may pull the trigger and ditch my LED setup.

Thank you! I've ran over 20 HID kits over various vehicles in the last 15 years and never had an issue with wiring getting messed up. I've had bulbs go bad and ballasts fail, but never any issue to the wiring itself.

That does look amazing. I have the exact setup in my WRX, but I have 6500k low beams.

Thanks! I like the 6500K and used to go with that temp also, however, I wanted a purer white that matched the DRLs. Thus, 5500K.

 

[Boni]

Hi everyone, I just installed the morimoto hid elite kit and the bulbs won’t turn on! I connected the + in between the nut of the terminal, is this fine or should I use the right screw of the fuse box or it’s probably not making contact? Is there a way to troubleshoot? Thanks!

 

[Boni]

See if they work without the relay. The relay harness could be faulty and if its the 35w kit you should be fine without it anyways.

Thank you, I’ll try it out! So then if it’s not the relay then it could be the connection with the stock? It was kind of weird how there was some play when I tried connecting it.

 

[Boni]

If it doesnt function without the relay than I would double check all your connections make sure theyre tight

Didn’t work either. It shouldn’t be the ignoters either right? If one light if fine the other one should still work?

 

[Boni]

So 1 bulb is working?

Nope, none I’m going to take everything apart tomorrow and try the oem ones to make sure everything is good and re connect everything. Hopefully it doesn’t drown my battery overnight.

Edit: where does the oem input cable go? I’m getting all sort of different answers here. I also got an extra cable male to female adapter that wasn’t used and not sure what to do with it.

 

[FK7Hatch]

OEM input comes from factory h11 low beam plug that usually goes into the bulb.

 

[Boni]

They worked! For reference you need to connect one of the oem cables to the oem input cable BUT you need to use it with the male to female cable they provide since it won’t lock without it. Now the bigger pain is mounting the ballast. I used electric tape for the time being until I decide where everything goes. I’m definitely getting LEDs now for the high beams cause they look out of place. Overall if it wasn’t for the vague instructions and lack of in depth videos then it would be easier but it’s really not that hard. Bigger pain is cable management, Also I’m worried about the ballast cable coming off the relays because they don’t lock that well, used electric tape on that too.

 

[Boni]

Thats why im not gonna run a relay because of the amount of wires. Plus stock halogens are 55w bulbs. If you run 35w HIDs no relay needed.

I would rather not use them but i get too many conflicted posts here where I see that you should run them and not. Mine are 35w 5500.

 

[FK7Hatch]

It's not wattage that kills your factory wiring, it's amperage. Some HID ballast draw a lot of amperage to ignite the bulbs OEM Denso ones draw 10-12 amps per ballast. They then settle down to 35W. I know that 35W hyluxtek ballast only draw about 2-4amps per ballast to ignite.. those would be safe to run without a harness. Bottom line.. harnesses are for peace of mind, they supply direct power which allows bulbs to "warm up" faster. They aren't required with a low draw ballast but for anything else they're required.

 

[Snoopyslr]

I don't understand why people would rather not install a $10 relay (or prewired $25 harness) and risk their OEM harness catching fire. Warranty isn't going to cover that. Best case scenario you have to repair only the headlight wiring. Worst case you're trying to explain to your insurance company why your car catching fire isn't your fault.

$25 relay harness or potential short resulting in fire?

 

[Snoopyslr]

I contacted DDM tuning directly and the ballasts we ordered like the user above are perfectly safe due to the low amp draw to use without a harness

My reasoning stands. I don't know why you wouldn't want to know nothing could ever happen. I even wrote a post on how to make your own wiring harness for installing these HIDs.

I'm in meetings everyday where corners are cut as close to failure as possible to save 0.0001 cents per part. The wire Honda uses for the ground on the OEM plug is very thin. All it takes is a hot day and your lights current draw heating up the wire enough to melt insulation and you've got yourself a short.

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