HID kit for high beams

[josh1581]

Anybody tried it?

I'm thinking I need the relay kit since I installed them and they wouldn't turn on. Might be b/c I got the 55w kit for the high beams. Already have 35w 6000k's for the lows and love them. I know non projector lenses cause glare to other drivers, but I figure that shouldn't be a problem with the high beams since you shouldn't have them on with oncoming traffic or people in front of you anyway.

 

[DKaz]

Not a good idea because it takes awhile for the ballasts to warm up... if you have to flash traffic, it wouldn't be effective. If you wanted brighter high beams, get 9011 HIR bulbs.

 

[rodslinger]

I just did it last week and it works pretty good. I had a 9005 kit of 4300k that had been sitting in my garage for about two years. I gave them a try before throwing them out.

The warm up time isn't as bad as you think it is and flash to pass is still effective as you get the initial "spark" when turning them on. That seems to be a good attention getter anyway. No different than the flash to pass on my wifes 2010 Mazda3 with the factory HID kit. The area I live in and commute around is very well lit so I rarely need the high beams anyway. I did give them a test last night up in the north Georgia mountains and they worked GREAT. Lit up the sky when I needed to see what was way out there.

 

[DKaz]

The 2010 Mazda 3 is bi-xenon? And I find that OEM HID ballasts are already pre-warmed up and read to fire.

 

[rodslinger]

Our 3 is bi-xenon and standard on the Grand Touring. It does have to warm up just like an aftermarket kit does. The ballasts aren't pre-charged as you think but can affect how quickly the bulb itself warms to full brightness and color.

 

[josh1581]

Not a good idea because it takes awhile for the ballasts to warm up... if you have to flash traffic, it wouldn't be effective. If you wanted brighter high beams, get 9011 HIR bulbs.

No need to worry about flashing to pass. People here in the NW US like to stay in the left lane even if they are going at or below the speed limit. If you flash them they take it as a personal insult and slow down further. You can be behind them for miles and they won't budge, but when you finally try and go around them they decide they want to go faster.

 

[josh1581]

I just did it last week and it works pretty good. I had a 9005 kit of 4300k that had been sitting in my garage for about two years. I gave them a try before throwing them out.

The warm up time isn't as bad as you think it is and flash to pass is still effective as you get the initial "spark" when turning them on. That seems to be a good attention getter anyway. No different than the flash to pass on my wifes 2010 Mazda3 with the factory HID kit. The area I live in and commute around is very well lit so I rarely need the high beams anyway. I did give them a test last night up in the north Georgia mountains and they worked GREAT. Lit up the sky when I needed to see what was way out there.

Were they 35w or 55w? I have a 55w set and I think I need the relay kit since they won't fire up.

 

[flcruising]

The relay kit is for vehicles with factory DRL's. This doesn't affect Mazda5's anywhere AFAIK. Canada's have DRL's but they run off the low beams. Your set may be defective. Try it on the low beam side or just wire it straight to battery to test. The highbeam are 60w (9005/HB3) halogens.

 

[DKaz]

No need to worry about flashing to pass. People here in the NW US like to stay in the left lane even if they are going at or below the speed limit. If you flash them they take it as a personal insult and slow down further. You can be behind them for miles and they won't budge, but when you finally try and go around them they decide they want to go faster.

In s nutshell.

The relay kit is for vehicles with factory DRL's. This doesn't affect Mazda5's anywhere AFAIK. Canada's have DRL's but they run off the low beams. Your set may be defective. Try it on the low beam side or just wire it straight to battery to test. The highbeam are 60w (9005/HB3) halogens.

Um in Canada you need a relay for low beam HIDs so that they run at full non pulsed voltage. You shouldn't need the relay on the high beams at all. Agreed, the kit is likely defective.

 

[CTt3P5]

While it seems like a good idea for visibility reasons....if you are continually flashing or turning them on/off due to traffic you are going to kill the life of the bulbs/ballasts.

 

[rodslinger]

The relay kit is for vehicles with factory DRL's. This doesn't affect Mazda5's anywhere AFAIK. Canada's have DRL's but they run off the low beams. Your set may be defective. Try it on the low beam side or just wire it straight to battery to test. The highbeam are 60w (9005/HB3) halogens.

I actually ended up using the relay kit. I'm also using the 35w kit. Seems the factory wiring wasn't robust enough to take the start surge as one or both lights would not fire when connected directly to the headlight wiring. I used the relay kit and they worked perfectly. I had the same issue on my 08 when I put in a low beam kit. Sometimes one or both lights would not light with the ballast wired directly to the factory wiring. After I put the relay kit in it went two years without a single miss.

 

[flcruising]

Seems odd to me since the headlights have relays already. Now you have a relay energizing another relay to turn on the lights. Redundant.