Can I use a 55 watt hid kit for my highs

**Cad4life** · 03-24-09 07:04 PM

I have searched for a consice answer about hids for highs and the difference betwwen the abitlity to use 35watt and 55 watt. I want to have 6000k's in my highs. Can I use a 55 watt kit from sharp hid? Can someone clear this up for me please.

Thanks

**Sammy Z** · 03-24-09 07:34 PM

I have the 6000K with the 35w and there is plenty light. About twice what I had with the standard lights. My only reservation in putting in 55w is the the extra current draw on the wire and connector may cause an overheat and a failure.

Before I did the HID conversion, I put 55w bulbs in and the connectors kept burning out due to the extra current,. If you do the math, it's a 19% increase in current.

BTW, I put a white LED in the triange bulb and did the 6000K in the fogs, they all match perfect. ( see my photos )

**Cad4life** · 03-24-09 07:38 PM

I just want there to be a brightness increase between highs and lows...thats my purpose

**Rolex** · 03-24-09 08:33 PM

I don't recommend HIDs for high beams because of the frequent ON/OFF cycling high beams see. You cannot use high beams to "flash" either, because HIDs take a few seconds to warm up. I know people that have done it, but I think it's not ideal.

You'll see from the factory, auto companies don't use high beam HIDs. The exception to that rule is the units that contain high and low beams inside one housing.

I hope this is a useful counter point. If you decide to do it post pics!

**Cad4life** · 03-24-09 09:22 PM

I have heard about the frequent on/off opinion before but to me its no different than my how i use my fogs...and pics oh yea im after my next couple mods im gonna show it all at once...but what sammy z said about the current and wires im kinda scared...

**JimmyH** · 03-24-09 09:35 PM

I have never even heard of a 55W hid capsule. But if the ballast was made for standard HID, I can't see why it would toast a 55w capsule.

Those HID retro-fit kits are a BAD idea. Contrary to popular wishful thinking, projectors and reflectors designed for halogen/tungsten bulbs do not project light from an HID source correctly. The optics in modern automotive lights are VERY precise.

Should you forget to turn them off, you will blind oncoming motorists even worse with retro HID high beams. Retro HID low beams are just as bad. They may be brighter, and look cooler, but they almost always ruin your beam pattern. And remember, brighter light output does not necessarily mean better visibility. HID puts more light down on the road, But many halogen lights have a larger beam pattern than some HID systems. (I would take the halogen lights on my wife's Pilot any day over the xenon lights on my CTS)

I am certainly no expert on lighting, but I have done alot of research on this, and have even tried these systems out. They are worse than garbage.

And it seems the next trend has started to become mainstream. Putting these "Gen III" 15000K replacement capsules into factory HID enclosures. I am starting to see them more and more on older Lexus, Infiniti and BMUU. Maybe it's just me, but I think dark purple headlights look atrocious.

**Cad4life** · 03-24-09 09:42 PM

this sounds like a good idea...i see what ur sayin about blinding ppl...ill be a test subject cause they're cheap so wish me luck! pics will definitely be posted

**JimmyH** · 03-24-09 09:46 PM

It's nearly impossible to get good pics of headlights. The nice looking ones you see on seller websites are photoshopped.

**Cad4life** · 03-24-09 10:10 PM

ill do my best...just bought them!!!

**Sammy Z** · 03-24-09 11:03 PM

Keep us posted. I like the HID Lows, they give me plenty of light but I know what JimmyH is talking about. There is a small beam that shines high to see street signs, (sign spotters), when I converted to the HIDs, that beam is very bright, so when I pull up behind someone, it shines it their rear veiw miror. I don't think the factory HIDs do that, so Jimmy has a point about modifying you lights. On the flip side, as I get older I need more light to drive at night so, I'm enjoying them.

**Coma** · 03-25-09 09:08 AM

bad idea

**concorso** · 03-25-09 06:22 PM

Originally Posted by JimmyH

I have never even heard of a 55W hid capsule. But if the ballast was made for standard HID, I can't see why it would toast a 55w capsule.Should you forget to turn them off, you will blind oncoming motorists even worse with retro HID high beams. Retro HID low beams are just as bad. They may be brighter, and look cooler, but they almost always ruin your beam pattern. And remember, brighter light output does not necessarily mean better visibility. HID puts more light down on the road, But many halogen lights have a larger beam pattern than some HID systems. (I would take the halogen lights on my wife's Pilot any day over the xenon lights on my CTS)

I am certainly no expert on lighting, but I have done alot of research on this, and have even tried these systems out. They are worse than garbage.

I'm surprised that you haven't heard of these, if you've done a lot of research. Its not like they're uncommon. They've been around for 3-4 years now...its only lately that they've gotten cheap.

Some of these kits are garbage, yes. But you can get some stellar kits! The last Apexcone kit I took apart was really well built. Ive been running it for over a year now with no problems at all.

**Cad4life** · 03-25-09 06:27 PM

Originally Posted by concorso

Some of these kits are garbage, yes. But you can get some stellar kits! The last Apexcone kit I took apart was really well built. Ive been running it for over a year now with no problems at all.

the kit you are using...are you using it for your highs or lows?

**concorso** · 03-25-09 06:31 PM

Originally Posted by Sammy Z

I have the 6000K with the 35w and there is plenty light. About twice what I had with the standard lights. My only reservation in putting in 55w is the the extra current draw on the wire and connector may cause an overheat and a failure.

Before I did the HID conversion, I put 55w bulbs in and the connectors kept burning out due to the extra current,. If you do the math, it's a 19% increase in current.

Remember too, that HID's actually draw 3X's the current at initial startup, reasons for which Im too lazy to explain.

**JimmyH** · 03-25-09 06:33 PM

Originally Posted by concorso

I'm surprised that you haven't heard of these, if you've done a lot of research. Its not like they're uncommon. They've been around for 3-4 years now...its only lately that they've gotten cheap.

Some of these kits are garbage, yes. But you can get some stellar kits! The last Apexcone kit I took apart was really well built. Ive been running it for over a year now with no problems at all.

The last kit I bought was back in 2001. They were garbage then too. And the only thing I ever saw was 35W.

Philips, OSRAM, and Ichoka (or whatever that Japanese company is) only make 35W capsules. I would bet these 55w kits use 35w capsules; hence the problem with them burning out.