HID FAQ Guide

[ItsOnVoy]

It's no problem! Yeah I was just wondering because I did see some cars like that, could be the cheap ones that do that then

 

[lesam678]

Hi, I'm getting tired of driving at night and having the driverside HID low beam light do the Winky, Blinky and then out . I was wondering if it was the just the ballast going bad of if I should replace the whole thing (ballast and bulb)? I've tried opening the light compartment and juggling the wires trying to make sure they weren't loose. The HID are standard on my 06 97x.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Boricua SS]

Hi, I'm getting tired of driving at night and having the driverside HID low beam light do the Winky, Blinky and then out . I was wondering if it was the just the ballast going bad of if I should replace the whole thing (ballast and bulb)? I've tried opening the light compartment and juggling the wires trying to make sure they weren't loose. The HID are standard on my 06 97x.

Thanks for the help.

are you able to swap bulbs? i know some of the factory HID's can be a bit complicated to and change things out... but i would swap bulbs with the passanger side and see if the problem follows, or remains the same, if it follows the bulb, then chances are its the bulb... if it remains the same, then proceed to swap ballasts with the other side... if it follows the ballast, theres your issue, if it stays, then you have to dig deeper..

 

[DDonnie]

Anybody ever heard of these? Would these work for an 04 trailblazer?

HID Kit by Kensun with Xenon Lights, 9006, 5000K : Amazon.com : Automotive

I prefer to buy things from amazon if possible because of the fast shipping times.

 

[DDonnie]

also, can anyone point me in the direction of the right size capacitor on radioshack's website?

 

[Sparky]

I don't know much about that HID kit but when anything comes in one of those "nice" padded briefcase-type packages I can't help but thing "CHEAP" (especially at that price point, why spend all that money on the friggin' case?). And that discount? yeah... Those pics also look direct from ebay specials.

The only ones I really recommend anymore are Morimoto kits from theretrofitsource.com. Yes, they cost more, but nothing else I've tried holds a candle to them. The old design of Xentecs from ebay weren't too bad but they've gotten even cheaper (both actual cost and build quality it seems). I don't have the Morimoto kit in my trailblazer but I do in my 99 Camaro with a projector retrofit and they are pretty darn good. They give a Cadillac OEM HID setup a run for its money

 

[06_GATOR_VOY]

does jetttstream not make the kits anymore? the link doesnt work well it doesnt work here on my work comp.... i just ordered a set of hids and debating on doing the "cap" mod or getting their kit..... kinda like the DRLs

 

[DDonnie]

does jetttstream not make the kits anymore? the link doesnt work well it doesnt work here on my work comp.... i just ordered a set of hids and debating on doing the "cap" mod or getting their kit..... kinda like the DRLs

You shouldnt need the kit, it's basically just a relay. May03LT has a great youtube video on how to do it.

On a side note, cap mod is easier and cheaper, but harder on your bulbs as it makes them run 100% at all times.

 

[dmanns67]

does jetttstream not make the kits anymore? the link doesnt work well it doesnt work here on my work comp.... i just ordered a set of hids and debating on doing the "cap" mod or getting their kit..... kinda like the DRLs

Cap mod is the way to go if you want to keep drls. Very cheap and easy mod.

 

[06_GATOR_VOY]

cap mod it is

 

[dmanns67]

cap mod it is

If you hit up radio shack for the capacitor, the part# is 272-1013. 10µF 35V Axial-Lead Electrolytic Capacitor.

 

[Darkrider_LS]

If you hit up radio shack for the capacitor, the part# is 272-1013. 10µF 35V Axial-Lead Electrolytic Capacitor.

Quoting this for reference

 

[hayes]

I am getting ready to order my HID Kit from DDM Tuning. I would like to order one for the headlights and one for the fogs. I've read this thread, but I may have missed this: What kind of lights do I need? Not color wise, I've got that, but bulb type. Looking on DDM's website, there are 40 different bulb types. I have no idea which to pick. If someone could help me with the headlights and fogs, I would greatly appreciate it (or if I missed it, could you point me towards the answer).

Thanks in advance.

 

[Blckshdw]

I am getting ready to order my HID Kit from DDM Tuning. I would like to order one for the headlights and one for the fogs. I've read this thread, but I may have missed this: What kind of lights do I need? Not color wise, I've got that, but bulb type. Looking on DDM's website, there are 40 different bulb types. I have no idea which to pick. If someone could help me with the headlights and fogs, I would greatly appreciate it (or if I missed it, could you point me towards the answer).

Thanks in advance.

If you could fill out your vehicle info, that would be a big help in this and future threads.

Assuming you drive a GMT360, you've got 9006s in your low beams, and 880s in your fogs. These numbers can be found in your owners manual if you have one, as well as on the bulbs themselves.

 

[hayes]

If you could fill out your vehicle info, that would be a big help in this and future threads.

Assuming you drive a GMT360, you've got 9006s in your low beams, and 880s in your fogs. These numbers can be found in your owners manual if you have one, as well as on the bulbs themselves.

You are my hero today! Thank you for the information. And you can't read minds and tell me what my vehicle is? Come on son! I thought I had that information updated. I will do it now.

 

[hayes]

okay - another question I have... I was reading somewhere (this was a little while ago) that the 55 watt HIDs can cause problems with the housings. I'd prefer the brighter ones in both the headlight and the fogs, if it's safe to run. Has anyone had problems with the 55 watt HIDs?

 

[Blckshdw]

okay - another question I have... I was reading somewhere (this was a little while ago) that the 55 watt HIDs can cause problems with the housings. I'd prefer the brighter ones in both the headlight and the fogs, if it's safe to run. Has anyone had problems with the 55 watt HIDs?

55 Watt HIDs have been reported to have caused melting issues with the foglight housings, yes. I don't know what type of areas you drive in on a regular basis but in most (sub)urban settings, 35W is enough, especially if you're running lows and fogs at the same time (I ran this way for about 3 years)

The LED headlight kits sold by Kevin (member name DFWWIZ) are supposed to be brighter than HIDs with zero warm up time, and cooler running temps. That may be something for you to look into.

 

[DFWWIZ]

55 Watt HIDs have been reported to have caused melting issues with the foglight housings, yes. I don't know what type of areas you drive in on a regular basis but in most (sub)urban settings, 35W is enough, especially if you're running lows and fogs at the same time (I ran this way for about 3 years)

The LED headlight kits sold by Kevin (member name DFWWIZ) are supposed to be brighter than HIDs with zero warm up time, and cooler running temps. That may be something for you to look into.

Thanks for da props!
These Cree/drivers are 3600 lumen and with most HID being in the 2500-3000K range, mine are 18% brighter. They ONLY come in a white 5-6K range. I have held the Cree/driver bulb in my hand after its been on for 10 minutes. It not quite "hot" right around the Cree chips but is a far cry from the heat given off by HID or halogens. The only problem with these is I can't keep any on hand. They sell faster than I can get them in. I have 25 sets which were supposed to be here today but weather/ice has kept me from getting them yet and all of the sets are sold. I already have another 6 or 7 sets paid for on an order that will be finalized tonite or tomorrow. This recent shipment was delayed a couple weeks because the factory had some drivers going out and they just completed updates and testing on them last week so now they will be an even better product than they were already. No one has MY type for sale here in the US that I have seen yet, and mine use actual US made Cree chips. Others use COB chips at half the brightness in most cases, have twice as big heat sinks with no fans and for 30-100% more money.
link: New CREE/ballast headlights - TBSSOWNERS.com Forums - The #1 TrailblazerSS Dedicated Owners Forum

 

[hayes]

55 Watt HIDs have been reported to have caused melting issues with the foglight housings, yes. I don't know what type of areas you drive in on a regular basis but in most (sub)urban settings, 35W is enough, especially if you're running lows and fogs at the same time (I ran this way for about 3 years)

The LED headlight kits sold by Kevin (member name DFWWIZ) are supposed to be brighter than HIDs with zero warm up time, and cooler running temps. That may be something for you to look into.

Thank you for the advice. I think I am going to stick with 35 watt in both.

Thanks for da props!
These Cree/drivers are 3600 lumen and with most HID being in the 2500-3000K range, mine are 18% brighter. They ONLY come in a white 5-6K range. I have held the Cree/driver bulb in my hand after its been on for 10 minutes. It not quite "hot" right around the Cree chips but is a far cry from the heat given off by HID or halogens. The only problem with these is I can't keep any on hand. They sell faster than I can get them in. I have 25 sets which were supposed to be here today but weather/ice has kept me from getting them yet and all of the sets are sold. I already have another 6 or 7 sets paid for on an order that will be finalized tonite or tomorrow. This recent shipment was delayed a couple weeks because the factory had some drivers going out and they just completed updates and testing on them last week so now they will be an even better product than they were already. No one has MY type for sale here in the US that I have seen yet, and mine use actual US made Cree chips. Others use COB chips at half the brightness in most cases, have twice as big heat sinks with no fans and for 30-100% more money.
link: New CREE/ballast headlights - TBSSOWNERS.com Forums - The #1 TrailblazerSS Dedicated Owners Forum

I will check these out and let you know.

 

[dmanns67]

I am getting ready to order my HID Kit from DDM Tuning.

I would not waste your money on DDM. NOt only does it take a month for their kit to reach your door (It ships from China), their customer service is horrible. When my kit arrived, I had a bad ballast and bulb right out of the box. Took forever to get a hold of their customer service in Vista, Ca. They wanted me to wait another month to get a replacement from China. After weeks of phone calls and email, I just shipped it back to them. Took forever to get my money back. DDM and their "customer servie" is garbage. I know the price looks good, but over the years I have found out that you get what you pay for when it comes to HID kits.

Have you checked out The Retrofit Source Inc Their HID kits, projectors, and components are of great quality. They cost more than other DDM or EBay HID kits, but well worth the cost. They also come with a 5 year warranty. Their customer service is phenomenal and willing to bend over backwards. I had an issue once with a splitter and the guy was able to talk me through it over the phone. They are out of Atlanta, GA so their shipping and response time is very quick.

Like others have said, stick with 35W. If you go LED definitely check out what DFWWIZ has to offer. I would avoid DDM HID kits

 

[Blckshdw]

+1 for TRS's customer service. Definitely top shelf stuff there. Fast response time to emails, and equally fast problem resolution, if you have one. Well worth the higher prices.

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

VVME hid in mine have been solid for near 4 years and were $35 off an Ebay vendor, but are real VVME. I have had no issues of merit.

 

[hayes]

I would not waste your money on DDM. NOt only does it take a month for their kit to reach your door (It ships from China), their customer service is horrible. When my kit arrived, I had a bad ballast and bulb right out of the box. Took forever to get a hold of their customer service in Vista, Ca. They wanted me to wait another month to get a replacement from China. After weeks of phone calls and email, I just shipped it back to them. Took forever to get my money back. DDM and their "customer servie" is garbage. I know the price looks good, but over the years I have found out that you get what you pay for when it comes to HID kits.

Have you checked out The Retrofit Source Inc Their HID kits, projectors, and components are of great quality. They cost more than other DDM or EBay HID kits, but well worth the cost. They also come with a 5 year warranty. Their customer service is phenomenal and willing to bend over backwards. I had an issue once with a splitter and the guy was able to talk me through it over the phone. They are out of Atlanta, GA so their shipping and response time is very quick.

Like others have said, stick with 35W. If you go LED definitely check out what DFWWIZ has to offer. I would avoid DDM HID kits

I haven't heard that... I have a buddy who has their lights in his Scion tC and he got them in the same week and hasn't had any problems... I will check it out though.

VVME hid in mine have been solid for near 4 years and were $35 off an Ebay vendor, but are real VVME. I have had no issues of merit.

I looked at their site, I will check again, but it didn't look like they had HIDs for the fog lights. I want the same lights in both...

 

[Blckshdw]

I bought VVME HIDs around the same time Kyle did, and they worked great for years. I had an occasional misfire problem with one of my 4 ballasts upon starting the truck in the dark, but that wasn't too big of a deal. I recently switched to TRS gear for my projector retrofit.

 

[Boricua SS]

Im another veteran of VVME HID's. Ive had them for 4 yrs as well. Ive only had 1 ballast on my fog light go bad and it was replaced under warranty. MyDepots is the sellers name on ebay or sinomedia. Some bought from prettyseller as well.

 

[SBUBandit]

VVME going on 5 years in my Trailblazer, Had them for 3 in the Taurus, and just bought a pair I haven't installed yet for the new-to-me Malibu. Haven't had anything go bad except the bixenon hi/lo controller on the Taurus set, it was a $10 part. I'll keep going back

 

[hayes]

Sorry to ask so many questions, but I figure these can help the next guy not have to ask them...


If I order from VVME and I get the Relay Harness with the HID kits, what does the Relay allow me to do? Does the relay make it so I don't have to do the DRL Killer or Cap mod? I am not an electrical mastermind, so this stuff makes me nervous.

 

[NinjuhhNutz]

The relay keeps you from frying your factory wiring. It uses your factory headlight signal to trigger a relay that gets power directly from the battery. Which means you get a true and safe "12v" to your ballasts while the headlights are on, and don't have to worry about melting your factory wiring as it's not intended for use with the ballasts.

 

[hayes]

The relay keeps you from frying your factory wiring. It uses your factory headlight signal to trigger a relay that gets power directly from the battery. Which means you get a true and safe "12v" to your ballasts while the headlights are on, and don't have to worry about melting your factory wiring as it's not intended for use with the ballasts.

Does that mean I don't have to do the Cap mod? If it's getting true 12v, then the cap mod doesn't matter. Am I missing something?

 

[NinjuhhNutz]

Does that mean I don't have to do the Cap mod? If it's getting true 12v, then the cap mod doesn't matter. Am I missing something?

That's when your headlights are on, either by the switch, or by the ambient light sensor (the auto-light function at night)

when you hit the button on the key fob, the headlights come on, but only at 70% pwm (pulse width modulation) which is the equivalent of turning the light switch for your bedroom on and off really fast. That's fine for the halogen bulbs, but hid's don't play well that way. It significantly decreases the lifespan of the bulbs and ballasts.
The cap mod basically keeps them at 100% when you use the key fob. By holding a charge for a split second, the capacitor negates the on/off/on/off firing of the ballasts. Make a little more sense now? Sorry, I should have been a bit more clear earlier

personally, I did the drl killer. I'm not a big fan of drl's as it is, and they're aren't required here, so I just got rid of them. Kept the auto-light function, so I really never tough my headlight controls.

 

[hayes]

That's when your headlights are on, either by the switch, or by the ambient light sensor (the auto-light function at night)

when you hit the button on the key fob, the headlights come on, but only at 70% pwm (pulse width modulation) which is the equivalent of turning the light switch for your bedroom on and off really fast. That's fine for the halogen bulbs, but hid's don't play well that way. It significantly decreases the lifespan of the bulbs and ballasts.
The cap mod basically keeps them at 100% when you use the key fob. By holding a charge for a split second, the capacitor negates the on/off/on/off firing of the ballasts. Make a little more sense now? Sorry, I should have been a bit more clear earlier

personally, I did the drl killer. I'm not a big fan of drl's as it is, and they're aren't required here, so I just got rid of them. Kept the auto-light function, so I really never tough my headlight controls.

That actually helps a lot. Thank you for taking the time to explain. I like the DRLs, for no real reason. ha ha... I will do the Cap Mod and install the HIDs in the headlights and fogs. Just got to order them now.

 

[NinjuhhNutz]

That actually helps a lot. Thank you for taking the time to explain. I like the DRLs, for no real reason. ha ha... I will do the Cap Mod and install the HIDs in the headlights and fogs. Just got to order them now.

Not a problem at all man. I was completely oblivious to a lot of things when I first came here, just trying to keep the helpful cycle going! Hell, soon enough you'll be on here answering questions

just curious, what brand/temps are you getting? low beam/fogs only?

 

[hayes]

Not a problem at all man. I was completely oblivious to a lot of things when I first came here, just trying to keep the helpful cycle going! Hell, soon enough you'll be on here answering questions

just curious, what brand/temps are you getting? low beam/fogs only?

I am getting 35 watt 6000k in both low beam and fogs. I thought about getting the 55 watt, but heard that might cause problems with the housings on the fogs. Since I want the lights to be the same brightness and color, I settled on 35 watt in both.

 

[Blckshdw]

I am getting 35 watt 6000k in both low beam and fogs. I thought about getting the 55 watt, but heard that might cause problems with the housings on the fogs. Since I want the lights to be the same brightness and color, I settled on 35 watt in both.

For the sake of pic whoring, here's what you have to look forward to, since that's exactly what I was running (Minus the LEDs and clear corners)

 

[NinjuhhNutz]

For the sake of pic whoring, here's what you have to look forward to, since that's exactly what I was running (Minus the LEDs and clear corners)

^^^the led/anything-bright ninja jedi master

 

[dmanns67]

That actually helps a lot. Thank you for taking the time to explain. I like the DRLs, for no real reason. ha ha... I will do the Cap Mod and install the HIDs in the headlights and fogs. Just got to order them now.

In case you have not seen, here is a pic for what you will need for the Cap Mod. I went the same route, I can easily use the knob to turn the headlights off if I like. At least with the Cap Mod you will have 100% power at all times running to your HIDs/LEDs. I picked up my capacitor from Radio Shack. 10µF 35V Axial-Lead Electrolytic Capacitor.

View attachment 33041

 

[hayes]

In case you have not seen, here is a pic for what you will need for the Cap Mod. I went the same route, I can easily use the knob to turn the headlights off if I like. At least with the Cap Mod you will have 100% power at all times running to your HIDs/LEDs. I picked up my capacitor from Radio Shack. 10µF 35V Axial-Lead Electrolytic Capacitor.

View attachment 20473

Thanks. That will help a lot when I am ready to install my HIDs.

 

[DFWWIZ]

I know I don't get on here as much as I used too but have been more than busy with the lights. I have been making some Cap mods for peeps who order HID or CREE/driver sets from me, for just $5 additional. I'm currently looking at buying a quantity of these caps (200) to make even more if people are wanting them. And with mine I offer the the T-taps to connect to the pink wire in the BCM.

Another note, I just ordered another 20 sets of the Cree/driver headlights mostly in 9005, 9006 and 880 styles. This now makes 185 sets since Nov 1st. Almost half in this order are already sold, as usual, and these will come in probably by the end of this coming week 3/15 or the Monday after. And then I will order more about every 2-3 weeks as I have been doing. $70/set + ship
880 fog bulb shown


Also I just got some newer type of switchbacks in with 120 SMDs which put out a bit more light. These are the same type as the 60 SMD which are white as parking lights but the moment you signal the white goes off and stays off until signal ends; only amber flashes off and on in signal mode. I'm working on some SRCK tail lights which will have more output for people who have tinted tails. 60SMD $22/pr + ship 120SMD $24/pr + ship You will need resistors to stop hyper flashing with these. Resist $6/pr

 

[djthumper]

Man I would have just had you throw one in with my order...

 

[PapaBear229]

anyone wanna throw up a pic of how your cap mod is hooked up? I got the capacitor on the way and i have a terminal connector but whats that little red deal in the picture?