DDM Tuning HID Kits - Apexcone - $55 is that right?

[accident]

they're plug and play if you already have ellipsoids

[joonsup]

ahh ok. yeah mine's a 1990 so i had to get ellipsoids first. good stuff. sorry i'm still new to the e30 scene.

[joonsup]

I didnt want to waste a new thread since I'm sure it has been previously discussed somewhere else on this forum, but what are, if any, the cons of getting the 55w ddm kit instead of the 35w kit?

I know most oem xenons are 35w, but mine aren't as bright as the newer bmw xenons so I am debating whether to upgrade to the 55w kit. What I am worried about is that it may cause electrical problems in the future since it is a 19 year old car. Anyone have any experience or opinions on the subject? When it's a dark road or there's not too many cars on the freeway the brightness seems to be good enough, but when there's other newer cars with their xenons, I can see the difference.

Thoughts?

[ethirtydavid]

there is no reason for it to cause electrical problems, the lights you are running right now are 55w.
I just installed the 70 dollar lifetime warranty DDM apexcone kit. I opted for the 35w 6000k and am pleased.

35w seems to be plenty, tons more light and am using less power.

[I got it, yes!!]

I just did the 55w kit and I love it. Shouldnt have got 8k though.

[WhatWentWong]

I have the apexcone 35W kit in my US ellipsoids, been about 6 months now, so far so good. Recently one begins to flicker randomly, and would turn off and come back on some time later, all on its own, or would come back for a while if I cycle the light switch. I’ve done some research and semi-concluded that this is a current supply problem, and that while this kit (any HID kit for that matter) is advertised as “plug and play”, it really means just the connectors would plug and play. Many original headlight wiring is so thin that it can’t supply the current to the HIDs to keep the ballasts ignited, and so they might start to flicker. Of course, it doesn’t help that our cars are 20 years old and have old crusty wiring. So, while it might not flicker right away, when your wiring ages enough, it might just start. The solution can be a simple relay which brings direct battery power to the ballasts, but that’s a little more work.

As for Apexcone’s lifetime warranty – it is just a lot of hardship. For the problem above, I thought it was the bulb (which is under lifetime warranty). In order to claim it, I have to file a form, pay to ship it to them, and pre-autho them to charge my credit card for them to ship a replacement back to me. If they don’t find a fault, then I am either out a perfectly good headlight, or pucker up and pay to get it back. In the mean time I am out a headlight for 3 weeks.

So, if you got the Apexone kit for $50 while on sale, good on ya, just don’t be expecting that the warranty is just around the corner. Afterall, they only price the replacement bulbs @ $30/pair. Treat them as disposable, if you will.

Anyone else got any insights into my flicker problem? Confirmation of my findings?

[cobraken]

I am having a major problem in regards to installation of these bulbs. I can get the bulb to fit in the housing but i cant figure out how to wire them um. I have 3 wires comming off of my low beam wire harness and the HID set up has only two wires going to it.


Help Please.
Thanks,
ken

[straight6pwr]

I am having a major problem in regards to installation of these bulbs. I can get the bulb to fit in the housing but i cant figure out how to wire them um. I have 3 wires comming off of my low beam wire harness and the HID set up has only two wires going to it.


Help Please.
Thanks,
ken

Ken-
Sounds like you have an early model originally equipped with sealed beam headlights. Your car has three wires because the original low beam was a dual filament bulb. When you flipped your high beams on, the low also switched to a high beam. One wire is the ground, one wire is for the regular low beam, and the extra wire was the power for the additional filament. What you need to do is just figure out which wire is powered when you pull your headlight switch on for only low beams. Wire the HIDs into that wire + ground. Then, just seal off the addition wire, as it serves no purpose anymore.

[accident]

i usually merge the two power wires, that way the lows still stay on when you hit the highs.

[UDelaware30]

i usually merge the two power wires, that way the lows still stay on when you hit the highs.

the best way to do it is to put a small jumper wire between the #30 post on the high and low beam relays.

[accident]

the best way to do it is to put a small jumper wire between the #30 post on the high and low beam relays.

no, that's the hack way to do it, and it's a good way to fuck shit up.

[UDelaware30]

no, that's the hack way to do it, and it's a good way to fuck shit up.

explain how it will fuck shit up.

[accident]

premature corrosion (let's face it, nobody uses good quality shit to jumper the relays), energizing terminals in a way they arent supposed to be energized, causing grounding issues from the wire fraying and touching things it shouldnt, etc.

[cobraken]

i usually merge the two power wires, that way the lows still stay on when you hit the highs.

Wont that blow a fuse or soemthing by having two power wires touching?

[accident]

Wont that blow a fuse or soemthing by having two power wires touching?

only one is hot at a time. and no.