VY HID install

[MEESEN]

Anyone know how to install a HID kit in vy ss headlights? just on the high beam btw

[Richard Moss]

I'm about to fit a kit to my 2003 "Monaro" - in my case I'm doing the low beams because they're awful. I'll post up details when I've done it.

[MEESEN]

thanks mate

[one_and_only2004]

I think you'd be looking at a H11 Kit for high beam - it's written on the top of your headlight. You have to put a 25mm hole into the headlight lamp cover, then plug your wiring into the ballast. It's fairly easy to work out once you start to install it.

[D3CID3R]

Can i ask why you want HID in high beam... by the time they charge up you will want them off again...

[D3CID3R]

why not just put in white high beam globes?

[Richard Moss]

My V2 has H11 for low beam (55W), H9 for high beam (65W). I've replaced the low beam with an aftermarket HID kit that cost me 180 Dirhams (AU$46).

Two bulbs, two ballast units, all the necessary wiring and even some mounting nuts and bolts for the ballast units.



HID bulb in place of standard 55Watt H11 item. The dark patches on the inner wing are just water spilt when I removed the filler neck from the coolant overflow tank.


Power picked up from standard supply (+/- 12 volts). Holden very kindly made BOTH the wires red (the one with the white tracer wire was the +12v)


Hole cut in the cover over the back of the bulb, grommet fitted to keep dust and water out (grommet supplied in the kit)


Ballast unit connected up for a test of the wiring



Ballast unit fitted inside the air filter box. That should keep it as cool as possible


Wires fed through a little notch cut in the inlet trunking


Passenger side done, with the ballast unit mounted on the inner wing


Dipped beam


High beam (the yellow is the high beam which is a separate lamp unit, of course).


All told, it took 1 hour to do from opening the bonnet to closing it at the end of the job. Just off for a test drive now that it's properly dark and I've had my dinner!

[Richard Moss]

The verdict? Brilliant - quite literally!

[one_and_only2004]

55w is too bright for low beam, you're going to burn the retinas out of incoming drivers.

[Richard Moss]

HID bulb in place of standard 55Watt H11 item.

55W is the rating of the standard H11 bulb fitted by Holden and which produces a pathetic yellow glimmer.

My replacement HID is 35W

[VYMAD]

I have found that the factory headlights on my VY2 are quite bright, especially high beam. Seem to be as bright as the 100 watt spotties I had on an old car years ago.
Low beam is quite good, too.

My missus Kia has horrible headlight beams both on high and low, and I mean REALLY BAD!

[MEESEN]

@ Richard Moss: Thanks Alot Mate so much easier than i thought it would be

@ D3CID3R : I drive long distances in the country so it doesnt bother me.

[D3CID3R]

Fair enough mate.. post up what you end up using :-)

[a1k3m1]

woah 55Watt low beam.. that will BBQ anyones face!! .. Being Non-Projector lights that will really annoy people lol..

[one_and_only2004]

woah 55Watt low beam.. that will BBQ anyones face!! .. Being Non-Projector lights that will really annoy people lol..

I thought that, but then I saw the number plate and realized it's never going to be my problem...

[Fletch_QLD]

55watt is the standard bulb wattage - he has installed 35watt HID's.

I was wondering about installing HID's o\in the high beam only bulb - no concerns there about dazzling people. Would I still use 35watt HID's or go to 55watters ?

What's the warm up period that everyone mentions? I understand where it would be more of an issue on highbeam than on lowbeam...

[esca_ByDesign]

i have just put in HID low beams and foglights and theyt look insane!! 8000K and have 10 times more light than old globes.

got a mate to install them, had to drill a hole in the headlight backing but fitted great, these had slimline tranformers so he cable tied them out of the way and you cant even see them. i love the noise they make when they charge up haha.
have a look at the difference here:

HIDs pictures by esca_photo - Photobucket

[esca_ByDesign]

55watt is the standard bulb wattage - he has installed 35watt HID's.

I was wondering about installing HID's o\in the high beam only bulb - no concerns there about dazzling people. Would I still use 35watt HID's or go to 55watters ?

What's the warm up period that everyone mentions? I understand where it would be more of an issue on highbeam than on lowbeam...

when you turn them on you need to let the tranformers charge up the bulb, not like a normal halogen which is almost instant. id say the delay is about 5 seconds until fully charged? you can still see they are on straight away but until full light is outputted its pretty dull. if you tried to flash someone with HID's in your high beam it would be a massive fail cause they wouldnt see anything haha.

[D3CID3R]

when you turn them on you need to let the tranformers charge up the bulb, not like a normal halogen which is almost instant. id say the delay is about 5 seconds until fully charged? you can still see they are on straight away but until full light is outputted its pretty dull. if you tried to flash someone with HID's in your high beam it would be a massive fail cause they wouldnt see anything haha.

That was exactly what I was saying before

[Richard Moss]

55watt is the standard bulb wattage - he has installed 35watt HID's.

I said it twice, too - quite plainly I thought! Post number 10 couldn't be much more clear could it? Still, just in case:

THE STANDARD BULB IS A 55W H11 BUT MY HID KIT USES A 35W HID BULB

Hope that got the message across!

[Fletch_QLD]

I am quite happy with my low beams (65watt H9 mod in calais projector lamp). However, high beam is not great. I have decided to try 55watt HID's in my foggys - I will be wiring the foglights to come on only with high beam (retaining current seperate switch) And will see how that goes.

I am aware that the foglights are not exactly best placed to operate as driving lights - being mounted so low, but figure I have nothing to lose as being a queenslander I have never had use for foglights in the 3 years I have had them.

We'll see how that goes.

[axemurderer101]

I am quite happy with my low beams (65watt H9 mod in calais projector lamp). However, high beam is not great. I have decided to try 55watt HID's in my foggys - I will be wiring the foglights to come on only with high beam (retaining current seperate switch) And will see how that goes.

I am aware that the foglights are not exactly best placed to operate as driving lights - being mounted so low, but figure I have nothing to lose as being a queenslander I have never had use for foglights in the 3 years I have had them.

also the beam pattern of the foglights arent the best, aftermarket driving lights would work better if you could make them fit.

[Fletch_QLD]

also the beam pattern of the foglights arent the best, aftermarket driving lights would work better if you could make them fit.

Yeh - I'm aware of this - but factory finish FTW. I have been looking for a driving light that would be a half decent fit for about 6months. I figure I have nothing but $50 to lose, and it might actually be worthwhile. Next step would be to try HID's in the highbeam, but we'll see how this goes.

[HoldenOnn]

Yeh - I'm aware of this - but factory finish FTW. I have been looking for a driving light that would be a half decent fit for about 6months. I figure I have nothing but $50 to lose, and it might actually be worthwhile. Next step would be to try HID's in the highbeam, but we'll see how this goes.

I originally went looking for spot lights to go into factory fog light location on my calais 2 years ago, but none fitted. Although thinking about it, even a spot light down that low would have limited effectiveness.

I have 65w H9 globe mod in low beam and im happy. I tried HID in low beam but due to the slightly pitted/aged surface of the polycarbonate lenses on my calais, the light spread is shocking and is unuseable. A new set of headlights would go great with HID but too much $$$.

I have 55w HID high beam 6000k and these work great.

Just a note though with fog lights being used with high beam....I wouldn't do this as you will not see as far down the road for animals on the road or hazards ahead etc. It may sound funny but here goes;

the more light that you have just to the front of the car, and also only slightly ahead such as 5-10 metres like a fog light design, then the less effective your long distance night vision is.......which is where it matters when travelling at speeds above walking pace. This is due to the extra light just infront of your car reducing your pupil size and hence not allowing as much vision further ahead of the car where you have time to react to hazards.

Its like turning your dash lighting to full brightness. Your eyes will try to limit the light and in doing so will diminish your night time distance vision ahead of the car.

Fog lights only light up the side of the road and maybe 10 metres ahead if that. Who cares what is on side of road or 5-10 metres ahead, because you won't have anytime to react at speed. You will be past the hazard or ontop of it before you can even get to the brake.

[Big_Simmo]

Im running 55w 6000k HID in both high and low beam in my calais.

Looks bloody amazing, not that bright and im also angled them down the tinest bit and so far the only people I have annoyed are the ricers who dump theircrappy honda civic on its ass.