[SilverAthlon]

Received my kit today that I ordered on Ebay, rushed home to install it. Total time, 90 minutes to install, JPark's comment THREAD really sums up the process. My advice, if you're against drilling holes, this is not for you (2005+). You will have to drill a hole (mine ended up being 3/4" to fit all the connectors through) in the light door, to run power OUT to the ballast, and then back IN from the ballast to the bulb. There is no way to stuff the ballast into the light assembly...

I purchased 5000k bulbs, 4000k-5500k is the most functional range of HID available. Lower than 4000k and you get a "goldish" with lower lumens (brightness) and above 6k you go from blues to purples, each reducing in brightness. Aesthetically it looks cool, but visibility at night is of the utmost importance to me. Your average OEM runs in the 4000k-5500k range.

Contents of kit:
2 Digital Ballasts
2 Electrical connector
2 HID Bulbs (H11, low beam @ 5000k)
2 Ford light connector
2 Double sided connectors
12 zip ties
User Manual

Up until now, I had never actually taken a look at the headlight assy, so this is a shot. The silver bar that runs across pushes down and that whole back side comes off, and "unseals" the back side of the headlight. This pic is the only confusing one, the top of the shot is the Front of the car...

This is the electrical connector that plugs into the factory headlight connector, and brings power IN to the ballast.

This part took about 20 minutes to plan out how I wanted to run the cables. The bulb has connectors on it, both ends of the electrical connectors has connectors, and the "out" of the digital ballast has connectors. I decided to connect the bulb outside in the engine compartment (all connectors are sealed) and the electrical connector inside the headlight assy. I drilled a 3/4 hole in the center where i didn't effect any of the "ribbing" molded on both sides.

Here is the HID bulb installed, and you can see the factory connector that will be used later. Be sure to cover the bulb opening in the light assy. with tape or something to avoid getting dust or debris in there.

Here I have plugged the 12v (going to ballast) into the factory connector.

Another shot

I completed the connection, and this portion will reside INSIDE the light housing. Black is ground, and Red is 12v. You can confirm this by checking voltage with the lights on to be safe.

I have re-installed the rear panel of the light housing. Red/Blue in the background is the HID Bulb will connect to ballast power out, and the Red/Black in the foreground is 12v electrical power to ballast power in.

Here's a shot of the bulb before I installed it on the right side. I managed to not have to unhook the battery, but it is definately tight behind there!!

Here is the right side completed:

I got a carried away and forgot to take pics, so I'll do my best to sum it up. At this point you've got both headlights installed, and you have 12V power ready to plug into the ballast for power in. You've also got the bulb connectors ready to hook up to ballast power out. Nothing is connected to the ballast as of yet.

I took the time to check voltage at this point - I turned on the vehicle and turned on the lights. I used a digital multimeter on each 12V power TO ballast in and I got 14v, which is what you should have with the car on. If the car is off, you'll end up with somewhere around 12, if it's lower than 11, you may want to have your battery charged and/or replaced ... Acceptable input voltage is listed on the ballast, 9v - 35v. I switched off lights, plugged power INTO the ballasts, connected the bulbs (they're idiot proof, you can't do it backwards) and turned lights on....

HID LIGHTS!!
You can see the ballasts on the far left and right sides, about halfway inbetween the firewall and the radiator. I have them in a spot, but I haven't found a "perfect" spot for them as of yet. I'll work on that one and update this post later tonight probably.

I had to have a pic with the cycle too...

OOOK, so that is the functional portion. Unfortunately I ran into a snag, which I recalled reading a comment about. THREAD JPark talks about pulsed power. I guess that the 2007's can be included - I have the flicker problem, for several seconds, and then the lights ignite and stay lit. I burned them in for 15 minutes, and then had to run to the Mall of America for something, so they were on for about 35 minutes. I thought it might be a one time thing, but I had the same issue when I started them on the way home. It kicks off the computer lamp checker, and I have to clear that message from the console. I don't want to damage the bulbs, it's bad for them to flicker from what I have read. Fortunately I can revert to stock in about 10 minutes if I need to until I find a solution... Anyone with ideas on what to do let me know. I re-checked voltage at that point, and the results were the same as before.

I did come across some valuable information that would be useful for this thread, as my manual did not have troubleshooting tips:

Troubleshooting 1
Troubelshooting 2

 

[jonas1022]

Very good and thorough write up. And thanks for the plethora of photos, too! :thumb: :thumb:

 

[stone]

Thanks for the informative article and photo presentation. Would you be an auto-electrician SilverAthlon? It all looks so neat, tidy and meticulous.

 

[SilverAthlon]

Super, I'm glad you see it that way, I really enjoyed documenting this process, it made me appreciate each step a bit more. I'm very meticulous, but my career/degree is in computers, with a minor in electronics.

 

[Scooter Scott]

I just noticed you had your bike's lights on too! Very pimp!

 

[Scooter Scott]

So what did you end up finding out your problem was? Did you fix everything? How are they working?

 

[SilverAthlon]

Very long story short. I've got a resolution - It involves a relay and aftermarket pulse converter. After reading around on other HID threads on this site, I have learned that some higher-end kits come with a "anti-flicker" device that should resolve issues related to vehicles with lights running High-side FET's.

You get what you pay for, and while I did pay $65 shipped for my HID lights, I needed $35 in parts and about 16 hours in troubleshooting/trial & error to find a resolution. Plus - I've only got lo-beams... I'll charge you $100 for the solution - JK. :angel:

---Oh yeah, it's a 6 month difference from October to March because of 2 reasons-
1) I had right ankle surgery (both sides) at the beginning of Sept '08 and I was in the garage on crutches installng this due to excitement. I had left ankle surgery in the middle of Nov and it's been cold up here in MN since. We've had some nice weather of late and I decided to get things moving along in the garage.

 

[jbartlett79]

great writeup, and the 5000k HID looks fantastic.

 

[SilverAthlon]

Bartlett

I saw that you are looking for something 5000k or below... You might just buy the HID kit from somewhere, and then instead of installing the bulbs that come with the kit, go buy the color temp you want (H11, H13). You might be able to recoup the costs of additional bulbs by re-selling the higher color temps (unopened) on ebay or maybe on here...

I'm also super-jealous that you have a manual tx.

 

[jbartlett79]

I saw that you are looking for something 5000k or below... You might just buy the HID kit from somewhere, and then instead of installing the bulbs that come with the kit, go buy the color temp you want (H11, H13). You might be able to recoup the costs of additional bulbs by re-selling the higher color temps (unopened) on ebay or maybe on here...

There are a few sellers on eBay in the same $150-or-$200-per-kit "I trust this not to be crap and it has a good warranty" price range that offer 4300k or 5000k kits, so I'll likely just go that route.

I'm also super-jealous that you have a manual tx.

There was one in the whole state. ONE! And that's the story of how I ended up with a blue car...

 

[andjayik]

You would'nt want to go any lower then 5k then u just get the halogen colour.

 

[jbartlett79]

You wouldnit want to go any lower then 5k then u just get the halogen colour.

That's exactly what I want, the typical OEM halogen color, except with way more light output.
4200k is basically the same as a Silverstar (according to OSRAM/Sylvania).

 

[Squishy]

Nothing wrong with a 'halogen' colour. Lower colour temperatures will have better penetrating power for poor weather conditions.

 

[jbartlett79]

Nothing wrong with a 'halogen' colour. Lower colour temperatures will have better penetrating power for poor weather conditions.

and we're drifting off-topic here, but they produce more lumen output in an HID setup.

from an HID seller's site: "4300K - The light appears fairly white, and has light yellowish hue when reflected off the road identical to the OEM HID equipped vehicles. It is ideal for customers who does a lot of back road or canyon driving and need the optimal visibility...4500K HID is technically the brightest and the further you increase or decrease from 4500K the lumens (visible light) will slightly decrease. "

from another HID seller's site: "4100k - 4300k is the ideal HID color temperature to produce the maximum amount of light, lumens, hence the reason while all OEM manufacturers equip their vehicles with these types of bulbs."

from another HID seller's site: 3000k HID Kits: Yellow HID output - Ideal for fog light HID upgrades
4300k HID Kits: Bright white - Used in OEM HID applications. The brightest HID kit that we sell.
5000k HID Kits: Crisp white - Bright white output with a slight bluish hue
6500k HID Kits: Bright white with a slight bluish/purplish tinge

the 6000k sure looks good, though, just not my style.

 

[Davis137]

So, what kits out there offer the additional modules/parts to prevent flicker?

Nice write up and pics btw...

 

[Squishy]

Nothing wrong with a 'halogen' colour. Lower colour temperatures will have better penetrating power for poor weather conditions.

and we're drifting off-topic here, but they produce more lumen output in an HID setup.

Good to know. I knew that halogen bulbs produce less lumens as the colour temperature goes up, but didn't know that about the HIDs.

Also, reading more about colour temperature and penetration, I found that true, physical penetration is usually not affected by colour wavelength, as water droplets are larger than even the longest wavelength and thus reflects all colours. However, our eyes don't like looking at blue and percieve it as 'glare', so when blueish light is reflected back to us, we have a stronger reaction to it. So the perceived penetration is greater and less strain is put on our eyes (and on the eyes of drivers in front of us).

 

[tryingtoescape]

the kit i just installed yesterday came with a realy harness that actually said anti- flicker on it, and it did what it said, no flickering whatsoever, my drl works as well, but they are on full power and not the half power that they used to be when i had stock h11 bulbs in, but i see that as no problem cause in canuck land we need out drl by law... Dino

 

[SilverAthlon]

I live in Minnesota, before I went automatic I was going to fly to Pittsburgh to look at a manual tx used (long story there) I finally realized that wasn't a reasonable need for me, got sad inside, and then made a decision locally.

 

[Davis137]

the kit i just installed yesterday came with a realy harness that actually said anti- flicker on it, and it did what it said, no flickering whatsoever, my drl works as well, but they are on full power and not the half power that they used to be when i had stock h11 bulbs in, but i see that as no problem cause in canuck land we need out drl by law... Dino

Interesting...what kit was this, and where did you get it? I'm in Ontario, and I'm well aware of the DRL legislation here...

 

[tryingtoescape]

I got the persons name from andjayik on this site and he hooked me up with him it cost me $200.00 shipping included, Ive seen cheaper kits on fleebay but when i addressed the probelm with drl and antfilick etc, they could not give me a definate answer, so this guy garanteed this kit to work for me and it did 100%, I just love the,m and light up the road, even puts the oem hid suv's to shame when i pull up beside them, if you need anymore info please ask, you cant go wrong with this kit Dino