# HID's and relays Q \*\*attn LAYZIE\*\* **URL:** \ **Category:** NYSpeed Automotive\ **Created:** [March 18, 2008, 7:12pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/hids-and-relays-q-attn-layzie/45246 "2008-03-18T19:12:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Paulo](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/paulo/32/7328_2.png) [@Paulo](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Paulo)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 7:12pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/hids-and-relays-q-attn-layzie/45246/1 "2008-03-18T19:12:59Z")
I have projectors/ballasts/bulbs from an MB and everything will be done properly. My question is whether or not I should wire relay’s for the ballasts instead of tapping directly into the source for the current headlights. I’m assuming yes, but I’ve never seen a regular in box kit. I’ll probably do it just to be safe, but wanted some opinions on the matter. ---
**Author:** ![MPD47](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/mpd47/32/7383_2.png) [@MPD47](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/MPD47)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 7:14pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/hids-and-relays-q-attn-layzie/45246/2 "2008-03-18T19:14:32Z")
Yes. Wire the relays with the stock headlight wires triggering them and a good power source and separate grounds. ---
**Author:** ![Paulo](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/paulo/32/7328_2.png) [@Paulo](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Paulo)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 7:16pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/hids-and-relays-q-attn-layzie/45246/3 "2008-03-18T19:16:38Z")
:tup: word. Gosh I love wiring. ugh. ---
**Author:** ![greenbull](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@greenbull](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/greenbull)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 7:17pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/hids-and-relays-q-attn-layzie/45246/4 "2008-03-18T19:17:49Z")
> [@MPD47](#): > > Yes. Wire the relays with the stock headlight wires triggering them and a good power source and separate grounds. :tup: ---
**Author:** ![Cavi\_Mike](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/cavi_mike/32/5217_2.png) [@Cavi\_Mike](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Cavi_Mike)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 7:17pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/hids-and-relays-q-attn-layzie/45246/5 "2008-03-18T19:17:57Z")
What in the world would you need relays for? HID’s don’t draw anywhere near the amount of current that incandescent lighting draws. You don’t need relays, that’s just extra shit in the circuit to fail. ---
**Author:** ![layzie](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/layzie/32/7599_2.png) [@layzie](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/layzie)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 7:22pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/hids-and-relays-q-attn-layzie/45246/6 "2008-03-18T19:22:13Z")
your best bet is to make a wire harness for your hids. you can wire in 2 plugs to run to your hid ballast and 1 plug to one of your factory plug all ran to a main fuse and relay. then a power and negative to the battery. the point of this is to run equal power to both ballast. with a harnnes it also will eliminate any cutting of the factory harness. ---
**Author:** ![Balt\_SS\_n\_It](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f17d59/32.png) [@Balt\_SS\_n\_It](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Balt_SS_n_It)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 7:27pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/hids-and-relays-q-attn-layzie/45246/7 "2008-03-18T19:27:54Z")
> [@Cavi Mike](#): > > What in the world would you need relays for? HID’s don’t draw anywhere near the amount of current that incandescent lighting draws. You don’t need relays, that’s just extra shit in the circuit to fail. its not the constant power your worried about its the large surge during the warm up period. Thats why you should draw power directly from the battery. I have a set in my head lights and a set in my fogs and I have relays for both ---
**Author:** ![Balt\_SS\_n\_It](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f17d59/32.png) [@Balt\_SS\_n\_It](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Balt_SS_n_It)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 7:29pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/hids-and-relays-q-attn-layzie/45246/8 "2008-03-18T19:29:15Z")
also like layzie said you want to make sure each ballast gets the exact same current and voltage needed so they are of equal intensity. That is why usually when you run just one relay for both headlights you take the signal from the driver side since that is the path of least resistance. ---
**Author:** ![Violator](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/violator/32/7278_2.png) [@Violator](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Violator)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 7:33pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/hids-and-relays-q-attn-layzie/45246/9 "2008-03-18T19:33:59Z")
> [@Cavi Mike](#): > > What in the world would you need relays for? HID’s don’t draw anywhere near the amount of current that incandescent lighting draws. You don’t need relays, that’s just extra shit in the circuit to fail. ^ The man is correct. You don’t need relays for anything. > [@layzie](#): > > your best bet is to make a wire harness for your hids. you can wire in 2 plugs to run to your hid ballast and 1 plug to one of your factory plug all ran to a main fuse and relay. then a power and negative to the battery. the point of this is to run equal power to both ballast. with a harnness it also will eliminate any cutting of the factory harness. That is good advice. The biggest concern IMO is proper grounds since that is the weak link. I would just check the factory wiring to see how it is grounded. If it is solid then you can run the factory system no problem. What I did was make ADAPTER PIGTAILS. -Take the bulb out of your factory headlamps. -Break the glass bulb off the plastic plug end. -Use a Dremel tool to cut away access to the connecting prongs BELOW the bulb base. -Solder 2 (proper gauge) wires to the end. -Use JB-Weld to epoxy and SEAL the entire connection. You just made a plug for your HID’s that will plug into the factory wiring. No hacking or cutting at all. Easily removable, ect. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![layzie](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/layzie/32/7599_2.png) [@layzie](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/layzie)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 7:34pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/hids-and-relays-q-attn-layzie/45246/10 "2008-03-18T19:34:41Z")
balt ss’n it good points. i ran no harness in my civic and had problems with one of my hids sometimes not lighting up. i changed ballast and bulbs before i put a harness in and still did it. once i put a harness with relay in i never had that problem again ---
**Author:** ![Paulo](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/paulo/32/7328_2.png) [@Paulo](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Paulo)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 7:34pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/hids-and-relays-q-attn-layzie/45246/11 "2008-03-18T19:34:58Z")
I can feel this heating up… _sitting back waiting for solid info_ haha. ---
**Author:** ![Cavi\_Mike](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/cavi_mike/32/5217_2.png) [@Cavi\_Mike](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Cavi_Mike)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 7:35pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/hids-and-relays-q-attn-layzie/45246/12 "2008-03-18T19:35:40Z")
> [@Balt SS'n It](#): > > its not the constant power your worried about its the large surge during the warm up period. Ahhh, makes sense. What is that draw like though? Incandescent lighting is a short circuit for a brief period but the moment is actually much less time than even a fast fuse is capable of reacting to. ---
**Author:** ![Paulo](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/paulo/32/7328_2.png) [@Paulo](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Paulo)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 7:37pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/hids-and-relays-q-attn-layzie/45246/13 "2008-03-18T19:37:14Z")
It seems like regardless of the draw of power, the equal power is something more to be concerned about. Am I right? Either way, it seems like overall, the best, QUALITY way of doing this, is with relays. I’m not looking to skimp out on anything. relay’s cost $2 ---
**Author:** ![layzie](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/layzie/32/7599_2.png) [@layzie](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/layzie)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 7:38pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/hids-and-relays-q-attn-layzie/45246/14 "2008-03-18T19:38:29Z")
why risk it? just make a harness. [hidplanet.com](http://hidplanet.com) has a lot of good info ---
**Author:** ![greenbull](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@greenbull](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/greenbull)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 7:39pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/hids-and-relays-q-attn-layzie/45246/15 "2008-03-18T19:39:53Z")
could always go to [HIDPLANET.com](http://HIDPLANET.com) if you have even more questions. lots of good write ups. edit~damn layzie beat me to the plug for hidplanet ---
**Author:** ![greenbull](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@greenbull](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/greenbull)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 7:44pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/hids-and-relays-q-attn-layzie/45246/16 "2008-03-18T19:44:03Z")
do you have bi-xenon or regular projectors? ---
**Author:** ![layzie](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/layzie/32/7599_2.png) [@layzie](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/layzie)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 7:45pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/hids-and-relays-q-attn-layzie/45246/17 "2008-03-18T19:45:39Z")
s2k projectors \> all. im going to retro s2k into my STi headlights. i found out that i can still utilize the headlight adjustment with projectors. bi-xenon is nice if you don’t have a high beam compartment. ---
**Author:** ![greenbull](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@greenbull](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/greenbull)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 7:48pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/hids-and-relays-q-attn-layzie/45246/18 "2008-03-18T19:48:30Z")
> [@layzie](#): > > s2k projectors \> all. im going to retro s2k into my STi headlights. i found out that i can still utilize the headlight adjustment with projectors. > > bi-xenon is nice if you don’t have a high beam compartment. mine are mounted on the reflector bowl in my headlight so the stock headlight adjustment still works. i have bmw bi-xenon’s in mine at the moment. I have two set of fx bi-xenons in my basement. Working on a much more custom look. harness was simple in my opinion ---
**Author:** ![Cavi\_Mike](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/cavi_mike/32/5217_2.png) [@Cavi\_Mike](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Cavi_Mike)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 7:48pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/hids-and-relays-q-attn-layzie/45246/19 "2008-03-18T19:48:51Z")
> [@layzie](#): > > s2k projectors \> all. im going to retro s2k into my STi headlights. i found out that i can still utilize the headlight adjustment with projectors. > > bi-xenon is nice if you don’t have a high beam compartment. You will find RSX ones easier and cheaper and they’re they same pattern. ---
**Author:** ![layzie](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/layzie/32/7599_2.png) [@layzie](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/layzie)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 7:51pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/hids-and-relays-q-attn-layzie/45246/20 "2008-03-18T19:51:25Z")
you mean tsx? when you see the outputs side by side you will see the difference. with mods you can get a tsx to be close but it just wont make the output the s2k projectors will. fx are nice projectors. similar to s2k and tsx in out put but bi xenon. i plan on running a re based 3000k hid set up in my high beams and s2k projectors in my low beams. i was actually unaware the cobalt headlights can be adjusted inside the car. edit: i love when i respond to someone and they delete their post, in turn making me look like i am talking to myself lol [Next page](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/hids-and-relays-q-attn-layzie/45246.md?page=2)