View Poll Results: Aftermarket HIDs - Did you use a relay harness?
Yes - Better safe than sorry. No issues.
47
57.32%
No - Relay shmeelay. Didn't install and haven't had issues.
33
40.24%
No - Didn't install, but had issues.
2
2.44%
Voters: 82. You may not vote on this poll
Aftermarket HIDs - Did you use a relay harness?
02-01-08, 04:55 AM
#16
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Well this guy installed the XD kit on his Elise without a relay....
http://www.trix.com/Elise-HID/
From the looks of the page and graphs, he was probably an EE. Notice that the XD kit has a 16A spike for a little bit less than a second, then it drops down very quickly to about 3.5A...
I need to check up on this, but I believe our cars have a 15A slow blow fuse for the front headlights, which should easily support 16A for a second or two...
The dude with the Elise only had a 10A fuse on his car....
http://www.trix.com/Elise-HID/
From the looks of the page and graphs, he was probably an EE. Notice that the XD kit has a 16A spike for a little bit less than a second, then it drops down very quickly to about 3.5A...
I need to check up on this, but I believe our cars have a 15A slow blow fuse for the front headlights, which should easily support 16A for a second or two...
The dude with the Elise only had a 10A fuse on his car....
02-01-08, 05:40 AM
#17
02-01-08, 07:36 AM
#18
Lexus Champion
Well this guy installed the XD kit on his Elise without a relay....
http://www.trix.com/Elise-HID/
From the looks of the page and graphs, he was probably an EE. Notice that the XD kit has a 16A spike for a little bit less than a second, then it drops down very quickly to about 3.5A...
I need to check up on this, but I believe our cars have a 15A slow blow fuse for the front headlights, which should easily support 16A for a second or two...
The dude with the Elise only had a 10A fuse on his car....
http://www.trix.com/Elise-HID/
From the looks of the page and graphs, he was probably an EE. Notice that the XD kit has a 16A spike for a little bit less than a second, then it drops down very quickly to about 3.5A...
I need to check up on this, but I believe our cars have a 15A slow blow fuse for the front headlights, which should easily support 16A for a second or two...
The dude with the Elise only had a 10A fuse on his car....
02-02-08, 02:44 PM
#19
By the way, the 2IS left and right low beam headlights both have 15A fuses (page 300 of manual)...
But anyway... to each his own like a bunch of people have been saying in this post. It is your car..do what you want with it.
02-18-08, 08:41 AM
#21
Lexus Champion
iether they will blow the fuse when you first try to use them and you'll need a relay or they won't blow the fuse and you'll be fine. the amount of high current is used for less than 1 second, then it settles to less than stock current consumption.
02-18-08, 09:38 AM
#22
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awsome thanks a bunch.
i ve been driving with em for a week, and drove with them on the old car for about 6months until the swap.
i ve been driving with em for a week, and drove with them on the old car for about 6months until the swap.
02-18-08, 02:04 PM
#23
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I would definitely recommend using the harness. A buddy of mine tried to go the easy way out and use the OEM wiring, while it worked, his HID's also flickered a lot. Once he installed a harness, all was well. Who knows, the flickering could have been simply a bad connection, but it could also have been the wiring not being adequate enough. Either way, it's there, it's recommended, might as well do it the right way.
03-25-08, 03:56 AM
#25
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some more info...
http://faqlight.carpassion.info/headlamp-harness.html
using e46 bixenons in my wagon, and if i install a relay harness, it will throw a light bulb out on the dash. does that happen if u use relays for the 2is with aftermarket hids?
http://faqlight.carpassion.info/headlamp-harness.html
using e46 bixenons in my wagon, and if i install a relay harness, it will throw a light bulb out on the dash. does that happen if u use relays for the 2is with aftermarket hids?
03-25-08, 11:48 AM
#26
We strongly suggest using a relay harness. This topic has been much debated on this forum and you will find many people that its necessary and you will find many people that say it is not.
Many vendors do not include relay harnesses as relay harnesses cost money. They simply want to purchase the product for as little as possible for higher margins. We include a relay harness for several reasons:
1) The ballasts are powered directly from the battery. This ensures that they always get a constant 12V. This is important as if the ballasts don't see 12V they will flicker which will cause them to burn out.
2) With a wiring harness installed you do not run the risk of damaging your vehicle's OEM headlight wiring. This is also important for those of you that are still under warranty as with a wiring harness there is no legitimate reason for a dealer to ever blame an aftermarket product should something ever go wrong.
Better safe than sorry..
Steve
Many vendors do not include relay harnesses as relay harnesses cost money. They simply want to purchase the product for as little as possible for higher margins. We include a relay harness for several reasons:
1) The ballasts are powered directly from the battery. This ensures that they always get a constant 12V. This is important as if the ballasts don't see 12V they will flicker which will cause them to burn out.
2) With a wiring harness installed you do not run the risk of damaging your vehicle's OEM headlight wiring. This is also important for those of you that are still under warranty as with a wiring harness there is no legitimate reason for a dealer to ever blame an aftermarket product should something ever go wrong.
Better safe than sorry..
Steve
03-25-08, 07:20 PM
#27
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We strongly suggest using a relay harness. This topic has been much debated on this forum and you will find many people that its necessary and you will find many people that say it is not.
Many vendors do not include relay harnesses as relay harnesses cost money. They simply want to purchase the product for as little as possible for higher margins. We include a relay harness for several reasons:
1) The ballasts are powered directly from the battery. This ensures that they always get a constant 12V. This is important as if the ballasts don't see 12V they will flicker which will cause them to burn out.
2) With a wiring harness installed you do not run the risk of damaging your vehicle's OEM headlight wiring. This is also important for those of you that are still under warranty as with a wiring harness there is no legitimate reason for a dealer to ever blame an aftermarket product should something ever go wrong.
Better safe than sorry..
Steve
Many vendors do not include relay harnesses as relay harnesses cost money. They simply want to purchase the product for as little as possible for higher margins. We include a relay harness for several reasons:
1) The ballasts are powered directly from the battery. This ensures that they always get a constant 12V. This is important as if the ballasts don't see 12V they will flicker which will cause them to burn out.
2) With a wiring harness installed you do not run the risk of damaging your vehicle's OEM headlight wiring. This is also important for those of you that are still under warranty as with a wiring harness there is no legitimate reason for a dealer to ever blame an aftermarket product should something ever go wrong.
Better safe than sorry..
Steve
Yup, I ended up installing the harness. I guess I was making a big deal out of it before actually seeing the kit. It was so easy. And I love the kit! Big thanks!
