socal28

Finally got around installing my HID fog kit. Had this kit for months but was too lazy to install it until today.
I was originally going to use 6000K bulbs, but Chas2's thread using yellow inspired me to just go with 3000K for the yellow color.

Here's some pics...








More pics and info here...
http://www.socal28.com/rl/hidfog.htm

Chas2

Looking good!

Did you have to remove the bumper to do this?

Have any pics of the install?

Where did all the electronics go that drive the HID tubes?

How is the heat generation? I imagine, but do not know, that they run cooler than halogens?

DurgyNess

I just installed 3k hid on mine too. Looks the same! nice

I had to remove the entire bumper because i also had to change the hid bulbs on headlamp

lland

No issues with them turning on and off every time you put on the high beams?

LL

socal28

This link shows some pics of the install...
http://www.socal28.com/rl/hidfog.htm
Sorry, I didn't do a step by step for this install.
Not sure about the heat generation. I'm assuming they run hotter than halogens. I guess we'll wait and see if something melts.

socal28

I actually rarely use the high beams so it's not really an issue for me.

sargeant

What brand did you go with? Also what wattage did you get too? Ive been trying to get an answer on whether to go with 55W like the stock bulbs are or get 35W since it is fog lights in case there is too much heat output for the housing to handle??

I assume they were not just straight plug n play kind since you had to tap into a power source, or was that just b/c of the added power harness you chose to use as "extra" safety.

Lastly, how long did it take you to take the bumper off first try? Any reason particular you chose to do that?


Look good btw!

db22

Can we get some opinions of how they work in fog because they sure are useless without it? As seen from the photos - now they light up the adjacent lane and just infront of the car in a yellow hue instead of a white hue and unless you drive at 15mph, lighting up the first 15 feet is pointless.

poppintec

they do increase visibility at night, and especially in foggy/rainy situations

Ballinger

In heavy fog, that 15 feet is about all you can ask for but there's another aspect to the yellow: OTHER cars can see you much further away. Check it out next time you're in fog: you can see the yellow-lensed cars' locations better.

db22

But you now cannot sneak up on people in stealth mode!

Chas2

To Ballinger's point,

In heavy fog, lighting up the side is a good thing. A coworker related the story of driving down to VA in heavy fog from PA in his Audi A4. The HIDs were terrible, and you could not see anything, they were just dispersed by the fog and much of the light seemed to be reflected back in your face. The fog lamps (white) were of no help, and he ended up driving a couple of hours on back roads at very slow speeds with his hazards on. The amber light off to the side allowed him to track the otherwise nearly invisible lane lines in the wet road, and keep on his side of the road. The paint they used for the lane lines were the kind that seemed to do a disappearing act when wet from certain angles.

socal28

I bought my original kit from intensehid.com with 6000K bulbs. Then I bought 3000K bulbs from Ebay and used them. They are 35W bulbs. I think 55W will be too much for fog setup.

It's mostly just finding power and ground source. You do need to tap 1 of your original fog harness into the relay so it know when to turn off and on.

The front bumper removal is necessary to find a spot to mount your ballasts and for easy wiring. It probably took me 1.5 hours the first time. It's mostly removing those damn tap-in/pull plugs and carefully pulling those 5 snaps underneath the headlights.

sargeant

But intensehid lists their kits as true plug-n-play...

Reason I mentioned the need or your reason for using a extra battery harness. These kits from them and ddmtuning and the likes should just plug in directly to the stock harness and mount into the stock housing directly no?? If not any pics of how the bulbs mounted in the housing from the back?

socal28

There are many opinions on using a power relay harness or not. Some say that it's not needed and some think the stock wiring is too weak for HID setup. I've done my share of investigation when doing my Vette fogs to HIDs (which also uses a power relay harness) and I just automatically use the harness setup for my RL as well.
I guess you can just plug the stock plugs into the ballasts for power and it will work fine.
As a note, the plug from the kit I got is not the same matching plug/housing to the stock bulb plug. It's just 2 pins (to make it a universal fit) that you stick into the female part of the stock plug. Then you need to tape it up or shrink tube it real good. Sorry, I didn't take pics of this.
Hope this helps.

db22

[QUOTE=Chas2;11550049] The HIDs were terrible, and you could not see anything, they were just dispersed by the fog and much of the light seemed to be reflected back in your face. The fog lamps (white) were of no help, and he ended up driving a couple of hours on back roads at very slow speeds with his hazards on. The amber light off to the side allowed him to track the otherwise nearly invisible lane lines in the wet road, and keep on his side of the road. .[/QUOTE Because you cannot turn off the HID's and only have the fog lights turned on, one has to assume that the rule, in the USA, of "Must have headlights on if the fog lights are on" is designed to impair visability and increase accidents while driving in fog. Would you expect any less from the DOT and the NHTSA? (these people are the same rocket scientists that allow red turn signals).