Running HID Kit off OEM Wiring

[CB7Nub]

How unsafe is it to run a 35W HID kit directly off the 9006 OEM wiring?

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Right now I have a complicated setup of D2S bulbs in TSX projectors getting direct power from the battery with some wiring harness and it seems like the whole setup wiring is destroyed because I ran the cable from one headlight to the other on top of my radiator (it was heat shielded, there is no melting signs) and now one headlight will not work at all. But that's also because one ballast slipped and fell and got damaged while driving (wasn't mounted) I replaced the harness to ballast wire, no fix, and also the ballast itself with a brand new ballast and no luck. The last thing it could be is the wiring that would make sense. I don't think the bulb would randomly just go like that.

[CB7 R3ason]

i wouldn't be running HIDs on 20+ years wiring thats a mistake waiting to happen... IMO i would recommend buying the relay harness off of The retrofit source.... or make a harness....Later

[illinois_erik]

put a volt/ohm meter to the plug and turn on the lights, if you dont have one...go buy one from harbor freight theyre like 7 bucks. Then you wont have to come on here asking rhetorical questions before youve even investigated wtfn issue is. and no. survey says not to run HIDS off the stock wiring, spend 3 bucks on a relay, get some 14 guage wire and crimp connectors, hook it to your battery and turn the relay on/off with the stock light wiring harness

[lucifer1]

You need to know how much current draw the hids have to figure out if the stock wiring is enough.

The stock system use a single relay feeding two 20 amp fuses. One fuse for each headlight, both high and low beams. Wire size is 16g. Right side has independent 16g runs from fusebox and drivers side splits from a singe run. It should be sufficient if you are not using hi beam and hid together.

If you are not using the high beams, you can bi-wire both 16g hi and low power feeds to make a larger gauge wire.

[maroonaccord2.2]

You need to be running a stand alone harness, straight off of the battery... using the signal from the OEM harness on either the left or right headlight to trigger a relay. There is far to much demand for current on startup for these ballasts. I've had my setup installed since 2007 and have only had a single relay failure. I've never had a bulb burn out, wire fried, OE switch issues... nothing.


Check out www.hidplanet.com/forums, the have a lot of great info regarding retrofitting and harnesses.

[deevergote]

An auxiliary harness is $15.

This is more than $15:

[lucifer1]

I just looked up some 35w ballast curent draws, they vary in the 3.5-4.5 amp range. I measured my stock low beam at 3.9 amps. No problem there. Startup current is larger at a range of 6-10 amps average. There are probably older ones that can draw more.

With the higher 10 amp startup combine with the 5 amps I measured from my high beam it could draw 15 amps for 3-4 seconds. After it drops to 8.5-9.5 for both low and high beam. That won't cause any problems. Combining both sides for 30a should not cause any problems on the stock lighting relay.

If you use a cheap wire harness with chinese 14g wire which is really is like 16g, then splits into two relays, you won't add any more current capability than stock. On top that, you are adding new points of possible failure and resistance. Poorly crimped or loose terminals can add resistance leading to heat and possibly melting.