Who wants HIDs?

the_saint · Sep 7, 2005

I got myself a set of 6000K HIDs from the Helios sale going on in the approved vendors section. For my first foray into the HID world I would have to say I am impressed all around. Excellent customer service, smooth transaction, and excellent product (from what I can tell).

Here are some pics for you all to enjoy.

MP5_509 · Sep 7, 2005

Damn you and your fancy projectors. Those look freakin great!

perfecto · Sep 8, 2005

Yeah those look pretty hot. I gotta convince my wife that the safety aspects would make it worthwhile.

the_saint · Sep 8, 2005

Oh, these are DEFFINATELY worthwhile. You can see soooo much better on un-lit roads/highways. It's almost like having sideways mounted fogs!

FrostyCarbon · Sep 8, 2005

Holy Crap! So.....So nice!
Easy install??? For the average "scared to touch any electrical crap" joe?
Same cutoff as stock?
Anyone high beam you yet?
I want, I want, I want!

the_saint · Sep 8, 2005

FrostyCarbon said:
Holy Crap! So.....So nice!
Easy install??? For the average "scared to touch any electrical crap" joe?
Same cutoff as stock?
Anyone high beam you yet?
I want, I want, I want!

Thank you.
Yes, the install was easy. It's "plug and play" meaning you don't have to cut any wires at all. The thing with that is the connection from the factory harness to the HID harness is done with plain old spade connectors. I taped the crap out of mine, but I am going to look around and see if there is an alternative to that. Other than that the hardest thing is finding a place to mount the ballasts and ignitors.
Yup, stock cutoff.
Nope, no flashy flashy (yet).

SNike05 · Sep 8, 2005

Do you have a picture of the lights facing a wall I want to see the pattern that it puts out. The lights look really good especially with those projectors.

the_saint · Sep 8, 2005

SNike05 said:
Do you have a picture of the lights facing a wall I want to see the pattern that it puts out. The lights look really good especially with those projectors.

Is this good enough or do you need a picture from farther back?

ebmp5 · Sep 8, 2005

i am jeaulous

Antoine · Sep 9, 2005

Awesome review thread and thanks for supporting our Authorized Vendors...remember they help keep this community online! (thumb)

the_saint said:
I got myself a set of 6000K HIDs from the Helios sale going on in the approved vendors section. For my first foray into the HID world I would have to say I am impressed all around. Excellent customer service, smooth transaction, and excellent product (from what I can tell).

Here are some pics for you all to enjoy.

Antonio DiMarco · Sep 9, 2005

Adjusting the angle of the HIDs

My 3 has HIDs and I love them.

However unlike Halogens, HIDs are more directional and less diffused hence need to be aimed more carefully. In cases where the rear end of the car is loaded up (passengers, cargo) the HID beam maybe be forced upwards and blind oncoming motorists (kinda like what happens when you engage your hi-beams).

To compensate for this my 3 has an 3-position adjustment control that will readjust the HID beam down. It's located to the left of the steering wheel next to the dash lum dimmer. I can actually hear a little motor readjusting the light assembly when I use the control and see the angle of the beam change.

Not sure how these aftermarket samples handle this.

the_saint · Sep 9, 2005

Antonio DiMarco said:
My 3 has HIDs and I love them.

However unlike Halogens, HIDs are more directional and less diffused hence need to be aimed more carefully. In cases where the rear end of the car is loaded up (passengers, cargo) the HID beam maybe be forced upwards and blind oncoming motorists (kinda like what happens when you engage your hi-beams).

To compensate for this my 3 has an 3-position adjustment control that will readjust the HID beam down. It's located to the left of the steering wheel next to the dash lum dimmer. I can actually hear a little motor readjusting the light assembly when I use the control and see the angle of the beam change.

Not sure how these aftermarket samples handle this.

They don't.

FrostyCarbon · Sep 10, 2005

I just thought of something. In Canada, we have the projectors being the DRL's. So, to have the HID, we would have to deactivate them right? Or, can we switch the DRL's to the fogs? Wonder how difficult that would be, 'cause I like that idea!

SNike05 · Sep 10, 2005

the_saint said:
Is this good enough or do you need a picture from farther back?

If you can post one from farther back that would be much better. Thanks

SNike05 · Sep 10, 2005

FrostyCarbon said:
I just thought of something. In Canada, we have the projectors being the DRL's. So, to have the HID, we would have to deactivate them right? Or, can we switch the DRL's to the fogs? Wonder how difficult that would be, 'cause I like that idea!

Yes the DRL must be deactivated or else you have to drive with your headlights on all day. I'm also in the search of transfering the DRL to the fogs instead of the low beam.

5thAve · Sep 10, 2005

SNike05 said:
Yes the DRL must be deactivated or else you have to drive with your headlights on all day. I'm also in the search of transfering the DRL to the fogs instead of the low beam.

I've been looking for a way to do this that is clean, not a fire hazard, and ideally wouldn't void my warranty by messing with the sealed DRL module. I haven't found any promising way to do this. (Found one or two that looked like a possible fire hazard though...)

If anyone has any, uh, "bright" ideas POST THEM!!!

By the way, for those who don't know why this is a problem: Canada & EU DRL's on the Mazda3 / Mazda5 ARE in the projector (low beam) and operate at full voltage, but the current is pulsed on/off with square pulse, so that the halogen bulb burns at roughly 60%-80% brightness. Just plugging in a HID kit will cause the HID to flicker. This is also 'bad news' for the balasts and will ultimately shorten the life of all the parts in the HID system.

As far as I can tell, but I haven't seen a wiring diagram on this so I might be wrong, the fog lights and the turn signals are also controlled by the DRL module, so re-wiring is not a simple thing.

Just my .02 I'll post more if I learn more, because I sure am thinking about making this upgrade.

(freak)

the_saint · Sep 12, 2005

SNike05 said:
If you can post one from farther back that would be much better. Thanks

How's this?
This pic was taken looking out the sun roof

Inside view of the side cut off

Hobbit998 · Nov 10, 2005

very clean. NICE!

Who wants HIDs?

the_saint

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MP5_509

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perfecto

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the_saint

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FrostyCarbon

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the_saint

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SNike05

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the_saint

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ebmp5

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Antoine

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the_saint

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the_saint

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