H.I.D. Headlight Options

[Muddy Bean]

My '15 expedition has the projectors and I'm interested in pulling the trigger on a set of Morimotos or similar HID bulbs/ballasts. My main question is do I need a "bulb out" canceller of some sort for these? I had HID's in my Land Cruiser and didn't need any sort of special canbus harness or anything. Just the bulbs and ballasts. Is there anything special about our newer expys that might need more than merely the bulbs and ballasts?

 

[Adieu]

My '15 expedition has the projectors and I'm interested in pulling the trigger on a set of Morimotos or similar HID bulbs/ballasts. My main question is do I need a "bulb out" canceller of some sort for these? I had HID's in my Land Cruiser and didn't need any sort of special canbus harness or anything. Just the bulbs and ballasts. Is there anything special about our newer expys that might need more than merely the bulbs and ballasts?

It miiiiight seem to work just with ballasts but sometimes wont turn on correctly... get ballasts, capacitors, and relay harness. Theyre pennies anyway these days.

 

[NASCAR Mike]

I bought a HID setup from DDMtuning.com They make good HID systems as I have them in my 08 Expy and my now sold 2010 Prius and 2005 Excursion. I only changed the low beam bulbs. I left the high beam bulb as halogen.

Single Relay HID Harness
$9.99

DDM Plus HID Kit, 55W, 9005, 5500K
Wattage: 55W
Bulb Type: 9005 / HB3
Bulb Color: 5500K
$69.95

Since the headlights are projector type they still have the same sharp cutoff line so I am not blinding people in other cars. No canbus needed. Everything is plug-n-play. No splicing needed and you only need to connect in one of the headlights connectors to the HID harness to activate the relay on the single relay harness.

It still amazes me that Ford sells a SUV for close to $70,000 and still equips them with crappy halogen bulbs. HID should be standard; LED optional.

 

[jeff kushner]

Won't argue with that Mike...switching to LED headlights was the very first things I did after finding on how woefully inadequate the stock halogens were!!

jeff

 

[NASCAR Mike]

I looked at LED's but most of them were too deep (long) and I was afraid that it would not fit in the limited space behind the headlight housing.

Also I had the same HID kit I bought from DDM Tuning in my 2005 Excursion. It was in service for over 12 years and was still using the original HID bulbs when I sold it.

 

[Muddy Bean]

Ok perfect. Exactly what I needed to know. I had already searched the forum and read the many posts about this but no one specifically stated if I needed the caps or any sort of bulb out cancel harness. I'll be making this happen this week I hope. Thanks again.

 

[ExpeditionAndy]

My '15 expedition has the projectors and I'm interested in pulling the trigger on a set of Morimotos or similar HID bulbs/ballasts. My main question is do I need a "bulb out" canceller of some sort for these? I had HID's in my Land Cruiser and didn't need any sort of special canbus harness or anything. Just the bulbs and ballasts. Is there anything special about our newer expys that might need more than merely the bulbs and ballasts?

Muddy,

I put HIDs in my 17. I used a Canbus ballast, I did not get the cancellers or the relay kit and it works just fine. I don't get any bulb out warnings. I used 35W 5K color temp bulbs from XenonHIDs.com.

 

[gixer2000]

I bought a HID setup from DDMtuning.com They make good HID systems as I have them in my 08 Expy and my now sold 2010 Prius and 2005 Excursion. I only changed the low beam bulbs. I left the high beam bulb as halogen.

Single Relay HID Harness
$9.99

DDM Plus HID Kit, 55W, 9005, 5500K
Wattage: 55W
Bulb Type: 9005 / HB3
Bulb Color: 5500K
$69.95

Since the headlights are projector type they still have the same sharp cutoff line so I am not blinding people in other cars. No canbus needed. Everything is plug-n-play. No splicing needed and you only need to connect in one of the headlights connectors to the HID harness to activate the relay on the single relay harness.

It still amazes me that Ford sells a SUV for close to $70,000 and still equips them with crappy halogen bulbs. HID should be standard; LED optional.

I had good luck with DDM stuff back in the day but the last 2 sets I bought just didn't last. I personally prefer the morimoto stuff these days.

I'm not looking to start a big discussion on this but just putting it out there. it's very possible over time the HID may burn the projector bowls because hids dont belong in a halogen projector. Your cutoff may not be perfect because again its an hid in a halogen projector so it's still very possible you blind people but chances are it wont be too bad.

As for LED it shouldn't even be an option until they can make them perform better. Sure they look white but don't perform anywhere near and Hid.

This is not base on my opinion but I'm a lighting nerd and enough testing has been done to say leds just dont perform like hids do. I'm sure as the technology advances they'll pass hid eventually

 

[Muddy Bean]

I've experimented more than once with expensive LED headlight bulbs and I have had multiple failures. They also do not have the distance light projection to suit me. Not enough distance throw. HID's are still superior in my opinion and my own personal experience.

 

[Adieu]

Muddy,

I put HIDs in my 17. I used a Canbus ballast, I did not get the cancellers or the relay kit and it works just fine. I don't get any bulb out warnings. I used 35W 5K color temp bulbs from XenonHIDs.com.

Its not for warnings, its for 1 side occasionally not igniting or not being full brightness and very very rarely both failing to light up.... if you dont drive at night much you probably wouldnt notice, 5-10% chance of misfire per side

 

[NASCAR Mike]

I've experimented more than once with expensive LED headlight bulbs and I have had multiple failures. They also do not have the distance light projection to suit me. Not enough distance throw. HID's are still superior in my opinion and my own personal experience.

I agree. LED's still have a way to go to project light any reasonable distance. That is why I stick with HID's.

 

[wrc7732]

The CANBUS boxes are also an antiflicker device in some cases. This helps prevent the bulbs no coming on at times, yes, but it does this by protecting the relays from the stress of the flickering. It often is not even noticeable but it will cause the relays to fail. The best way to do it is with the relays, capacitors, and then the CANBUS / antiflicker modules, then the HID bulbs.

As far as LED vs. HID, Ive tried both, and although LED’s are better, I’m absolutely an HID fan. They are far superior to both the halogen and LED options. According to my vendor of choice, xenondepot, the halogens are approximately 1000 lumens, vs. 1750 for the LED, vs. 3200 for a 3200K HID, which is what I’m running in my ‘15.

The wiring is a bit more cumbersome, but 100% worth it in my opinion. The HIDs are soooo much better.

I did the same thing with my ‘16 Silverado 2500 that came with halogens.

I too second that it’s absurd that these manufacturers sell $60k plus vehicles with halogens. Ridiculous!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Adieu]

The CANBUS boxes are also an antiflicker device in some cases. This helps prevent the bulbs no coming on at times, yes, but it does this by protecting the relays from the stress of the flickering. It often is not even noticeable but it will cause the relays to fail. The best way to do it is with the relays, capacitors, and then the CANBUS / antiflicker modules, then the HID bulbs.

As far as LED vs. HID, Ive tried both, and although LED’s are better, I’m absolutely an HID fan. They are far superior to both the halogen and LED options. According to my vendor of choice, xenondepot, the halogens are approximately 1000 lumens, vs. 1750 for the LED, vs. 3200 for a 3200K HID, which is what I’m running in my ‘15.

The wiring is a bit more cumbersome, but 100% worth it in my opinion. The HIDs are soooo much better.

I did the same thing with my ‘16 Silverado 2500 that came with halogens.

I too second that it’s absurd that these manufacturers sell $60k plus vehicles with halogens. Ridiculous!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Pretty sure capacitors = "canbus boxes"

 

[Muddy Bean]

I just finished my HID bulb installs. I think I indeed do see an ever so slight (almost imperceptible) flicker. I wasn't going to worry about it but if indeed it will destroy my relays I'll install the caps harness.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[gixer2000]

I just finished my HID bulb installs. I think I indeed do see an ever so slight (almost imperceptible) flicker. I wasn't going to worry about it but if indeed it will destroy my relays I'll install the caps harness.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Bulbs have a slight flicker till they are broken in. Its almost not even noticeable on most

 

[gixer2000]

Pretty sure capacitors = "canbus boxes"

Capacitors and canbus boxes were separate things for a long time but now most build them as 1 unit because canbus can be used in a non canbus car without issue

Capacitors were used to cure flickering

Canbus boxes are for vehicles that monitor whether your bulbs are actually drawing current. If not they'll grow a bulb iut warning.

Both can still be had separate if needed and will accomplish 2 different tasks

 

[Muddy Bean]

Ok so at this point I absolutely cannot see a flicker....I think you're right. So technically do I even need a cap harness?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[gixer2000]

Ok so at this point I absolutely cannot see a flicker....I think you're right. So technically do I even need a cap harness?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

If you have no flicker once the bulbs break in then you should be good to roll

 

[Muddy Bean]

Thank you! One final question, I've researched 55w HID bulbs and read in several places that they are only a modest percentage brighter than the 35w HID bulbs. That percentage, though small, is still enough that I am interested in upgrading to 55w bulbs at some point. Anyone here actually run them in their 3rd gen headlight housings? Any lens or housing meltage or burning? I just want to be sure that if I go up to 55w bulbs in my projector housings that I won't melt or destroy anything. I drive between 35,000 and 45,000 miles a year and a lot of that ends up being at night so every percentage of extra lumens I can get is helpful.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[NASCAR Mike]

I had 55W HID's in my 2005 Excursion for 12 years with no melting. I also had them in my 2010 Prius for 4 years with no melting.

I can't believe that a HID bulb would get any hotter than a halogen bulb.