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HID headlight rehash

Darius

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I know we discussed this some time back and I actually bought a system and installed it, however, I am not happy with it. The high beams don't work and the low beams take too much time to come full bright. I even got a new relay from the source and it is crap.
So, has anyone done this recently and what did you use???
 
This topic is Propwash, TheSwede, and MT_Mopar territory as I have seen on this forum they have had much success.

I am just starting my HID upgrade journey on my 66 Coronet so take it with a grain of salt.

I read that you may have used Octane Lighting for your setup. I was going to go that route but then I came across Morimoto from The Retrofit Source. In talking with TRS I am going to go with the kit below. Going to source Hella lamp assemblies from Discount Fleet as Propwash did but get Morimoto setup at the TRS for everything else:

https://www.theretrofitsource.com/hid-systems-20/hid-systems-universal/9003-h4-morimoto-elite.html


Take a look at their stuff.

They also have a all-in-one LED bulb setup. Pricey and futuristic but might visually clash with your grille:

https://www.theretrofitsource.com/assemblies/headlight-assemblies/jw-speaker-8630-evolution.html

Since you have done most of the work I think you just need the kit (Quantity 2) in the first link I posted and wire it up from there.

You’ll need good lights when you’re bouncing between Willow Springs and the San Fernando Valley next month.


watermelon
 
Thank you Brother! I will look into all of this.
 
Take a look here for USA made lights. JW Speaker 5.75. Seen on the The Retrofit Source link above (second one) but direct link to JW.

Pricey but drop in. No external hardware necessary in speaking with TRS; just hook up to OEM plug from car. Might be worth a call to JW just for the heck of it.

https://www.jwspeaker.com/products/

Look at 5.75” options.


watermelon
 
Thank you Brother! I will look into all of this.
When my headlights went out romping through the desert in the dark on a road I was never on before on the way to Palm Springs - with you behind me - the headlights looked ok the me.
They projected enough light around me to keep me from colliding with that 18 wheeler I was passing. 2 lane. Not sure you remember. I do.
 
I have traditional Halogens in the Charger but would really like to upgrade. The underhood wiring is new, headlight harness too. I tried using relays once, it made a few things wig out...The headlights would not go off unless I clicked the high beams. Something else was odd but I'd have to check my car log book. The headlight doors and associated wiring may have made the relays screwy. The LEDs seem to eliminate the need for relays since they draw so little power.
 
Exactly what I was thinking. I just ordered some 'eBay' H4 LED 'globes'. I should have them next week, so I'll let you know how I go. Still thinking about wiring a relay though - I have a coronet, so no headlight doors to worry about.

I went this way as I don't like the look of the full replacement lights, I feel like you lose that classic light look.
 
Exactly what I was thinking. I just ordered some 'eBay' H4 LED 'globes'. I should have them next week, so I'll let you know how I go. Still thinking about wiring a relay though - I have a coronet, so no headlight doors to worry about.

I went this way as I don't like the look of the full replacement lights, I feel like you lose that classic light look.

This is why I went with the setup I did. They had Hella lamps already set up to house the HID projectors fit all still looks stock. I looked at the Retrofit site and actually called them. I am sending them info on what I have to see if I can simply get the new wiring harnesses with better components than the cheap **** I have. That way I can maintain the stock look.
 
So, on a four headlight system, the way I overcame the switch from high beam to low beam or vice versa, lag in brightness was to install a relay that I have on a GMC pickup, available from Summit or other places. It keeps the low beams on on high, thus retaining full brightness of these lights when switching back and forth. Its a non issue with other vehicles when the high beams are on because you will be dimming anyway, plus it increases the high beam lighting pattern. I have done this in on a truck, motorcycle and car now. Mine are just the $35 eBay sets, and I have had them 8 years without a failure until recently. On the car, I have relays to get voltage from the battery taking the load off of the headlight switch. Mine is a homemade relay setup, not as nice as the ones with soldered terminals etc that can be purchased on the forum or online. I used a terminal block with relay plug-ins.
 
I got my LED globes last night, here's a few pics. They are better than the standard H4's I had, but in the garage the hi beams didn't seem all that much better, the Lows are definitely better however. This was also with out the car running, so straight off of the battery. These LED globes have fan's in them for cooling, which you could audibly hear, like tiny thermo fans. But you'll never hear them once the car is running. So I'm not concerned.

They do take a split second to kick in when first switched on, but after that they go on and off easily. There is also a slightly longer break between low and high as compared to the incandesent globes. All is acceptable for me, but if you are particularly picky, it might be a concern.

I'll need to use them on the street to get a true feel from them but happy enough for the moment. Easy swap and instantly reversible if I decide to go back. Not bad for $60aud really...

Globe specs:
Light Color 6000 - 6500K White
Lumens 36000LM/kit
LED Power 298W/Kit

IMG_9028.JPG
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IMG_9026.JPG
IMG_9027.JPG
IMG_9030.JPG
IMG_9031.JPG
 
Darius: Did you work with TRS to find a product?

Malicious does present the LED bulb option too.

Here was the TRS link to the H4 Leds they sell. 140$ per bulb but plug n play and above my pay grade:

https://www.theretrofitsource.com/l...ulbs/h4-profile-peak-led-headlight-bulbs.html


I went frugal and bought some Hella lamps from Discount Fleet Supply (link above) and sourced two sets of the 9003/H4 Morimoto Elites HIDs 35Watt ballasts 6000kelvin bulb sets from TRS (link above).

My plan is to wire all 4 low beam on and all 4 high beam when I kick the button. My plan is also never to be cruising out at night but will have strong lighting if needed.




watermelon
 
I went frugal and bought some Hella lamps from Discount Fleet Supply (link above) and sourced two sets of the 9003/H4 Morimoto Elites HIDs 35Watt ballasts 6000kelvin bulb sets from TRS (link above).

I actually called them and spoke with a very young sounding guy named Nick. He asked that I send him the info on the system I have in the car now so he could see the Hella lamps I have with the prep for the HID projector. That was last Friday I did that and I have not heard from him . I might try calling one more time as I am thinking along the lines you are . All I need is a good harness with ballasts that will work 4 headlights in a low/hi beam fashion.
He DID say I would have to buy two sets to make hi and low beam work. I'm thinking I want to talk to someone else that sounds a little more "experienced" at that place.
It looks like you are doing LED. I have HID projectors. In looking closer just now at the J.W.Speaker site, they don't have a single thing that says HID and their search option says no such thing found. I am not smart enough about this stuff to know if one power supply system will work with either lighting system?????
 
Got it.

I am “upgrading” from stock to HID. Quality LED, i.e. JW Speaker & TRS Morimoto, are for high-rollers only .

From reading other posts it sounds like you have the headlamps that can house HID bulbs. So I think you only need 2 kits of below (which is what i’m ordering):

https://www.theretrofitsource.com/hid-systems-20/hid-systems-universal/9003-h4-morimoto-elite.html

Taking a few quick measurements as we speak/forum post. I’ll do LEDs once I get the Hellcat Crate and Tremec Magnum in; still researching that.



watermelon

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Just a couple of cents worth. Had hid on heavy truck types after 1 year and 6 bulbs and two ballast later i pulled them out hooked up led bulbs and two years later still no problem. Hid was all hella setup after speaking a number of times with nobody if you know what I'm trying to say and spending 125.00 per light well lets say that leds is my choice again just my thoughts.
 
Yeah I had HID's on a previous car. Wasn't impressed, which is why I went with standard incandescent H4's on this build so far. The LED's I brought are already more impressive than the HID's I had. The ebay product I brought was identical to products being sold in stores here for nearly 4x the prices, so it was worth a gamble in my opinion. At this stage I'll run both LED and incandescent and see how it goes. If I'm happy I'll swap all of them over.

I will eventually go to a full twin lo/hi relay wiring on mine as well, but I wanted to see how the LED's went before getting another set.
 
I got tired of running in the dark with those hids that god had driving lights under the bumper that i could flip down and keep driving. Good luck with the relay later on. Just a note when setting up the relay don't forget about the one way diode so you don't get feed back when on low beams sometimes high beams has a low current that will make come on dim. Just a thought
 
LEDs...hmmm....

maybe i’m old school now :rofl:a

still not doin LEDs till Hellcat crate n Tremec Magnum upgrade. Unless HIDs leave me high n dry :D



watermelon
 
Old school, new school its all good just a thought for you. Either carry a couple stream light with led bulbs so when you hid goes dark you can tape the flashlights to the hood to get home lol.
 
ok....now i’m going full on LEO pushbar with KC Hilites and Texas Longhorns on the hood as backup
:rofl:



watermelon
 
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