HID '04 Envoy

colej23

Original poster
Member
Dec 6, 2011
19
Hey, I have a 2004 GMC Envoy XUV and just purchased HID 6000ks. Went to install them thinking they were "Plug&Play". Well, turns out the wiring had me scratching my head. I am 100% positive that i have the correct bulbs for the car as well as the ballasts. When I took the headlamps out, I noticed that there was only one hot, "input", wire leading to each of the headlamps. Given that I have two bulbs per headlamp, high and low beams, I am completely puzzled on what to do. Am I missing something?/??? I need some advice from a veteran that is for sure. Any help is appreciated!
 

Wooluf1952

Member
Nov 20, 2011
2,663
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
If I'm reading your question right, you need two kits. One for lows and one for highs.

A third if you're doing fog lights.
 

CdnGMan

Member
Nov 22, 2011
1,393
Toronto
Wooluf1952 is right... based on how you're describing it, you're gonna need at least 3 sets if you're going HID all around...
Installing HID's isn't complicated, but you do have to do it right (this coming from the guy who hates electricity) ... and depending on the type you have, you may have to tap into the battery or simply tap into the stock wiring...

What brand did you happen to get?
 

colej23

Original poster
Member
Dec 6, 2011
19
I have two fogs, two highs, and two lows. Sorry for the confusion in my first post. I bought the kits from DDM Tuning over the internet. I know these are the correct lights and ballasts. I attached a Paint diagram to give you a visual as to what im talking about. But in words. The HID kit requires one hot wire for each high and low. There is only one hot leading to each light. Sorry again if there is any confusion but I am having difficulty explaining this. If we still can't get on the same page I will take pictures tomorrow.
 

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CdnGMan

Member
Nov 22, 2011
1,393
Toronto
Hmmm... if each set came with its own ballast, I'm not sure you're supposed to be "splitting" them...

Based on how I understand it, each pair (high & low) should be connected to a ballast... so your highs should be connected together on its own ballast and your lows should be connected together on their own ballast...

Now if I'm wrong about that, I'm pretty sure that someone will be more than happy to correct me... :biggrin:
 

Wooluf1952

Member
Nov 20, 2011
2,663
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
If you are doing highs and lows, you would have 4 ballasts. One for each bulb. Unless I'm miss-remembering.
 

colej23

Original poster
Member
Dec 6, 2011
19
Okay, question: the green arrow is what I understand plugs into the Ballast. The red arrow is a wire I do not understand. My buddy bought this same exact set for his '04 Duramax and he didnt have to use the wires that the red arrow indicates. But at the same time, he had two power inputs going to each head lamp where I only have one.
 

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Blckshdw

Moderator
Nov 20, 2011
10,665
Tampa Bay Area, FL
colej23 said:
Okay, question: the green arrow is what I understand plugs into the Ballast. The red arrow is a wire I do not understand. My buddy bought this same exact set for his '04 Duramax and he didnt have to use the wires that the red arrow indicates. But at the same time, he had two power inputs going to each head lamp where I only have one.

The red arrow connector is supposed to go into the other socket on the ballast. The loose pins at the other end of that wire are supposed to be put into a connector that interfaces with the stock light bulb socket. So when the signal for the stock light comes through, it gets passed to the ballast, which ignites and sends it's signal to the HID bulb.
 

colej23

Original poster
Member
Dec 6, 2011
19
Okay so what you are saying is if I were using the stock halogens as lows and HID's for highs, that wire would be used. But if I am using HIDs high and low, I do not need that wire?
 

Blckshdw

Moderator
Nov 20, 2011
10,665
Tampa Bay Area, FL
colej23 said:
Okay so what you are saying is if I were using the stock halogens as lows and HID's for highs, that wire would be used. But if I am using HIDs high and low, I do not need that wire?

No... You have to tell the ballast when to turn on. If you are not going to use a relay harness (recommended) and going to use it plug and play out of the box, you have to plug the stock headlight connector into the ballast somehow. The red arrow in your pic goes into the input of the ballast, from the stock headlight. The loose pins on the other end need to go into a 9006 socket, to allow the stock headlight plug to plug into that. The rest, you had correct. The green arrow for the bulbs, takes the ballast output to light the bulbs. make more sense now?
 

colej23

Original poster
Member
Dec 6, 2011
19
This picture shows where my confusion is!!! In the picture, the red circle identifies where the hot wire plugs into the headlamp. It is a 3-prong plug and my ballast recieves a 2-prong plug. How will this work?
 

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Blckshdw

Moderator
Nov 20, 2011
10,665
Tampa Bay Area, FL
You don't mess with THAT plug. You have to take the circular caps off the back of the housing, that will expose a 2 wire plug for the high beam, and another one for the low beam. THOSE are the connectors that you hook your respective ballasts to. :yes:
 

colej23

Original poster
Member
Dec 6, 2011
19
You are definatly helping, thank you! But to make sure I do it right, what am I missing? I have the Ballasts, bulbs, and wiring. I am missing the relay harness if I and understanding correctly?
 

Blckshdw

Moderator
Nov 20, 2011
10,665
Tampa Bay Area, FL
Relay harnesses are not required. Some members have had good luck without them. The issue is, the gauge size of the wiring inside the headlight housings is small, and doesn't always hold up well to the current draw spikes when the HID ballast ignites. The connectors and/or wiring can melt some, causing your light(s) to go out. The relay harness supplies the power to the ballast directly from the battery, using thicker gauge wiring, and only uses one input as an on/off switch for the harness.
 

colej23

Original poster
Member
Dec 6, 2011
19
Wow, I took those caps off and somehow missed that plug! So to map it all out......?
 

Blckshdw

Moderator
Nov 20, 2011
10,665
Tampa Bay Area, FL
colej23 said:
Wow, I took those caps off and somehow missed that plug! So to map it all out......?

:undecided: :book:

Blckshdw said:
No... You have to tell the ballast when to turn on. If you are not going to use a relay harness (recommended) and going to use it plug and play out of the box, you have to plug the stock headlight connector into the ballast somehow. The red arrow in your pic goes into the input of the ballast, from the stock headlight. The loose pins on the other end need to go into a 9006 socket, to allow the stock headlight plug to plug into that. The rest, you had correct. The green arrow for the bulbs, takes the ballast output to light the bulbs. make more sense now?
 

colej23

Original poster
Member
Dec 6, 2011
19
Okay I will try to give it a shot tomorrow! Given that the weather is acceptable. Supposed to be 29 degrees and I dont have a garage being a college student. Thanks for the help and I will let you know how it goes or if I have any more questions!
 

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