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?
01-30-08, 03:37 PM
#1
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Aftermarket HIDs - Did you use a relay harness?
Aftermarket HIDs - Did you use a relay harness?
I'm installing the XenonDepot kit on Friday. Looking for insight. Thanks in advance!
I'm installing the XenonDepot kit on Friday. Looking for insight. Thanks in advance!
01-30-08, 07:51 PM
#4
Lexus Champion
The XD kit comes with a relay, so you might as well put it on. I installed my XD kit and it still gives me trouble (one side doesn't light up all the time). I don't even know what to think of this thing anymore. 
It's so frustrating.
It's so frustrating.
01-30-08, 08:44 PM
#5
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Now, are the problems across both XD products? Because I know they used to offer a XenonDepot line and an Xtreme line. Come to think of it, I should've added a 'Yes. Installed relay, but having issues.' option in the poll. Oh well.
Perhaps I should've gone with an AAC kit? Not enough buzz on these forums about them though.
01-31-08, 06:14 AM
#7
Lexus Fanatic
Make sure to use the relay harness all the time. If you are having inconsistent igniting, it may be that you have to really push the new wiring into the OEM harness. The little prongs can easily get loose. Make sure your ballests are mounted with zip ties and have no play (bouncing), they will burn out very fast this way.
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01-31-08, 06:27 AM
#8
Lexus Champion
i've installed about 10 kits in my cars and friends cars and never had a problem without an additional relay and harness.
the ballasts suck more current ONLY at initial start up for maybe 1 second. the stock wiring is more than able to handle another 10 amps for 1 second.
anyone who is having trouble iwth them not working; check your ground. re do it, re locate it make sure it has a good clean contact.
the ballasts suck more current ONLY at initial start up for maybe 1 second. the stock wiring is more than able to handle another 10 amps for 1 second.
anyone who is having trouble iwth them not working; check your ground. re do it, re locate it make sure it has a good clean contact.
01-31-08, 06:48 AM
#9
i've installed about 10 kits in my cars and friends cars and never had a problem without an additional relay and harness.
the ballasts suck more current ONLY at initial start up for maybe 1 second. the stock wiring is more than able to handle another 10 amps for 1 second.
anyone who is having trouble iwth them not working; check your ground. re do it, re locate it make sure it has a good clean contact.
the ballasts suck more current ONLY at initial start up for maybe 1 second. the stock wiring is more than able to handle another 10 amps for 1 second.
anyone who is having trouble iwth them not working; check your ground. re do it, re locate it make sure it has a good clean contact.
From what I've read on HID Planet's forum is that the relay is a very good idea.
The OEM headlight harness over time may have a problem with the startup power needed to fire up the lamps.
Steve at Xenon Depot's sets includes a harness with his sets and says it should be used as well as the HID Planet forum.
Anyone can use it or not but I feel it's always better to be safe than sorry.
What ever floats your boat!
01-31-08, 10:22 AM
#10
Lexus Champion
well, i fully believe in using relays for high current circuits and the like, but i just don't see how an instantaneous 1 second burst of current will hurt anything. it's not even enough to blow the stock fuse for the headlights.
i dont think time has anything to do with it either. current in a wire is like a straw filled with marbles. you put one marble in the end, anohter one pops out immediatley at the other end. a little extra current for such a brief instant isn't going to "stress" the wire; the wire just flows the extra current for a second, which isnt' even a long enough time to heat up the wire to begin to melt the insulation.
nonetheless, if anyone wants to use the relay, it will certainly work well that way.
i dont think time has anything to do with it either. current in a wire is like a straw filled with marbles. you put one marble in the end, anohter one pops out immediatley at the other end. a little extra current for such a brief instant isn't going to "stress" the wire; the wire just flows the extra current for a second, which isnt' even a long enough time to heat up the wire to begin to melt the insulation.
nonetheless, if anyone wants to use the relay, it will certainly work well that way.
01-31-08, 11:38 AM
#11
well, i fully believe in using relays for high current circuits and the like, but i just don't see how an instantaneous 1 second burst of current will hurt anything. it's not even enough to blow the stock fuse for the headlights.
i dont think time has anything to do with it either. current in a wire is like a straw filled with marbles. you put one marble in the end, anohter one pops out immediatley at the other end. a little extra current for such a brief instant isn't going to "stress" the wire; the wire just flows the extra current for a second, which isnt' even a long enough time to heat up the wire to begin to melt the insulation.
nonetheless, if anyone wants to use the relay, it will certainly work well that way.
i dont think time has anything to do with it either. current in a wire is like a straw filled with marbles. you put one marble in the end, anohter one pops out immediatley at the other end. a little extra current for such a brief instant isn't going to "stress" the wire; the wire just flows the extra current for a second, which isnt' even a long enough time to heat up the wire to begin to melt the insulation.
nonetheless, if anyone wants to use the relay, it will certainly work well that way.
When a relay harness is recommended by a site forum that exclusively about HID and HID kits and by Steve at Xenon Depot has a relay harness in the XD kit,I must go with a relay harness.
Xenon Depot sells the relays for $39.95.It would make sense for XD to sell the kits without a relay harness and make them more profitable but they include the relay harness.
I think a relay harness is worth it for piece of mind if not anything else.
http://www.xenondepot.com/product.php?product_id=50
01-31-08, 01:25 PM
#12
Lexus Champion
those guys know what they are doing for sure, i wouldn't second guess them as i'm sure theyve seen bad things happen from not using relays.
i just know that i've had aftermarket HID's on stock harnesses since 98 when they first hit hte aftermarket and used them in countless cars with 0 harness problems. of course, i make sure the grounds are good. a weak ground will cause wire melting, but not because of too much current through the positive side, but through a high resistance on the ground side.
so anyway, 50/50, for those of you who like the peace of mind, use the harness and relay. i'm not too concerned about it, since i work on cars for a living, my connections are always very good and clean, maybe that's why i've never had a problem.
i just know that i've had aftermarket HID's on stock harnesses since 98 when they first hit hte aftermarket and used them in countless cars with 0 harness problems. of course, i make sure the grounds are good. a weak ground will cause wire melting, but not because of too much current through the positive side, but through a high resistance on the ground side.
so anyway, 50/50, for those of you who like the peace of mind, use the harness and relay. i'm not too concerned about it, since i work on cars for a living, my connections are always very good and clean, maybe that's why i've never had a problem.
01-31-08, 01:50 PM
#13
those guys know what they are doing for sure, i wouldn't second guess them as i'm sure theyve seen bad things happen from not using relays.
i just know that i've had aftermarket HID's on stock harnesses since 98 when they first hit hte aftermarket and used them in countless cars with 0 harness problems. of course, i make sure the grounds are good. a weak ground will cause wire melting, but not because of too much current through the positive side, but through a high resistance on the ground side.
so anyway, 50/50, for those of you who like the peace of mind, use the harness and relay. i'm not too concerned about it, since i work on cars for a living, my connections are always very good and clean, maybe that's why i've never had a problem.
i just know that i've had aftermarket HID's on stock harnesses since 98 when they first hit hte aftermarket and used them in countless cars with 0 harness problems. of course, i make sure the grounds are good. a weak ground will cause wire melting, but not because of too much current through the positive side, but through a high resistance on the ground side.
so anyway, 50/50, for those of you who like the peace of mind, use the harness and relay. i'm not too concerned about it, since i work on cars for a living, my connections are always very good and clean, maybe that's why i've never had a problem.
01-31-08, 10:55 PM
#15
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....