Posted pics check main page...

 

i 100% agree with maximus statement .

i know hidplanet is fustrating for newbie but once you wrap your head around what hidplanet has to offer then youll know that mccollugh are a piece of s_ _ t . the best ballast you can buy IMO is phillips along with phillips bulbs. some will say hella for there ballast. all people who build retro dont use just anytype of ballast or bulbs becausethey know they are going to have to replace a cheap azz hid kit so waste the time on money.

 

First I would like to comment that at least the first guy defended his point with grammar readers can understand, but that’s beside the point. I never said McColloch HID's are the best in the world, I said in my experience and in the price range of kit I paid for, they perform well and so far I have not a single complaint about them and I’m sure I am not alone. We all love our Scions but by your standards of "inferior products" you would think you own Bentleys or some other insanely high quality / top technology auto. All I’m saying is there are levels of quality, price range and user opinion, so to each their own. Don't make preferences and generalizations into fact and law.

 

I disagree with those stating that HID will fry the wiring. As you know,
headlight wiring is fused. I agree that there is a momentary ~half second
to max 1 second duration current draw that most likely exceeds the 55W
current draw of a normal halogen bulb. But immediately after that, the
constant current draw by the HID ballasts drops to ~35W.. well below what
the stock halogen bulbs draw. And definitely safe for wiring.

Taking a hypothetical scenario that the ballst drew say 200W constantly...
before the wiring fries, the fuse will blow. Then I would say put in a relay set
up. But that is not the case. The momentary high current draw when you turn
on HID's which i say lasts no longer than a second is not sufficient to heat up
to fry wiring. And in any case you have the fuse to protect you from that ever happening.

I don't know what that initial spike in current draw the ballsts create when you
turn on HID's but also consider that most bulbs use a 55W low beam/ 85W high
beam bulb. I know that I have driven in deserted mountain roads and what not
with my high beams on (drawing 85W ) for literally hours and there is no case of
wires frying there. I think it's safe to assume that the initial current spike
by the ballasts approximately equals 85W and if it exceeds 85W, not by much
and only for a split second. So I don't see the need for wasted money and time
and engine clutter for a relay setup when it really isn't necessary.

Just my thoughts on the subject.

 

It isnt frying it at once. It is the constant, repeated overheating that can dry and crack the harness connector over time. The great engineers at ford thought the same thing on the late 80s mustangs fan control module. They didnt take into account the repeated surge current every time the fan started which was above the capacity of the control module. They eventually died time and time again. The fix? (cause ford wouldnt redesign it)... use the control module to trigger a relay that controlled the fan. Mine as well as countless others were fixed this way by either me or my father at his shop.

I am not saying it will kill the harness for sure.. but people have had it happen before and it is a cheap fix to add the relay.

 

i agree that such a scenario in the ford can cause a problem with wiring.
but you also have to consider that the fan switches on and off constantly way
way way more times in the life of a car compared to the number of times one
turns on headlights. i feel that repeated brief split second surges will not be
sufficient to heat the wires and create a situation remotely close to the
ford that you mentioned. i would say technology has advanced to produce
stronger and more resistant wire housings compared to the 80's. i have worked
on older cars, and i agree that the housing on some wires are cracked and/or
cracking off. that i think is also a result of the engine heat acting on the wires
as well as subpar wire housing of the past.
in the end its comes to owner preference i guess. i have installed HID directly
without relays and have no problems. and i have considered a relay setup
numerous times before install but didn't see the need for it.

 

if you feel so confident about the thin wiring in the tc, then more power to you. for the rest of us, we find comfort in knowing $10 will save us the trouble associated with melted wiring and harness.

 

you wont have a need for it until you have to replace that expensive harness . someone here has already fried theirs because the harness wasnt up to snuff. what you dont get is that heat is the main reason a harness.

......and yes you do blind people without the proper housing. and if you use the same housing with out the projector/specialized housing reflector you defeat the purpose of having hid lighting. one of 3 scenario will happen youll blind oncoming drivers or if you adjust the lighting youll be back at square one or see shorter distances adhead or set yourself up for a ticket.......your choice

 

So... I'm new to the forums, and a little new to HID, but I am not new to electricity....

Ohm's Law -->

Voltage = Current x Resistance

written another way....

Power = Current x Voltage

So,

55w (running power) = 12 VDC x ????

about 5 Amps

85w (starting power) = 12VDC x ????

about 7 Amps

so, now I reference this link.....

http://www.alphawire.com/PAGES/383.CFM

they give a nice table about wire gage, and give a beautiful explanation about the things that can affect current ratings of wires. Since most of the wires in your engine compartment are more than likely rated for over 105 C, you should not have any worries about "frying" your wires. A 22 AWG wire can handle approx. 8 Amps continuously in a worst case insulation scenario.

That's my 2 cents....

 

^^ But the connector may not be able to, which is what you will most likely damage if anything.

Some things to remember about wiring (just bringing this up because some get confused when dealing with wire capacity charts, so I thought it may be useful to some). Current travels mostly on the surface of a wire generally speaking, which is why stranded wire is capable of higher currents. More surface area to conduct. A finer stranded wire will help this even more.

Also, even though a given wire can handle a given max currents heating, keep in mind that this is for a given ambient temperature. Under hood applications tend to be much hotter, which is one reason you see oversized wires being used. The extra heat means that heat is not removed from the wiring as quickly.

But, as always it pays to be safe. If you have the know how and 10 bucks or so, it pays to use a control relay if you are not sure.

 

want a real setup thats the closest to oem

http://www.hidplanet.com/package.html

 

looks good man...

 

engifineer i agree with everything you stated. notice that the table i referenced had different types of wire on them. Based on insulation type (which also has a specific heat rating) there are different current ratings. That's why you use different insulating materials.

I'm not sure what you mean by, current tends to flow on the surface of a wire, but...i'll hear you out on that thought.

 

too bad they're retrofits.

 

trade yur tc for a lexus is 250. its hid standard

 

That was a little misleading on my part to a degree and I appologize. I was taking that from the signal side of the system (AC), which is why I shouldnt do three things at once and then try to post Was mixing up two different threads. With the varying current drawn by the amplifier and some basic other properties, the effect is there, but minimal. In AC systems you experience a "skin" effect, which is much more prominent. A good example is on your speaker wiring. At the midrange of audio you are using the outer skin of the wire mostly. I started that post, then stopped, then came back and finished it, so I kinda mixed two different trains of thought. Sorry about that

 

LOUD NOISES!!!!

 

i think the best bet for HID is right here..
one year warranty

http://www.kaixenkits.com/contact.htm

 

you may find this interesting


http://www.sigmaautomotive.com/HID/hidfaq.php

 

you may find this more interesting

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/t...nversions.html