Aftermarket HID cutoff

[Dima1978]

1. Does anyone have a picture of light cutoff after aftermarket kit has been installed into halogen housing(no projector)
2. Is there a kit with resistor and relay prewired.
3. If I decide to go through with an aftermarket thing, where is a good spot to ground ballast/ignitor box.

P.S. Has anyone burnt a stock wire without relays. How much can it handle on HID startup.

Any response is welcome.

[Sedoy]

Originally Posted by Dima1978

P.S. Has anyone burnt a stock wire without relays. How much can it handle on HID startup.

Good question, I'd like to know what too.

[Zulu95]

As the factory harness to the low beam/ ballast is the same it's no problem.

[Dima1978]

SO the wire for HID models is the same? Is stock HID equiped with relays, cause HID ballast draws a lot more energy at start up than halogen during normal use.
I spend lots of time on Mazdaforums and they had some burned wires with plug'n'play. I know it is Mazda3 not BMW-- I just have a little concern about wiring.
I will probably install the relay/resistor option -- safer. I prefer to spend 40 $ more than pay for electrical repair
ps I think it safe to say Mazda3 is BMW's little baby brother

[Zulu95]

My upgrade has been working without problem for some time now as have many others on this board.
The low beam is 55 W the HID ballast is rated 35 W.
Mazda is not even in the same family, it's a Ford/Jap hybrid.

[Sedoy]

Originally Posted by Zulu95

My upgrade has been working without problem for some time now as have many others on this board.
The low beam is 55 W the HID ballast is rated 35 W.
Mazda is not even in the same family, it's a Ford/Jap hybrid.

It's not about wattage it's about current passes thru the wires. At the start up 35W HIDs load the wires up to 13 Amps compare to 7 Amps for halogens. Factory HID system uses different wires. For those of you who installed HIDs without proper relays and wires, I hope you lucky and you won't get electrical issues.

[Zulu95]

Wattage, ampage and voltage are all inter-related. Watts = Volts X Amps. I don't think anybody on this or other BMW boards have fitted extra relays and have had the lights working without problems.

[Sedoy]

Originally Posted by Zulu95

Wattage, ampage and voltage are all inter-related. Watts = Volts X Amps. I don't think anybody on this or other BMW boards have fitted extra relays and have had the lights working without problems.

I know relationship b/w wattage, ampage and voltage. I meant that current is the only issue here, wattage is fine. That type of problem usually occur over long period of time, weaker system might fail after few months (as mentioned with Mazda), since X5 is well built machine it might take few years to fail. But the bottom line is that people should know repair will cost big $$$ and spending $40 for relays+wires is always cheaper alternative. In addition dealer undoubtedly will void the warranty soon after detecting such setup.

[Dima1978]

Originally Posted by Sedoy

I know relationship b/w wattage, ampage and voltage. I meant that current is the only issue here, wattage is fine. That type of problem usually occur over long period of time, weaker system might fail after few months (as mentioned with Mazda), since X5 is well built machine it might take few years to fail. But the bottom line is that people should know repair will cost big $$$ and spending $40 for relays+wires is always cheaper alternative. In addition dealer undoubtedly will void the warranty soon after detecting such setup.

There has been only one or two MZ3s with a problem.

OK it sounds we have decided it is better to play safe but if you dont it is just as fine so far.

What about the cutoff ? is the glare that bad?

What are the kits people use? DDM, Apexcone, Phillips based(600$ ), Prolumen etc


Zulu95! Thank you
Sedoy! Spasiba.

ps What about the cutoff, is it one big glare ????

[Sedoy]

Пожалуйста.

I’m sure that you will get some sort of glare, HIDs design for projectors or sometimes special reflectors (like older Lexus GS, Nissan Maxima).

Я в процессе установки 50Wксенона, который на 35% ярче чем оригинал. Вот начало:
http://www.xoutpost.com/x5-e53-forum/27534-next-mod-led-projector-illumination-do-not-do.html
В моем случаи без реле и линз просто не обойтись. Советую купить фары с линзами, рассеивание света будет на много шире и лучше. Плюс внешний вид приятнее!
Удачи.